Hornet863
13th Apr 2015, 08:11
I trained for my PPL out of Southend airport and and have therefore been flying out of there for the last four years. However recently it is becoming harder and harder to fly due to increased security getting airside.
Security procedures to get airside are now very laborious and can make the whole process of flying for one hour take four times as long due to waiting a long while to get airside which results in all booking slots for the aircraft to run late. I understand the need for security at an international airport but this is making me think twice before going flying from there lately.
Also has anybody been impacted flying in the area due to the class D airspace that has recently been introduced which covers quite an excessive area? This is supposedly to reduce conflict with the Easy jets but in all fairness there are not many per day and the airspace introduction seems a bit extreme for such small amounts of traffic compared to Stansted. I am struggling to remember the last time there was conflict with GA aircraft and the commercial aircraft in the Southend area... The only likely conflicts there in my experience is birds in the circuit and the odd drone neither of which make obey the rules of the class D.
Security procedures to get airside are now very laborious and can make the whole process of flying for one hour take four times as long due to waiting a long while to get airside which results in all booking slots for the aircraft to run late. I understand the need for security at an international airport but this is making me think twice before going flying from there lately.
Also has anybody been impacted flying in the area due to the class D airspace that has recently been introduced which covers quite an excessive area? This is supposedly to reduce conflict with the Easy jets but in all fairness there are not many per day and the airspace introduction seems a bit extreme for such small amounts of traffic compared to Stansted. I am struggling to remember the last time there was conflict with GA aircraft and the commercial aircraft in the Southend area... The only likely conflicts there in my experience is birds in the circuit and the odd drone neither of which make obey the rules of the class D.