Lee-on-Solent Airfield Survey

[LeeSAMS]

Hi.
You may be aware that, since 2007, Lee-on-Solent (Daedalus) Airfield has been the setting of an ongoing battle over its future.

After several short-term ownerships, in April of this year Fareham Borough Council (FBC) purchased the airfield. The future promises a period of stability, and finally the chance to plan how the airfield should develop. As the resident GA and business community, we are working closely with FBC to achieve this aim. Combined, we account for over 95% of both the aircraft movements and aviators at Lee.

One of the issues is that FBC have no prior aviation experience. We have suggested various actions and strategies but, understandably, they are seeking wider validation before considering them in detail.

We have therefore compiled a very short and simple survey, the publication of which has been approved by FBC. PPRuNe Admin have also asked me to point out that it has been vetted and approved by the Towers.

From a position in 2007 where notice had been given that the airfield would close, to the main runway renewal just a year ago, we have come a long way - much of this success due to the help of the GA community. Your continued support by completing this survey would be greatly appreciated - Lee-on-Solent Airfield Survey (http://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90001084/Lee-on-Solent-Airfield-Survey).

We've already had 80 responses from a similar post on the Flyer Forum yesterday, and the information contained in them is proving invaluable. Please feel free to share with fellow aviators, and many thanks in advance for your help.

[tmmorris]

Done. Nice airfield, keep up the good work. A cafe and a second runway and I'd be even happier (though I appreciate the approaches are clearer for the current runway).

[TheOddOne]

Done, too.
Lovely place, I've got folk who live within walking distance so perfect for a family visit. Used Bournemouth Avionics, great service and landing fee buried in the bill. A/G entirely enough, FISO would be a complete waste of money, unless there's going to be significant Public Transport flying to pay for it.
I think that lights would be nice but unless you're going to charge enormous amounts to use them, you'll never get the money back, even for the modern portable systems - you'll defray the cheaper capital costs against having to pay someone to put them out, collect them and charge/service them. Maybe there will be enough people willing to pay, in which case the marginal cost to private users can be held down. Depends how the total business builds, I guess. There's a 'step change' as soon as you get bigger aircraft - Cat 2 Fire cover is orders of magnitude more expensive than Cat 1/First Responder. Chicken and egg with business over provision of services. Do Fareham really want to attract overspill from Southampton? It would ruin the place for the light end of GA etc.
Just my views...

TOO

[LeeSAMS]

Thanks both. Out of interest, we're up to 224 completed surveys in less than 2 days, and the added comments in particular will prove extremely useful in our ongoing discussions with FBC.

Your observations about airfield lighting, Southampton overspill etc., are all very valid, and just the sorts of discussions going on at the moment. In fact there is a session on airfield navigational aids with FBC this Thursday. It's all about informing them of possibilities, capabilities, cost, returns etc.,

Thanks for your support with this, it really will make a difference.

[LeeSAMS]

We have almost 300 responses to the survey now. In under three weeks that is quite amazing, and far more than we had anticipated.

In addition to completing the form, the majority of you have also provided very helpful written comments about your visit(s) to, or why you have not visited, Lee. On that latter point this has been one of the biggest benefits of the survey. It's not uncommon to be asked to complete a visitor feedback form, or maybe just provide a written comment, when you fly somewhere. Clearly the Lee survey is considerably more detailed than that, but what we have also managed to capture is information from pilots who have NOT visited Lee - in fact, almost 1/3 of the respondents !

Without those 100 odd surveys, any conclusions we would have draw and the subsequent advice given would have been incomplete.

The intention is to close the survey at midnight on Sunday 20 December - let's see if we can make the 300 !

It is going to take some time to properly analyse all this information, but we'll post on the forum again to let you know the outcome of this work. Finally, our thanks to everyone who took part (including those yet to complete a survey) - this is invaluable information and your efforts will enable us to speak with authority when we discuss what actions are required to keep Lee-on-Solent Airfield alive and growing. Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and New Year.