EGHH has 7400 so would get my vote. Assuming that it is a VIP pax I would suggest EGHH with a chopper to London.....

Some of you are talking about transfer to London by train, TRAIN?! Are you serious?! :eek: I would get fired for even suggesting that!!

Not a good idea to rely on that! Last minute helicopter flights are definitely not allowed (see the special rules for the Olympics restricted airspace).

I did find this quite humorous, especially considering the size of the aircraft :):) But ground transportation isn't my issue.

Mutt

Yea, perhaps this could be something you could suggest mutt? :E

Private Rail Cars

Make sure you've got a plan B though. That is a plan B for your continued career... :ok:

Thanks for the advice :ok::ok::ok: But as a driver my responsibilities finish as soon as the door opens :)

Mutt

Mutt

Not anymore they don't. :E

GF

PS: I sincerely doubt London can do as nearly a nice a job as Beijing did. Truly first class in '08.

GF

Email
 

Mutt,

I've just sent you an email ref Olympics.

Best.

Helicopter transfers to London
 

As yet Battersesa Heliport still does not know what restrictions will be imposed for the Olympics. It's a pathetic shambles. Hopefully sense will prevail and off airport flights will be allowed with a Flightplan and GAR.

Would recommend Dunsfold for private operators with its 6000ft runway and an airfield based Agusta 109 Grand operator who can get your pax to Battersea in 12 minutes!

Coventry any good?

6500 feet, ILS both ways, radar, long opening hours, hardly used most of the time.

Two hours by road from London but so are some of the other suggestions above.

is there a shortage of capacity?
 

I am hearing from various sources at various airports that traffic for the Olympics is less than forecast and that outside a few peaks there is availability out there. Has al the planning been overkill?

No, it hasn't been an overkill, it's just that with all the troubles, complications and costs plenty of people decided to keep well clear

There are plenty of indications that the airport business development managers (with their fresh MBAs from the University of Upper Warlingham) went way OTT with their projections.

Even Lydd has/had a telephone switchboard message of "Welcome to London Ashford Airport, your gateway to the 2012 Olympics" :E:E:E:E:E:E:E:E

Plenty of room at Dunsfold (about 10nm west of London/Gatwick) if you're corporate ie not charter as they're not licenced. It might be a bit short if you really need 7000ft (6170ft).
Phone Larry Major on 07836 555515.
There's a 747 parked there as a film set and it was flown in.

So.....

The party is almost over, where did everyone end up ?

Meldex

Haven't been paying attention, but everything I've heard about the London Games has been positive. My comments were more directed at the aviation side of things, not the Games themselves. Beijing had only one airport, controlled and managed the private jet side of things very well and had much fewer places for problems--everything was CONTROLLED. The Beijing Games were tightly controlled show put on by the Chinese for reasons beyond the Games, the Britsh put on the Games for the good of the Games and the athletes.

GF

As a very enthusiastic aviator with a lifelong dislike of spectator sports, I think I've found the London Olympics surprising.

Aviation has been a mess. EGTC, where I spend a lot of my time, put in all sorts of restrictions for the huge number of business jets that we never saw - maybe a couple of extra movements per day overall. I personally avoided trying to fly GA in R112 until today - 2 hours of trying to get a flight plan accepted for a short hop out of the zone and I eventually gave up, cancelled my student, and did something else.

But, despite all my prejudices I have really enjoyed watching the games, and have been as bought into the new national obsession as anybody.

G

I'm based at EGTF (Fairoaks) smack in the middle of the restricted zone and just inside the prohibited area, and operate a commercial fleet and an RTF.
When the Restrictions were first proposed we had the same reaction as most other people and seriously considered closing up shop and having an extended holiday. VFR Flight plans needed for every movement and all IFR movements requiring co-ordinated slots sounded like a complete nightmare.

BUT I have to say that now - with only 1.5 hours of Atlas control remaining - we have actually been busier than at this time last year and have experienced no serious problems at all.
Every time I've spoken to Atlas with a problem they've been very understanding, knowledgeable and helpful. Job well done in my book.

And we never once had an issue getting an IFR co-ordinated slot at any of the airports we visited!

I second qualityman in his comments. I have not experienced any issues and even flew a B734 FL130 from the west of the zone out towards EGMC out over the wash, back to EGSH and EGMC then FL140 across the SAM VOR. All co-ordinated and planned correctly with LATCC being a great help too.

Genghis
 

I don't know what you have been doing wrong. Have been in and out of 112 several times Other than the two hours notice for flight plans we have had approval within 30-40 mins of filing and very helpfully handling by Atlas.
Finger trouble with flight plans perhaps?
Anyway never mind, nearly all over now!