Just got a letter from Lancs Aero Club telling me that all members have to pay landing fees in the near future.

Up until now full members didn't have to pay.

A second letter tells me that from the end of November the free parking is finished as well.

Not good.

I fly from Barton and have been in on the vicious rumours and circualtions of late . The reason for the landing fees and parking is that LAC are not doing well financially and are operating at a loss , they do not have the members to fulfill the obligations on landing fees and car park usage . Unless Im very much mistaken and I stand to be corrected (please someone from lac confirm or deny) that LAC will cease to be as of end of november . The airfield and other flying schools will remain but will all operate under the same rules paying same landing fees and car park fees as each other .
There is a lot going on with LAC at the moment qand Im sure someone will comeon and clarify the points made

Benefits ? Good question.

THE most expensive flying club in the country and with the most expensive fuel.

Don't get me wrong, I fly from Barton and thoroughly enjoy the athmosphere but you can only push it so far. The prices in the clubhouse seem to go up on a regular basis.

Landing fees is a particular sore subject with me. I don't mind paying to land, but in accordance with other things in life, I hate to be ripped off. Without wishing to appear unkind to the good folks at Barton, my personal impression of Barton is that they should pay to land there.

Any amount of money to plonk your plane down on a grass runway, built over a peat bog is tantamount to ripping off. KLM refused to land there for these reasons in the 1920's and for my money little has changed.

Barton is my local field, yet I learn at EGSY. Whenever I have gone to Barton for a price list, it is more exepnsive than other schools and if the runway gets waterlogged then wave bye-bye to aviation for a couple of days. Not my cup of tea at all.

Yeah, not looking good.

The 'waterlogged issue' is very much an problem. I have lost count of the number of lessons I have lost because of this.

Looks like Liverpool here I come !!

That is sad news for the oldest aero club in Britain. Perhaps AVROTech should invite them back to Woodford. The Club House was still there the last time I looked. Fat chance of that, though. If that idiotic idea of listing aerodromes as "brown field" has been let in, then Barton Moss would, indeed, be a valuable building Plot.

That reminds me, my old LAC tie is starting to look rather tatty (in fact, I'm wearing it right now).

I fly with LAC (for now!!)

Are Ravenair better organised, and do they operate out of Liverpool ?

How come these letters? I'm a full flying memberof LAC and I've not received any. You sure they're from LAC?

SSD

Signed by D.D himself. I got them at the start of this week.

Aparently they can no longer afford to subsidise members.

Bleedin' great eh? Just got my PPL, and then I read this.
I should have taken up windsurfing at Sale water park.
Nah.

Hmmm. Any other LAC members got these letters? Nothing received at SSD towers yet.

SSD

And I quote:
Important Notice To LAC Members. 27th October 2006.

Dear Members,
I regret to inform you that as from the 30th of November L.A.C. is no longer able to provide the membership with free landings free parking facilities. We have had to take this decision because we have depleted the 2006 subscriptions, which unfortunately are substantially less than we had originally budgeted for at the start of the financial year.
This shortfall is a direct consequence of reduced membership renewals. We are currently re assessing the clubs position in terms of what facilities will be provided in the next membership year 2007/8 and subscription renewal rates for the revised facilities.
These decisions have not been taken lightly, but based upon last years and this years financial results we cannot continue to subsidise membership facilities with the club funds.
When we have a firm proposal for our next membership year further notices will be posted,
Yours Sincerely
Paul G Kavanagh

...On which Easy Jets and Ryanairs take priority. Scouseport ATC are usually pretty good in getting us in and out, but if there's a queue of jet transports joining the ILS, or waiting at the hold, you will hang around while paying as if you were in the air.

Give me Barton any time. far better suited to GA unless you need all those big airport aids.

SSD

Ravenair now circuiting up the road at Woodvale.

A direct communication still awaited from LAC.

Still, who the hell am I to complain? Just a member who has chosen to complete an 80 mile round trip over the last 9 years or so in order to fly from Barton and pay without grimace my £240 p.a subs!

Sorry committee, a letter wouldnt have gone amiss. Doubt I will renew in 2007.

I think they ran out of stamps.....

Sorry - off topic but:

Really?? That's been an idea worth happening for years if you ask me!

Any details? Who can fly etc? Ravenair only? (I'm at LFS - flew there as a cadet).

Back to thread topic:

I visited Barton a few months back with Mariner9 - I was impressed with the place and nearly joined, mostly for the reasons shaggy mentioned above - at the time, it was money stopping me (and yes I was prepared to drive that extra mile to get there). I can sadly say that I will miss the opportunity to fly regularly from there

Havn't the club committee worked out why membership is dropping when benefits are withdrawn
It still looks like a ploy to decimate flying activities on the site by Peel

As far as I know it's only Ravenair who have an agreement.

I have been a member of LAC since March 2000.

I have today taken up the new BOA Ltd landing contract scheme with BAOL Barton Aerodrome Operations Limited

It cost £55 and gives me free landings and free car parking at Barton until the end of March 2007.

If you fly a lot like myself, it works out cheaper than paying for each landing, each circuit and each exit.

As for LAC, sorry to say this but I think as a club, its days are numbered.

I just hope whatever happens in the future at Barton, flying continues.

Apart from the old politics stigma which is now no way as bad as it use to be, Barton is a brilliant place to fly from. ATC guys do a great job and its a real good place to build confidence. Can be very busy at the weekends in the summer with upto 8 in the circuit and plenty wanting to arrive and depart. Great place for helping you building your experience. Best thing to do is turn up, fly, have a brew and a butty, then go home. Great place and you meet loads of new friends.

Hope there are many many more flying days at Barton and would be very sorry to see the place close.

EGCC4284