Norwich (Split)
niknak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Norwich (Split)
Lotus/Hethel and all things aviation parted company a few years ago.
They occassionally allow helicopters in, but my understanding is that it has to be on company business.
Fixed wing aircraft were stopped from using the facility largely because of development on various parts of the site which meant they couldn't guarantee that the the "runways" would be clear, and a huge leap in insurance costs just to insure the "airfield".
Stuff Old Buck! - come to Norwich!
Split off to start a new thread on Norwich.......
They occassionally allow helicopters in, but my understanding is that it has to be on company business.
Fixed wing aircraft were stopped from using the facility largely because of development on various parts of the site which meant they couldn't guarantee that the the "runways" would be clear, and a huge leap in insurance costs just to insure the "airfield".
Stuff Old Buck! - come to Norwich!
Split off to start a new thread on Norwich.......
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Here and there. Here at the moment but soon I'll be there.
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A slight digression ....
Unfortunately the money being spent at Norwich International is not for the benefit of the GA community, they are too busy trying to become a big player challenging Stansted. Quote "Norwich International is the airport of choice and convenience for the people of East Anglia."
Unfortunately the money being spent at Norwich International is not for the benefit of the GA community, they are too busy trying to become a big player challenging Stansted. Quote "Norwich International is the airport of choice and convenience for the people of East Anglia."
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi niknak, I know you are at norwich so please tell us is Norwich as GA friendly as it used to be? It WAS superb, own GA entrance and departure and very good facilities for the relatively inexpensive landing fees. HOWEVER that was the past and the last time I was there it was interminable queues at the departure gate and jobsworth security just to get back to my own aircraft. It is such a pity if that prevails because it really was a joy to fly in to Norwich and I was a frequent visitor, several times a month.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Alan Partridge International Spaceport
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by SkyHawk-N
A slight digression ....
Unfortunately the money being spent at Norwich International is not for the benefit of the GA community, they are too busy trying to become a big player challenging Stansted. Quote "Norwich International is the airport of choice and convenience for the people of East Anglia."
Unfortunately the money being spent at Norwich International is not for the benefit of the GA community, they are too busy trying to become a big player challenging Stansted. Quote "Norwich International is the airport of choice and convenience for the people of East Anglia."
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 1,966
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I pop into both quite frequently - but for OB is so much cheaper and has a decent restaurant!
A year's casual membership at OB gives me free landings for 12 months and works out slightly cheaper than one full price landing at Norwich!
Let me land at Norwich for a tenner (all in), niknak and you'll see more of me! (Have you got a R Enfield?)
Stik
A year's casual membership at OB gives me free landings for 12 months and works out slightly cheaper than one full price landing at Norwich!
Let me land at Norwich for a tenner (all in), niknak and you'll see more of me! (Have you got a R Enfield?)
Stik
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Here and there. Here at the moment but soon I'll be there.
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Norwich fees are one thing, the lengthy and torturous taxi around to runway 27 via the main ramp is another. The last time I did this I was kept hanging around for ages while a commuter aircraft got it's act together. It took me more than 20 minutes from brakes off to departure that day! 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 4,631
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Skyhawk
I couldnt agree more.
I love Norwich but every time I go you would think the fuel is rashened and the parking in as short supply as LCY.
If Norwich wants GA they have got to speed up the whole process.
I couldnt agree more.
I love Norwich but every time I go you would think the fuel is rashened and the parking in as short supply as LCY.
If Norwich wants GA they have got to speed up the whole process.
niknak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fuji,
Concur re the parking and fuel, hopefully this will be sorted in the near future, I understand that the airport company are negotiating with an existing operator to take over all the GA Handling.
Fuel is suppled by Air BP, they can't be everywhere at once and until an fixed point avgas refuelling pump is in situ, they'll still have travel all over the airfield to supply fuel to all the operators.
Sky Hawk
Yes, it can seem like a couple of laps of the M25 to get to the RWY27 hold, but we'd rather have the option of lots of taxiways and the ability to utilise them accordingly, without them we'd be well and truely buggered and there would be significant delays for everyone. Don't forget that you can ask to depart from an intermediate holding point (B1), if you want to - we don't have declared distances yet but hopefully will in the near future.
Must take issue with you regarding the money spent.
Yes, the £4m currently being spent on the terminal is to make it a better place for passengers (commercial and pivate) to use, as well as speeding up throughput, which helps the operators.
However, as for the other £squillions spent on a new ILS, taxiway and runway resurfacing, lighting improvements, an almost complete refit of the Tower in late 06, all these benefit EVERYONE, including GA.
We're also providing LARS from 01st April, 0900 - 1730, 7 days a week, another additional benefit for everyone.
House,
We're working very hard to accomodate everyone, but the busier we get with commercial operations the more likely it is that someone will get delayed - especially with instrument training, that's the way of the real world. I, as my colleagues, would be strongly opposed to any suggestion that GA should be prohibited.
By the way, the only low cost route to be chopped was Belfast, the operator wasn't getting the passenger loads to make it viable, so off to the knackers yard it went.
We like to think we're still GA friendly (landing fees are outwith my remit!) and you're all welcome, but sometimes you'll have to take your turn.
Concur re the parking and fuel, hopefully this will be sorted in the near future, I understand that the airport company are negotiating with an existing operator to take over all the GA Handling.
Fuel is suppled by Air BP, they can't be everywhere at once and until an fixed point avgas refuelling pump is in situ, they'll still have travel all over the airfield to supply fuel to all the operators.
Sky Hawk
Yes, it can seem like a couple of laps of the M25 to get to the RWY27 hold, but we'd rather have the option of lots of taxiways and the ability to utilise them accordingly, without them we'd be well and truely buggered and there would be significant delays for everyone. Don't forget that you can ask to depart from an intermediate holding point (B1), if you want to - we don't have declared distances yet but hopefully will in the near future.
Must take issue with you regarding the money spent.
Yes, the £4m currently being spent on the terminal is to make it a better place for passengers (commercial and pivate) to use, as well as speeding up throughput, which helps the operators.
However, as for the other £squillions spent on a new ILS, taxiway and runway resurfacing, lighting improvements, an almost complete refit of the Tower in late 06, all these benefit EVERYONE, including GA.
We're also providing LARS from 01st April, 0900 - 1730, 7 days a week, another additional benefit for everyone.
House,
We're working very hard to accomodate everyone, but the busier we get with commercial operations the more likely it is that someone will get delayed - especially with instrument training, that's the way of the real world. I, as my colleagues, would be strongly opposed to any suggestion that GA should be prohibited.
By the way, the only low cost route to be chopped was Belfast, the operator wasn't getting the passenger loads to make it viable, so off to the knackers yard it went.
We like to think we're still GA friendly (landing fees are outwith my remit!) and you're all welcome, but sometimes you'll have to take your turn.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Here and there. Here at the moment but soon I'll be there.
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Niknak, I'm not saying that Norwich International are GA unfriendly and I will even forgive the person who told me to extend my downwind to 27 to avoid commercial traffic and who then called my base when I was abeam Woodbastwick 
(BTW: very nice brewery at Woodbastwick!). I just don't think the airport is doing much to encourage GA activity.
I used to work with someone who was taking lessons there and it was costing him a fortune due to the landing fees and on top of that it sounded like he was spending a fair chunk of his time holding or taxying on the ground!
LARS service will be good!
and your new tower sounds lovely
(BTW: very nice brewery at Woodbastwick!). I just don't think the airport is doing much to encourage GA activity.I used to work with someone who was taking lessons there and it was costing him a fortune due to the landing fees and on top of that it sounded like he was spending a fair chunk of his time holding or taxying on the ground!
LARS service will be good!
and your new tower sounds lovely
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Alan Partridge International Spaceport
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by niknak
We're also providing LARS from 01st April, 0900 - 1730, 7 days a week, another additional benefit for everyone.
Originally Posted by niknak
We like to think we're still GA friendly (landing fees are outwith my remit!) and you're all welcome, but sometimes you'll have to take your turn.
niknak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LARS will be a 30nm radius, although our licensed radar cover is 42.5nm so we can still offer a radar service to anyone who is high enough for us to see in that sort of area.
The Coltshall MATZ and ATZ goes into graceful decline on 02 April, (there's a goodbye bash on the 01st involving top neddies, much drinking and some display aircraft).
Initially they will both be notamned dis established until Dec 31st 06, and thereafter it will be permanant. Nobody in the MOD or Government wants the airfield, so it's being sold off as a "brownfield site" with housing available.
An end to circuits over the city? Yes - now you'll be orbiting over Cromer instead of Woodbastwick....
While I'm here, if you're trundling around the area, but for whatever reason not speaking to us, a plea for transponder equipped aircraft to select mode C as well as mode A.
No mode C means we have to avoid you by 5nm and that means that if you're crossing or are the vicinity of the final approach path (even by 5 -10nm) we have to break aircraft off, bad enough in a PA28, no joke in a B757.
Ta much.
Working Hard,
check you PMs please.
The Coltshall MATZ and ATZ goes into graceful decline on 02 April, (there's a goodbye bash on the 01st involving top neddies, much drinking and some display aircraft).
Initially they will both be notamned dis established until Dec 31st 06, and thereafter it will be permanant. Nobody in the MOD or Government wants the airfield, so it's being sold off as a "brownfield site" with housing available.
An end to circuits over the city? Yes - now you'll be orbiting over Cromer instead of Woodbastwick....
While I'm here, if you're trundling around the area, but for whatever reason not speaking to us, a plea for transponder equipped aircraft to select mode C as well as mode A.
No mode C means we have to avoid you by 5nm and that means that if you're crossing or are the vicinity of the final approach path (even by 5 -10nm) we have to break aircraft off, bad enough in a PA28, no joke in a B757.
Ta much.
Working Hard,
check you PMs please.
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Gt. Yarmouth, Norfolk
Age: 68
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I learned at Norwich and made use of the ILS etc for my IMC. If you want both to learn and have experience of a large airport, proper use of radio etc then Norwich is the only place in the area. Landing fees are a penalty for having those facilities and I don't begrudge paying a reasonable sum. If I want to practice my landings I can always nip to Beccles or similar for cheap circuits. I operate a group aircraft through one of the flight schools and the discounted landing fees through the school actually make it cheaper there than alot of other non licensed airfields.
I only hope Norwich will not get dillusions of grandure and price GA out as they are trying to do at places like Southampton. Already there is rumoured pressure on hangerage space currently occupied by GA on the west of the airfield, which may be required for commercial aviation. I hope I am wrong. Full credit to the tower and approach. A very helpful bunch to deal with. Long may it continue.
I only hope Norwich will not get dillusions of grandure and price GA out as they are trying to do at places like Southampton. Already there is rumoured pressure on hangerage space currently occupied by GA on the west of the airfield, which may be required for commercial aviation. I hope I am wrong. Full credit to the tower and approach. A very helpful bunch to deal with. Long may it continue.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: E Anglia
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I welcome the LARS at Norwich as I fly out of a small grass strip in North Suffolk:
I also use Norwich for my practice ILS s to keep my FAA/IR valid: at present they are more than accomodating, allowing me to do the ILS stuff without landing: I merely settle up with CC over the phone later.
Please tell me this will not change......
Safe flying
Cusco.
I also use Norwich for my practice ILS s to keep my FAA/IR valid: at present they are more than accomodating, allowing me to do the ILS stuff without landing: I merely settle up with CC over the phone later.
Please tell me this will not change......
Safe flying
Cusco.
niknak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Probably to put this one to bed, but please share the news:
We hope we won't change too much.
As far as GA is concerned, you're always welcome, but sometimes you might have to wait.
We have no illussions about what we can achieve, even if we do go hyper sonic with commercial stuff, the big boys pay the big fees, but the little person is just as important to us.
See you soon
We hope we won't change too much.
As far as GA is concerned, you're always welcome, but sometimes you might have to wait.
We have no illussions about what we can achieve, even if we do go hyper sonic with commercial stuff, the big boys pay the big fees, but the little person is just as important to us.
See you soon
