Solentflight - Lee on Solent
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Solentflight - Lee on Solent
I normally fly from Fairoaks but spend a lot of weekends in Gosport and when I came across an organisation on the internet called Solentflight, operating from Lee on Solent, they seemed well suited for me to maybe hire their aeroplanes.
Have had a couple of telephone conversations with them and agreed I'd make contact at the start of November. As I couldn't contact them by phone last week (answering machine) and my email was not answered, I visited Lee on S airfield on Saturday morning (as they had invited me to do a few weeks ago before their apparently temporary displacement to another airfield as a result of unexploded ordnance at L on S).
The security guard on the gate wouldn't let me on the airfield and told me that the organisation was not working at present and their offices were locked up.
Can anybody throw any light on this and let me know if I can expect them back in business in the near future.
Have had a couple of telephone conversations with them and agreed I'd make contact at the start of November. As I couldn't contact them by phone last week (answering machine) and my email was not answered, I visited Lee on S airfield on Saturday morning (as they had invited me to do a few weeks ago before their apparently temporary displacement to another airfield as a result of unexploded ordnance at L on S).
The security guard on the gate wouldn't let me on the airfield and told me that the organisation was not working at present and their offices were locked up.
Can anybody throw any light on this and let me know if I can expect them back in business in the near future.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Very strange. All of the unexploded bombs have been removed and Lee-On-Solent has been back to normal for the past couple of weeks as far as I know.
I'm not sure which other airfield they would be operating from. Their aircraft were maintained at Bournemouth however I have not seen or heard them at Bournemouth whenever I've been flying there (not often I admit.)
Has anyone else heard the "Saints" callsign recently whilst flying around Hampshire or Dorset?
SW
I'm not sure which other airfield they would be operating from. Their aircraft were maintained at Bournemouth however I have not seen or heard them at Bournemouth whenever I've been flying there (not often I admit.)
Has anyone else heard the "Saints" callsign recently whilst flying around Hampshire or Dorset?
SW
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Solent Flight
I understood that they were temporarily somewhere north of Fareham in the region of Bishop's Waltham, from a conversation I had with them about a month ago. The web site is indeed still running but seems a little out of date as some parts of it still refer to being based at Southampton. It also had reference to a fireworks night fly out ... which I am sure did not happen.
I just hope they re-appear soon as I am trying to avoid being the source of unfounded rumour just looking for info re somewhere to fly.
I just hope they re-appear soon as I am trying to avoid being the source of unfounded rumour just looking for info re somewhere to fly.
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At that time they expected to be back at lee from 23rdish.
lee is a superb location to fly out of and solent appeared to be very busy - I'm back in the south next week and hope to fly with them again!
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Well they were nowhere to be seen last weekend, according to security at Lee on S. haven't been seen for some time but I sincerely hope they are back soon too.
Seen last weekend at a private strip, Lower Upham, about 3 miles east of Southampton Airport. As with Lee its unlicensed, but with only a 600 metre grass runway, so not much training going on there. Still seem to be commuting to Bembridge for training.
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Ive just joined Slolent Flight and they are currently operating from Lower Upham just outside Eastleigh in Southampton. Solent are normally based at Lee on Solent but due to essential work (removing pipe bombs!!!) they relocated temporarily to Lower Upham.
Andrew Temple, the owner, has been braking his back to try and keep all the regulars and new customers happy and ensure that training goes on as normal. This has resulted in Andy providing ferry flights to Bembridge so the lessons can commence.
I dont know all the ins and outs but Andrew has been waiting to get back to Lee for some time.
My advice is keep trying to get a hold of Andy if you want a lesson or continue your PPL. The FI's are great, the take off from Lower Upham is quite exciting and the school is really welcoming. I got a 45 minute post flight breifing from one FI which was really helpfull.
Good luck.
TGB
Andrew Temple, the owner, has been braking his back to try and keep all the regulars and new customers happy and ensure that training goes on as normal. This has resulted in Andy providing ferry flights to Bembridge so the lessons can commence.
I dont know all the ins and outs but Andrew has been waiting to get back to Lee for some time.
My advice is keep trying to get a hold of Andy if you want a lesson or continue your PPL. The FI's are great, the take off from Lower Upham is quite exciting and the school is really welcoming. I got a 45 minute post flight breifing from one FI which was really helpfull.
Good luck.
TGB
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TBG
Glad to hear they are still operating. Andy and his team run a superb school and I have nothing but good things to say about them. It was such a shame that Southampton airport couldn't manage to accommodate their 4 to 5 aircraft. It's also a shame that no sooner they settled in at Lee-on-Solent. they had to move away whilst some bombs got destroyed. Still I guess they’ll soon be back at Lee and everyone will be able to enjoy flying from Lee again.
SW
Glad to hear they are still operating. Andy and his team run a superb school and I have nothing but good things to say about them. It was such a shame that Southampton airport couldn't manage to accommodate their 4 to 5 aircraft. It's also a shame that no sooner they settled in at Lee-on-Solent. they had to move away whilst some bombs got destroyed. Still I guess they’ll soon be back at Lee and everyone will be able to enjoy flying from Lee again.
SW
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The other flight school there, Carill Aviation, has been operating out of Lee normally for weeks now. The ban on Solent Flight affects them only.
What I have heard today is Solent Flight may be allowed back in next week, but with limited numbers of aircraft and restricted movements.
I heard rumours of why Solent Flight haven't been allowed back from many sources and it has nothing to do with restrictions on aircraft movements or total numbers of aircraft.
What I have heard today is Solent Flight may be allowed back in next week, but with limited numbers of aircraft and restricted movements.
I heard rumours of why Solent Flight haven't been allowed back from many sources and it has nothing to do with restrictions on aircraft movements or total numbers of aircraft.
I live about five minutes drive from Lower Upham, and thought I saw some familiar aeroplanes on the grass as I drove past the other day.
Isn't there another strip somewhere in the area?
Isn't there another strip somewhere in the area?
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There are several other strips in the local area, one of them very close.
In the nicest possible way, please can you all stay away unless you really need to come to this part of the world. We have operated without a single complaint for over 20 years until Lower Upham got busy during the Lee-on-Solent horlicks. Sadly, the last few months have not been so happy for us.
It's a harsh truth, but our worst enemies seem to be other pilots!
Thanks
In the nicest possible way, please can you all stay away unless you really need to come to this part of the world. We have operated without a single complaint for over 20 years until Lower Upham got busy during the Lee-on-Solent horlicks. Sadly, the last few months have not been so happy for us.
It's a harsh truth, but our worst enemies seem to be other pilots!
Thanks
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In the nicest possible way, please can you all stay away unless you really need to come to this part of the world. We have operated without a single complaint for over 20 years until Lower Upham got busy during the Lee-on-Solent horlicks. Sadly, the last few months have not been so happy for us.
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those complaints seem to follow that fleet of red and white aircraft where ever they go!
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Cabin doors 2 manual
I've always found Solent Flight a very professional outfit. If something has happened that other people should know about then tell us and let everyone make up their own minds. Don't insinuate that there have been incidents or complaints if you can't substantiate them.
SW
I've always found Solent Flight a very professional outfit. If something has happened that other people should know about then tell us and let everyone make up their own minds. Don't insinuate that there have been incidents or complaints if you can't substantiate them.
SW
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Perhaps not everyone has found Solent flight quite so "Professional".
Ask yourself why most other operators have been allowed back at Lee,. but not Solent Flight.
Ask yourself why most other operators have been allowed back at Lee,. but not Solent Flight.