Blackpool - the beginning of the end for GA?
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Originally Posted by Red Devil 666
Anyone who has an aircraft based at the Airport will receive a 50% discount on their landing fees.
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Blackpool "Intercontinental" Airport
Little fly out to Blackpool on Saturday last in my trusty PA28....good flight and 1st time up the MCT LLR [No probs there]. Landed Blackpool to be met by a marshaller which was a 1st for me As I was looking at him through a propeller disc I hoped the brakes still worked.
Anyway parked up outside Hangar three as directed shut down and then escorted into the office of Pool aviation at the back of the hangar. Very welcoming, very plush with "free" coffee and a pilots lounge....so whats the problem? Well the landing fee including VAT was £39!!! So much for the free coffee.
Be warned
Anyway parked up outside Hangar three as directed shut down and then escorted into the office of Pool aviation at the back of the hangar. Very welcoming, very plush with "free" coffee and a pilots lounge....so whats the problem? Well the landing fee including VAT was £39!!! So much for the free coffee.
Be warned
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£39.00!! Wow
Although I can't quite work out how the charges got to that amount.
The Landing Fee is £7.60 per 1/2 tonne plus VAT for a/c up to 3 tonnes which covers the PA28.
Parking is FREE for the first 2 hours and then £2.40 per 1/2 tonne up to 24 hrs.
It is worth noting that a call to ATC to pre book your arrival and tell them that it is a training flight (which it would be if you had never been to Blackpool before) would have got a 50% reduction to the Landing Fee.
That doesnt really help d192049d but may help future visitors.
I do wonder whether the charges may have been from Poole as a Handing agent rather than just the airport itself? and if so can this be avoided!
Although I can't quite work out how the charges got to that amount.
The Landing Fee is £7.60 per 1/2 tonne plus VAT for a/c up to 3 tonnes which covers the PA28.
Parking is FREE for the first 2 hours and then £2.40 per 1/2 tonne up to 24 hrs.
It is worth noting that a call to ATC to pre book your arrival and tell them that it is a training flight (which it would be if you had never been to Blackpool before) would have got a 50% reduction to the Landing Fee.
That doesnt really help d192049d but may help future visitors.
I do wonder whether the charges may have been from Poole as a Handing agent rather than just the airport itself? and if so can this be avoided!
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I was planning on stopping off at blackpool as part of the CPL x-country flight coming in from Sherburn-in-Elmet before heading back north to Prestwick.
would you local guys advise to continue planning with blackpool in mind or go somewhere else?
would you local guys advise to continue planning with blackpool in mind or go somewhere else?
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I would go ahead with Blackpool!
A call to ATC will get you the 50% reduction on the Landing Fee, and coming in from Sherburn you could come stright down the ILS or even get a practice SRA. It is worth checking with ATC when you Pre-Book if there is any charge for an SRA followed by a normal landing. I don't think there would be, but you never know????
I would also call one of the clubs on the airfield and see if they can tell you about whether a handling agent is required. ANT flying Club would be my choice. 01253 345396. Speak with Russell. He was very helpful last time I was in there.
A call to ATC will get you the 50% reduction on the Landing Fee, and coming in from Sherburn you could come stright down the ILS or even get a practice SRA. It is worth checking with ATC when you Pre-Book if there is any charge for an SRA followed by a normal landing. I don't think there would be, but you never know????
I would also call one of the clubs on the airfield and see if they can tell you about whether a handling agent is required. ANT flying Club would be my choice. 01253 345396. Speak with Russell. He was very helpful last time I was in there.
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What a nasty little airport !
I used Blackpool last year on the way to the IoM TT and the place was a haven for the jobsworths with a lot of "you cant do that" from half witts at security.
The other visit was in a B738, they kept us wainting on the taxiway for over an hour due to lack of stands at the terminal, the pushback crews nearly put two of the out going aircraft on the grass and clearly had not had any trainning worth talking about, eventualy when I felt I had to park the aircraft across two stands so that I can taxi out because I feel that I can't trust the pushback crews with a very new B738.
When I get parked I find that the reason for the ramp congestion is an A320 that was damaged in a ground inccident that was awaiting the engineers to fix it !
The whole input by the airport authority was "micky mouse" to say the least and from the two visits to Blackpool that I have made I dont think that the management are fit to run the donkey rides on the beach.
The only up side was ATC who are very much with the program ! I felt very sorry for the guy in the tower who was clearly very unhappy with the way that the ramp was being run and having to hold us on the taxiway for so long.
The conclusion that I have come to is that the airport management are out of there depth with this "international airport" thing and can't cope. Letts all hope that the airlines give the place a miss and GA returns dispite the managements "international airport" status.
The other visit was in a B738, they kept us wainting on the taxiway for over an hour due to lack of stands at the terminal, the pushback crews nearly put two of the out going aircraft on the grass and clearly had not had any trainning worth talking about, eventualy when I felt I had to park the aircraft across two stands so that I can taxi out because I feel that I can't trust the pushback crews with a very new B738.
When I get parked I find that the reason for the ramp congestion is an A320 that was damaged in a ground inccident that was awaiting the engineers to fix it !
The whole input by the airport authority was "micky mouse" to say the least and from the two visits to Blackpool that I have made I dont think that the management are fit to run the donkey rides on the beach.
The only up side was ATC who are very much with the program ! I felt very sorry for the guy in the tower who was clearly very unhappy with the way that the ramp was being run and having to hold us on the taxiway for so long.
The conclusion that I have come to is that the airport management are out of there depth with this "international airport" thing and can't cope. Letts all hope that the airlines give the place a miss and GA returns dispite the managements "international airport" status.
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The conclusion that I have come to is that the airport management are out of there depth with this "international airport" thing and can't cope. Letts all hope that the airlines give the place a miss and GA returns dispite the managements "international airport" status.
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:O
£39 where i'm at you probably pay £9-£10 for parking and overnight together for light a/c, but in USD though. Wonder what the 747s and777s pay there?
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£39 for PA28 ?
I would be very interested how that figure is made up - Did you get an invoice.
"Go Around" is quite right - Landing fees are £7.60 per half tonne and parking is £2.40.
I believe Hangar 3 is charging £10 handling fee but this is not mandatory as the Airport do not charge for handling under 6 tonnes.
"Go Around" is quite right - Landing fees are £7.60 per half tonne and parking is £2.40.
I believe Hangar 3 is charging £10 handling fee but this is not mandatory as the Airport do not charge for handling under 6 tonnes.
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I believe Hangar 3 is charging £10 handling fee but this is not mandatory as the Airport do not charge for handling under 6 tonnes.
The landing fee was £39 aswell, which included a £10 handling charge, even though we didn't ask for handling.
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With the longest runway at Blackpool being 1860m, the fees for a 747 would be massive as they would be parking over the fence at Pontins!
go around! is correct. The fees for a B777 would be massive but probably because of the subsequent repairs to the runway.
Unfortunately, it would have to depart from Rwy10 due to the limited turning pad on Rwy28, as a result 187 000lbs of thrust would probably blow Pontins into the Irish Sea!
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Oh
Quote:
Wonder what the 747s and777s pay there?
With the longest runway at Blackpool being 1860m, the fees for a 747 would be massive as they would be parking over the fence at Pontins!
Wonder what the 747s and777s pay there?
With the longest runway at Blackpool being 1860m, the fees for a 747 would be massive as they would be parking over the fence at Pontins!
Bet I can get the 777 to land safely on the 799m runway. Engines off, spoilers up, flaps down and square wheels should do the trick. Floating down with just enough momentum too keep from stalling, of course.
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Originally Posted by False Capture
Unfortunately, it would have to depart from Rwy10 due to the limited turning pad on Rwy28, as a result 187 000lbs of thrust would probably blow Pontins into the Irish Sea!
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Please read carefully information on Blackpool on AIS. All aircraft should have insurance of at least £5million to land at Blackpool. I was about to take a flight to Blackpool when I noticed this, I checked the insurance document of the aircraft I was renting and the maximum insurance pay out was £3.3m. Had to cancel my trip.
Checked other airfields and none of them seem to have this stipulation, I think it maybe due to the high intensity helo traffic in the area.
I don't know if ATC wil actually check on this before you land, however be aware if you are planning a trip to Blackpool as your insurance policy will be null and void if you do have a prang and could turn out quite expensive for you.
CHECK YOUR AIRCRAFTS INSURANCE LIABILITY BEFORE FLYING TO BLACKPOOL
Checked other airfields and none of them seem to have this stipulation, I think it maybe due to the high intensity helo traffic in the area.
I don't know if ATC wil actually check on this before you land, however be aware if you are planning a trip to Blackpool as your insurance policy will be null and void if you do have a prang and could turn out quite expensive for you.
CHECK YOUR AIRCRAFTS INSURANCE LIABILITY BEFORE FLYING TO BLACKPOOL
Avoid imitations
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I was quite horrified at the bill for over well over £400 for one day's landing fees charged when I took our helicopter there for maintenance a while back and had to carry out some test flights (definitely no handling offered or received, not even a marshaller, as we went nowhere near the terminal).
My company accountant was "more than a little surprised" at the bill, which I was required to explain.... I have since told the maintenance company that although we were perfectly happy with their service, unfortunately for them, these ridiculous airfield costs mean we will not go there again if we can use an alternative contractor elsewhere. At the alternative airfield, for the same service, we get one landing fee charged for the day, at about one eighth of the Blackpool costs.
My company accountant was "more than a little surprised" at the bill, which I was required to explain.... I have since told the maintenance company that although we were perfectly happy with their service, unfortunately for them, these ridiculous airfield costs mean we will not go there again if we can use an alternative contractor elsewhere. At the alternative airfield, for the same service, we get one landing fee charged for the day, at about one eighth of the Blackpool costs.
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smith:
That surely can't be right? I wouldn't have thought that an aircraft's insurance policy, however huge the sum insured, would cover for accidents happening off the aerodrome/outside the ATZ, and inside the ATZ everyone's under full ATC control so how could lots of heli ops (actually there aren't that many) affect the level of risk?
I haven't looked, but I'm prepared to bet Aberdeen, Scatsta, Humberside and Norwich don't have massive insurance requirements and they have more or as many heli movements as Blackpool.
NS
I think it maybe due to the high intensity helo traffic in the area
I haven't looked, but I'm prepared to bet Aberdeen, Scatsta, Humberside and Norwich don't have massive insurance requirements and they have more or as many heli movements as Blackpool.
NS
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NorthSouth
You are probably right, I don't know the reason but the AIS and Jepp both stipulate £5m liability before you can land, as I said I checked the aircraft I was going to hire and it was insured against £3.3m so I cancelled my trip.
A friend of mine said it was due to the number of heli's going to the Morecombe bay gas fields.
Do ATC or other authorities check the insurance you have on the aircraft before or after you land? I'm not going to risk it as a small dunk could prove costly.
Is it another way to squeeze out GA?
Have any other pilot's noticed this and checked the liability on their aircraft.
A friend of mine said it was due to the number of heli's going to the Morecombe bay gas fields.
Do ATC or other authorities check the insurance you have on the aircraft before or after you land? I'm not going to risk it as a small dunk could prove costly.
Is it another way to squeeze out GA?
Have any other pilot's noticed this and checked the liability on their aircraft.