Halfpenny Green is back!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
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Nasib!
How many times do you have to be told? You qualify as a "gentleman" NOT "elderly". You wouldn't want me to start crying would you? 
Anyway, when are you going to make one of your students do a navex to EGBO with you?
How many times do you have to be told? You qualify as a "gentleman" NOT "elderly". You wouldn't want me to start crying would you? Anyway, when are you going to make one of your students do a navex to EGBO with you?
Join Date: Jan 2001
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The callsign is "Halfpenny Green" the other is the official title but nobody here tends to worry about official titles unless we need to write it down eg: when sending a letter there. We just like being "Halfpenny Green" again. 
Join Date: Dec 2003
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DX,
So what led to the reversion? I have to admit that I'd never flown into HG before the change and, obviously, the change to IGSP put me off ever going there. But why have they gone back and what can one expect to find there now?
Pitts2112
So what led to the reversion? I have to admit that I'd never flown into HG before the change and, obviously, the change to IGSP put me off ever going there. But why have they gone back and what can one expect to find there now?
Pitts2112
Join Date: Jun 1999
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DX,
Ok,Ok,Ok although I do feel very "elderly" at times!
Navex!?!?!? I wouldn't be able to find ANYWHERE VFR these days. I'm far too ol... sorry. Just out of practice
Welcome back.
Nasib
Ok,Ok,Ok although I do feel very "elderly" at times!
Navex!?!?!? I wouldn't be able to find ANYWHERE VFR these days. I'm far too ol... sorry. Just out of practice
Welcome back.
Nasib
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Pitts, it has been taken over by Maher Properties (apparently the same group which now owns Blackpool) who are trying to improve the place. They were aware that Wolverhampton International Business Airport was not the most popular of names and that many people preferred the old RAF "Halfpenny Green" title. New owners - new name. The cafe is MUCH improved - many of us who decided about a year ago that the preservation of our health was more important than patronising the cafe have since returned in force. The food is all homemade by Angie and is reasonably priced. As far as I know the landing fee for a single is still £10. We have friendly, helpful FISOs and you can still refuel - although it is advisable to mention this on landing as the refuellers are also the firecrew who may need to do other things. The locals also seem to be reasonably friendly too. 
Nasib
Isn't that why you have a student or several to fly you around? 
You keep watching the instruments and let the student worry about whether you have reached the correct destination.
Thanks for the welcome back, it's good to be back again.
Nasib
I wouldn't be able to find ANYWHERE VFR these days
You keep watching the instruments and let the student worry about whether you have reached the correct destination. Thanks for the welcome back, it's good to be back again.
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DX,
Interesting. Thanks for that. Without having experienced it myself, the rumor at the time was that the renaming to WIGSP was accompanied by a huge spike in landing fees and a decidedly discouraging attitude to anything without a turbo or jet attached. My impression was that the GA community had completely abandoned the place at it's own insistence. Was that never the case? What you describe as recent changes are more form than function, so was the rumor at the time unfounded?
Pitts2112
Interesting. Thanks for that. Without having experienced it myself, the rumor at the time was that the renaming to WIGSP was accompanied by a huge spike in landing fees and a decidedly discouraging attitude to anything without a turbo or jet attached. My impression was that the GA community had completely abandoned the place at it's own insistence. Was that never the case? What you describe as recent changes are more form than function, so was the rumor at the time unfounded?
Pitts2112
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Hi Pitts, I'm not too sure about the GA community abandoning EGBO as I haven't been there long enough to know the full history but I know they felt a bit hard done to at one point and I think I heard that there was a huge increase in landing fees at one point but it proved counterproductive (no surprise there) so was reversed. The airport also suffered froma rather intermittent cafe service - published opening hours were not always adhered to and it became very unpredictable - that has now been corrected. From what I have managed to pick up, it was hoped to develop the airport to take more small business aircraft and a full ATC service was introduced along with an ATIS. Neither exist any more. There is certainly a lot of work in progress at the moment - overgrown trees and derelict buildings are being cleared presumably with a view to replacing them with more modern ones although I do hope they keep the old buildings near the gate as they give the place character. General tattiness seems to be being dealt with and a neater, tidier appearance encouraged. Call in and see for yourself sometime.
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DX,
It sounds like new management are making an effort. The general tone I got a few years ago was that the then current management had gotten ideas above their station and were only interested in serving bizjets and the like. I don't remember hearing about any reversals of landing fees or business model but it sounds like there has been one.
I'm all for supporting someone who's making an effort. I don't get up that way often but I'll be more inclined to stop in for a look next time I am.
Good luck to them. I hope they make a success of it.
Pitts2112
It sounds like new management are making an effort. The general tone I got a few years ago was that the then current management had gotten ideas above their station and were only interested in serving bizjets and the like. I don't remember hearing about any reversals of landing fees or business model but it sounds like there has been one.
I'm all for supporting someone who's making an effort. I don't get up that way often but I'll be more inclined to stop in for a look next time I am.
Good luck to them. I hope they make a success of it.
Pitts2112
Join Date: Jul 2000
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They also have a short grass runway for Microlights, although I think it is unlicenced. One of the tower guys uses it when the weather is good as he arrives to work in a microlight. It`s about time it went back to H`penny green and started getting back the GA community instead of all this International nonesense.
Looked mighty pretty the other day from FL190 with the sun glinting off Clive`s sandwiches.
Looked mighty pretty the other day from FL190 with the sun glinting off Clive`s sandwiches.
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Hi DWW nice to see you are still around. The sun was probably glinting off Clive's clean plate - he tends to eat proper meals these days which should tell you a great deal about the standard of catering. Just for you:
Can't have you forgetting what it looks like. You can just see one of those little Europas taking off (or it might be FS - I can't remember). It was taken just after they had cut the hay in 2005.
The sun was probably glinting off Clive's clean plate - he tends to eat proper meals these days which should tell you a great deal about the standard of catering. Just for you: Can't have you forgetting what it looks like.
You can just see one of those little Europas taking off (or it might be FS - I can't remember). It was taken just after they had cut the hay in 2005.
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It's on the new half mil too.
A well-placed facility for visting local instrument fields (though all back roads to get to by car), original features (hasn't changed much) which means 6 runways so you won't get "winded" off from flying.
You can get a foony ak-cent on th'ay-ray-dio though...
I'm starting a ME/CPL there soon.
See you in May, Wombat
A well-placed facility for visting local instrument fields (though all back roads to get to by car), original features (hasn't changed much) which means 6 runways so you won't get "winded" off from flying.
You can get a foony ak-cent on th'ay-ray-dio though...
I'm starting a ME/CPL there soon.
See you in May, Wombat
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That's excellent news Robin I look forward to meeting you. You should be prepared to have your socks worked off you but it will be worth it in the end.
I look forward to meeting you. You should be prepared to have your socks worked off you but it will be worth it in the end.
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Nice picture. How was Australia?.....And more to the point how are you getting used to the Diamond....now that the skip...err...sorry MF has gone.
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Thanks DWW. Oz was hot - +43C on the day I left. I am still very upset about MF but this isn't the place for me to tell you about my reasons for that. MF is still alive and well and having its annual done at the moment.
The DA40 is OK. I finished my conversion before I set off for Oz but as I hadn't flown it for over six weeks I have booked a couple of lesssons with the vict ....er FI who did the flying part of my conversion. It's OK in that it flies like MF but takes far longer to get airborne and I'm sure won't have the great short-field landing capability of MF. It may look very pretty but it is uncomfortable to fly - the seats are probably the most stupid design I can think of as is the seatbelt and I feel quite stiff when I get out. Because the rake cannot be adjusted I can just reach some things which I would be able to reach easily if I were able to sit more upright. The only advantages I can see are that it has two radios both with standby frequency, (you will understand why I find that a distinct improvement) and the possibility to take more than one friend flying at a time. The weight and balance calculations can be a nightmare and as someone remarked, it seems very odd that it wasn't possible in this day and age to design an aircraft which didn't require the placing of half a house worth of bricks in the back when there is more than one person in the aircraft. Apart from that, having been told by some of those who learned on the PA28s that it was very twitchy and floated for ever, I haven't found this to be so - maybe because I am used to the 152 which is nice and light and responsive as opposed to the PA28s which seem slow to respond and heavy to manoeuvre. Just my humble feelings about it. I shall still be flying a 152 as, now that I have retired, I can't afford to fly the DA40 very often. When are you going to call in and see us again?
Oz was hot - +43C on the day I left. I am still very upset about MF but this isn't the place for me to tell you about my reasons for that. MF is still alive and well and having its annual done at the moment. The DA40 is OK. I finished my conversion before I set off for Oz but as I hadn't flown it for over six weeks I have booked a couple of lesssons with the vict ....er FI who did the flying part of my conversion. It's OK in that it flies like MF but takes far longer to get airborne and I'm sure won't have the great short-field landing capability of MF. It may look very pretty but it is uncomfortable to fly - the seats are probably the most stupid design I can think of as is the seatbelt and I feel quite stiff when I get out. Because the rake cannot be adjusted I can just reach some things which I would be able to reach easily if I were able to sit more upright. The only advantages I can see are that it has two radios both with standby frequency, (you will understand why I find that a distinct improvement) and the possibility to take more than one friend flying at a time. The weight and balance calculations can be a nightmare and as someone remarked, it seems very odd that it wasn't possible in this day and age to design an aircraft which didn't require the placing of half a house worth of bricks in the back when there is more than one person in the aircraft. Apart from that, having been told by some of those who learned on the PA28s that it was very twitchy and floated for ever, I haven't found this to be so - maybe because I am used to the 152 which is nice and light and responsive as opposed to the PA28s which seem slow to respond and heavy to manoeuvre. Just my humble feelings about it. I shall still be flying a 152 as, now that I have retired, I can't afford to fly the DA40 very often. When are you going to call in and see us again?
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Good morning Moggiee, I hope those cups are still clean and shiny as I shall be in to inspect them on Thursday. I shall also collect the orders for goodies from my forthcoming trip to Somerset - see the CFI for details if he hasn't already informed you. Back to hunting for a suitable, local, reasonably priced Caravan Storage Place as I need to move mine very soon.
I shall also collect the orders for goodies from my forthcoming trip to Somerset - see the CFI for details if he hasn't already informed you. Back to hunting for a suitable, local, reasonably priced Caravan Storage Place as I need to move mine very soon.