Sherburn Aero Club
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Dublin, Ireland
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Can I use this thread to voice my recent concerns. What is the point of closing the aero club on a monday at the height of the summer? I could understand if they turned around in November and said nothings doing, lets close a day a week. What are the members doing about it? Nothing I suppose? Has anyone any ideas to bring Sherburn back to profit?
How about 10% discount for flying on Monday, and Tuesdays? Cmon people its simple stuff, do a bit of advertising, sell the facilities, the aircraft, instructors etc. I like Sherburn, I cant understand how anyone approved this closing on a Monday during the summer. How is that going to save them money?
How about 10% discount for flying on Monday, and Tuesdays? Cmon people its simple stuff, do a bit of advertising, sell the facilities, the aircraft, instructors etc. I like Sherburn, I cant understand how anyone approved this closing on a Monday during the summer. How is that going to save them money?
Join Date: Feb 2006
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As a Sherburn Aero Club Member, your coments about it being 'simple' are way off the mark. It is not simple for us as paying members to influence the committe. Had this been announced before the AGM a month ago, then maybe we could have done something. As it stands it is not easy at all. Many members of the club pay there membership but never visit the club, so there voice is not heard. 10% discounts etc are all good ideas but the committe never approached the members before making this decision, thus not giving them a chance to voice there opinions. For an outsider looking in it may seem easy, but trust me its not!
Join Date: Mar 2000
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It is simple. It's just the bane of the industry (idiot committes) that stops clubs being able to react.
Committe run clubs are rarely any cop. If they make decisions that annoy the membership by making major decisions such as this without consultation, then quite frankly they should be removed.
Put it this way, as you now have 1/7th less access to the aircraft, will your membership fees be lowered by 1/7th?
I've been around clubs and schools for quite a while and this sort of thing is usually the beginning of the end I'm afraid.
Committe run clubs are rarely any cop. If they make decisions that annoy the membership by making major decisions such as this without consultation, then quite frankly they should be removed.
Put it this way, as you now have 1/7th less access to the aircraft, will your membership fees be lowered by 1/7th?
I've been around clubs and schools for quite a while and this sort of thing is usually the beginning of the end I'm afraid.
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Sherburn have decided to close Mondays to cut costs and mothball two aircraft in an effort to bully members into hiring there AT3’s one of which as been tech for a number of weeks.
There isn’t anywhere like Sherburn in the North of England and perhaps we, as members should offer help and assistance ‘free of charge’ to open Mondays. We can’t let it go to the wall and it will unless action is taken!
Sherburn members are still flying but not at Sherburn. I wonder why?
There isn’t anywhere like Sherburn in the North of England and perhaps we, as members should offer help and assistance ‘free of charge’ to open Mondays. We can’t let it go to the wall and it will unless action is taken!
Sherburn members are still flying but not at Sherburn. I wonder why?
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I would like to see the removal of the ridiculous rule that only 6 people can group a particular aircraft. If Sherburn need to get more money through the club, surely an increase in group members which in turn would mean increased membership for the club, increased fuel sales and increased club house purchases would be a good way to go about it. The future of general aviation lies with Rotax powered VLA aircraft. Hence why sherburn bought 2! Should they not be encouraging the basing of such aircraft at the airfield. An AT-3 with 10 members would have very reasonable monthly and wet rate costs. Plus with 10, even 8 members in the group it would allow more people the chance to purchase a share at a reduced cost and a decent monthly and hourly rate.
Join Date: Jan 2000
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I am not an outsider looking in. I am a member of Sherburn and use it weekly. Therfore I do care what happens to the club. Closing on a monday is not a solution to finance worries!
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No worries mate, so as a fellow member, how do we remedy this situation? Closing on a monday cant save that much monday. I'll buy another sausage sambo off simon if that'll help??! 
I'll buy another sausage sambo off simon if that'll help??!
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Yes i agree with what you are saying BUT, closing on a monday at the height of the summer is not the answer. If it was a winte closure that would be fine. BUt it goes back to the age old question of how do they make the club attractive to new members and potential students? You have to spend a little to make a lot. Maybe some advertising in the pilot mags or overseas? Do a £99 intro flight, you have to entice the new customers in. Just closing on a Monday is not a long term solution.
Join Date: Sep 2003
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sorry to dissappoint you bose-x, , i'm just another ppl who appreciates a fine instructor. you do seem rather bitter for some reason!!
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Hi all you guys out there thinking what to do about Monday closures - while you are thinking about what to do, how about feeling for the flight centre and ground staff, who have just lost a days wages, to "help" the financial situation? Surely they have feelings and deserve some sympathy for the situation they have found themselves in? I know money is tight and costs of fuel (therefore costs of flying!) are rising rapidly. The government and fuel companies must share some of the blame. Lets try to work together to resolve the situation - persuade the directors to open up again on Mondays and get some advertising and promotional ideas working and re-establish the club as THE finest club in the North of England, NOT just "another business with problems in Yorkshire. Word of Monday closure has already spread far and wide, and the trend of not flying to sherburn for a coffee ond bite to eat will be difficult to reverse, so come on guys, THINK and ACT!!!!
Join Date: Apr 2007
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I couldnt agree more, as a person who has maintainned his membership and when not working has flown at sherburn for a while now, I was bvery disappointed to hear of the monday closures, once again a short sighted decision. Winter closures I would have no issue with, with the weather and daylight operating in the UK it would make sense, but appraoching the height (be it a low one usually) of summer and removing a days possible flying is beyond comprehension, this decision should have been taken over what has been a very poor winter, when we are experiencing some of the best weather this year. What on earth are the committee at sherburn thinking.....the timing of this decision, bearing in mind the recent AGM is questionable to say the least, I wonder if members would have been as amiable had this decision been announced early enough.
Change is required at Sherburn if it is to survive what is to be a difficult time fro GA in general and I think this may need to start with the committee, I am sure (hopefully) they feel they have done their best, but things are not improving and so maybe they should step aside and let someone else try, if they fail, then so be it, but atleast let them try.
Change is required at Sherburn if it is to survive what is to be a difficult time fro GA in general and I think this may need to start with the committee, I am sure (hopefully) they feel they have done their best, but things are not improving and so maybe they should step aside and let someone else try, if they fail, then so be it, but atleast let them try.
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Get the 2 PA28's out of mothballs as well.
I wanted to book a trip recently but the only machine that was available doesn't have any nav kit. Hard to practice VOR / NDB tracking with no equipment, so they lost 2 hours of my money. This could put people off using Sherburn when you cannot book the aircraft of choice. Have also been told they are getting a situation where instructors are sat around without an aircraft while these 2 are stuck in the hangar. Something needs to be sorted.
I wanted to book a trip recently but the only machine that was available doesn't have any nav kit. Hard to practice VOR / NDB tracking with no equipment, so they lost 2 hours of my money. This could put people off using Sherburn when you cannot book the aircraft of choice. Have also been told they are getting a situation where instructors are sat around without an aircraft while these 2 are stuck in the hangar. Something needs to be sorted.
Join Date: Mar 2000
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How "mothballing" aircraft helps profitability I cannot tell you. Unless you are running them at a loss that is.
Insurance and maintenance checks still need to be paid for, the only difference is that you have no revenue at all to pay for them.
From my point of view as someone who's been involved with running clubs and schools, the Sherburn committee sound incompetent. Either close the club or run it properly. Anything in the middle will just ensure the death of the club eventually.
Closing one day a week in the summer..................You what? Madness.
"Mothballing" the fleet? Even worse.
I hate to say it, but if the club are still in business in two years. I'll be surprised. That would be a tragedy. To lose a club with the history of Sherburn would be a terrible loss to the industry as well as the members.
Insurance and maintenance checks still need to be paid for, the only difference is that you have no revenue at all to pay for them.
From my point of view as someone who's been involved with running clubs and schools, the Sherburn committee sound incompetent. Either close the club or run it properly. Anything in the middle will just ensure the death of the club eventually.
Closing one day a week in the summer..................You what? Madness.
"Mothballing" the fleet? Even worse.
I hate to say it, but if the club are still in business in two years. I'll be surprised. That would be a tragedy. To lose a club with the history of Sherburn would be a terrible loss to the industry as well as the members.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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It doesn't make obvious economic sense. Most costs of an airfield are fixed costs. If you shot down 1/7 and lay off the workforce (unpaid) you save 1/7 of the payroll but that will be a lot less than 1/7 of the fixed costs, and you will also probably lose 1/7 of customer enquiries (nobody taking phone calls) which will impact the income whose gross margin finances the fixed costs in the first place.
They would have been better off doing an advertising campaign in the local press, appealing to all those (apparently many) 50+ men who have 'learning to fly' on their 'to do before I die' list.
You never shrink your way to success.
They would have been better off doing an advertising campaign in the local press, appealing to all those (apparently many) 50+ men who have 'learning to fly' on their 'to do before I die' list.
You never shrink your way to success.
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Hi all, despite my username, I no longer fly at Sherburn, due to having to move for work. However, I did learn to fly their and was a member for a few years. Naturally I have an affinity with the place and regularly check the website and anything on pprune related to Sherburn.
It really saddens me to see the depth of despair that seems to surround the place these days, with negative posts, people being layed off, reduced hours for staff and incompetent Committee members making decisions that defy belief sometimes. I flew in there recently to break up my trip from the South to Scotland (didn't need to, just wanted to), hoping for Mike to be smiling and the usual jovial chappie that he was, the good banter in the bar and of course, some decent club food. However, what I found was a cloud over the place, no Mike, and generally a sad club that was once great.
Whilst I can offer nothing due to my location (hope to be back in the area and fly from there again soon), I do think there are enough members/committee members who have skills in their day jobs who could all muck in and really deliver some benefits for the club! People from all walks of life can offer support to a club. I personally am a Project Manager and I'm sure there's some skills from that. Salesman, Engineers, Directors, Business owners all fly! Come on, offer services! Whilst that's a rally call, I'd make a further one..... Committee..... bite people's hands off for the service! Don't run a closed shop to the detriment of the what is, a very fine establishment. GA has a tough enough time in today's world, through Government interference, added fuel costs, etc. etc. It is your duty as a Committee member to gather and utilise the best resources available to you, and when you're open to do such a thing, I'm sure members would volunteer willingly, their services.
Please, let my next reading of a post of Sherburn be a positive one and my next fly-in, be a fantastic experience.
Good luck Sherburn and please don't go......
It really saddens me to see the depth of despair that seems to surround the place these days, with negative posts, people being layed off, reduced hours for staff and incompetent Committee members making decisions that defy belief sometimes. I flew in there recently to break up my trip from the South to Scotland (didn't need to, just wanted to), hoping for Mike to be smiling and the usual jovial chappie that he was, the good banter in the bar and of course, some decent club food. However, what I found was a cloud over the place, no Mike, and generally a sad club that was once great.
Whilst I can offer nothing due to my location (hope to be back in the area and fly from there again soon), I do think there are enough members/committee members who have skills in their day jobs who could all muck in and really deliver some benefits for the club! People from all walks of life can offer support to a club. I personally am a Project Manager and I'm sure there's some skills from that. Salesman, Engineers, Directors, Business owners all fly! Come on, offer services! Whilst that's a rally call, I'd make a further one..... Committee..... bite people's hands off for the service! Don't run a closed shop to the detriment of the what is, a very fine establishment. GA has a tough enough time in today's world, through Government interference, added fuel costs, etc. etc. It is your duty as a Committee member to gather and utilise the best resources available to you, and when you're open to do such a thing, I'm sure members would volunteer willingly, their services.
Please, let my next reading of a post of Sherburn be a positive one and my next fly-in, be a fantastic experience.
Good luck Sherburn and please don't go......
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Join Date: May 2005
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Hi chaps,
Haven't posted for a long time. Some of you have drawn conclusions about the situation between me and Sherburn.
Well, it is resolved. I can say no more.
However, the situation between Sherburn and HMRC is most definitely not resolved.
I will be meeting Sherburn's main movers in February, down in London. I shall be appearing as a witness; as will they....under oath and with the threat of imprisonment for perjury. Sobering stuff.
I'd be surprised to find that this is common knowledge among the club's members. IMO, there is one man responsible for all this....and no, it isn't me!
BTW, what happened to Mike? Did he leave?
Saddened to hear of the tragic death of Dave Bell. Unfortunately, I didn't hear about it until after his funeral; I would have liked to attend.
Haven't posted for a long time. Some of you have drawn conclusions about the situation between me and Sherburn.
Well, it is resolved. I can say no more.
However, the situation between Sherburn and HMRC is most definitely not resolved.
I will be meeting Sherburn's main movers in February, down in London. I shall be appearing as a witness; as will they....under oath and with the threat of imprisonment for perjury. Sobering stuff.
I'd be surprised to find that this is common knowledge among the club's members. IMO, there is one man responsible for all this....and no, it isn't me!
BTW, what happened to Mike? Did he leave?
Saddened to hear of the tragic death of Dave Bell. Unfortunately, I didn't hear about it until after his funeral; I would have liked to attend.
Join Date: Oct 2000
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However, the situation between Sherburn and HMRC is most definitely not resolved.
I will be meeting Sherburn's main movers in February, down in London. I shall be appearing as a witness; as will they....under oath and with the threat of imprisonment for perjury. Sobering stuff.
I will be meeting Sherburn's main movers in February, down in London. I shall be appearing as a witness; as will they....under oath and with the threat of imprisonment for perjury. Sobering stuff.