St Mawgan

[stickandrudderman]

I see from pooleys that St Mawgen accepts civilian traffic.
Has anybody used it and does it involve the usual military airfield "extras"?

[one eleven]

Do an annual summer trip down there from the home counties in a four seater single, with the next one planned in early august; provided it stops raining

Although still an RAF base, the North side of the airfield is civil, with excellent handling by midwest exec, who's staff are always friendly and helpful. My pax also like the VIP treatment which comes with the package including marshalling, ramp pick up and escort to terminal. They will also sort out any local travel or stay over arrangements for you and will refuel the plane whilst your having lunch or dinner!

If you don't mind a nose bleed from the handling bill, its a superb place to fly-in, with spectacular local scenery, a stonking long runway (complete with arrestor hook) and full air traffic service.

[Kengineer-130]

whats the damage for handling then?

[cirrus01]

Save yourself a shed load of Dosh..............go to Perranporth instead

[S-Works]

I go down twice a month. Compulsory handling through mid west exec. They do a great job with a really friendly service. A weekend in the twin costs me £80. For that they carry your bags, arrange fuel and give a full weather brief. A really nice bunch and with the vagaries of weather in the SW the the ILS is a huge benefit.

Perranporth is very nice VFR only airfield and I have been there a few times. But be prepared to get stuck when the weather changes suddenly.

[DX Wombat]

Although still an RAF base, the North side of the airfield is civil, with excellent handling ......... a stonking long runway (complete with arrestor hook) and full air traffic service.

I think you will find that as it is a MOD airfield you will be paying MOD rates - you are certainly using their runway and ATC services.

[Kengineer-130]

£80 for handling , thats more than I pay for an hours flying ...... Luckily i am in the RAF anyway, so I get free landings at any military airfield, but I would refuse to fly into anywhere that charges ridiculous fees like that , and they wonder why GA is in decline

[S-Works]

Actually it is £80 for approach, parking, landing and handling for a 3 day stay.

It is an RAF airfield with a civilian side (although soon to be all civvie as the RAF side is closing). The RAF provide the ATC and fire cover but everything else is handled by Newquay Airport and the handling agents there are Mid West exec.

It may seem steep to the average cheap skate VFR pilot but to someone coming off the airways in all weathers I find it a 1st class service and good value for money.

Horses for courses I guess.

[DX Wombat]

average cheap skate VFR pilot

Please either withdraw or apologise (or preferably both) for that comment. I am a retired nurse who has a very tight budget to work with and, much as I love flying, I cannot afford to pay that sort of landing fee. It is NOT a case of being a cheapskate, it is one of very limited resources. Perhaps you would prefer people such as me not to fly so you can keep flying as a rich boys club?

[S-Works]

I shall apologise for nothing. I get sick and tired off the endless moaning about landing fees.

Airfields in the UK are self funded unlike the continent. They have to make a charge to be able to operate the business. An grass airfield with few facilities in the way of fire, ILS etc is a lot cheaper to operate than a full Instrument airport and the prices have to reflect this.

If it is a case of limited resources factor the landing fees into the hourly cost and fly to cheaper places or spend less time in the air for your hourly budget or fly something cheaper. Just don't moan about it.

[hobbit1983]

Flying down that way tommorrow (or rather, will be if the weather permits) and would like to get the AIP for Newquay in case of diversion etc.

However the AIP website doesn't seem to list it

http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/aipad2.htm

Am I being thick or should I be looking elsewhere?

(Also, if I have to do an ILS due lowering cloudbase etc etc does anyone know how much that will set me back)

Many thanks

Hobbit

PS. I agree with bose-x - (even though it may be expensive & I wish it were all free!)

[Chilli Monster]

Military airfield so in the Military aip (not available on-line) - not in the usual one. Do you know anyone with a set of UK Jepps / AERADs ?

ILS shouldn't be charged for if you need it - that comes as part of the landing & nav fees however you arrive.

[DX Wombat]

Bose - get your facts straight. I am not moaning about the costs, I am objecting to your calling me a cheapskate - something I find extremely offensive. I DO fly the cheapest, safest aircraft I can and I DO look carefully at how long I can afford to fly for and where I can afford to land. I expect an apology.

[hobbit1983]

Thanks Chilli - my flying club has the plates available for use, will be taking those along in case I need them for the ILS. Just wondered if my eyes were decieving me!

Hopefully I shouldn't have to pay the fee - as I'm intending to go elsewhere (Perranporth/Lands End, with a big weather caveat) but I'll certainly be happy to pay for it should I need it.

[S-Works]

DX-W.
Don't hold your breath without a responsible person around.......

However my comment was not aimed at you but at the endless moaning in general about landing fees. It is you that has taken it personally.

It may seem steep to the average cheap skate VFR pilot

Hobbit, If you have to use the ILS and to break cloud and don't land there is no fee to pay. I have done this a couple of times on the way into Peranporth, the St Mawgan guys are typical fine examples of military controllers. Very friendly and ever helpful.

[Knight Paladin]

Oh grow up the both of you!

Bose - whilst I don't think your comments were particularly offensive, you did come across as pretty damn arrogant. Ooooh, wow, look at you, you can fly in airways, let me bow down before you....

Wombat - I can understand you feeling offended, but demanding an apology from someone I'm guessing (and I may well be wrong) you don't really know is pretty pathetic.

[Kengineer-130]

Nice attitude Bose-x, I have read many of your posts on here, and you have always seemed like a decent guy, but those ideas of yours are very very misguided. I might "only be a VFR" pilot, but remember that is where you started ( saying that, you prob did your ppl in a 737 ) , and I fly for pleasure, not a job.

No one minds a few little charges to fund the airfield, but GA is becoming increasingly a rich boys sport, which should not be allowed to happen. People moan about PPL's lack of currency, lack of IR, blah blah blah, what do they expect when even at a small airfeild the handling bill, landing and approach fees cost almost as much as the flying time? .... the less people fly, the more the airports have to pass costs on to other airfield users, by increasing fees. See the circle there? 3 hours PPL VFR flying, even in an aircraft such as a C150 or a PA28 will cost well over £400, which is getting on for well over half of most peoples mortgage

[Skypartners]

It's been said before but let me say it again ...

The only reason, ONLY reason, why there is mandatory handling at Newquay is because it is an RAF aerodrome. When the RAF go so will the mandatory handling, I am reliably informed. Mandatory handling is enforced because it is not possible for people to wander around airside unaccompanied. It is imposed because every arrival and departure has to be documented for security reasons. Like I say in my earlier post it is probably the only place where handling is justified because there is a high level of service attached. I fly into Newquay every week - I have a business based there and I have to pay handling charges even though I am a partner of the airport.

Now if someone can explain how it is justified at Newcastle, Bristol, Bournemouth ...

[S-Works]

Oh for gods sake......... So many fragile egos.

This has nothing to do with the cost of flying. I merely point out that those who choose to fly at the cheap end of aviation seem to expect that the fees of the places they wish to visit should match their budget with no acknowledgment that these airfields run as a business and have to cover overheads regardless of how small the budgets of those who choose to visit them are.

My comments are nothing to do with the difference between IFR and VFR pilots are where we all came from. It just reflects that those actually using the services provided by such airports seem to have a little more realistic understanding of the fixed costs associated with such places.

What ever your view of me, it seems to be a fact born out over thousands of posts that the average VFR pilot i.e one who does not or cannot use the full facilities of such airfields expects to pay less for not using them despite the fact that they are part of the fixed operating costs of such establishments.

[Kengineer-130]

ok then, so you are saying WE should pay for YOUR ILS approach? if we all pay a flat fee?