Oban/Glenforsa News
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Agreed 100% with I-M and H-R. Fuel has been the reason PK has suceeded. He knows that well.
Unfortunately despite its good looks and atrocious weather in Scotland an aircraft like a Chipmunk will always have fuel problems unless you are doing 30 mins of aeros over the field.
You can almost count on two hands the number of GA airfields with Avgas in Scotland. That doesn't mean you can't get a lift to get mogas at a number of airfields but it does restrict your options.
Unfortunately despite its good looks and atrocious weather in Scotland an aircraft like a Chipmunk will always have fuel problems unless you are doing 30 mins of aeros over the field.
You can almost count on two hands the number of GA airfields with Avgas in Scotland. That doesn't mean you can't get a lift to get mogas at a number of airfields but it does restrict your options.
I hope the status quo returns to Connel Airport and I will still be able to set up my microlight flying school in March.
bb
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Let me say again how sad is it to know that the guys and gals at Oban could soon be out of a job. For the past year or so I have worked with them closely and can honestly say everyone of them has been dedicated to the cause......if at times they have laid down the law that didnt suit some I can only assume that was because of pressure from above..simple as that.
OK what is the future......Oban probably the best airfield to visit on the west coast of Scotland, we all know that....but that alone cannot be the only factor that will keep it alive.
To me the only solution would be go back to the status Quo...i.e. let PK run the place again...however it would not take a Philidelphia lawyer to realise that this present Council will not eat Hummble pie and let that happen.
As for being taken over on a commercial basis....well where would the money come from......30 visiting light aircraft on a nice summers day is not going to pay the bills......what would the rent payable to the council be???
OK then the council now need a way to recover the 12 million or so spent on the place....how will they do that????
I still reckon the value of land for future development will be the only way a small ammount of that 12 mill will be recovered...but then again what do I know??
I guess it will be a very sad day when we see the first houses being built on the sight......another McCaigs folly I fear
OK what is the future......Oban probably the best airfield to visit on the west coast of Scotland, we all know that....but that alone cannot be the only factor that will keep it alive.
To me the only solution would be go back to the status Quo...i.e. let PK run the place again...however it would not take a Philidelphia lawyer to realise that this present Council will not eat Hummble pie and let that happen.
As for being taken over on a commercial basis....well where would the money come from......30 visiting light aircraft on a nice summers day is not going to pay the bills......what would the rent payable to the council be???
OK then the council now need a way to recover the 12 million or so spent on the place....how will they do that????
I still reckon the value of land for future development will be the only way a small ammount of that 12 mill will be recovered...but then again what do I know??
I guess it will be a very sad day when we see the first houses being built on the sight......another McCaigs folly I fear
Is it not the case that if an airfield receives an EU grant that it's use can not be changed for a period of time. I believe something in the order of seven years, if this is true then the land could not be sold for housing or whatever. I understand that there was a similar situation regarding St Angelo Enniskillen when it failed to to attract commercial flights after receiving a grant.
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I still reckon the value of land for future development will be the only way a small ammount of that 12 mill will be recovered...but then again what do I know??
A tourist attracting facility seems to be the only option, but the kind of tourists who head for the Highlands are looking for scenery not theme parks!
An unlicensed aerodrome with minimal fire and rescue to support interisland commercial and charter traffic would seem to be the best option and PK can continue doing what he does now while someone else runs it on behalf of the Council if politics still overrides reason!
The increased flexibility for the likes of me will undoubtedly increase traffic and revenue for all concerned.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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FBW,I agree that it is not good for anyone to loose their job and indeed at this time of the year when there is few jobs around. However it has to be balanced with the amount of money being squandered on a project that has failed to live up to the hype.
In these austere times the taxpayers money is better spent on things that directly impact our lives. If the service was to stop tomorrow,then the islanders who use it would just have to revert to what they have been using for the last few centuries. The service is I am sure a blessing for some but to the real detriment to the many in terms of expenditure which is better spent.
In terms of future for Oban not to many of us locals are perturbed or surprised with the latest developments. In-fact it was predicted at the inception of this project. With regard to future social or private housing projects there has been several areas looked at for development and one of them is located between Connel and Oban,on the old road. Oban Airport as been looked at in the past by developers IIRC it was McLeod Homes and it all fell through. I am not entirely certain why it fell through.
BB,I spent many a happy day gliding at Connel. The east wind is considered by some up here as prohibitive for flying,but you could get great flying to the east with a sailplane. Ben Lora has a very small easterly facing ridge to exploit for lift, but if you could get to 1400ft of it, bouncing down to Bonawe quarry and exploiting the hills further north was possible.
Regards
MF26
In these austere times the taxpayers money is better spent on things that directly impact our lives. If the service was to stop tomorrow,then the islanders who use it would just have to revert to what they have been using for the last few centuries. The service is I am sure a blessing for some but to the real detriment to the many in terms of expenditure which is better spent.
In terms of future for Oban not to many of us locals are perturbed or surprised with the latest developments. In-fact it was predicted at the inception of this project. With regard to future social or private housing projects there has been several areas looked at for development and one of them is located between Connel and Oban,on the old road. Oban Airport as been looked at in the past by developers IIRC it was McLeod Homes and it all fell through. I am not entirely certain why it fell through.
BB,I spent many a happy day gliding at Connel. The east wind is considered by some up here as prohibitive for flying,but you could get great flying to the east with a sailplane. Ben Lora has a very small easterly facing ridge to exploit for lift, but if you could get to 1400ft of it, bouncing down to Bonawe quarry and exploiting the hills further north was possible.
Regards
MF26
Last edited by madflyer26; 27th Dec 2010 at 09:43.
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The money was invested in Oban airport because it was (and still is) considered an asset to the area. Like most transport infrastructure it will continue to need a subsidy of some sort.
If ABC want an operator to continue running the place with similar services they will have to PAY them to do it.
Remember Dundee council off loaded their airport as it was costing them IRO £750000 per year. I imagine it still costs them but does not show the same way in the books.
The only substantial unsupported income would be from the fuel and the flying clubs and I cannot see anything that would justify one more wage apart from PKs and an assistant.
If the Islanders were operated on a charter basis does that reduce the regulation burden?
As FBW has said I am sorry for the staff whose jobs are on the line. I have always had great service from them.
I seldom need to stop at Oban for fuel. I stop there because I like the place.
DO.
If ABC want an operator to continue running the place with similar services they will have to PAY them to do it.
Remember Dundee council off loaded their airport as it was costing them IRO £750000 per year. I imagine it still costs them but does not show the same way in the books.
The only substantial unsupported income would be from the fuel and the flying clubs and I cannot see anything that would justify one more wage apart from PKs and an assistant.
If the Islanders were operated on a charter basis does that reduce the regulation burden?
As FBW has said I am sorry for the staff whose jobs are on the line. I have always had great service from them.
I seldom need to stop at Oban for fuel. I stop there because I like the place.
DO.
Better red than ...
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...h-r is absolutely, 100%, correct...
Paul has the fuel franchise at Oban, so it would be interesting to understand the liability the council may face if they were to close and hence his franchise were worth 'nowt' (different situation at Sheffield as the operator also sold the fuel, whereas in Oban it is split). The loss of income law suite could cost the councils revenue on the sale of the site to a third party, hence returning the field to the management of somebody who was previously very successful could be a very attractive options (he employed people too, so it was contributing to the local economy).
Aviation Scotland with no Oban means carry jerrycans in the back for beach refuelling or ferry tanks. Can't do the Western Isles without it, certainly not rotary.
Cod War? you ain't see nuffink yet.
h-r
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Rumours an aw that
AP - Yes this is a rumour site, but also the odd fact here and there, and some very informative info from some active posters.
Only PK knows the full facts about this debacle, and it has been raging for a good few years now. I would leave it to him to tell the story, and who has leases with whom.
The operating costs for the 'airport' are in excess of 375k per annum, this before any Grant payback, rent payable, rates etc etc. In 2009, if memory serves, landing fees brought in 20k.
The fuel will, in my opinion,on a good year,turnover 140k. Not profit, Turnover.
The Government, and not the council, will IMHO, subsidise the transport links. i.e landing fees, associated costs, and some other stuff. The issue is that any audit conducted by the Goverment will uncover crass financial mis-management on behalf of ABC, therefore the slippery dilema will be to get out of the mess, as clean as they can make it, without making public the actual numbers that have been lost, to Joe public, although whether anyone actually gives a s*** anymore is debatable.
The local residents will require a service, they will not want to see it slip away, therefore, a white knight will be required in some format, he/she/they/will require extra fortified armour mind you
Only PK knows the full facts about this debacle, and it has been raging for a good few years now. I would leave it to him to tell the story, and who has leases with whom.
The operating costs for the 'airport' are in excess of 375k per annum, this before any Grant payback, rent payable, rates etc etc. In 2009, if memory serves, landing fees brought in 20k.
The fuel will, in my opinion,on a good year,turnover 140k. Not profit, Turnover.
The Government, and not the council, will IMHO, subsidise the transport links. i.e landing fees, associated costs, and some other stuff. The issue is that any audit conducted by the Goverment will uncover crass financial mis-management on behalf of ABC, therefore the slippery dilema will be to get out of the mess, as clean as they can make it, without making public the actual numbers that have been lost, to Joe public, although whether anyone actually gives a s*** anymore is debatable.
The local residents will require a service, they will not want to see it slip away, therefore, a white knight will be required in some format, he/she/they/will require extra fortified armour mind you
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The Cooncil
I assumed that there would be plenty of multi ethnic, multi sexually orientated, multi tasking, openly of Royal decendancy, applicants lurking around ABC. Non
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I don't know but presume it will near the end of the budget year. But no doudt the council will cock it up by not handing out redundancy notices in time. So the airfield will continue to operate past this date with no finance allocated to it. Thus schools and other social obligations will suffer due to crass stupidity of the council.
Thing is as soon as it does shut and the fence comes down. I can see a good summer for Oban Airport. The King Airs can start using it again and well as the small biz jets. The islander can do what ever it wants with the AOC that its on.
The flying school doesn't need a licensed strip to operate these days.
So I would imagine someone would base a plane there for adhock trial flights.
Get some sort of quality food stop in the terminal
And someone collar the compressor for the BA kit for the fire brigade and start selling air for diving.
Thing is as soon as it does shut and the fence comes down. I can see a good summer for Oban Airport. The King Airs can start using it again and well as the small biz jets. The islander can do what ever it wants with the AOC that its on.
The flying school doesn't need a licensed strip to operate these days.
So I would imagine someone would base a plane there for adhock trial flights.
Get some sort of quality food stop in the terminal
And someone collar the compressor for the BA kit for the fire brigade and start selling air for diving.
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A "quality food stop"... you mean a wee greasy burger van MJ?
A shame to hear about this happening, feel sorry for the staff, hopefully it will remain in use as an airfield though for a long time to come. A great destination, though somewhat bungled as of late.
Smithy
A shame to hear about this happening, feel sorry for the staff, hopefully it will remain in use as an airfield though for a long time to come. A great destination, though somewhat bungled as of late.
Smithy
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Nah I was thinking more of a highland food stop.
Local produce. And that ****e they sell tourists.
Yes have a cafe side of things selling Bambi Burgers and the like and deep frid mars bars for when the YAK boys visit
Local produce. And that ****e they sell tourists.
Yes have a cafe side of things selling Bambi Burgers and the like and deep frid mars bars for when the YAK boys visit
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Thing is as soon as it does shut and the fence comes down. I can see a good summer for Oban Airport. The King Airs can start using it again and well as the small biz jets.
And who will have won? I hope you'll feel proud when people are laid off and you're patting yourselves on the back for a job well done justifying your actions to anyone who will listen.
Much as I love Oban and have visited many many times over the years there is a part of me hoping they do build houses on it if it closes. It really would serve them right.
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I don't think the fence being down would have made much difference anyway it was such a screwed up concept to begin with.
I will grant you the local backstabbing and politics haven't helped but in the grand scale of things the only thing the fence did was give an increase in fax to bucket transactions in the MOR deptment at the CAA. It wouldn't have made any significant change to the income of the airfield which compared to the amount spent doing it up was always going to be next to nothing.
I will grant you the local backstabbing and politics haven't helped but in the grand scale of things the only thing the fence did was give an increase in fax to bucket transactions in the MOR deptment at the CAA. It wouldn't have made any significant change to the income of the airfield which compared to the amount spent doing it up was always going to be next to nothing.
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
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I'm not sure about the deep-fried Mars Bars though. I walk past the Mars factory in Slough most days, and some of the smells and noises emerging from there could turn your stomach. Plus the fact they found 6 illegal immigrants hiding in the back of a food tanker delivering granulated chocolate to the factory not so long ago...they'd been in there for days. In fact, it was the thought of that whilst I was tucking into a Mars Bar lovingly prepared by the chippie-formerly-known-as-Mister-Grumpy's in Plockton last year that very nearly put me off my chips.
The sooner Oban returns to being an A/G affair where the biggest stress factor is whether you've had one too many of PK's jammy dodgers to make the W&B work, and all of the high-viz-gestapo brain-damage is a distant memory, the better.