Oban/Glenforsa News
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 2,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also of note: the council proposes to contribute £50,000 to the building of a hangar for the air services aircraft. Could this be to make sure the successful bidder doesn't use a certain other hangar?
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sometimes north, sometimes south
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
Captain Smithy wrote
I know Cap'n, shocking it is, shocking. Look at the Scottish Government - they spend £35 million a year on subsidies to HIAL and to the air services to Tiree Barra and Campbeltown. Personally, I blame it on all those ridiculously expensive engineers that swan around the highlands mending navaids 
NS
Bonkers, totally bonkers figures. Mindblowing sums of money. No wonder ABC are skint. Why don't politicians understand business?
NS
they spend £35 million a year on subsidies to HIAL
£35 million divided by the number of passengers would make an interesting stat!
I wonder what would happen if the subsidies were removed and free market took over?
bb
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: .
Age: 37
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know Cap'n, shocking it is, shocking. Look at the Scottish Government - they spend £35 million a year on subsidies to HIAL and to the air services to Tiree Barra and Campbeltown. Personally, I blame it on all those ridiculously expensive engineers that swan around the highlands mending navaids
"I wonder what would happen if the subsidies were removed and free market took over?"
I wonder qhat would happen with, for example, the M23, in these circumstances. And the Olympics. And India, reading about the UK donation to it. (The latter should manage ok without it.)
I wonder qhat would happen with, for example, the M23, in these circumstances. And the Olympics. And India, reading about the UK donation to it. (The latter should manage ok without it.)
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 1,234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was prompted to check out the HIAL annual report recently. The direct subsidy paid for operating the airports is something over £19M.
Given the number of movements across all the airfields each movement costs the Scottish Governement £151 - and that includes the HIAL landing feecharge of £17.50 !
Given the number of movements across all the airfields each movement costs the Scottish Governement £151 - and that includes the HIAL landing feecharge of £17.50 !
I was prompted to check out the HIAL annual report recently. The direct subsidy paid for operating the airports is something over £19M.
then some flights have subsidies on the ticket price
so possibly the total figure could be £35 M making the cost per flight £280
how long can this be sustained?
anyway Oban is not part of that group, thread drift
bb
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think HIAL is safe. If the chopped the money for them you would cut off all the major islands from air travel in the UK. Thre would be up roar if they did that apart from the fact that the revenue from those islands far exceeds the grant.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oban Airport in the News Again
From The Scotsman:
Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport
Full story Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport - Scotsman.com
...and on the For Argyll Website
Former firefighter issues personal plea to council on Oban Airport
Full Story Argyll News: Letter: Former firefighter issues personal plea to council on Oban Airport :Argyll,Argyll Bute Council,Oban Airport,Argyll Aero Club, | For Argyll
Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport
Full story Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport - Scotsman.com
...and on the For Argyll Website
Former firefighter issues personal plea to council on Oban Airport
Full Story Argyll News: Letter: Former firefighter issues personal plea to council on Oban Airport :Argyll,Argyll Bute Council,Oban Airport,Argyll Aero Club, | For Argyll
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: U.K.
Age: 46
Posts: 3,112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As much as I dislike the way that the whole Oban Air Services project has been stuffed up from the start and wasted public money for no good reasons, it's got to the point where both "sides" in this sorry tale need a damn good kick in the pods.
Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face... For everyone at Oban, the place needs to get busier. Paul needs it for the fuel, the council need it to save face and every user of the airport needs it becuase otherwise there is a real risk of the place being shutdown or farmed off.
Yes, it's all been an unholy mess and I can understand where everyone is coming from, but FFS, this is now just a joke. Can someone (anyone at all) grow some b*lls and try to sort this out instead of just fighting eachother to a standstill and hurting yourselves all the time. It might take a bit of pride swallowing from everyone, but surely that is worth it?
Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face... For everyone at Oban, the place needs to get busier. Paul needs it for the fuel, the council need it to save face and every user of the airport needs it becuase otherwise there is a real risk of the place being shutdown or farmed off.
Yes, it's all been an unholy mess and I can understand where everyone is coming from, but FFS, this is now just a joke. Can someone (anyone at all) grow some b*lls and try to sort this out instead of just fighting eachother to a standstill and hurting yourselves all the time. It might take a bit of pride swallowing from everyone, but surely that is worth it?
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: An ATC centre this side of the moon.
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fence that has grounded 400 flights to Highland airport
I really feel sorry for all those affected by those at Oban that have been affected by this bitter dispute, I have met most of them and to me they all ( on both sides ) seem a great bunch...its not good to have the threat of redundancy over you but one really has to ask what really is the commercial future of Oban???? having spent 40 years in the aviation industry I really find it hard to understand how the operation at Oban on a commercial basis can pay!!......That said I would be very happy to be proved wrong.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Age: 44
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SAS,
Your post is 100% spot on. But something tells me it will get a lot worse before it gets better. Not one group is going to concede much, and all the peace intervention with political figures will do sod all.They never bothered much before, but I guess there is an election looming. Its a bloody shambles and I as a local pilot and a user of many years want this whole morass at Oban Airport to disappear along with the protagonists that keep it in perpetual destruction mode!
Regards
MF26
Your post is 100% spot on. But something tells me it will get a lot worse before it gets better. Not one group is going to concede much, and all the peace intervention with political figures will do sod all.They never bothered much before, but I guess there is an election looming. Its a bloody shambles and I as a local pilot and a user of many years want this whole morass at Oban Airport to disappear along with the protagonists that keep it in perpetual destruction mode!
Regards
MF26
Last edited by madflyer26; 20th Feb 2011 at 21:41.
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 1,234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I suspect the 400 flights are probably somewhat exaggerated - but to a large extent it does n't matter.
The basic problem is the psyche of the people let's face it - this is an area where being a Campbell can be a bad thing!
'The Aero Club' could remove the fence having made their point - but in that grand tradition I suppose they won't. The cooncil could smooth things out - but of course they won't.
As far as I can see it will be down to the new airfield operator to try and bring some sense to the whole mess - I wish them luck!
The basic problem is the psyche of the people let's face it - this is an area where being a Campbell can be a bad thing!
'The Aero Club' could remove the fence having made their point - but in that grand tradition I suppose they won't. The cooncil could smooth things out - but of course they won't.
As far as I can see it will be down to the new airfield operator to try and bring some sense to the whole mess - I wish them luck!
