Old Sarum Flying Club- Gone????
Jetscream, some of your statements above are based on rumour. This is a difficult time for everyone (especially creditors!) and I can only refer you back to my earlier append and suggest that everyone waits for the facts to emerge.
However, I fully agree with the general advice to anyone about pre-payment, escrow accounts and using your flexible friend whenever possible.
HFD
(edited to add: I was a bit too busy yesterday to meet-up, sorry)
However, I fully agree with the general advice to anyone about pre-payment, escrow accounts and using your flexible friend whenever possible.
HFD
(edited to add: I was a bit too busy yesterday to meet-up, sorry)
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Please take note of what HFD has said. As a student at Old Sarum and now feeling very P................ I think his advice is worth taking. I was intending to find a new school to finish off the little I need for the skills test and was told to wait a while before going if all the students do go then any school around will get flooded and learning will become a waiting game, staying with OS and being supportive to my mind will hasten a new club to be formed and we can then all get on with learning and also get a club atmosphere back which sadly had started to go.
Rumours are flashing about about why it has happened but is just that rumours!! The writing has been on the wall for a while that the club was in trouble and for myself I kept any money in an account very low so havent lost anything but find it strange that they where still taking bookings and money right upto the last day when at least one person did know it was folding.
Hopefully from what I have heard today there will be some sort of rescue in the short term by a group of instructors for us students and instructors but at this time nothing concrete.
Rumours are flashing about about why it has happened but is just that rumours!! The writing has been on the wall for a while that the club was in trouble and for myself I kept any money in an account very low so havent lost anything but find it strange that they where still taking bookings and money right upto the last day when at least one person did know it was folding.
Hopefully from what I have heard today there will be some sort of rescue in the short term by a group of instructors for us students and instructors but at this time nothing concrete.
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no idea where this house thing comes from
Planning application
Application number S/1999/2200
Blanefield Property Co - Old Sarum Airfield, Portway, Old Sarum, Salisbury
Application number S/1999/2200
Blanefield Property Co - Old Sarum Airfield, Portway, Old Sarum, Salisbury
Blanefield Property Co Ltd v Salisbury DC [2004]
Hope it all pans out. What is happening to the aeroplanes that were used by OSFC (E.g. the Bulldog) ? Can they still be "rented" privately, with a suitable freelance instructor of course
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It all depends on the 'owners' of the aircraft I guess and whether Leslie is going to remove them all 'west' before they become impounded as part of a creditors dispute if it is deemed that OSFC were (at the end) allegedly trading fraudulently.
On a positive note how about everyone showing their support for the instructors and the airfield by organising an impromptu bbq?
Anyone ?
On a positive note how about everyone showing their support for the instructors and the airfield by organising an impromptu bbq?
Anyone ?
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Old Sarum far from gone!!!
Hi to all,
If I may visit with you all and introduce myself.
I for my sins am the airfield manager at EGLS having been involved on and off since the late 80's.
There are various posts in this thread that paint a poor picture of both Old Sarum and Blanefield.
They are wrong to do so at this time. Negative thought will bring negative outcome. The airfield is open, our staff are paid, our bills are paid, and we are here to welcome your trade.
We have invested heavily in the site since taking over last year. I am unable to comment formally on the process that brought the move about however regular visitors will see that we are starting a process of repairing and replacing.
We have replaced the u/s equipment we started with and commenced erepairing the delapidated buildings. A huge amount of money will be required to repair the hangar and this has to be found from somewhere. One could ask if the costs would be so high if a rolling fix had been employed over the last fifteen years.
The events of this last few days cannot be commented on for obvious reasons save that we are likely to be the larger creditor if the OSFC situation results in insolvency. I gather the process will be started by their agents this coming week. Other posters have commented about the aircraft being owned by the club's principals other company so I need not.
We are actively in discussion with several flying bodies both established and proposed who wish to base or satellite at EGLS.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
Airfield Manager
Oh, and yes I do work for the owners!
If I may visit with you all and introduce myself.
I for my sins am the airfield manager at EGLS having been involved on and off since the late 80's.
There are various posts in this thread that paint a poor picture of both Old Sarum and Blanefield.
They are wrong to do so at this time. Negative thought will bring negative outcome. The airfield is open, our staff are paid, our bills are paid, and we are here to welcome your trade.
We have invested heavily in the site since taking over last year. I am unable to comment formally on the process that brought the move about however regular visitors will see that we are starting a process of repairing and replacing.
We have replaced the u/s equipment we started with and commenced erepairing the delapidated buildings. A huge amount of money will be required to repair the hangar and this has to be found from somewhere. One could ask if the costs would be so high if a rolling fix had been employed over the last fifteen years.
The events of this last few days cannot be commented on for obvious reasons save that we are likely to be the larger creditor if the OSFC situation results in insolvency. I gather the process will be started by their agents this coming week. Other posters have commented about the aircraft being owned by the club's principals other company so I need not.
We are actively in discussion with several flying bodies both established and proposed who wish to base or satellite at EGLS.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
Airfield Manager
Oh, and yes I do work for the owners!
I'm a long way from OS nowadays but got my PPL there quite a lot of years ago, and doubt there's been a year since then when the airfield hasn't featured in my logbook at-least once.
A business has gone under - that is distressing, not least for the people who work for it who probably stand to lose far more than the customers in credit for flying. Knowing a lot of the team there, I'd be willing to bet that they fought every step of the way to stop this happening, and will be doing their best to make sure that nobody loses too badly from this. Any of us who have flown with any regularity from OS surely have no doubt about the integrity of the senior management team there.
I'd just like to say that in response to some rather accusatory posts above which personally struck me as rather premature.
G
A business has gone under - that is distressing, not least for the people who work for it who probably stand to lose far more than the customers in credit for flying. Knowing a lot of the team there, I'd be willing to bet that they fought every step of the way to stop this happening, and will be doing their best to make sure that nobody loses too badly from this. Any of us who have flown with any regularity from OS surely have no doubt about the integrity of the senior management team there.
I'd just like to say that in response to some rather accusatory posts above which personally struck me as rather premature.
G
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Genghis,
Knowing what I know and hearing what I hear, I'd be interested if you could tell us which 'senior management team' you are referring to when you talk about 'integrity' - OSFC or Blanefield?
Knowing what I know and hearing what I hear, I'd be interested if you could tell us which 'senior management team' you are referring to when you talk about 'integrity' - OSFC or Blanefield?
Old Sarum Flying Club; I don't think that many people (aviators or local non-aviators) were overly impressed by the attempt to turn the airfield into a housing estate.
G
G
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I used to fly with OSFC regularly, but stopped last year because the aircraft (Arrows) were in such poor condition. Good management or poor management, if the product is poor no one will want to use it.
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I think you might find that the management team and staff have changed since your day in fact there have been a lot of changes in the last year. The one thing that struck a lot of people and some of the staff was the fact that it seemed to not have had a full time leader for a while, just part timers which no buisness can tolerate for very long. Everyone has thoughts on the collapse but no doubt eventually we will know why, speculation does no good at all.
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Did my CPL there at the start of the year, fantastic place to fly from and unbeatable instruction. Does the FTO stand legally seperate from the flying club? Shame if everything has stopped, hope it rises from the ashes as others have suggested!
BBL
BBL
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Are they accepting flights?
I was hoping to overnight there tomorrow, arrive around lunch time and leave early tuseday ~ 9am, does anyone know if they still accept visitors? 
MoonyM20 and others:
As I said earlier: "Old Sarum airfield continues unchanged. It's still a great place to visit, and to buy fuel for both your aircraft and your stomach. For a short time the circuit will be slightly less busy than usual so why not take advantage of the hiatus and pay John, Angus and the staff a visit".
Try the warm filled baguettes if you visit
Ref some of the other comments: IM(NS)HO negative comments about landlord, tenant or anything else in this unfortunate affair really don't help the situation. Whatever has happened can not be changed and will be dealt with by the normal processes, it's the future that counts and at the moment that can best be protected by supporting the airfield and whatever organisations start their operations there.
HFD
(edited to have a moan about the moans)
As I said earlier: "Old Sarum airfield continues unchanged. It's still a great place to visit, and to buy fuel for both your aircraft and your stomach. For a short time the circuit will be slightly less busy than usual so why not take advantage of the hiatus and pay John, Angus and the staff a visit".
Try the warm filled baguettes if you visit
Ref some of the other comments: IM(NS)HO negative comments about landlord, tenant or anything else in this unfortunate affair really don't help the situation. Whatever has happened can not be changed and will be dealt with by the normal processes, it's the future that counts and at the moment that can best be protected by supporting the airfield and whatever organisations start their operations there.
HFD
(edited to have a moan about the moans)
Last edited by hugh flung_dung; 1st Jun 2008 at 22:59.
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thats what i was hoping to hear chaps I look forward to my visit in that case tomorrow then
could i also ask if the runway is prone to waterlogging? i notice the weather is terrible on tuseday but i really need to be away to EGHI
thanks again
I look forward to my visit in that case tomorrow thencould i also ask if the runway is prone to waterlogging? i notice the weather is terrible on tuseday but i really need to be away to EGHI
thanks again
The runway is very rarely affected by waterlogging. I've been instructing there for about 12 years and can only think of a handful of occasions when there was a problem, but give John or Angus a call if you're concerned.
HFD
HFD
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OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Information and updates about the current situation at Old Sarum Airfield can be found by clicking here
There are a number of highly motivated multi skilled instructors with many years experience who will lead the way forward. I am sure both flying training and professional training will return to Old Sarum very soon.
HFD - you were interested in this site link
Information and updates about the current situation at Old Sarum Airfield can be found by clicking here
There are a number of highly motivated multi skilled instructors with many years experience who will lead the way forward. I am sure both flying training and professional training will return to Old Sarum very soon.
HFD - you were interested in this site link
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Anyone able to expand on what this quote from the Old Sarum Air Field site means ?
'Old Sarum Flying Club will continue to run in existing buildings in almost exactly the same way with no job losses.'
'Old Sarum Flying Club will continue to run in existing buildings in almost exactly the same way with no job losses.'
Fly Conventional Gear
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'Old Sarum Flying Club will continue to run in existing buildings in almost exactly the same way with no job losses.'
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Unfortunately it seems that none of the news stories on the Old Sarum site have a date tag (which they should to avoid this kind of confusion!).
The story in which the quote appears is in fact dated September last year, when a re-organisation took place and Blanefield started operating the airfield.
The story in which the quote appears is in fact dated September last year, when a re-organisation took place and Blanefield started operating the airfield.