Old Sarum Flying Club- Gone????
Old Sarum Flying Club- Gone????
Join Date: Dec 2002
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old sarum flying club in receivership A/FIELD AS NORMAL
the flying club is in receivership - the airfield is operating normally still got grass/fuel/ food /historic buildings/some interesting a/c and generally a nice place to visit.
Now need your support. Hopefully the club will rise from the ashes. By the end of the day the microlight side already had
Now need your support. Hopefully the club will rise from the ashes. By the end of the day the microlight side already had
Join Date: Nov 2001
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jeeez - i was sat outside on the benches having a cup of tea at 2pm..... nothing seemed untoward then.....???
Come on lets get together and very quickly get things back on track - i can be their tomorrow..!! can anybody else?
PM if interested in trying to salvage it.... many ways to skin the cat and and the faster we can do the due diligence the better......
Come on lets get together and very quickly get things back on track - i can be their tomorrow..!! can anybody else?
PM if interested in trying to salvage it.... many ways to skin the cat and and the faster we can do the due diligence the better......
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Come on lets get together and very quickly get things back on track - i can be their tomorrow..!! can anybody else?
Their issues will be ones of prolonged pressure created from the recent take-over by a new company as landlord and the significant increase in costs incurred on the back of that. This, compounded by 18 crap months of weather and no doubt a little bit of reluctance of new PPL start-ups will no doubt have been the main catalyst to this news.
It's sad indeed. I learned to fly there in 1989 and have fond memories. Sadly however, when there are houses planned on the horizon, there 'aint much that can be done unless you have very good knowledge of how to bust through certain planning procedures.
I am aware that other tenants nearby (same new landlord) are under pressure to move out to make way for a few five-bedders.
P.S Watchmysix - interesting that you have registered purely to make your post. Not an employee of a certain property company are we?
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That is very sad indeed if it is true.
I did my PPL on the Bulldog their last year (and continue to fly there) and even though it is a 2 hour round trip to the airfield it was worth the effort.
I really hope that flying activities continue in some form.
The site has heritage status so cannot become a housing estate.
I did my PPL on the Bulldog their last year (and continue to fly there) and even though it is a 2 hour round trip to the airfield it was worth the effort.
I really hope that flying activities continue in some form.
The site has heritage status so cannot become a housing estate.
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monocock, thanks for the vote of confidence....... as someone that has run airfields and one of the substantial flying clubs in the UK, it will be interesting to hear from the horses mouth what the deal is.....
What exactly does OSFC own? what exactly are its overheads, where is its prime source of income?? - owning a bunch of aeroplanes and relying on PPL's has long gone in history, however with a strong club membership, some creative thinking that also is sympathetic to the landlords vision but is economically sound is something im actually quite well versed at......
Meeting with the horses mouth - laying it all on the table and seeing what opportunities are there to keep flying in whatever format that is and keeping the airfield open for visitors and food etc is imperative........
Like i said - many ways to skin a cat... sure there will be change.... but the results of no-one making any effort at all will result in yet more dwindling aviation assets to be enjoyed by our children...... and my 5 year old is a flying looney....
What exactly does OSFC own? what exactly are its overheads, where is its prime source of income?? - owning a bunch of aeroplanes and relying on PPL's has long gone in history, however with a strong club membership, some creative thinking that also is sympathetic to the landlords vision but is economically sound is something im actually quite well versed at......
Meeting with the horses mouth - laying it all on the table and seeing what opportunities are there to keep flying in whatever format that is and keeping the airfield open for visitors and food etc is imperative........
Like i said - many ways to skin a cat... sure there will be change.... but the results of no-one making any effort at all will result in yet more dwindling aviation assets to be enjoyed by our children...... and my 5 year old is a flying looney....
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Jetscream OSFC doesn't seem to own much at all.
A visit to GINFO will show that club a/c are apparently not owned by the club. When Blanefield took over running of the a'field they also took hangarage, fuel and restaurant and things in that area have improved since in my view
OSFC ran down maintenance on the afield and last person went in march from which point all was done at or by Bournemouth - work the economics of tht one out!!!!
So OSFC looks like a flying school with no a/c, engineering support on another [expensive] airfield 25 miles away and club with a declining membership due to uncertainty of future and little atmosphere. Not a recipe for a rosy future
Having said that where is the competition in the catchment area. Compton too remote. Thruxton? don't think so. It's a great airfield now a conservation area so development very constrained and must represent an opportunity for someone
A visit to GINFO will show that club a/c are apparently not owned by the club. When Blanefield took over running of the a'field they also took hangarage, fuel and restaurant and things in that area have improved since in my view
OSFC ran down maintenance on the afield and last person went in march from which point all was done at or by Bournemouth - work the economics of tht one out!!!!
So OSFC looks like a flying school with no a/c, engineering support on another [expensive] airfield 25 miles away and club with a declining membership due to uncertainty of future and little atmosphere. Not a recipe for a rosy future
Having said that where is the competition in the catchment area. Compton too remote. Thruxton? don't think so. It's a great airfield now a conservation area so development very constrained and must represent an opportunity for someone
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Really nice bunch of staff / Instructors very sad.
Fly there most weekends...including this Sat
Hope they can recover from ashes.
..prefarable in next 36 hours ! 
Fly there most weekends...including this Sat
Hope they can recover from ashes.
..prefarable in next 36 hours !
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There is nothing wrong with the airfield.
Last year I held a share in SARM and I think we all paid £95 odd to OSFC for landing fees, use of computers etc.
Once Blainfield took back the running of the airfield I think a lot of owners, sharers did not renew their memberships for 08/09 as OSFC had virtually nothing to offer owners / sharers so I guess that may have contributed to a larger hole in finances.
Last year I held a share in SARM and I think we all paid £95 odd to OSFC for landing fees, use of computers etc.
Once Blainfield took back the running of the airfield I think a lot of owners, sharers did not renew their memberships for 08/09 as OSFC had virtually nothing to offer owners / sharers so I guess that may have contributed to a larger hole in finances.
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So, let me get this straight... The UK is in the middle of a housing price recession... the houses currently on the market aren't selling... Prices are falling all over the place... yet someone says the UK needs more housing in the form of estates on top of Airfields...
Why don't councils clear the current stocks of houses first; before granting permission for airfields to be build over. Maybe then GA may be a little more viable as potential short term value of green fields will drop!
No matter how long I live here - I never think I'll ever work the UK out!!!
Why don't councils clear the current stocks of houses first; before granting permission for airfields to be build over. Maybe then GA may be a little more viable as potential short term value of green fields will drop!
No matter how long I live here - I never think I'll ever work the UK out!!!
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The planning application was turned down. The land is worth infinitely more with consent for houses on it. You don't see property companies divesting themselves of their land banks, no matter how bad the housing market is at this moment in time. Some sites already under devolopment have had work halted on them because it doesn't make sense to complete them and sell them into a slack market. If all that's been done is infrastructure (roads, drains, foundations) it will just sit there like that until market conditions improve and it's worth continuing the development.
The danger with OS is that Blanefield go back to the planners with the argument that there is no demand for an airfield, the flying club has ceased trading and no other operator wants to take it on. It's not financially viable to continue to operate it as an aerodrome so rather than allow it to become derelict can they build a local amenity like a golf course or a sports centre paid for out of the profits that they would get if they were allowed to put housing on the remainder? Neither the planners nor the locals are gullible enough to swallow that at face value at the moment but who can say what might happen in a few years?
The danger with OS is that Blanefield go back to the planners with the argument that there is no demand for an airfield, the flying club has ceased trading and no other operator wants to take it on. It's not financially viable to continue to operate it as an aerodrome so rather than allow it to become derelict can they build a local amenity like a golf course or a sports centre paid for out of the profits that they would get if they were allowed to put housing on the remainder? Neither the planners nor the locals are gullible enough to swallow that at face value at the moment but who can say what might happen in a few years?
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The danger with OS is that Blanefield go back to the planners with the argument that there is no demand for an airfield, the flying club has ceased trading and no other operator wants to take it on. It's not financially viable to continue to operate it as an aerodrome so rather than allow it to become derelict can they build a local amenity like a golf course or a sports centre paid for out of the profits that they would get if they were allowed to put housing on the remainder? Neither the planners nor the locals are gullible enough to swallow that at face value at the moment but who can say what might happen in a few years?
Formerly HWD
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Terrible news. I hope that something can be sorted out. OSFC was in my experience a unique organisation and an example of how club flying can be made fun and challenging for all experience levels.
With regards to house building, Old Sarum Airfield has Conservation Area Status because it was considered to be of considerable value in terms of cultural heritage, due partly to being in constant use as an airfield since 1917. The hangars are also listed buildings. Given this protected status I don't see how anybody can plan to build houses on it. Anyway, aren't the houses being built across the road?
With regards to house building, Old Sarum Airfield has Conservation Area Status because it was considered to be of considerable value in terms of cultural heritage, due partly to being in constant use as an airfield since 1917. The hangars are also listed buildings. Given this protected status I don't see how anybody can plan to build houses on it. Anyway, aren't the houses being built across the road?
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no idea where this house thing comes from - everybody that watched Robs Lam depart in the Spitfire @ Sarum today would have more chance of each going solo in it than houses being built on the airfield..... ie no chance.....! well not while most people on this forum are still breathing anyway.....
There were a few huddled groups at the airfield today planning on turning it around including myself....... however after a 40 minute call to the receiver - there is almost nil chance or reason to salvage OSFC - as the liability's incurred are more than anyone could ever make out of flying training... they exceed £50,000 by all accounts and could be twice that amount......
Blanefield have a fully licensed airfield, a nice little cafe, the hangars and a queue of other flying clubs wanting prime position on the airfield - so its just a case of wait a fortnight and see who turns up with some leased aircraft and a few instructors etc....... or the club instructors could alsways do it themselves - however they then need to rent in new aircraft etc.....
I feel very, very sorry for the poor students who had placed tens of thousands on account in anticipation of cheaper flying and the dream of a PPL only to be shafted royally by crap management who have fleeced innocent people..... This practice of taking money on account into flying clubs and it just going inot the pot with the normal operating cash flow account MUST be stopped.
A separate client escrow account must be a requirement and i would be keen to draw up a voluntary code of practise for flying schools that are all named and would use this for deposit money that can only be drawn down after landing etc... protecting the student and clearly demonstrating who can remain in business through effective commercial management and service....
Shoot me down...............!
There were a few huddled groups at the airfield today planning on turning it around including myself....... however after a 40 minute call to the receiver - there is almost nil chance or reason to salvage OSFC - as the liability's incurred are more than anyone could ever make out of flying training... they exceed £50,000 by all accounts and could be twice that amount......
Blanefield have a fully licensed airfield, a nice little cafe, the hangars and a queue of other flying clubs wanting prime position on the airfield - so its just a case of wait a fortnight and see who turns up with some leased aircraft and a few instructors etc....... or the club instructors could alsways do it themselves - however they then need to rent in new aircraft etc.....
I feel very, very sorry for the poor students who had placed tens of thousands on account in anticipation of cheaper flying and the dream of a PPL only to be shafted royally by crap management who have fleeced innocent people..... This practice of taking money on account into flying clubs and it just going inot the pot with the normal operating cash flow account MUST be stopped.
A separate client escrow account must be a requirement and i would be keen to draw up a voluntary code of practise for flying schools that are all named and would use this for deposit money that can only be drawn down after landing etc... protecting the student and clearly demonstrating who can remain in business through effective commercial management and service....
Shoot me down...............!