Who is Billy Pickles?
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Who is Billy Pickles?
I recently contributed to the thread concerning good food at destination and endorsed Caernarfon in North Wales based on a visit last year. Speaking on the phone tonight to a contact who flies from there the news is not good. After the tragic death of the flying clubs CFI in an Apache Air Atlantiques boss Mike Collett sold the airfield. The new owner known locally as Billy Pickles but rumored to be ex MSF at Manchester and Aviation Manchester at Woodford was pictured in a blaze of publicity taking over and promising great things.
The fact that the milkman is going around complaining that he was owed £150, that the restaurant has shut and most of the instructors have left is sad indeed. My first post was about the parlous state of aviation in the North West and I held Caernarfon up as "a minor jewel in the crown"- How wrong can one be! Any Pobol y Caernarfon out there with the latest gen on this sorry state of afairs could shed some light?
Caley
The air is a navigable ocean that laps at everymans front door
[This message has been edited by Sir George Caley (edited 10 January 2001).]
The fact that the milkman is going around complaining that he was owed £150, that the restaurant has shut and most of the instructors have left is sad indeed. My first post was about the parlous state of aviation in the North West and I held Caernarfon up as "a minor jewel in the crown"- How wrong can one be! Any Pobol y Caernarfon out there with the latest gen on this sorry state of afairs could shed some light?
Caley
The air is a navigable ocean that laps at everymans front door
[This message has been edited by Sir George Caley (edited 10 January 2001).]
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Well would you believe it there are 2 Ian Sixsmiths!!!!!!!
Both engaged in running flying schools etc.
IS(a) ex MSF ex AvMan is now at Chester with one of the schools there run by Geoff Lloyd
IS(b) aka Billy Pickles is at Caernarfon. Strange isn't it that 2 people with the same name operate at virtually adjacent airfields.
There was an Ian Sixsmith at MAN a few years ago involved with Airline Services Ltd. Could this be number 3? (Cue X files music)
But back to the original thread. What is the current state of play at Caernarfon; that previously buzzin GA centre on the North Wales coast? It would be a shame if its prospects had taken a downturn following Air Atlantiques departure. There can be few pilots who haven't dreamed of owning their own airfield but as has been said before the way to a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large one!
Caley
The air is a navigable ocean that laps at everymans front door
Both engaged in running flying schools etc.
IS(a) ex MSF ex AvMan is now at Chester with one of the schools there run by Geoff Lloyd
IS(b) aka Billy Pickles is at Caernarfon. Strange isn't it that 2 people with the same name operate at virtually adjacent airfields.
There was an Ian Sixsmith at MAN a few years ago involved with Airline Services Ltd. Could this be number 3? (Cue X files music)
But back to the original thread. What is the current state of play at Caernarfon; that previously buzzin GA centre on the North Wales coast? It would be a shame if its prospects had taken a downturn following Air Atlantiques departure. There can be few pilots who haven't dreamed of owning their own airfield but as has been said before the way to a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large one!
Caley
The air is a navigable ocean that laps at everymans front door
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I dropped in to Welshpool today and met a couple of friends who'd just returned from a trip to Caernarfon. According to them the airfield is open and so is the old clubhouse, but the restaurant was closed, and so was the new building supposedly housing Billy Pickles Flying School. They also told of someone landing at Welshpool almost out of fuel before Christmas, having been unable to get fuel at Caernarfon.
Meanwhile a friend of mine who did a few hours flying there before Christmas got a letter from the Billy Pickles lot saying they were open, flying would be happening, as would club activities in the evening etc.
So all is very unclear. If I hear any more on the local North Wales grapevine I'll keep you posted.
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Whirly
To fly is human, to hover, divine.
Meanwhile a friend of mine who did a few hours flying there before Christmas got a letter from the Billy Pickles lot saying they were open, flying would be happening, as would club activities in the evening etc.
So all is very unclear. If I hear any more on the local North Wales grapevine I'll keep you posted.
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Whirly
To fly is human, to hover, divine.
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I believe there is a tie up with Billy Pickles and a flying club called Premiair at Shoreham..they certainly have Premiair's old Aztec.
Who incidentally are been looked at by the CAA for operating SouthernFM's Sky Patrol without an AOC !!!!
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Hear All...See All...Say Now't.
Who incidentally are been looked at by the CAA for operating SouthernFM's Sky Patrol without an AOC !!!!
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Hear All...See All...Say Now't.
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It seems he has to re-apply for his AOC. meanwhile things have quietly wound down, a/c sold off, instructors working part time, airfield shut when least expected.....
shame really, so much potential so little money?? Let's hope he can recover from this blip.
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Thermal runaway.
shame really, so much potential so little money?? Let's hope he can recover from this blip.
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Thermal runaway.
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Can somone out there explain how billypickles flying, the shower that run Caernarfon Airport, managed to be issued with an aerodrome licence after what they were getting up to last summer - fuel tanks being allowed to run dry, sheep wandering all over the place, rally cars being allowed to race down the (non-active) runway and complete and utter amateurs manning the radio and wearing silly hats.
Has no one had the guts to report these idiots to the CAA?
The Caernarfon Airport website says they are "looking forward to a wonderful summer".
Hopefully they will, and all those who are stupid enough to fly-in. But if a serious accident takes place there will be hand-wringing-a-plenty at Gatwick I'll bet!
Has no one had the guts to report these idiots to the CAA?
The Caernarfon Airport website says they are "looking forward to a wonderful summer".
Hopefully they will, and all those who are stupid enough to fly-in. But if a serious accident takes place there will be hand-wringing-a-plenty at Gatwick I'll bet!
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Are Billy Pickles not the same Co. that run the flying school in Jersey/Guernsey ??
I flew in to Caernarfon last month to refuel, didnt seem to be much going on but plenty of JET A1 though, quite sad really as my father started flying there 20(maybe longer) years ago when it was just a single runway and no hangar and appeared to have developed into a lovely airfield last time I was there, and now looks abit like a ghost town!
regards
hoverbover
I flew in to Caernarfon last month to refuel, didnt seem to be much going on but plenty of JET A1 though, quite sad really as my father started flying there 20(maybe longer) years ago when it was just a single runway and no hangar and appeared to have developed into a lovely airfield last time I was there, and now looks abit like a ghost town!
regards
hoverbover
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Check the NOTAMs and the Caernarfon Airparc website. The licence was granted last Friday.
There are now no restrictions on the airfield but like I said earlier I'd like to know why. Anyone thinking of paying a visit should use a lot more common sense than the plonkers who are running the place. Its not the place to have a prang!
There are now no restrictions on the airfield but like I said earlier I'd like to know why. Anyone thinking of paying a visit should use a lot more common sense than the plonkers who are running the place. Its not the place to have a prang!
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Its a shame about Caernarfon. Most of what Chhetahdriver says about the place is mostly true.
I flew in a lot from about 1989 until about 1995 when it was a great lttle place to fly, chat and eat - Martin's prawn hoagie's were something to behold. I didn't fly in so often after that due to other commitments called family.
The last time I visited was last summer when I went to pay my respcts to the memory of Alastair Lyn Macrae, the former CFI who was killed in the Apache crash in Snowdonaia.
I didn't like what I saw of the new kids on the block. The boss just wanted my money and for me to clear off and make room for someone else.
That might be called business where he comes from but it doesn't make for good repeat business. Until Billy Pickles gets a good grounding in business sense the best thing to do is keep clear.
PS Does Billy Pickle have anything to do with Sir Richard Branston?
I flew in a lot from about 1989 until about 1995 when it was a great lttle place to fly, chat and eat - Martin's prawn hoagie's were something to behold. I didn't fly in so often after that due to other commitments called family.
The last time I visited was last summer when I went to pay my respcts to the memory of Alastair Lyn Macrae, the former CFI who was killed in the Apache crash in Snowdonaia.
I didn't like what I saw of the new kids on the block. The boss just wanted my money and for me to clear off and make room for someone else.
That might be called business where he comes from but it doesn't make for good repeat business. Until Billy Pickles gets a good grounding in business sense the best thing to do is keep clear.
PS Does Billy Pickle have anything to do with Sir Richard Branston?
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I flew into the field 2 weeks ago after battling through cloud and some scary icing and it is certainly run down.
Had a "breakfast" which was almost totally cold served by a kid who really didn't give a toss.
This was the attitude of everyone there.
It is certainly a shame... great potential but Billy is obviously not Smart!
B
Had a "breakfast" which was almost totally cold served by a kid who really didn't give a toss.
This was the attitude of everyone there.
It is certainly a shame... great potential but Billy is obviously not Smart!
B
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Watch out guys, he's at it again! According to the Caernarfon Airparc web site the Police are using the Airfield for 'stinger training', but there's nothing in NOTAMS to indicate this. Carefull if you're landing there, you might get more than you bargained for, or is it a ploy to sell some tyres!
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So, to answer the original question. According to the findings of an Industrial Tribunal siting in Caernarfon today, Billypickles is someone who thinks he can get away with abusing members of his staff by using obscene language and pushing and shoving in order to intimidate. Neither he nor his witnesses knew the meaning of the word 'perjury', however, justice prevailed and the applicant proved a case of fundemental breach of contract and constructive unfair dissmisal.He was awarded over 5 grand! My questions are: how do people like this get into aviation and especially into running an airfield and how long will it take for the authorities to see through the real BP? This is certainly one airfield that I wont be visiting this summer. I rest my case!
[This message has been edited by agent.mulder (edited 27 March 2001).]
[This message has been edited by agent.mulder (edited 27 March 2001).]
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Now that we know who he is, can anyone tell us what he is and what on earth is he doing to aviation in north Wales? Following a tip off from a friend on Saturday, I ventured across there on Sunday to view just what was going on. Well there was the Royal Aero Club air race, which was ran one and a half hours before its advertised start time, there were members of the public galore but only two marshals to guide them to their free parking space and when they ran out of them, there was grid lock, there was no safety brief which resulted in spectators standing on the edge of the runway on Saturday.)One lady complained about almost being knocked over and was told abruptly by a member of the airfield staff to "get a life". To cap it all they were floging Rally car rides at 10 quid a go to any one that was stupid enough to participate and yes, there were plenty. But Mr Pickles did not see it fit to seperate the rallying from the flying (maybe he's dislexic), which resulted in the cars wizzing across the active runway in front of aircraft that were landing and taking off. It was pure luck that there was no accidents during last weekend but the writing is most definately on the wall. Motor vehicle activity of this nature and aircraft movements DO NOT MIX! I would like to suggest to Mr Pickles that it is he that should 'get a life' and stick to one of the two sports that he's trying to combine, but from what I've seen so far, wheelbarrow racing would probably suit him better! Did anyone else witness last weekend's fiasco?