Landing fees
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Landing fees
I visited Blackbushe airfield again for a short visit to meet friends. The cafe is pleasant and so are the staff as are fireman and ATC, but the charges are not.
The landing fees are now £25.46 unless you upload at least 25L fuel @£2.12. Hardly a saving.
I assume since they now have 2 or 3 exec jets based there, the management considered they are big time and GA is a nuisance.
There is not ILS or maintenance on site and the number of light aircraft has dimished significantly, I understand due to the extremely high fees for parking and landing.
Blackbushe is no longer economical to visit unless you're an MP on expenses.
The landing fees are now £25.46 unless you upload at least 25L fuel @£2.12. Hardly a saving.
I assume since they now have 2 or 3 exec jets based there, the management considered they are big time and GA is a nuisance.
There is not ILS or maintenance on site and the number of light aircraft has dimished significantly, I understand due to the extremely high fees for parking and landing.
Blackbushe is no longer economical to visit unless you're an MP on expenses.
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I believe there was comment somewhere recently about this. I think at that time there was more than one price for landing depending on time and whether you had PPR.
D.O.
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There is also now mandatory handling for aircraft over 2.5 tonnes (IIRC, could have been 3), which you don't seem to receive any additional service for 
I took the E90 in there in October and the total landing + handling bill came to around £130 inc VAT, compare that to Fairoaks which is much more conveniently placed for London and which charges half that and no unnecessary mandatory handling!
I took the E90 in there in October and the total landing + handling bill came to around £130 inc VAT, compare that to Fairoaks which is much more conveniently placed for London and which charges half that and no unnecessary mandatory handling!
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Another 'Black' airfield is Blackpool, who charge in the twenty region. They do have a landing voucher in 'Flyer' magazine, but the tight bas**rds want you to upload 50litres, which most likely will cost you even more of a premium.... Free voucher I think not.
Andrewsfield (Grass), Tibenham and Turweston are in 'Pilot'.
Haverfordwest, Holmbeck (Grass), Retford Gamston, and Wick are in 'Flyer'.
Sleap is in both 'Flyer' and 'Pilot' for this December.
Andrewsfield (Grass), Tibenham and Turweston are in 'Pilot'.
Haverfordwest, Holmbeck (Grass), Retford Gamston, and Wick are in 'Flyer'.
Sleap is in both 'Flyer' and 'Pilot' for this December.
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From memory, we paid iro £25.00 at Blackbushe for the Cirrus in the August.
You are right though, no maintainance facilities whatsoever.
You are right though, no maintainance facilities whatsoever.
Last edited by Richard Westnot; 9th Dec 2012 at 16:37.
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I am sure we have all seen these type of posts many times over the years and it seems to me that the only way we can get the message across to those airports that charge a over the top landing fee is "To not go there"!! , just boycott these places full stop ,, it seems to me some of these airport managers think they are doing us a favour letting us land there and there is also a degree of "can pay so will pay "in their thinking too , a chap I know use to take his citation into a certain airfield , charged him £100.00 , next time he went there it was £200.00 , so exit one customer. when they see the revenue from landing fees , fuel sales and the business like cafes fall then they will start to get the meassage and thats the only way they will get the message. direct action .
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Agree with Taff. Places to avoid...
Shoreham charged me £21ish to land my Jodel last year, more than it cost to fly there. I haven't been back since. If there was one airfield that thinks it's Heathrow, this has got to be it (Apart from Heathrow of course) ATC are totally overbearing too..
Places I do go are Headcorn, North Weald, Turweston, Conington all have landing fees of £10. Pleasant, get a cup of tea and some lunch.. No frills..
Shoreham charged me £21ish to land my Jodel last year, more than it cost to fly there. I haven't been back since. If there was one airfield that thinks it's Heathrow, this has got to be it (Apart from Heathrow of course) ATC are totally overbearing too..
Places I do go are Headcorn, North Weald, Turweston, Conington all have landing fees of £10. Pleasant, get a cup of tea and some lunch.. No frills..
Do the above quotes include parking? At Fairoaks, you only get charged for parking if you nightstop ie land just after 8am and depart just before 6pm and parking is free.
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What to me is amazing, is that the business/commercial traffic isn't backing GA up on this at all and never have. Surely a 5 year old without even the slightest MBA in economics realises that if they accept higher GA fee's to keep the "riffraff" out, then that that's detrimental to all aviation business. Now they have to bear that cost alone. I've never understood the divide between GA and commercial in this regard. There is no joint organisation that looks after aviation as a whole, just a lot of special interest entities. By charging GA higher prices to keep the small stuff out, they all lose - don't they realise this?
If the very people these small airports with "shiny jet" hubris are trying to attract would also put their foot down, then there would be no overcharging taking place.
If the very people these small airports with "shiny jet" hubris are trying to attract would also put their foot down, then there would be no overcharging taking place.
Last edited by AdamFrisch; 10th Dec 2012 at 03:20.
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Originally Posted by Richard Westnot
You are right though, no maintainance facilities whatsoever
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My experience of Blackbushe is one of a rude officious man on the radio and spectacular landing and parking fees. I'll only be going there for emergency diversions in future.
The front desk staff and local instructors were charming and you have to feel for them, having their livelihood eroded because the management want to price them out of the market.
The front desk staff and local instructors were charming and you have to feel for them, having their livelihood eroded because the management want to price them out of the market.
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99.9% of the comercial and business side of aviation could not give a toss about GA ,they dio it for a living we do it for fun were at the bottom of the food chain as far as there concerned and they would rather we were not around ,BUT , the last time i checked our money was as good as theirs,!! I know there are people like AOPA fighting our corner but to me we need to get more direct , puting the word around the ga comunity of the overcharging / bad service etc airfields, I mean they go to town on bad service companies on programes like watchdog etc , If I gave a bad service / too expensive for my work word would soon go around !! , why should aviation be any different , perhaps we should start a union ?? LOL
Last edited by first taff; 10th Dec 2012 at 16:51.
Landing Fees !!!
Simple answer to this. Most airfields are run by private individuals or a Company.
They are under no obligation to offer any service to anyone,and are free to 'open their stall for custom' as they please.
You the customer makes the choice whether to make use of a facility or not.
This may depend on what your particular requirement is,and that may influence what you are prepared to pay.
An Airfield that at least offers a fuel uplift to offset a fee seems to be making an effort to 'get your custom'.
If you choose not to avail yourself of this that is your decision based upon how important your need is.
Of course you could operate your own airfield and provide a service to suit.
They are under no obligation to offer any service to anyone,and are free to 'open their stall for custom' as they please.
You the customer makes the choice whether to make use of a facility or not.
This may depend on what your particular requirement is,and that may influence what you are prepared to pay.
An Airfield that at least offers a fuel uplift to offset a fee seems to be making an effort to 'get your custom'.
If you choose not to avail yourself of this that is your decision based upon how important your need is.
Of course you could operate your own airfield and provide a service to suit.
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Hi Pobjoy, you may not have done the maths, if you think its a 'discount' if you buy fuel....
Blackpool require 50 litres of fuel uptake at £2.21, instead of £1.72 back at my base airfield. A difference of 49p/litre, or an excess charge of £24.50.
Is that worth it? Even if you do get your knick-knacks sent through a scanner prior to departure...
Blackpool require 50 litres of fuel uptake at £2.21, instead of £1.72 back at my base airfield. A difference of 49p/litre, or an excess charge of £24.50.
Is that worth it? Even if you do get your knick-knacks sent through a scanner prior to departure...
Do the maths
You miss the point Phiggs,no one is forcing you to land at BP or anywhere else,you have a choice, and it seems a very low avgas price at base.
That is your good fortune,but not relevant to landing somewhere else.
A customer has the best option to avoid what he considers to be high charges; do not go there.
That is your good fortune,but not relevant to landing somewhere else.
A customer has the best option to avoid what he considers to be high charges; do not go there.
I agree that ultimately privately owned airfields generally have the right to charge whatever they choose. On the other hand, it is irksome when the charges are quite so high. If you plan to go somewhere, as oppose to just fly to get a burger for fun, then you don't always have the discretion to fly to a different airfield.
I flew from Blackbushe for a little while, including during weekdays, and there was very little conflict between bizjets / commercial traffic and the flying school aircraft, at least as far as I could tell. Likewise at Inverness, where it was generally straightforward to stay out of the way whilst the bigger aircraft came in and out.
There does seem to be a trend that even smaller airports are becoming prohibitively expensive, and from the outside I agree that it's hard to imagine that anyone will be profiting from this.
I flew from Blackbushe for a little while, including during weekdays, and there was very little conflict between bizjets / commercial traffic and the flying school aircraft, at least as far as I could tell. Likewise at Inverness, where it was generally straightforward to stay out of the way whilst the bigger aircraft came in and out.
There does seem to be a trend that even smaller airports are becoming prohibitively expensive, and from the outside I agree that it's hard to imagine that anyone will be profiting from this.
Blackpool Charges
Have looked up what Blackpool has on offer for its £8.20 per HT + Vat charges.
Two runways,Radar.Instument approach,lights,Walk to Town,multiple facilities, Etc Etc.
By any standards that seems a good deal,unlike Plymouth which is now CLOSED, and will be developed.
If you choose to be involved with aviation; be pleased that there are Airfields available when you need them.
Two runways,Radar.Instument approach,lights,Walk to Town,multiple facilities, Etc Etc.
By any standards that seems a good deal,unlike Plymouth which is now CLOSED, and will be developed.
If you choose to be involved with aviation; be pleased that there are Airfields available when you need them.