Flying To Liverpool
 

Hi everyone,
I'm thinking of planning a flight from Wellesbourne to Liverpool and I was wondering how much the landing fees are? I also noticed that there is a special route to be flown towards the airfield and i was wondering if the route is tricky to fly for a fairly inexperienced pilot.....?
Many Thanks :ok:
Dan

The route is easy, it is just a Visual Reporting point to ease you into there airspace.

Handing is mandatory. I fly in 2/3 times per week during my busy periods at work and the cost for my Cessna is £45 which includes landing and handling. Being a "major" airport they have great Instrument approaches which I have used on a number of occasions and this is all included in the handling fee.

The local handling agents are suberb and have a pilots lounge with big leather sofas and free drinks (alcholic for your self loading ballast!).

They treat you the same regardless of a/c type with chocks and a ride to the lounge. Refueliing is all done for you and they are average priced for Avagas. Weather and fligt planning etc is all included in the price.

Well worth a trip.

For a non based aircraft, I believe the fees are about £18.

As for the entry exit routes,

If you are coming from the south, then entry to the zone will either be chester or oulton park depending on the runway in use.
Chester is not too hard to find (although I am still training, I always seem to find it when I've been out of zone) Once there, route towards Stanlow Oil Refinery (you cannot miss the giant chimneys) Try and avoid overflying it, but there is a retail park to the left. Over this, over the mersey for right base 09. Beware the restricted area though. Keeping the M53 on your left should see you clear.

Oulton park is even easier, as it is in the same place as Whitegates beacon more or less. Beware as this is the exit point for the Manchester low level route south bound, and can be very busy. From there look for the runcorn bridge to the right. This is the ILS approach path for 27 so be careful. As you go over the river, look for the lighthouse on the other side. Flying just to the right of this will send you over Hale village where you can turn 1 mile finals.

Just a short disclaimer, I am but a humble student PPL, currently engaged in flogging the daylights out of the circuit, and it has been a couple of months since I left the zone. But to my inexperienced eyes, it isn't that hard. No doubt others will give greater detaill, and point out anything I have got wrong, but this is my advice, for what its worth.


I think this is about it,

£18 is the landing fee. For non based aircraft there is also compulsory handling. which is where the total fee of £45 comes from.

How long is it since a handling agent has been needed?

I used to fly in there during the day and at night and have only ever been charged a reasonable landing fee:*

Mandatory handling has been in at Liverpool for a year or more. This is one handling agent who will give some value for the fee.Courtesy bus to main terminal or the old terminal Art deco listed now a Marriott Hotel, nice lounge free tea etc.

Standard vfr routings are as described and are relatively easy to spot visually, atc are helpfull and friendly for a busy reagional airport. Expect a standard sqwark 0260 on entering the zone.Listen to the atis a good way out that will tell you which runway in use and thus which entry point to aim for 09=Chester,
27=Whitegate.

Circuits are variable and some times simultaneously left and right but as you are in controlled airspace its not a worry.

Comming from the South you will usually join left base 27 and right base 09.

Land on the numbers 27 and long for 09 as the GA terminal is at the 27, end saves a long taxi.

Lock up yer hub caps or the scousers 'll nick em, if a group of snotty nosed kids come up and say "watch yer plane mister "always pay the bigest!

I think the posts here have said it. I have flownf to and from there a lot over the years and would rather not have the mandatory handling but the team at LAS are very helpful so I don't get too upset about handing over the hard earned.

Have twice in the past year asked to do unusual things at Liverpool and the guys in air traffic have been very helpful.

If you go it is worth atrip to the old terminal building (now the Marriot hotel) just for some aviation nostalgia. I think there is a Jetstream sitting on what was the main apron.

Gone are the days of the 50% training discount...eh

£7 used to be a bargain!

Exeter give training rates: was there on Sunday with Fly Stimulator and they charged just £14.95 including an NDB/ILS approach.

Flying to Liverpool
 

No access to a 1:500,000 and flight guide easy226? Or will you be popping in here every time you fly? Why not provide the forecast wind and we can calculate your heading and groundspeed? Not being cynical but just how much propping up does a guy need? bm

That's a bit brutal bm!!

Were you never inexperienced and nervous - seeking reassurances before a major cross country?

Personally I'd be asking the same thing flying into Old sarum from all the way up here in the NW. Looking at the charts and flight guides just convinces me that all those danger Areas and MATZ's make the trip worth putting off.

Lighten up.

Tony

Boeing,

Have a look at the question again, before making unhelpful posts like that.

Ok, I'm sure the landing fee is in a flight guide. Is the handling fee? Are either in the AIP? (Remember one does not need to have a flight guide).

And as for the other part of the question, Easy was looking for advise from people who have flown there before, as to whether navigating and identifing the reporting points would be difficult, particularly given his low experience level. Don't think you'll find that in a flight guide or on a chart.

All in all, I'd say (apart from your post, and now mine) the responses here have probably been very helpful. I hope to fly to Liverpool next year, and will certainly look back to this thread before I do.

dp

On the contrary, BM, this is an excellent place to ask about landing fees, particularly where 'mandatory' handling is also involved.

It seems that at Liverpool mandatory actually means mandatory, but often there are dodges (e.g. pre-arrangement with a local club, or just asking nicely) that can avoid certain fees at larger airfields / airports.

TallGuy.

It's people like BM who make inexperienced pilots like myself avoid asking questions on here. So much for a fraternity of like minded people! It must be great to be perfect.

B.M.

Super very well said if I say so myself! Keep helpful comments like that coming and we will soon be empty of new PPL's, maybe being as EX captain that is what you wish. This guy had the forth right to ask good questions about a place he has never been before and to seek any local tips etc, good on him to ask I say. If I venture to foreign parts always put a question on here about said place and the comments I receive are a big bonus in my F.P.

Maybe, just maybe after you re-read your comments you may feel you have been taken out of context and you will respond accordingly, however I doubt it but would be delighted to be proved wrong.

Hi, thanks very much for the replies everyone - MOST were very helpful! I was asking about landing fees as my Jeppesen flight guide does not publish them. Whats the preferencial runway at Liverpool - 27?
Many Thanks
Dan

Uhmm, just how inexperienced are you easy?

27 would be most appropriate with any wind that has a Westerley component - Check the weather and anticipate accordingly.

Tony

Not such a dumb question as it happens. In calm and light winds conditions runway 27 is the preferencial runway. This is because it has the longer TODA, a slightly more flexible noise abatement procedure and a favourable gradient.;)

Dial up their ATIS 124.325 on you way up, before you call them on APP.

It will give you all the pressure settings, wind, runway in use, etc. plus a code letter, so when you call 'em for the first time you can say "...with Information Charlie (or Delta or Fox, or wotever...) and you'll have it all written down.

Make sure to call APP say at 10 mins to run before you get to Oulton Park. If they say "Standby" then don't enter the zone, wait till they call you back.

Oh and it's worth phoning them afore ye set off. They will then have your details. tell 'em you're relatively inexperienced and not familiar with the zone and you should be treated well.

There's a great info pack on the Liverpool/Manchester low level area at

http://www.caa.co.uk/dap/dapcharts/o...sp?groupid=302

which tells you all the major VRPs & the lay of the land.

Flying to Liverpool
 

OK..I stand corrected.... a little! And well done everyone else for their constructive advice and comments. bm