The idea of Sheffield as a destination for overseas tourists is laughable.

What's more, it doesn't need it, Sheffield gets more than enough visitors with its vast seasonal student population.

What Sheffield needs is more quality businesses like Leeds and Manchester have. A convenient airport has to be a factor in that - 63 minutes surface transport to MAN it says in the report. Yeah, right, at 3.00am in the morning maybe!

From personal, bitter, weekly experience I can state absolutely that Sheffield (West at that) to Manchester Airport (car park nearest to T3) is 77 mins best case starting at 04:25Hrs in the morning, driven 'at a fast pace' over the goats track.

63 mins? Not within the speed limit.

No doubt the same 'consultants' if working on a railways project would also say Sheffield has good links to London by rail ....

Taken from Sheffield City Councils website:

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/index.asp?pgid=1912

"Early Release for Sheffield City Airport

Following an independent report earlier this year which showed that Sheffield City Airport was not commercially viable to continue to operate, Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet have agreed to early release from the 10 year lease, subject to successful negotiations with the Airport's operator. It will now go to Council for a final decision on 27th July.

An Early Release Fund could now be used either to improve bus links to Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport or to be spent on marketing Sheffield abroad as a tourism destination. "

Looks like Mr Peel's master plan is coming together nicely!!!:mad: :mad:

"...was not commercially viable..."

From the report it seems that similar small airports in different parts of the country are allowed to count the commercial success of the associated business parks to offset the airport costs.

Why is that not done in the Sheffield airport analysis?

As for improved bus links to DSA, it just shows how far we've sunk - from an international airport with an excellent service to AMS to a new bus to Finningley:mad:

Because that wouldn't have been the result they were after!!!

They're seperate companies now. Although the Business Park owns half of the Airport along with Peel they are in fact seperate entities.

They provide the cashflow etc to the Airport but the companies are nicely split up - just in case the Airport didn't work !!!

Limiting airport growth 'would cost 25,000 jobs'
 

It seems our old friends York Aviation, writers of the report on EGSY, have popped up in the news again.

From yesterday's Times ...

Other extracts from the report demonstrated the number of jobs supported by airports in the UK and how a further 672,000 jobs could be supported by 2015.

So, one airport has no future but as for the rest ...

Hey! Where's my watch gone ;)



NB the scary thing is that York Aviation Consultants are rumoured to be 'advising' Oban Council about the future of Oban Airport ..:hmm:

such a shame
 

I visited this field a few weeks back with my brother. We were both taken aback by the friendliness and professionalism of the place.

From the tower, to the lady on reception whom we paid for fuel (no landing fees on 50l uptake), to the fire crew who when grabbing a bite at the rather nice cafe received a call of smoke on the perimeter and were past me and my bro' faster than a hare at a coursing event - professional to a man / woman.

Point of this message? I can understand us in GA being upset at the loss of such a high quality field, but to the staff who IMHO offer well above average service, I take my hat off to you for staying above it.

Thanks for making my visit so enjoyable.

The Wombat

I'd suggest that the place will be closed. Nice brownfield site, lots of houses (probably "affordable" as well), nice little bung for the right person person on the council to be a "consultant" or to get a directorship on the developers board! Aviation was doomed from the start. It was big enough (although bigger is better), it had the passengers, but it was difficult to justify taking an airliner there without a respectable radar service and controlled airspace - too many bug-smashers. But too few of them to make it pay!