Sandtoft - News
 

From Notams today

EGCF (SANDTOFT)
Q) EGTT/QFALC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5334N00052W005
B) FROM: 10/11/24 08:44C) TO: 11/01/01 09:00
E) AD CLOSED

Oh dear. Anyone know what's happening?
NS

Somehow I don't see them reopening on new year's day....

with no info forthcoming I hope it just means they are going to be unlicenced

It'll reopen Next week Licensed.

The current lease holder has transferred 52nd Street Aviation operations to Doncaster Airport. His lease terminates at Sandtoft on Tuesday 30th November and then its time to return it back to its former self. Watch this space after then.

7of 9 and Birdman 69 thanks for the reassurance. Let's hope Sandtoft emerges better than ever.

I wonder what 52nd Street will do for customers, have any Sandtoft club members been approached with a view to renting at Robin Hood?

I certainly haven't yet.........

I was speaking to a Sandtoft insider today who told me that this is basically a glitch over a breakdown of trust between the airfield owners and the departing airfield tenant. He runs a business there, and seemed confident that the place will be back to normal early in December, albeit operated by the owners rather than tenant.

G

If it is less hassle (and cost?) to run a GA business from Doncaster airport than Sandtoft airfield, what does this tell us about business in general at Doncaster?

I know nothing about the folk who run Sandoft, but renting space at Donny is no different from basing at any other airport.

The leases on property owned by Robin Hood will almost certainly require a credit check, planning approval from the local authority where necessary, approval from the site owner for the type of business you want to run (to avoid a conflict of interest), a fairly hefty deposit (usually 3 months rent) and quarterly rent in advance.

Then all you have to do is make a living out of it...

Surely a very very big "if", for one simple reason - security and airside access.
NS

In the past the previous operators of Sandtoft before 52nd Street Aviation (New Sandtoft Aviation if I recall), operated from Doncaster as well with two permenantly based aircraft.
I actually found flying from Doncaster excellent, the rates were the same except for the landing fees, and the service was great from ATC. A very easy place to operate from.

The tenants/operator at Sandtoft seem to change hands every few years!

The best chance for Sandtoft is it becomes an aeroclub operated by the members for the members with a committee. Nikki running the place, would keep it all together. The costs would come down, and the benefits and sense of ownership by the members would go up.

To answer my own question, I have now been approached by 52nd Street Aviation to join them at Robin Hood. I guess all ex-members who are on the database will have been similarly contacted.

I'm no expert in business or the running of an airfield but what would be simpler than for the airfield owners to put the current airfield manager in as their manager and cut out the middle man.

I think that you will find that you are still a member of 52nd Street Aviation, but have absolutely no ties with Sandtoft Airfield. It looks pretty obvious to me that the flying school has simply moved premises, therefore the school hasn't really changed.

If an ex-employee (ie. Nikki) tried to poach customers would this not be a bit dodgy legally?

The loyal customers are approaching Sandtoft staff to return the airfield to a club that works in the best interests of its members. No poaching required.

Since it's the anniversary of the lease being taken, I assume it's also the anniversary of the start of everyones membership as well, which means memberships will just be lapsing. So it's just a case of making a personal decision of where to put next years subscription money.

Since 52nd Street are now contacting old customers, I guess the new managers of Sandtoft don't have access to the old membership database, so it would be difficult for any 'poaching' to happen. Sandtoft won't know who their customers will be until they pitch up at the counter.

I've been flying out of Sandtoft for 10 years and loved every minute whether flying or just sat wishing I was flying, and in that time there has been at least 5 different operators.

So, whilst I'm no longer a member at 52nd Street I still have 'ties' to Sandtoft as long as flying continues there. I'm sure there'll be others like me.

I'm not too sure on that one. I joined the school in april and i'm pretty sure that my membership runs untill april '11 because everyone has a different renewal date. I'm gonna stick with the school to see how it all works out. I quite fancy having a play with that huge runway anyway!