I flew in PPL earlier in the year twice , self parked outside the Green Hangars ( Fire Station ) , paid my fee in the Main Terminal - about £10 if I recollect , went back to my aircraft and departed. No handling fee whatsoever .......

Blackpool Fees
 

yes I used Hangar 3, the only phone number I could find to arrange PPR, the costs was landing £25.80, handing £16.50,
parking £10.50, ATC runway slot co-ordination £16.50 all plus 20% and then 3% credit card fee, total £85.65.

That is absolutely crazy money for a place like Blackpool, particularly in view of their recent troubled history when one might have imagined they were trying to encourage the return of GA . Those fees are in regional airport territory, and Blackpool is not a scheduled services airport any longer.
And what the hell is an ATC runway slot co ordination fee? Who invented that little money spinner?

Blackpool Wake Up!
 

Come on Blackpool! Take the rose tinted glasses off.

I cant believe that they are charging GA handling fees! Take a look at the other airfields around that are doing well and you can not get any hangarage for GA because they are full! ie: Sleap, Sherburn, Breighton, etc and Church Fenton opening up later next year for GA.

Landing fees for a PA28 should be around £12.00 with parking free for the first 4 hours, lets encourage people to fly in and spend some cash in B/Pool either the pleasure beach or other attractions. Allow discounted landing fees, buy a contract of 25 landings that include free parking for £250.00. Ronaldsway have a similar scheme and it attracts custom. Have a similar scheme for light twins, that will encourage circuits to be flown at Blackpool instead of owners heading off to other airfields to conduct them.

There are well established clubs at Blackpool with good maintenance facility's, let them try and flourish instead off every few years looking at grand schemes of large commercial traffic that historically never lasts and is a drain on the airport.

The area has lots of opportunity's in the future with the possibility of fracking
that will need good transport links, lets hope the airport and management team will start to get back on track and not strangle the place with excessive fees and bureaucracy! :D

P.B.

Didn't know about Church Fenton and GA? Any more info?
(Start a new thread if necessary)

All another cunning plan of BB's. Charge extortionate GA fees to discourage GA flights, go out of business & shut down the airfield again, what are you left with?

A prime Housing Development site!

[The original plan]

Simples!!

S:suspect:

Er, so one of the FBOs at Blackpool made the above charges. Note an FBO not the airport.
A quick look at NATS AIS shows a phone number for the airport (not an FBO) and elsewhere states no handling charges for aircraft below 5000kg!

But hey blame the airport!

Interesting how everyone seeks to listen to the new poster, without question, who doesn't state what type of aircraft and when, yet ignores the one above that paid £10.

Said it before, some seem to want the airport to fail!

So what about the ATC runway slot co ordination fee. Who made that charge? The airport or the FBO?

Fly by Mike
 

The new owner of Church Fenton is having a fly in on the 3rd January for ages GA tea and coffee available :ok:

Must have been the FBO, because you can book a slot yourself for free. It's not unreasonable to be charged, if someone does it on your behalf.

meaning four aces or what..? ;)

Folk need to read post #159 on page 8

Thread drift.
Great news about Church Fenton, I'll try to go. Who is the new owner? I wasn't aware it had been sold or was even for sale?

It's on 03/01/15 confirmed by new owner. further info to follow on new thread.

Just seen the new website is live for Blackpool Airport with the fees being published!!

Thought I'd post it on here for everyone's comments after the discussions previously regarding extortionate charges

http://blackpoolairport.com/

AFN

May 2014. Things have changed?

I'm looking forward to flying in there this year.

Most concerned with recent comments from Mr Rankin regarding the runway, and the fact that 'they will not be maintaining it'.

Helichoppers don't need it?

Errr, none players off the green please. This is Lancashire post for Lancashire pilots. You Tykes start yer own thread. :p

SGC

That'll be all three of you then...:p

Current situation update please
 

OK
I've read the thread from end to end, and cut to the good news.
I understand that Blackpool Airport is open to GA users. It's just about the only airfield in Lancashire (excluding microlight strips, and excluding Manchester-shire and Liverpool-shire).

Landing fees for a light single 999kg appear to be £17.20 pus vat, but if you mention in your PPR that you are on a NAVEX training flight you get a 50% discount. (I wonder if they accept the 90 day t/o and landing thingy as training). 2 hours parking free.

So, it is dearer than a local, grass strip. But it isn't one. It compares price wise for similar tarmac airports. Here's Gloucestershire, which is Council run, not subsidised (AFAIK), and profit making. http://www.gloucestershireairport.co...ter%202014.pdf

My question. Is Blackpool Airport alive? That would be good to hear.

Open for GA, land & park 3.5 hrs PA28 181 = £41:00

Place very quiet, & will probably stay like it at those prices:ugh:

I'm planning on flying into Blackpool tomorrow afternoon. Has anyone flown in recently since the changes last year? Anyone got any advice/things to look out for?

Can you actually hear ATC now (last year when I flew in, I could hardly hear the tower controller).

Cheers.

Obtain PPR before setting off and speak to Warton before entering their zone.
ATC now normally just use Approach frequency which is a much stronger signal.
Parking is on main apron (in front of passenger terminal)

A couple of things to note, unless things have changed since a couple of weeks back.


Do not arrive just after the scheduled Let410 from IOM. You will not be allowed to enter the security office until the Let has taxied for departure. This can take an hour from arrival to departure. You will be told to stay in your aircraft. If you have arrived before the Let, no problem, but if you want to depart while it is on the ground, you cannot. You are held in the security office until the Let taxies out. Madness, and all about a tiny area outside the security office that is called a "Critical Area" apparently.


The second point is that you need to book out by telephone from the security office, and if you are likely to leave after 1500, you must book out before 1500 the same day.


Otherwise, it's a nice airfield and a pleasant walk to the beachfront area for an ice cream. No food on the airport, but you can make a cup of tea or coffee in the pilots' lounge by the security office. It's free! If you want food, the Premier Inn is right outside and has a restaurant.

I flew in today in one aircraft, to pick up another. Had sausage and mash at the Premier Inn. Sausages were nice. Mash was that instant stuff.:=

Check the NOTAMS and/or when you contact them PPR , check that they have no enforced ATC breaks on the day which currently means the Airfield closes for 30 minute periods up to 4 times per day on certain dates - only a temporary measure though.


Could be embarrassing if you are subject to time constraints:\

Thanks all, I think the Let arrives after I plan to leave, I'm planning on a 16:10 local departure time, so should be fine?

I'll double check the Notams in a bit, but there was nothing showing yesterday for today.

Cheers all, fingers crossed for a good flight, its my first into a controlled airport since I qualified last year...

Don't they cover next day anyway? So if none then OK today?

Yeah, but I checked anyway :)

Flew in ok. Spoke to Warton who told me to approach Blackpool direct for aright base join for runway 10. This went ok, managed to remember my ATC readbacks ok and made a very crosswindy landing on the main runway, which seems HUGE compared to Barton!

The very helpful ATCO then gave me progressive taxi instructions to the parking area and I went and paid and had a free coffee.

Rang the landline for the ATIS as the radio freq was NOTAMd as not working, called for taxi instructions (but forgot to add that I had information Alpha and was VFR) got started and taxyed to the hold just as the Let was touching down..

Took off on 13 and departed pier to pier. After changing to Warton and requesting a climb to 2000ft I flew back to Barton.

Very happy with the way things went, lots of new things and when I got back to Barton the crosswind was still there on 08R so I landed on 14, another new runway for me!

Well done .....from another Barton NPPL(M) :D