Shobdon airfield
 

Has anyone any comments on flying into Shobdon this year ?

Hi David, I've been there this year.. what would you like to know? Rich

Herefordshire Aero Club AGM next week
I'm looking for any comments from visitors this good and bad with a view to try to improve the service. Just an ordinary member of HAC with a desire to get he best out of Shobdon.

My observations..

I have flown in to Shobdon quite a few times this year both on weekdays and at weekends and I must say the place has a lot more of a pleasant relaxed laid back feel to it at weekends.
No one seems too concerned aboput hi-viz at weekends for instance whereas I have been admonished (twice)for not wearing one in the week.
Some consistancy needed here I think.

The training Heli's are quite honestly a PITA in the week...hovering alongside the grass taxiway for instance and the FISO seemingly getting strop on when I refused to pass close by one. Also the low passes over the parking area by the Heli's does concern me.

Generally though, having said the above, in the grand scheme of things it still continues to be one of my favorite places to visit.

Generally great. Relaxed, happy to see visitors, food good (in a greasy-spoon kind of way).

It was my first genuine weather diversion (in 2001) so I have a soft spot for Shobdon!

Tim

PPR'd Shobdon the other day; quiet, ok + slightly 'greasy spoon' lunch. After departing heard a call to join - asked if PPR had been requested, replied, no & told that they were too busy to accept them. We called Kemble en route & were accepted; they had much more traffic but were happy to have us. Seemed a bit "jobsworth" from Shobdon, we spent £25+ & I expect that the rejected pilots would have done the same & might think twice about going again.

Flew in a few weeks back having telephoned and got a slot. Movements on arrival were minimal. Booked a slot to leave before having something to eat and on departure traffic was again minimal. Really couldn't see the need for slots. We did notice on the grass taxiway that there were several deep ruts and pointed this out to the AFISO. He told us that a vehicle had got mired there. However nobody had bothered to repair the taxiway. A prop strike was a real possibility for the unwary. All in all a good airfield to visit though.

I flew in a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The FISO (a gent, but that's all I know) was very polite and was happy to give me directions once I had landed. Cafe could be improved, although the food was good and service prompt, I'd have liked some salad with my tuna salad :-)

All said and done, a nice airfield and very friendly.

FISO? HI VIS? Crickey! What happened? Last time I went there it was a normal airfield,not a blinking Airport!
BTW How many of you are unable to identify a human being,unless it is draped in fluorescent clothing? ....Do you drive?

I have been a regular visitor over the years and have visited twice this 'summer' (once mid-week, once at w/e).

There has always been an eclectic mix of flying machines (microlights,gliders and group A) and curcuits. However I understand that the resident helicopter school gained a commercial training contract and helicopter flying increased considerably. A CAA inspection resulted in the requirement to have a FISO and 'slott' allocation in order to restore order in the ATZ.

Mid week I thought the FISO was having to work very hard to accomodate the helicopter traffic. At the w/e there was little helicopter training and the atmosphere was much more relaxed.

I have always been made most welcome by the desk staff and have enjoyed the 'cuisine'.

I also expressed concern at the state of the eastern end of the grass taxyway - the ruts were of sufficient depth to cause a prop strike .

G-BHIB

Hmm, was thinking of dropping in there before winter sets in, but I'm not so sure I'll bother now; unfortunately the positives don't outweigh the negatives enough for me.

Last time I went there had a very friendly welcome :ok:

It was 1976 btw. ;)

I think the Campaign dropping on them over the increase of activities have made some staff a tad anal when it comes to normal ops.

Hoist on the Petard of their own success me thinks.

SGC

Why do people hate wearing a high vis so much? I know it's health and safety gone mad, but if dem da rulz.

The point is if you get hit by an aircraft/car and your not wearing a jacket then you have no legal backing when it comes to apportioning blame.

Anyway, last time I went into shobdon, the trip was a pleasant one.

"and your not wearing a jacket then you have no legal backing when it comes to apportioning blame."............. Thats exactly why people dont like them, they are not there to stop people getting hit by props etc, invariably its the fault of the person getting hit anyway, but it then gives them or their surviving kin a chance of saying it was the pilots fault for not seeing this person walking into his prop even though he was wearing hi-viz. In short the hi-viz culture goes hand in hand with the "it was someone elses fault and im gonna sue them" culture

I've not flown in recently but have just been down with my caravan. Not a lot of helicopter activity a maximum of three at any one time, but, much sadder, was the lack of visiting aircraft, very few of them compared with previous visits. There used to be a lot of visitors from other Flying Schools but I think I saw only one. The office, cafe and engineering staff were their usual friendly, helpful selves. I'm glad to see the gate is now closed each night which made for a little entertainment one evening when I returned to find a large grain wagon stuck just inside the entrance to the car park. :E When I asked the driver if he was lost he said he was trying to get to a certain grain store and, having told him he couldn't get there by this route, said "That's why there is a big notice telling you that at the top of the lane." :rolleyes: I then suggested he reversed onto the hardcore area and depart whence he came. To his credit he didn't leave any deep ruts in the grass. :ok: It is also more peaceful and secure with the gate closed.

I flew into Shobdon a few months ago, a lovely place which to some extent has an untouched by time feel about it. My approach was from the north east, despite the frequency being quite active I asked for and got a straight in on the westerly runway.
That said the fiso on duty at the time did sound a little stressed, and was very quick to dress down a pilot for a minor infringement in the circuit, I can't quite remember what exactly.
All said my perception of Shobdon on the day was lovely but a little uptight???
I will be returning soon, and would urge others to do so, but maybe at weekends when the absence of rotary training leaves the place little more, relaxed (or so I am told.):ok:
Lone ranger I'm with you on the hi vis thing, a product of compensation culture gone mad and loved only by the H&S Gestapo who no doubt get a sense of empowerment in being able to dictate this bull***t to the masses:ugh:...rant over.

Sammypilot: That is comedy genius, Shobdon giving a pseudo slot time for departure and arrival.

<<Sammypilot request start.'.... 'NEGATIVE, CTOT 1540 Time check 1522 maintain listening watch >>

The helicopter contract has relocated to Gloucester in the last week, so it'll be a lot quieter at Shobdon.

Shobdon is friendly enough and quite efficient. Only gripe is that one has to uplift a zillion gallons of fuel before qualifying for a free Landing Fee. As a rotary driver, this isn't difficult to achieve, but I wouldn't have expected a LF after uplifting nearly 400 litres... :eek:

True - and if you had a hi-viz jacket on and had a stroke, it's not your fault either, and will not save your life. But it just keeps you safe by making you far more visible in an environment with rotating props and fast moving lumps of metal. I don't see how that can be a bad thing. As long as you take them off before getting into the aircraft, hi viz are brilliant. We are criticised for not wearing them at my airfield and rightly so.

A regular contributor on here told me a funny story once.
He landed at a "high vis required" airfield and proceeded to depart his a/c without one.
He was apprehended by an employee and asked why he wasn't wearing one to which he replied "At what point did you notice I wasn't wearing one?"
"Well, as soon as you got out the aircraft mate!" was the reply.
"Exactly", said our hero, "So I was clearly visible wasn't I?"
:D:D:D
(The originator of this story can choose to own up to it or not................)

Classic.... I will remember that one.......