Battersea
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: here
Rumour has it that the man in question is 'Andrew Davis' who also seems to own most of the aircraft 'Premiair' operate, think VONA, VONB,VONC ETC ETC. a HOTELIER WITH 6 HELICOPTERS?!! Most people smell a rat, tales of houses of cards abound etc
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: South of the North Pole
Yes, Andrew Davis who owns Von Essen Hotels
6 helicopters? you're lagging... he's up to 9 now... three 76s, a 222 and five Twin Squirrels.
The story does seem to be substantiated by an article in the Times today which is expecting the official announcement today. Although for some reason that article says he has 15 helicopters and 3 jets (only one of the latter so far, but another one due, I hear)
[edited for speeling misteak...]
6 helicopters? you're lagging... he's up to 9 now... three 76s, a 222 and five Twin Squirrels.
The story does seem to be substantiated by an article in the Times today which is expecting the official announcement today. Although for some reason that article says he has 15 helicopters and 3 jets (only one of the latter so far, but another one due, I hear)
[edited for speeling misteak...]
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 1
From: UK
Times report says
Von Essen will also announce today that it has signed an agreement to hand the running of the heliport to PremiAir, part of the Sir Robert McAlpine Group. PremiAir already operates Von Essen’s fleet of luxury helicopters and jets under a joint venture arrangement.
)
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,913
Likes: 0
From: London
I agree.
Von Essen has luxury country house hotels throughout the country, in a price bracket ranging from expensive to How much??!!!
Many of them have helipads, and the company already has a well-established link with helicopters.
Seems like good news to me.
Von Essen has luxury country house hotels throughout the country, in a price bracket ranging from expensive to How much??!!!
Many of them have helipads, and the company already has a well-established link with helicopters.
Seems like good news to me.
There are no limits
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 506
Likes: 2
From: Shrewsbury, England.
I do wish that some of the company riches would filter down to the bottom-feeders like me !
Good news all the same and at least it seems that the future of The London Heliport is assured for the time being.
I wonder if we get a discount at the "HOW MUCH?" hotels ?
Good news all the same and at least it seems that the future of The London Heliport is assured for the time being.
I wonder if we get a discount at the "HOW MUCH?" hotels ?
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 56
From: UK
More space? Where's this new space going to come from? The only area that I can think of is the river!
Lower landing fees? Yep, probably if your reg has got a 'VON' in it. Otherwise, I imagine that the rest of 'us' are going to have to pay extra for the new developments...
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Spain
I've stayed at several of the Von Essen hotels - in fact, they were the only hotels we would use when my wife and I flew back to England - needless to say, we always flew there.
Although they're all without exception interesting buildings, they all appeared to lack a bit of TLC.
Although they're all without exception interesting buildings, they all appeared to lack a bit of TLC.
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: uk
Bigger Battersea. The river is the only area that should be considered for expansion and added safety. How many of you remember when Battersea had just the small platform sticking out over the river, before the large platform was added? My first visit to Battersea was in the early 70's.
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 56
From: UK
Building out into the river would of course be ideal but I can't see Battersea council (or whoever owns that stretch of the river - The Corporation of London, maybe?) ever giving planning permission for it... 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: UK
Enlarging Battersea
I think you will find that all avenues of expansion were explored whilst Battersea was in the hands of the dreaded Egyptian Grocer. Any extension of the platform into the river was subject to Port of London Authority approval which was certain not to be forthcoming. This coupled with the "jobsworth" attitude of our friends in the Aerodrome Standards department at Gatwick means that what you see is what you are stuck with.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: uk
Snarlie,
I think there was an underlining political reasoning for not letting the grocer do anything. IIRC, he wanted to get a heli pad put on top of Harrods and agreed with everything the CAA wanted but it got refused by the Deputy PM for an undisclosed reason!
Nowadays any owner of the heliport will have to fight Ken "I hate helicopters more than I hate 4x4s" Livingstone!
I think there was an underlining political reasoning for not letting the grocer do anything. IIRC, he wanted to get a heli pad put on top of Harrods and agreed with everything the CAA wanted but it got refused by the Deputy PM for an undisclosed reason!
Nowadays any owner of the heliport will have to fight Ken "I hate helicopters more than I hate 4x4s" Livingstone!
