Battersea fees up again (incl BHAB statement)
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The Dome used to have a pad which was used a fair bit when politicians and similar were interested in it. It was located on the north edge of the site right next to the Thames, which is pretty wide at that point. Might be regarded as a bit adjacent to City traffic these days - but it seems to be no longer in use.
Have used both Dome and Vanguard. Neither suitable for single-engine CAT. Pretty certain that the Dome site would never get licensed.
Have also used that piece of land where the Air Race wonderboys kept their kit. Very nice - and handy for the DLR.
Whilst "hanging around" above the flood barrier one day counted at least 6 suitable sites - but no doubt all earmarked for residential £££££££££££££££££££.
Have also used that piece of land where the Air Race wonderboys kept their kit. Very nice - and handy for the DLR.
Whilst "hanging around" above the flood barrier one day counted at least 6 suitable sites - but no doubt all earmarked for residential £££££££££££££££££££.
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London Heliport
Yes lads ... its now got a new name and will very soon have a really upmarket image to go with it.
The PremiAir brief last week was more than interesting and various reports will appear in the aviation press shortly. www.loop.aero for one. The adjacent hotel and new terminal plans are exciting.
BUT ... and its always a big but. What do you do with a valuable asset ... one which you are prepared to develop with massive lumps of cash injection - when you are nailed by the planners to 6000 landings per year.
You can only divide the operating cost by that number and as a minimum, that has to be the landing fee, even with a slot system.
Don't shoot the messenger.
DRK
The PremiAir brief last week was more than interesting and various reports will appear in the aviation press shortly. www.loop.aero for one. The adjacent hotel and new terminal plans are exciting.
BUT ... and its always a big but. What do you do with a valuable asset ... one which you are prepared to develop with massive lumps of cash injection - when you are nailed by the planners to 6000 landings per year.
You can only divide the operating cost by that number and as a minimum, that has to be the landing fee, even with a slot system.
Don't shoot the messenger.
DRK
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6000 landings @ £550 = £3.3million. Operating cost?
Plus the 30p a litre they are making on Jet A1.
Unless half your movements aren't paid for as Company aircraft
Plus the 30p a litre they are making on Jet A1.
Unless half your movements aren't paid for as Company aircraft
Last edited by bizpilot; 29th Apr 2008 at 16:38.
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London Heliport & fees
We pilot's don't make very good accountants.
£3million operating costs quoted?
Value of the land ... say £10 to £20 million.
Von Essen's quoted development investment. £50 million.
Plus Council tax, business outgoings, Insurance,
legal, Staff and the inevitable obligatory hangers
on. Not forgetting uncle Tom Cobbley
Say an outlay of £65million.
Interest alone tops the quoted £3 million!!!!
My guess is that only the hotel will make a worthwhile profit.
DRK
£3million operating costs quoted?
Value of the land ... say £10 to £20 million.
Von Essen's quoted development investment. £50 million.
Plus Council tax, business outgoings, Insurance,
legal, Staff and the inevitable obligatory hangers
on. Not forgetting uncle Tom Cobbley
Say an outlay of £65million.
Interest alone tops the quoted £3 million!!!!
My guess is that only the hotel will make a worthwhile profit.
DRK
Battersea's days as a heliport are numbered. Probably quite a large number - around 730 to perhaps 1000.
And then the new hotel will get an extension.
I doubt very much if Battersea will get as far as 2012.
And then the new hotel will get an extension.
I doubt very much if Battersea will get as far as 2012.
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That is my view too JB.
The pressure to make REAL money is just too great. The Von Essen Empire is a "good times" company. When times get hard the temptation to build a new wing to the hotel or sell the space for yet another block of flats will be too great. No one important will notice until the next election, and then it will be too late.
The pressure to make REAL money is just too great. The Von Essen Empire is a "good times" company. When times get hard the temptation to build a new wing to the hotel or sell the space for yet another block of flats will be too great. No one important will notice until the next election, and then it will be too late.
Avoid imitations
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No one important will notice until the next election, and then it will be too late.
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Dennis,
So what you are saying is that we aviators are subsidising the hotel? And not paying for the excellent service provided for by the heliport. Think that is wrong is anyone books.
If you look at the movements over the last few years they haven't exceeded the 12,000 without a slot system or a huge hike in prices to drive the smaller operators/owners out, it has been self levelling. Are all the allocated slots used everyday? I know not. Are unused slots carried over to the next day/week/month to up movements? I know not. Movements should be monitored on a monthly basis and if they are getting close to the limit then some restriction put on it.
The type of people using Battersea don't plan weeks in advance, they want to move at short notice and the pressure is put on the ops dept/pilots to get slots or inform sometimes unforgiving principals the bad news. And there is enough pressure in this line of work already.
I agree with most people and think that the management are trying to drive people away from using Battersea, they can close it and make a huge profit from the sale of the land.
Only time will tell. Hopefully I will be around to say I told you so.
Biz
So what you are saying is that we aviators are subsidising the hotel? And not paying for the excellent service provided for by the heliport. Think that is wrong is anyone books.
If you look at the movements over the last few years they haven't exceeded the 12,000 without a slot system or a huge hike in prices to drive the smaller operators/owners out, it has been self levelling. Are all the allocated slots used everyday? I know not. Are unused slots carried over to the next day/week/month to up movements? I know not. Movements should be monitored on a monthly basis and if they are getting close to the limit then some restriction put on it.
The type of people using Battersea don't plan weeks in advance, they want to move at short notice and the pressure is put on the ops dept/pilots to get slots or inform sometimes unforgiving principals the bad news. And there is enough pressure in this line of work already.
I agree with most people and think that the management are trying to drive people away from using Battersea, they can close it and make a huge profit from the sale of the land.
Only time will tell. Hopefully I will be around to say I told you so.
Biz
