Informal heli nights UK (including arrangements)
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Safety evening WAP
Hi Whirls .. While I'm hoping to participate, I am not the organizor. I believe the date may still be the 20th May, but monitor Gary and Phil's notes here.
Phil ... Shawn may not be able to attend our evening. No doubt he will shortly formally advise his position.
Hope to see you all agains soon.
Dennis K
Phil ... Shawn may not be able to attend our evening. No doubt he will shortly formally advise his position.
Hope to see you all agains soon.
Dennis K
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Sorry - I got sidetracked with loads of students! Shawn is not coming over now, having been occupied with an expert witness case. We can still do the 20th, though. Let me confirm with the place where they do hot beer, lousy food and bad service!
phil
phil
Hovering AND talking
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Originally had the 20th planned, heard nowt and believed it to be cancelled so no-can-now. Could we make it beginning of June? 
Pretty please?
Cheers
Whirls
Pretty please? Cheers
Whirls
I'll be leaving for home on the 27th May, so that'll be me out, I'm afraid.
But I did get to spend a pleasant evening meeting VeeAny and his family: many thanks
But I did get to spend a pleasant evening meeting VeeAny and his family: many thanks
Safety Evenings 2009
John it was a pleasure to meet you at last, you are more than welcome here at anytime.
I plan to start what now amounts to the next round of evenings in September, that gives us plenty of time to get summer hols out of the way, and hopefuly enough notice to get people organised to attend and also to speak.
Very roughly I plan to do the South West first and run the same presentation we did at Redhill, Coventry and Leeds last year.
Then we will move on to what I call round 2 evenings, these will have more of a type specific focus and will also touch on some of the recommendations made by the EHSIT if they have been published by then.
There is talk of a Cambridge based presentation around the time of HeliTech also, but thats just an idea at the moment.
I know its been a while since the last one, there are far too many reasons for that, but now I hope to get the show back on the road and welcome all input for ideas, venues and the like.
And no Martin I haven't forgotten about Scotland !
Gary
I plan to start what now amounts to the next round of evenings in September, that gives us plenty of time to get summer hols out of the way, and hopefuly enough notice to get people organised to attend and also to speak.
Very roughly I plan to do the South West first and run the same presentation we did at Redhill, Coventry and Leeds last year.
Then we will move on to what I call round 2 evenings, these will have more of a type specific focus and will also touch on some of the recommendations made by the EHSIT if they have been published by then.
There is talk of a Cambridge based presentation around the time of HeliTech also, but thats just an idea at the moment.
I know its been a while since the last one, there are far too many reasons for that, but now I hope to get the show back on the road and welcome all input for ideas, venues and the like.
And no Martin I haven't forgotten about Scotland !
Gary
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The Helicopter Museum has some excellent lecture facilities now and catering can also be supplied.
Plus it has the largest collection of helicopters covering most elements of rotorcraft development.
Plenty of local accommodation and landing area.
Give them a call 01934-635227 The Helicopter Museum.
Plus it has the largest collection of helicopters covering most elements of rotorcraft development.
Plenty of local accommodation and landing area.
Give them a call 01934-635227 The Helicopter Museum.
THM
I always thought you were connected with the management of the helicopter museum, although you may not be aware of the history of this.
As some of you are probably aware the helicopter museum was suggested as a venue for this last year and the venue is good and has a large lecture room with projector, however these evenings are all done with little (usually no) budget and have always been provided at no cost to the attendees (thats one of the defining principles) .
I was asked if I wanted to hold an evening at the helicopter museum last year, I went to see the venue with one of the guys who helps with some of the safety evening stuff, however during discussion after the visit it became apparent that they need to charge for the use of the facility (staff need payiing to come in and keep the place open for us, and they are a charity after all) this cost ran to several hundred pounds, whereas all the other venues we have used and intend to use were able to provide themselves free of charge purely in the name of improving helicopter safety and in return for a bit of positive advertising on the website, and to be fair to those venues we have visited up to now and the people at them they all couldn't do more for us and each one of vitually jumped at the chance to be involved.
I did discuss the idea of getting the money from somewhere to use the museum, however everyone concerned was of the opinion we just use one of the other aviation venues we have since been offered down that end of the country for free, so unfortunately its a no brainer.
If the situation changes at the museum we'd be happy to put them back in the program.
Gary
I always thought you were connected with the management of the helicopter museum, although you may not be aware of the history of this.
As some of you are probably aware the helicopter museum was suggested as a venue for this last year and the venue is good and has a large lecture room with projector, however these evenings are all done with little (usually no) budget and have always been provided at no cost to the attendees (thats one of the defining principles) .
I was asked if I wanted to hold an evening at the helicopter museum last year, I went to see the venue with one of the guys who helps with some of the safety evening stuff, however during discussion after the visit it became apparent that they need to charge for the use of the facility (staff need payiing to come in and keep the place open for us, and they are a charity after all) this cost ran to several hundred pounds, whereas all the other venues we have used and intend to use were able to provide themselves free of charge purely in the name of improving helicopter safety and in return for a bit of positive advertising on the website, and to be fair to those venues we have visited up to now and the people at them they all couldn't do more for us and each one of vitually jumped at the chance to be involved.
I did discuss the idea of getting the money from somewhere to use the museum, however everyone concerned was of the opinion we just use one of the other aviation venues we have since been offered down that end of the country for free, so unfortunately its a no brainer.
If the situation changes at the museum we'd be happy to put them back in the program.
Gary
Could be tempted to share cost with you Hughes 500 if reasonable?
It is a good advert for their facility, & would encourage people to visit.
They like people to fly in as well so perhaps a day time meeting for most would be good if it could be arranged.
Did not realise they paid volunteers.
It is a good advert for their facility, & would encourage people to visit.
They like people to fly in as well so perhaps a day time meeting for most would be good if it could be arranged.
Did not realise they paid volunteers.
Last edited by 500e; 4th Aug 2009 at 17:02.
500e
We tend to hold the events in the evening so more people have a chance of attending, so a daytime one would probably not get as many attendees as usual. And hopefully this time we will have at least a months notice of dates.
However the idea of venue sponsorship is a whole new ball game, thank you to both of you, I'll look into it tomorrow.
GS
We tend to hold the events in the evening so more people have a chance of attending, so a daytime one would probably not get as many attendees as usual. And hopefully this time we will have at least a months notice of dates.
However the idea of venue sponsorship is a whole new ball game, thank you to both of you, I'll look into it tomorrow.
GS
Veeany
Think it is disgusting the museum wants to charge for this. After all it is the likes of the people that would go to the meeting that support the Helidays event and The Museum. Lets face it most owners/ hireer's fly to WSM which costs them in some cases thousands of £'s. The event would be a real non event without the participation of these private owners. I think the least the museum could do as a sign of thanks is to give the facility for free.
Mind you perhaps it is a sign of the times we live in, or is it just short sighted ?
Let me know how you get on
Think it is disgusting the museum wants to charge for this. After all it is the likes of the people that would go to the meeting that support the Helidays event and The Museum. Lets face it most owners/ hireer's fly to WSM which costs them in some cases thousands of £'s. The event would be a real non event without the participation of these private owners. I think the least the museum could do as a sign of thanks is to give the facility for free.
Mind you perhaps it is a sign of the times we live in, or is it just short sighted ?
Let me know how you get on
We flew into the museum some time ago with 3 others £ 24.00 if I remember.
It was suggested that the helpers never got to fly (appeared to be a hint) but it helped to generate interest in the museum if there were live craft on site,
It was not the cost ( it must be an expensive facility to run) but the vibes were not good & made me feel that they were doing us a favour, hope it was just a bad day, lots of interesting machinery to view close up.
It was suggested that the helpers never got to fly (appeared to be a hint) but it helped to generate interest in the museum if there were live craft on site,
It was not the cost ( it must be an expensive facility to run) but the vibes were not good & made me feel that they were doing us a favour, hope it was just a bad day, lots of interesting machinery to view close up.
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I hope you don't mind but I have to show some support for the museum here.
Yes it would be an awesome place for the safety-evening but I actually know some of the volunteers and have to say they earn their salary. I have always been looked after very well and fed first class.
IMHO some comments about the museum have been a tad harsh in that respect.
I wouldn't mind paying a tenner or twenty for the evening.
Yes it would be an awesome place for the safety-evening but I actually know some of the volunteers and have to say they earn their salary. I have always been looked after very well and fed first class.
IMHO some comments about the museum have been a tad harsh in that respect.
I wouldn't mind paying a tenner or twenty for the evening.
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Gary
I am not directly part of the management at the Helicopter Museum but I have indeed been involved with the museum since its concept and was a trustee for many years.
I was not aware of the previous history referred to but would make the following comments:
1. The only people involved with the museum who are paid are the immediate managers, all others are volunteers.
2. Sadly there are costs in running and maintaining all the facilities at the museum (electricity, rates etc.) and as an organisation it has a long record of being financially self sufficient and not committing to any bank loans. This has been possible by a combination of prudent financial control, local and national grants, donations and revenue from visitors.
3. Over the last 19 years of the Helidays event it has been possible for the organisers, with the generous support of both military and civilian helicopter flyers, to achieve the original aims of the event. That was to raise funds for a number of charities, including the museum, and to promote helicopters to the public. This has always been appreciated by the organisers who are not the museum. The Helicopter Museum has obviously benefitted greatly from the Helidays event providing the excellent facilities now in place. Have a look at the history page on the museum site to see how much it has developed The Helicopter Museum, the World's Largest Dedicated Helicopter Museum.
4. Fly-in visitors to the museum are always welcome for the reasons 500e highlights and the “landing fee” is usually the cost of entry to the museum. I am sorry 500e had a bad vibe on your last visit but what happened to you is not normal practice at the museum. Volunteers at the museum are unpaid volunteers.
If you decide to go back for the evening event pm me and I will be happy to sponsor the tea, sandwiches and cakes.
THM
I am not directly part of the management at the Helicopter Museum but I have indeed been involved with the museum since its concept and was a trustee for many years.
I was not aware of the previous history referred to but would make the following comments:
1. The only people involved with the museum who are paid are the immediate managers, all others are volunteers.
2. Sadly there are costs in running and maintaining all the facilities at the museum (electricity, rates etc.) and as an organisation it has a long record of being financially self sufficient and not committing to any bank loans. This has been possible by a combination of prudent financial control, local and national grants, donations and revenue from visitors.
3. Over the last 19 years of the Helidays event it has been possible for the organisers, with the generous support of both military and civilian helicopter flyers, to achieve the original aims of the event. That was to raise funds for a number of charities, including the museum, and to promote helicopters to the public. This has always been appreciated by the organisers who are not the museum. The Helicopter Museum has obviously benefitted greatly from the Helidays event providing the excellent facilities now in place. Have a look at the history page on the museum site to see how much it has developed The Helicopter Museum, the World's Largest Dedicated Helicopter Museum.
4. Fly-in visitors to the museum are always welcome for the reasons 500e highlights and the “landing fee” is usually the cost of entry to the museum. I am sorry 500e had a bad vibe on your last visit but what happened to you is not normal practice at the museum. Volunteers at the museum are unpaid volunteers.
If you decide to go back for the evening event pm me and I will be happy to sponsor the tea, sandwiches and cakes.
THM