Blackbushe
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Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Wildest Surrey
Blackbushe
Apologies for a new thread but I couldn't find the original Premiair one.
BCA recently closed the sunday market which was adjacent to the old Premiair hangar. Subsequently, they sold the airfield to Blink, an operator of Citation Mustangs. Now they have filed a planning application for the north side of Blackbushe (which they have apparently retained) which indicates they intend to use the former Premiair site and the market site for the car auction business.
Meanwhile the Dubai Air Wing are operating their two A139s from Fairoaks with Starspeed also there having moved from Blackbushe several years ago.
BCA recently closed the sunday market which was adjacent to the old Premiair hangar. Subsequently, they sold the airfield to Blink, an operator of Citation Mustangs. Now they have filed a planning application for the north side of Blackbushe (which they have apparently retained) which indicates they intend to use the former Premiair site and the market site for the car auction business.
Meanwhile the Dubai Air Wing are operating their two A139s from Fairoaks with Starspeed also there having moved from Blackbushe several years ago.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 367
From: Wildest Surrey
Amazing, over 1,000 views and no comments!
Perhaps I should add that there is nothing to prevent commercial helicopters using Blackbushe, there is just no dedicated handling or hangarage.
Perhaps I should add that there is nothing to prevent commercial helicopters using Blackbushe, there is just no dedicated handling or hangarage.
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,413
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From: England & Scotland
Never visited. Looked into it once, but dissuaded by the landing fee - £47 for an EC120?? Cheaper (at least a little) to go to Redhill, which is much better equipped.
Personal view - don't mind if anyone disagrees:
If Blackbushe wants to attract volume traffic, perhaps using a separate landing fee for helicopters would be a good step forward. Helicopters don't need or use the expanse of ground that a fixed-wing uses to land, doesn't need that area to be expensively prepared into a runway, doesn't need PAPI or other expensive landing aids. Landing helicopters should be cheaper than landing fixed-wing; it is certainly less costly to the airfield. Sticking with a fixed-wing based weight chart for charges is the best way to keep heli visitors out.
Just me tuppence
Personal view - don't mind if anyone disagrees:
If Blackbushe wants to attract volume traffic, perhaps using a separate landing fee for helicopters would be a good step forward. Helicopters don't need or use the expanse of ground that a fixed-wing uses to land, doesn't need that area to be expensively prepared into a runway, doesn't need PAPI or other expensive landing aids. Landing helicopters should be cheaper than landing fixed-wing; it is certainly less costly to the airfield. Sticking with a fixed-wing based weight chart for charges is the best way to keep heli visitors out.
Just me tuppence
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Amazing, over 1,000 views and no comments!
As for "London west Heliport".....
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,413
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From: England & Scotland
Chevron
It might surprise you that I avoid Fairoaks for the same reason.
My point is that their weight-based fee schedule is OK for fixed-wing (for which it was designed) but to apply the same weight-based schedule to helicopters is a rip-off. I feel you rip-a-me-off, I don't come.
Not trying to convince anyone, I fly my way and you fly yours; everybody happy.
It might surprise you that I avoid Fairoaks for the same reason.
My point is that their weight-based fee schedule is OK for fixed-wing (for which it was designed) but to apply the same weight-based schedule to helicopters is a rip-off. I feel you rip-a-me-off, I don't come.
Not trying to convince anyone, I fly my way and you fly yours; everybody happy.
