I think you will find that North Denes is not licenced for one reason and one reason only.

The owners (formally Bond and now CHC) didn't/don't want it to be.

To be licenced would incur even higher CAA charges, and to what end?

STOP RIGHT THERE, thank you very much:=

I need a ...... d'oh

CAA - SchmeeAA. Got **** all to do wiv 'em.:ugh:

Direct your attention ladies and gentlement to the Air Navigation Order 2005.
Turn to article, er article.. oh it's late you find it.

It's the DfT who set out the rules for which sites require to be licensed, once decided it's the CAA who administer the discharge of the States function under Annex 14 of the 1949 Chicago Convention. Jeeez, doan they teach you anything these days?:\

Helicopters only need to land and take off from a licensed heliport or aerodrome under specific conditions as set out in the ANO. This applies to fixed wing ops too, but are different to heliocopeterers.

A to A, A to B, weight, training, scheduled PT and other criteria also apply.
I've read the pages time and time again and get a different meaning each time. How those loverly peeps at the Belgrano work it out beats me.

AOC heli ops are overseen by the Flight Ops Dept (H) of the CAA btw.

Once EASA take over all will be made clear. Alles klar:D

Sir George Cayley

Um... i think I get your point.

The Authority has for years been trying to convince CHC (and Bond/HS before them) of the advantages of North Denes being 'Licensed'.

There is no reason the aerodrome has to be licensed, and so to date it is not.

I think you will find that a fairly punchy cheque will have to change hands to purchase any aerodrome license. So the owners of the aerodrome avoid the costs and also the obligations that come with it.

Rest assured that if it had to be the Authority would ensure it was.

Maybe the day will come.

Fairweatherflyer......your name suits you . It is due to people like you that we have ended up in such a terrible mess:ugh: There have to be rules in all aspects of life but i have never felt the need follow the daft ones . Who cares if a field is licenced or not ?? If the caa say it doesnt count ....put a different one in your log book :eek: who gives a sh*t:ugh:
I say if its safe and sensible ...its legal ( and tell them where to go :ok: )

As part of my PPL course, (i.e. training requiring a licenced airfield) I landed at North Denes for my qualifying cross-country under an agreement between the school and Scotia. The CAA did not bat an eye-lid. So, was my flight valid? :confused:

I was lead to believe that North Denes was licenced at that time (2003).

Cheers

Whirls

Whirlygig,

If not does that mean you will have to hand back that new, shiny license?:E
BTW congrats for that.:ok:

Greetings,

Finalchecksplease

whirlygig,

well done on your CPL ! , as for your X-C in 2003 you have the licence so forget it :)

regards

CF

Thanks guys :ok: you detected the panic in my writing :} As an anally-retentive auditor, these things bother me.

However, I remember the chaps there were very hospitable, showed me round, explained the ops .

Cheers

Whirls

North Denes is licensed by the CAA, but only for IFR/VFR ops by CHC and VFR ops by other helicopter operators authorised by CHC (ie the CAA have delegated CHC with the authority to permit such movements subject to CAA restrictions).
Fixed wing a/c are not permitted to land at the airfield at any time.

Further to what Slyguy wrote;
Denes does have the NDB approach to 10 and 26, but the approaches can only be used in conjunction with the DME at Norwich by CHC , Bristow can only use it for legitimate training purposes and not for revenue flights.
Norwich Airport and ATC is not, never has been and never will be run by Marshalls.
Norwich ATC do not provide a radar service of any sort for Denes.

Nigelh,

The problem with not obeying the "daft" rules is they are enforced by the "daft" basters that concoct the things.:mad:

The old adage of "Who is the Fool....the Fool...or the Man arguing with the Fool?" springs to mind when dealing with the CAA.:ugh:

Niknak

Are you leading readers to believe that North Denes is either a civil licensed aerodrome or a civil licensed heliport as is the theme of this thread?

If so I think it may be worth checking your facts.

It may be of interest that the tower at Denes is now operated by Marshalls and I believe this is the case at Norwich too

The instrument aproaches are to 09 and 27.

Bored of this thread now:zzz:

RWB

I know my facts, clearly you don't, but I'll repeat myself so that you can sleep restfully.

I know that Marshalls have the ATC contract at Denes, I never disputed that.

Marshalls have never had the ATC contract at Norwich.

The runway at Denes is 10/28.

Denes is a CAA licensed airfield but only for the purposes of CHC IFR and VFR operations, CHC in turn are authorised to allow other helicopter operators to operate in to Denes on a VFR basis only.

Night night.

Niknak. Ok I'll take the bait.

I fly off the runway most days of my working life. I can assure you that the runways, for which there are instrument approaches, are now 09 and 27.

Oh and 18 - 36 for vfr day light ops only.

Your info is somewhat out of date.

ATB

Red

RWB

Which airfield are you talking about?

I was refering to Denes.:confused:

NikNak

Me too.

niknak,

magnetic variation is reducing in the UK, that might have something to do with runway number issues

regards

CF

Sasless ....beautifully put. You may well have a point:confused: but it does keep me amused so i may as well carry on:ok:

Here's another silly rule to ponder.....

To license an airfield for fixed-wing ops the fire crew must be able to reach any licensed portion of the field and start dispensing extinguishant within 3 minutes of call out. To license for helicopter ops, they must do the same but in 2 minutes!

WAFLOB!

JJ

Jelly,

So if I use Heathrow and land at the far end of the runway....the Fire Brigade has two minutes to respond.....or Coventry...or Aberdeen...or.......now just what is the possibility of that happening?

The fire bell goes off.....and the hose holders have to put down the cards, pick up their boots and turnout gear...man the wagons...and get to the end of the runway in three minutes? Yeah, right!

Yes. It's why my local airfield is only licensed for fixed wing and not helicopters. Some airfields only license specific portions for helicopters, ie the helipads, to ensure they meet the more stringent 2 minute criteria. Nonsense! JJ:ugh: