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Manchester Airport Viewing Park
I wonder if anyone can help a friend of ours recently took his son to the Manchester Airport viewing park and visited the shop that sells allsorts for aircraft spotters.
In the shop there was an HP laptop on the counter with a live program running which was showing aircraft movements around the area.Does anyone know of a similar program which would be available to download on a similar basis to this. Thanks. |
The laptop in question was running a Kinetic SBS virtual radar box, the hardware comes in a modem sized box connected by USB to any windows computer, it costs about £400.
Alternatively you can download this software called planeplotter, it allows access to a website which hosts uploaded sbs data from users around the world PlanePlotter from COAA The drawback to this software is that it will only show aircraft that are plotting full information, a very large portion of aircraft (military, biz jets, emb types) dont transpond lat long info so will not plot. The SBS box receives these aircraft and displays in list form. |
Manchester airport viewing park
I think that the viewing park entrance fee is discraceful, the owners must be making a lot of money with all the tours with concorde and other events, the place needs a good tidying up and all of the areas that are stoned should be tarmac, the tax payers have paid for concorde and the viewing park.
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I for one feel proud to be paying for the ludicrous white tent whilst getting covered in red crap from the car park. :D
Give me back the grass field and a couple of grass mounds There now seems to be a lot of MAG suits racing round looking important |
Stopped going to the viewing park years ago.
For REAL spotters/enthusiasts go over to the end of R23L on a small hill overlooking the runways. You go through the tunnel then at the roundabout take the first left and park by the fence. Then walk upto the mound in 10 minutes. Car is safe, Had no problems been going for years. |
Easy as the grass mound at the end of the runways might be, we still prefer the sausage, chips n curry sauce at the AVP.
But would still prefer if the Powers That Be would spend some more money providing cover from the elements for its loyal spotters who are the backbone of the place after all. For all the income Concorde generates with all its Corporate visits etc, I wonder how long the AVP would stay open if all us spotters upped and shifted to the "alternative AVP" mentioned above!!! There's only so long you can stay in the Shop or in the cafe without missing the action so how about a three sided cover for the main mound say? And also a few more seats as well would be nice. What do you all think? Donnlass:hmm: |
Viewing park
I think that i might give the humps a try it sounds easier and a lot cheaper, they could do with a lot more seats, how much is a 6 month pass these days last time i got one it was £60. The people that work there are miserable too.
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Get real ! It was 100% more than most airports have these days. I agree it could be improved but I have little sympathy for those who do nought but moan.
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Anyway i ain't going there anymore cos its just a rip off.....
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I went today and I couldn't believe the £5.00 entrance fee. Full of screaming kids as well. I forgot it was the school holidays.
Also had the shock of my life when I ordered a cup of tea and the girl said 'That will be £1 please!!' Going to go south side next time. Anyway it is a very pleasant walk. Slow Progress |
The spectator facilities at Manchester are second to none and we should be thankful we have them at all. Most airports do not have any comparable facilities but the increase does seem excessive and I think they may be cashing in on the popularity of the venue.
If can I'll sometimes go to the southside but parking is a problem and the fact that the adjacent runway is sometimes closed. For REAL spotters/enthusiasts go over to the end of R23L on a small hill overlooking the runways |
Absolutely agree. Went down there last Friday and got the shock of a quid price hike for car + driver (now £5), AND if you have passengers they get charged too. :D Considering a high percentage of visitors are just down for an hour or so to occupy the kids I hope people will vote with their feet, especially in this economic climate. And how do they think the price reflects the changes - it hasn't changed that much.
I was sadly that insensed that I emailed MAN to see what they say. |
If people vote with their feet, the airport will get what it wants - closure of the AVP and the loss of a great facility.
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Exactly why I emailed them..... I love the place, just not at £5 a go. And granted as mentioned earlier, it is one of the best in the UK and a rarity, but everything has it's price and mine is £4 as my missus will testify. :)
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Ive got a great idea
to help to fill the Mag coffers why not create a first floor refreshments area with a full glass wall and excellent views over the stands in T1 , this would attract the punters and make extra money in the car parks...................... Oh wait think ive got that wrong :D I would love to know how much ancillary revenues are down since alienating the non-flying public |
As far as photography (on a sunny Manchester day :eek:) is concerned, the mount(s) on the south side are good in the morning. The AVP is good in the evening during the months of May/June/July.
I didn't realise they'd put the price up to £5. That is pure greed and utterly disgraceful. |
Ah not meanin to moan just expressing the desire for more shelter and seats especially as my partner is disabled but also keen with the camera so being able to sit down more would be great.
Still love the place and will no doubt be there on Sunday, weather permitting, battling the crowds and since we bus and walk in two quid aint too bad. So long as it stays there:ok::D Happy Spotting Donnlass |
I went to the AVP yesterday for the first time in a couple of years, presumably the price increase is to pay for the shiny new hangar and shop etc.
This has also resulted in the mound nearest the hangar being increased in size presumably this all had to be paid for. Judging by the full car park the price doesn't seem to have put off too many people. |
email response
Here's the response from MAN to the email I sent. I think I'm aloud to post this.
<snip> Hi Nige Sorry you feel this way. We hope that you will see the results of the £1.4M recently spent to improve all facilities at the park including parking, new toilets and visitors centre. We have also introduced a new family ticket and free entry to selected exhibits at weekends. We hope these will improve yours and your families enjoyment in the future. Concorde Booking Office The Aviation Viewing Park, Sunbank Lane, Altrincham, WA15 8XQ. <snip> Ok so they had the courtesyto reply but I didn't see any new toilets, anything about family discounts, new parking or anything of note apart fom the new shop. Maybe I'm just getting an old moaner, but I do plan to be there quite a bit in the future. |
The problem is that there are two types of visitor but only one price on the day !
Most of the regulars down there just want to call in for an hour or two, watch some movements, have a cup of tea, a chat and then go home , quite frankly they are not interested in the new infrastructure eg Concorde Tours etc. The new facilities and improvements are aimed at the family day day tripper, the idly curious who think "lets go to Chester Zoo or Oulton Towers" and on "that" comparison it' is a cheap day out ! If they kept season tickets at reasonable prices (£60) that would solve the problem, but sadly rumours suggest these may be hiked by £30! Rumours suggest that when the snack bar closes it will re-open in the cafe adjacent to Concorde but I guess realistically food prices will again need to go up again to meets costs of this as well. |
Even if they do move the snack bar I can't see how they can justify hiking food prices again. The food is really expensive for what you get and I can see them putting themselves out of business if they do. I am sorry but £1 for a small cup of tea is ridiculous.:*
Do you have to pay more money to actually get into the concorde hangar for a walk around? Slow Progress |
Further update from MAN
Well I emailed back and got another reply. Fairplay, at least they seem to take feedback and want to be seen to help...
Thank you for the emails and the feedback, all of which is welcome good or bad. I've seen some of the comments on the forums but interestingly enough, yours is one of only two communications that have come directly into the office ! As Paul mentioned there has been a lot of investment into the park. Obviously there's a new hangar and visitor centre and a newly paved and extended viewing mound. The visitor centre is always open to the public and whilst it currently contains only information panels, we will be adding exhibits over the coming months. There are new toilets in the visitor centre. They were open over the holiday weekend and we will continue to open them at busy times. The existing toilet block will be refurbished shortly. There is a new shop. A brand new covered takeaway will be opening in the next few weeks. The restaurant will be opening in May. There will be new catering choices as well as the tried and tested favourites. Rick and Arthur who currently operate catering on the park are concessionaires of the new restaurant and takeaway and I'm sure they can be relied upon to give the same outstanding value as they currently do to their customers. We are trying to inprove public access to the park. You may have noticed that there is now a daily bus service operating every 30 minutes between the AVP, cargo centre and airport bus station. This is being subsidised by the airport and will run throughout the year. At weekends and public holidays there will now be an aircraft open without charge. We had both Trident and the RJX open over the Easter holiday and we will be continuing with this policy throughout the year. Whilst admission charges have increased, a family ticket is now available at £8. Regular visitors still have the option of season tickets which offer excellent value and we are looking at internet booking ahead of your visit with a discounted price, as is currently on offer at the airport. Please don't think we take anyone's patronage for granted. We believe the AVP still offers excellent value and we will be doing all we can over the coming months to make it a safe, pleasant and appealing place for families and enthusiasts alike. As I mentioned at the beginning of this email, we are aware of the comments on the forums. The Visitor Centre is open seven days a week. We like to talk to people ! Please come in and if you have any concerns, anything you don't think is being addressed properly, any suggestions for improvements, come in and tell us ! Thanks again for the email. |
My opinion is that this is a pretty bog standard and typical propaganda BS response for what is in fact nothing less than pure greed. I continue to maintain that in today's economical climate £5 a throw is outrageous.
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How do we suggest we pay for the upkeep of the Trident and the only RJX? There's not a LOT of them left you know....
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Slow/Avman
As usual I find myself in the position of actually wanting to pay somebody a few extra quid to keep the likes of you anoraks out of the AVP - If I was ever to visit. It would be nice once in a while if people appreciated what they have and didnt fill their minds with negative vibes.........or perhaps they get through their lives by having chips welded to their shoulders. £1 for a cuppa tea - shocking! but you seem not to have any problem owning a pc on which to mutter. Have a nice day! MM |
mickyman, I have no idea what you are ranting on about. Could you try again, in English this time.
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I cannot believe im reading this, surely no self respecting spotter buys his tea, isnt a thermos of hot tea in the knapsack every bit as de riguer as the bobbly hat , notebook and anorak?
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Guys (and gals), having read through the comments here, I cannot believe that people are complaining about the cost of using the AVP.
MAN has an excellent viewing park, and offers genuinely decent opportunities for photography/spotting without being intercepted by the police every few mins. In my book its well worth the money. My local airport for 20 years was Gatwick...spotting facilities were ok while there was a viewing deck on the terminal but you had to pay to use it, and pay to park your car...but MAN is cheaper now than LGW was 15 years ago! (for those that are not aware, there are no viewing facilities whatsoever at Gatwick nowadays). Be grateful for what you have there...it offers far better views than any official areas at other airports in the UK. And it is good to see parents taking their kids there...thats how many of us started spotting in the first place! Ken |
skytrain10, I fully appreciate what you're saying. But at the same time, any charge should be proportionate. I think that all things considered £5 for a single entry is a little steep. I think a figure of £3 would be more appropriate. By the way, I can't recall paying 5 quid for Gatwick's viewing area 15 years ago. Despite my rant about prices I do recognise and commend the Manchester airport authorities for providing good facilities. I just think someone's taking advantage and being a tad greedy.
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I agree, I have arrived into the AVP myself when it is sunny, Then some 10 - 20 minutes later it p*sses it down for the rest of the day!!
Any chance of a 'partial' refund? Not a chance mate!! Well I won't come here again - He cried!! |
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I just think someone's taking advantage and being a tad greedy. Reply I can agree with that, For all we know, all those 5 pounds may not go anywhere near the Airport's accounts....? |
Avman..perhaps I should have clarified my statement.
MAN...£5 for person/car LGW...£1.50 or £2 if I recall to enter, plus a not inconsiderable amount to park the car at the airport (I used to stay 4-5 hrs at a stretch...it was around £8 if I recall). I appreciate MAN is expensive if you are staying for a short period, but, if you are there for any length of time, in my book, its worth it. The other way of looking at it, is £5 today was £1 in 1970's...I don't think anyone would have argued paying that then? Ultimately its whether the user considers it value for money...I think it is, but there again, when I go, I stay for several hours. Ken |
Surely the price should be set at an hourly rate then?
You turn up, pay a £5er, and it starts to rain, no shelter, kids in tow, what do you do? leave! Now, after 15 minutes thats a hell of a cost. Granted, £5 could be seen as reasonable if you were there for 5 hours... I don't know why you lot don't go to the Airport Pub at the other end where it's cheaper to park and you can get a shandy for a decent price! Fair enough, it's not a well kept pub but still? :ok: |
Hmm cant quiet believe what i am reading...yeah £5 might be a little bit expensive but the place wont pay for itslef. Without a doubt we have at Manchester one of the finest viewing facilities in Europe, the photographic possibilities during the evening are second to none from any viewing part i have ever been too.
I dont honestly think a pound for a cuppa is too much to ask, you wanna try Costa Coffee or Starbucks !! The airport hotel is £5 to park, you get £4 back in a voucher to spend at the bar but the price of a pint is £3.70, add to this the fact that you get a fair number of locals in there whom would love nothing more than some good old fashioned fisty cuffs, or bottley cuffs etc etc, not many family pubs have 3 huge bouncers on during the day....add to this that the locals seem to take the pi$$ out of the spotters...not the best place to go. Look around the country...LHR LGW LTN STN all have totally crap viewing facilities....then you come to Ken Dodd International, last time i was over there on the mound two chaps came over to my car and offered to help lighten the burden of the weight in my car by releaving it of my Laptop...only when i introduced them to my cricket bat did they scarper. We have fantastic facilities in Manchester and shouldnt ever forget that...i for one would pay £ 10 to get in. |
Guys, I swore to myself that I would not take the bait and reply to all the negative "spotters" on this thread but bugger! You have made me!
You moan and moan about the cost of entry and the cost of a cuppa, it reminds me of an old saying:- when ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise....... Yes, we all know that a quid for a polystyrene cuppa is rather dear but if you only knew the amount of money that the airport authorities now demand from Rick and Arthur then you may think again. Also, knowing Rick and Arthur personally, if you people only knew the investment that they have had to fork out of their own pockets to keep the franchise, let me just say that you could buy a three bedroomed semi for the price!! I can also tell you that the airport wanted to scrap the take away part of the business and make you all buy food and sit down inside to eat it, the guys had to fight very hard to keep the take away and even threatened to walk away if it was allowed to be scrapped THEN you would all have been moaning because the other tenders didnt want to feed you mere spotters!! Oh no, they were only interested in the corporate side and didnt give a t@ss about the bread and butter spotter! And before the "well, they would'nt be doing it if they were not making money out of it" brigade chip in, yes, of course they are there to make money, they are not a registered charity but you also need to realise they may make a profit in the Summer months but they can struggle in the Winter when all you fair weather spotters stay at home!! Anyway, I know a fair portion of you will dismiss what I have written with a casual disdain but hopefully more of you will think on. Finally (honest!) 5 quid is an absolute bargain, I know for certain that most other spotters all over the Kingdom would be happy with half of the facilities we enjoy, by god, even the new toilets are properly heated:D |
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/...d8c23f32_m.jpg
I suspect most of you would like to go back to this:sad: |
The airport hotel is £5 to park, you get £4 back in a voucher to spend at the bar but the price of a pint is £3.70, add to this the fact that you get a fair number of locals in there whom would love nothing more than some good old fashioned fisty cuffs, or bottley cuffs etc etc, not many family pubs have 3 huge bouncers on during the day....add to this that the locals seem to take the pi$$ out of the spotters...not the best place to go. |
Sadly the nearest "village "is a awful place called wythenshawe council estate
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Sadly the nearest "village "is a awful place called wythenshawe council estate |
They dont, theres lots of pubs in wythenshawe, however they are sadly as i recall from my time at Manchester all as bad as each other, a good friend of mine got very badly beaten in a pub called the Red Beret for the heinous crime of being in posession of a London accent, however having said that i really enjoyed living in Manchester its a great city however as is the case every where else some of the council estates are very dodgy places
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