All is not well at Headcorn, and no longer , it seems are the Tiger Club :apologetic:
” Many people are aware that problems have restricted and interrupted the Tiger Club’s operations at Headcorn in recent years. As these issues led to judicial intervention we have largely been prevented from keeping our friends, and sometimes our own members, fully informed as to the sequence of events. We think that now is the appropriate time to explain.
In February 2011 Shenley Farms Engineering did the Star Annual on the Tiger Club’s flagship Tiger Moth G-ACDC. During the air test the propeller hub, which had been incorrectly fitted, came loose and damaged the crankshaft beyond repair. The airfield owner, Jamie Freeman, told the club Chairman, Chris Bellhouse, that he accepted full responsibility but that he had no insurance to cover this. The Tiger Club, understanding his exposed position and trying to help agreed to accept some of the cost of rebuilding the engine. Jamie Freeman said he would provide a loan engine whilst the damaged item was repaired. In order to take delivery of the loan engine the club was obliged to hand over in exchange a half life core unit. Unbelievably, shortly afterwards the club received an invoice for the engine! This engine proved to be most troublesome, constantly oiling up plugs and suffering magneto failures early in its life. Eventually the engine ran so badly that it had to have a complete top overhaul and replacement piston rings. Shenley Engineering subsequently cost us the use of our Cap 10 for thirteen weeks for a minor flap fault which a competent engineer took two days to identify and fix.
In September 2013 the Tiger Club was withholding payment of monies to the airfield claiming it was offsetting these against amounts owed to the club from the various incidents. The airfield then seized our aircraft overnight and locked them away for three months, putting the club out of business. It also issued the club with an illegal notice to quit. Our Piper Cub, which Engineering had been working on, was abandoned unfinished and partially dismantled. Eventually mediation resulted in an agreement which allowed us to resume operations and included our claims against Shenley Farms Engineering to go to arbitration. This arbitration is still ongoing.
The club chairman Chris Bellhouse was subjected to a combination of unacceptable hangarage charge increases and unfounded allegations of illegal flying. Unsurprisingly he decided to move his aircraft from Headcorn and fly elsewhere. As communications between him and the airfield had broken down he regretfully resigned as Tiger Club chairman.
At this time Shenley Farms Engineering were supposed to be finishing the rebuild of the club’s second Tiger Moth G-ASKP. This should have been completed in approximately three months but was unfinished over a year later. When the aircraft was taken elsewhere to complete the work Shenley Farms Engineering claimed to have lost the work pack and dossier detailing all the work done and all the associated signatures. This caused further delay and expense whilst the work was revisited and signed off by the relevant engineers.
In April 2014 agents of the airfield management entered our premises and disconnected all the security cameras and surveillance equipment, having first cut off the power to prevent their identification. The following day an airfield security person came uninvited into the clubhouse and announced his intention to escort the current chairman from the airfield. When Richard Brinklow made it clear that he was not prepared to leave this person seized him by the throat and tried to drag him out. Normally this incident would have been on camera which would almost certainly have provided evidence for a prosecution. Throughout all this the airfield owners have repeatedly insisted that all the directors of the club be replaced, presumably by persons chosen by them. The directors all resigned at an EGM called at the end of 2013; the shareholders unanimously re-elected all of them but this has not stopped the airfield from insisting on their replacement.
Despite the fact that several of these issues are still ongoing in the courts the airfield gave us a deadline of April 9th after which time we would not be allowed to operate at Headcorn. It does seem that the aircraft owners are keen to replace much of the established activities with a commercial enterprise that doesn’t want to operate alongside the Tiger Club. To ensure the safety of our fleet the club has been forced to disperse the aircraft and keep them at a number of locations in the south east.
It would seem that the airfield think that if they fragment and/or force the Tiger Club out of business then they will not have to repay the club damages awarded to it in the courts. The behaviour of the owners has been appalling, doing everything in its power to bring financial ruin to the club and to demoralise the membership with continual aggravation and lies about insolvent trading.
The directors are determined that the club should not be forced out of business, but that it will regroup and rise again like Phoenix out of the ashes. We have locations where we can still fulfil our commitments to the trial flights in the Tigers that have given so much pleasure to so many over the years, and we will endeavour to ensure that members are able to maintain currency on our tailwheel aircraft. Arrangements are being made to ensure that the Turbulent display team can still entertain fans at airshows and other events as before.
Tiger Club
26/03/2015 ”
By: Propstrike - 1st July 2015 at 07:46
I would have thought that if Propstrike’s version of events is truthfull – which I believe it to be, then there is very little that Headcorn could say or write to redeem the situation.
My knowledge of the Tiger Club at Headcorn goes back to 1963. They were as well regarded in those days as they are to-day.
It’s difficult to believe that anyone could behave as badly as that described.
I, of course, post this only for reference. The content and opinions are ALL those of the Tiger Club. I have no personal knowledge of any aspect of the dispute.
By: charliehunt - 30th June 2015 at 21:35
Yes that’s true but there are always at least two sides to every story. It has certainly given me cause to reconsider plans for this month and next.
By: John Green - 30th June 2015 at 19:58
It might well be but we should be given the opportunity to read Headcorn’s response to this miserable story and the accusations made.
I would have thought that if Propstrike’s version of events is truthfull – which I believe it to be, then there is very little that Headcorn could say or write to redeem the situation.
My knowledge of the Tiger Club at Headcorn goes back to 1963. They were as well regarded in those days as they are to-day.
It’s difficult to believe that anyone could behave as badly as that described.
By: Skybolt - 30th June 2015 at 17:15
A superb club with a history going back to the mid 1950’s and which has championed sporting general aviation for almost six decades. My own involvement dates from 1959.
An aerodrome that has become one of the best in south east England, ideally placed for cross channel flights.
It seems tragic that matters have reached this appalling state. One can only hope that mediation will bring an acceptable solution.
Trapper 69
By: charliehunt - 30th June 2015 at 05:51
It might well be but we should be given the opportunity to read Headcorn’s response to this miserable story and the accusations made.
By: John Green - 29th June 2015 at 22:25
What a mess ! Have the damages to which you refer been paid to the Tiger Club ?
Perhaps a general boycott of Headcorn is indicated.
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June 29, 2015 at 9:48 pm