We are sorry to say the Wings and Wheels Fly-in at Halfpenny Green has been cancelled, both the Easter and August Bank Holiday events. The airport have just informed us that they decline to host the event again. This may or may not have something to do with the recent change of ownership, we just don’t know. Proceeds went to the development of Wolverhampton’s Tettenhall Transport Heritage Centre, which is already planning to host smaller scale events. Look at our Facebook page for details.
By: Nige - 20th January 2016 at 10:23
About 40(?) years ago there was a plan to build houses around the edge of the airfield with taxiways to the garages, much like the American ‘airparks’.
The council threw it out after objections from the locals. I’ll bet they wish they’d stayed quiet now…
By: john_txic - 20th January 2016 at 07:26
Perhaps the Nimbys who objected to the development of the airport will change their tune, now they’re faced with an inundation of incomers spoiling their rural idyll?
By: Wulfie - 19th January 2016 at 23:07
A new venue has been found for Easter. Watch this space.
By: Nige - 19th January 2016 at 10:08
The local paper is on the case…
They are also digging into the future of the airfield after its sale to a property developer…
I spoke to them last week…
By: Wulfie - 17th January 2016 at 19:04
No Hampson-Silk had no part in the running of the Airport after he sold out to Mar Properties 7 years ago, that’s why the Air Scouts had to start paying rent. The Airport Manager is Alistair MacKinnon, and the Commercial Manager is Billy Quinn. I was told today that MCR have indicated their intention to build houses on part of the airfield, I don’t know how accurate this is. The local authority have always stopped building on green field sites, but if the former RAF buildings were deemed a brown-field site…………………….
By: Nige - 17th January 2016 at 10:36
No, MCR bought it from Mar Properties, an Irish property company,
The difference is though that the Hampson Silks were still directors of the airport companies, and involved in the day to day running of the site. Now they’re not…
Look at MCR’s website and tell me you think they’ll just let it carry on as before…
http://www.mcrproperty.com/
This is a new ball game, the secrecy (MCR haven’t put out any press release), and the cancelling of W&W with a refusal to say why doesn’t bode well…
By: Wulfie - 17th January 2016 at 06:45
No, MCR bought it from Mar Properties, an Irish property company, who wanted to build an ‘aviation village’ i.e. an industrial estate with aviation connections. They never had the money, as the purchase coincided with the Irish property crash. All that happened was that the Air Scouts had to start paying rent, after 40 years rent free, and our attempt to take over the RAF Fire Service Museum building was scuppered by huge rent rises.
By: Nige - 16th January 2016 at 23:28
The fact that they won’t give a reason speaks volumes.
one property company for another
It isn’t though, it’s been family owned for decades.
From the MCR website:
MCR Property Group is an investment and development company focused on commercial and residential real estate. Established in 1989, the company model has recently moved from retaining assets in the long-term, to trading assets centred specifically on securing value add opportunities across the UK.
I’d say Halfpenny Green’s future has been sealed…
By: Wulfie - 16th January 2016 at 21:22
I did a long interview with the local paper yesterday. They had already spoken to the Airport Manager, who confirmed that his decision had nothing to do with the change of ownership, one property company for another, but he declined to give his reasons, other than to say it had been a hard decision.
By: Nige - 16th January 2016 at 19:29
Having done some digging, the stuation at Halfpenny Green seems worrying… The airfield was sold last November to Manchester based MCR Property. Their aim in life seems to be to buy property, ‘add value’ and sell on.
They have installed 2 of their own directors as directors of the airfield company.
There have been ‘plans’ for years to build a business park there.
http://www.wolverhamptonairport.co.uk/about-halfpenny-green/the-future/
Perhaps MCR are going to stump up the money for the business park?
Or perhaps build warehouses and housing on it…
If it was the former option one would have thought they’d be trumpeting the news from the rooftops.
As it is, there’s a deathly silence, and Wings & Wheels cancelled.
The local community don’t seen to know anything about it…
By: Wulfie - 16th January 2016 at 18:20
It was. The guy was just held there tied in with a couple of ropes, he was there to empty the bag of poppies. I was sat right behind him. As we ground looped towards a Piper Warrior which was being refuelled, I wondered if I had my knife in my pocket to cut him free in the possible conflagration. Luckily we missed the Piper but hit the fence.
We are open 10 am to 4 pm every Sunday
By: Rob68 - 16th January 2016 at 17:37
Might do indeed. What time is it open? Sure used to see you when helping out on the defiant at BP years ago. The An2, was that the blue one that took off with the guy sitting with his legs dangling out side the door way?
By: Wulfie - 16th January 2016 at 14:03
Yes we had the Storch, and we twice had an AN-2, the last time I went with it back to Tatenhill after a poppy drop and it ground looped and ran into a fence post. The wife was wondering where I was, and wasn’t best pleased when I said I’d just been in an air crash. Baxterley is still operating, run by the pilots, I think. StART have removed everything we had stored there. Come and see us at Tettenhall, Rob, we have another cockpit open for visitors this Sunday, the Vampire
By: Rob68 - 15th January 2016 at 23:28
Enjoyed the Abbots Bromley shows, didn’t Peter Holloway turn up in the Storch from OW that day with the 200+? Only live in Cannock so it was nice and close. Is Ken Broomfields strip still open at Baxterley after his passing?
By: WV-903. - 15th January 2016 at 12:38
Very sorry to read this initial news, as I attended the HG Autumn event 2 years ago and it was a really good set-up and event. However If you have to move on, the idea proposed sounds very positive. Best of luck Wulfie.
Bill T.
By: Wulfie - 14th January 2016 at 19:46
Ahhhh , Rob ! Now that’s a good idea ! We were trying to think of ways of getting the Harrier to Halfpenny Green (Taxiing all the way, and hopping over hedges and roads ?). Why not, indeed, take the show to the Harrier. We started out on a farm strip, at Abbots Bromley, and on the fourth one had 200 aircraft land during the day. We know the owner, so you may have started something.
By: Rob68 - 14th January 2016 at 19:39
Or the farm strip with the live Harrier GR3 in a shed??
By: Wulfie - 14th January 2016 at 00:28
Halfpenny Green has indeed been sold to another developer, but the airport manager assures us that this had no bearing on his decision to stop us holding the Wings & Wheels there. We are looking at other venues, but are naturally reluctant to stray too far from our home. One of the possibilities we are considering is to hold an aerojumble at the Heritage Centre.
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th January 2016 at 20:10
Potentially lots of room at Kemble, got the Britannia there, a cracking cafe (restaurant), pretty good transport links for those coming by car (and train), lots of parking for visiting aircraft and we get a fair bit of ‘passing trade’ of people interested in watching aircraft.
Am a bit biased of course as I keep the Pup there….
By: Rob68 - 12th January 2016 at 23:34
Not wishing to spread rumour and taken with a truck load of salt but someone asked me today if HG had been sold for development…………………………………
Presumably the above is rubbish ??
Been going to HG since 81, (have a look at my flickr stream for 1982 air show photos) shame as enjoyed this event as only down road, what about Tattenhill by Burton? Nearly the same as Tettenhill
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January 11, 2016 at 9:22 pm