HFL/ARC Open Day 2005 – your view

I would imagine that the person winning the flight in the Harvard will come away well-pleased with having spent their £75, being as the going rate for a 20min flight in such a plane in this country is about £350+. I guess its like an expensive lottery ticket-if you win its great, if you don’t then sure, you might have spent the money in a better way. How many of us have bought a lottery ticket every week of the year and found we’re £52 down at the end? At least this is a lot more interesting than queuing to buy a ticket in some newsagent that still hasn’t got your latest aircraft mag’ in yet! Oh yes, and you get to park yourself in the hot seat of the Forums most famous aircraft type! It’s up to the individual where they spend their money……how much is it for a day at a football match and how much is their food and just how boring is that? I’m sure it will be a great day for those that decide they want to spend their money in this way and who knows, if we’re really lucky Merlin 70 might just plaster the forum with his pictures again! 🙂

Amazing how the old HFL at Audley End managed to do so many open days so cheaply. Still, they did go out of business eventually……….

And the Air Atlantique open days at Coventry include a flight in one of their Historic Flight aircraft (not one of the vintage jets, unfortunately 🙁 ) for similar money.

You have become so aggressive of late in your posts Mike! Why?? Anna 🙁

how many open days did HFL have at audley end?.

How many tickets are they selling? compare what they expect to get with the cost of flying their aircraft in the mini display. I think you will find they don’t make much out of the day and those who buy tickets the the chance to get up close and personal with the aircraft that aren’t ordinarily accesible.

Evening All,

Will J,

Don’t knock being an Office junior with an Aviation employer !!!
try being the tea boy/office slave (sorry, not so junior at a Chartered Accountants)…….

Was once a time when I had better employment !!! in Aviation related circles….. :dev2: :dev2: :dev2:

Tim

Well I think it will be a fab day at “Area 51” the package I have seen in adverts looks very good, The £1,000 raffle included in price!!!Let alone the access they have permitted. I think this is a point scoring exercise and it is well boring a bit of not so cool rivalry and jealously!! Anna 😉

Well don’t worry, I will not be there either.

Mike will explain next time i see you ok?

so im extremely sorry to all you guys hope you have a great day and hope to see you soon.stewart

Sorry for what?

Thank you very much John Priest!!!
my boss just called me and said to me i cannot go to Duxford this weekend as im on the schedule for work which i find highly unfair. if i do not show up i will loose my job. so im extremely sorry to all you guys hope you have a great day and hope to see you soon.
stewart

OFMC’s Tiger Squadron conventions have always been fantastic. Lots of food, tours & talks with the pilots & crew, small flying display & draws for flights. All for around £30. And the 1st one i went to i won a ride in the P-51, can’t think of another reason not to renew my membership!
I wanted to goto the HFL trip last year but couldn’t make it, was hoping to get in this year but £75 too much, reduce it to £55 & i’ll be there!

Re: TFC evening, not to mention a riveting talk by a certain Mr Henshaw, a brief transcript of which is in the current edition of Fighter Log, available to all members of Friends of TFC. If you missed the talk it is well worth taking the opportunity to catch up on a fascinating piece of our history and a true legend.

Having had a personal guided tour of the facilities I would say that the oppertunity would make it worth more than £75. Plus also if the fee were cheaper then tickets would sell so bloody quick. I think anymore money would be far too silly but I still think its worth £75. Hope all who go enjoy it and post their thoughts here afterwards

I believe that the tour/talk/sit down meal for Freinds of TFC was £18 just to cover costs sounded like a whole lot better value as pilots and engineers were on hand to show people around projects, cockpits etc. Join the friends and join the the team sounds good to me.

That was a great night, intro from Mr Grey, talked with TFC pilots, sat in most of the cockpits, hot sit down meal and met some of the posters here from the restorers and operators side of things. Can’t remember the price, I think it was only £15. Roll on another one!.

Well that’s only about the cost of two hours flying.

Er….

Think I’d rather go flying 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Moggy

I believe that the tour/talk/sit down meal for Freinds of TFC was £18 just to cover costs sounded like a whole lot better value as pilots and engineers were on hand to show people around projects, cockpits etc. Join the friends and join the the team sounds good to me.

Saturday 11th June will see the second (annual) open day at HFL and ARC.

Last year’s event was superb and this year appears to be the new improved version with the chance to sit in the coxkpit of a Spit and one of the historic jets that they operate. One lucky visitor will get a flight in the T6.

An airshow by a number of the ARC operated a/c, lunch and a chance to catch up on the progress of the Blenheim rebuild at close quarters are also on the programme.

I recall some lively debate over last years £55 entry price. This year it will be £75.

Firstly who’s going (So I know who to look out for) and second whether you are going or not, what would you expect to get for £75?

Personally i would love to go but i could not justify spending £75 on a day trip sadly, I think overall its a great thing that its possible to do such events and the money clearly helps the Aircraft fly so its a worthy cause.

Ever thought that the chat you have with the bloke restoring the aeroplane is costing the operator money? It’s sure not restoring the aircraft – you’ve just stopped him for 20min.

We get a lot ‘for free’ – those with a role to play in the old plane game get a lot more without cost. For the operator, everyone’s time costs, laying on a ‘day’ is a cost. I didn’t hear any complaints after the event from those there, so it worked. Money’s for doing things with.

A close up look at HFL / ARC is completely different to a day or three at Legends. If you can’t afford it, it’s a pity, but it doesn’t seem a lot for a look at a pro setup.

Just a few thoughts.

Cheers!
James

Thoroughly enjoyed last years visit, having upped my quota of close up reference photos, and was umming and arrrring about the £75 tag this year but forked out any way. For unrestricted access to a lot of Spitfires and others, that you could not normally get close up to, I though it was a small price to pay.
I just hope some of it is spent on food this year as I ended up in the Runway Restaurant last year to stop my stomach complaining. It does say in the current advert in Aeroplane that there is: Coronation chicken, honey-glazed ham, salads, hot potatoes, bread, profiteroles, lemon meringue and tea and coffee served all day. I hope it is more than bite size portions.

Did anyone get a vehicle entry pass, like the A5 yellow one last year, or does the cardboard ‘ADMIT ONE’ badge act as that?.

Brian

what would you expect to get for £75?

An hour with a nekkid Liz Hurley would be nice 🙂