Gerry RTonyT, thanks for that, a saving already I will keep that in mind for a future trip. Am I right in saying that Holland once had a form of APD but abolished it, due to lower visitor numbers and pressure from KLM?
Gerry R
Gerry RAPD affects all sorts of travellers not just the aviation fraternity, by airing the subject here I was hoping for a broader comment/discussion on ways to avoid some of the tax, especially on long haul journeys. Having said that, wrong section?, I am beginning to think that you could be right!.
Gerry R
Gerry RHaving met this intrepid lady at RIAT 2015, she deserves the recognition and accolades, manual flying with 60 stops and possibly a little nervy flying over Jordan to Amman to say the least!. Forget the support team and other bolt ons, it was a tremendous achievement, looking forward to the finished film/documentary, but also meeting Tracy again at RIAT 2016?
Best regards, Gerry R
Gerry RHMS Eagle 1967 Commission, The FAA at its Zenith.
Many thanks to Tim,and Barry for making available the late Grenville (Budgie R.I.P) images with this thread.
Just got to say what a superb collection they are, the Fleet Air Arm and carrier aviation at its Zenith. HMS Eagle was quite capable later of operating Phantoms as well as Ark Royal after re-fit, but was withdrawn prematurely by an anti carrier Labour government at the time.
If you have more in the collection, please do not hesitate to post again.
Regards, Gerry R
Gerry RHello,
Along with the usual GA and HMCG movements at Daedalus in the past week, there has been an interesting visitor in the shape of an AS 332C Super Puma, LN OBX of Airlift. The chopper has been making daily air lifting flights over the ‘Heogh Osaka’, the grounded car carrier (since 3 Jan) in the Solent. The stricken vessel can be seen from the airfield which finds itself in the ideal location, and just a short distance away for the task.
Updating the subject of airfield ownership, the interim 9 month RCAM contract should have expired on Dec 31st last year, unless it has been extended for a for a further 3 months?. It is expected that Fareham Borough Council will have control of Daedalus by Spring 2015. The next step for the airfield is licensed status, for which the completion of the recent runway re-surfacing in Dec last year, was one of a number of CAA requirements as key to that eventual goal.
Regards, Gerry R
Gerry RCompletion of runway re-surfacing.
Hello,
The runway re-surfacing detailed in post 3 has now been completed, the use of the secondary 17/35 remaining as an alternative runway to the main 05/23, has yet to be decided.
Regards, Gerry R.
Gerry RHousing and runway funding
The encroachment of housing at Lee has so far been confined to the former naval accomodation and domestic sites rather than the airfield itself. The former naval ratings single storey living quarters have gone for new houses in recent years spreading west from Broom Way, and a large brick built 2 storey ex barrack block was flattened this summer, for another development to build 101 dwellings within sight of the HM Coastguard hangar and helicopter apron. I personally hope the future tenants of these new builds, sign a declaration of non complaint over aircraft and helicopter noise, and possible night flying with the new runway lighting, before they step through their new doorways.
The runway work is being funded by both Fareham and Gosport Borough Councils via the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), who are funding other developments on the airfield mainly for future business and employment, revenue from these will go back to the government via the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Of course all this is totally unrelated to General Aviation and private flying.
Lee Flying Association are the organisation that will fight to ensure that aviation and flying continues at Lee, GA has for the moment taken a back seat, for example, there is still no on airfield cafe for visiting pilots and with no immediate prospects for this situation to improve, all news on the light aviation front is lacking. The stated aim of establishing a thriving GA community at Lee on Solent has become very low priority, though finishing on a positive note, the new runway by year end will benefit this sector, (if there is not another work postponement!?).
Regards, Gerry R
Gerry RAirfield Developments
Hi, a belated update.
With the Solent Enterprise Zone airfield developments now in full swing, it has been very much a case of the resident GA fraternity being on the outside looking in and the feeling of being on the fringe. Most of the old east side infrastructure has been swept away including the ex MARTSU building and most of the ex Admiralty ‘S’ type Mainhill hangars, all for new buildings to be erected connected with the Zone, all this development meant that the former FBO Sapphire had to sacrifice its ideal location too.
The Regional & City Airports Management (RCAM) is now 6 months into its 9 month temporary contract as the operator of Lee/Daedalus airfield, to re-cap, they were awarded the contract by the airfield owners The Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). Under present arrangements RCAM will relinquish control by the year end, a new operator will then be installed by HCA for a longer duration of 3 years.
The the present airfield operators involvement has not been well received by the based tenants/pilots, with changes placed upon them on “safety grounds”. There is no mention of Lee on Solent on the RCAM website, which reinforces the view that the airfield is a temporary tenure for the company. An extension of the previous operators contract Fly BN by HCA might have been a better option, on the other hand, either HCA were not keen to extend, or Fly BN were no longer interested in operating Daedalus after a 2 year stint.
The proposed establishment of an Air Traffic Zone (ATZ) and other work associated with obtaining CAA licensed status for airfield, was in June this year, put on permanent hold by the CAA Safety & Airpspace Regulation Group (SARG). This situation will probably not be reslolved until a new permanent long term operator is at the helm from the start of 2015. A new application to the CAA for an ATZ would then be required, and subjected to a new round of negotiations and consultations with interested parties.
To finish on a more positive note, the twice postponed runway re-surfacing will commence on 20th Oct, and all work is scheduled to be completed by 1st Dec 2014. Between the dates 17th to 30th Nov the shorter 17/35 2,976ft (907m) runway will be available on weekends only, the work on the main runway 05/23 4,294ft (1309m) includes new lighting. The runway renewal was originally scheduled for April but put back to Sept for completion that month, the re-surfacing will be the first for the runways since the closure of HMS Daedalus in 1996.
Regards, Gerry R
Gerry REnd of an era
As is widely known the last Tyhoons vacated RAF Leuchars yesterday Monday 8th September 2014, a sad occasion indeed with a large gathering at the runway end to witness the end of an era.
A flypast in a 1 formation was rumoured to happen, as per the practice on the 3rd, but it was not to be, being performed for number 1 Sqns arrival at Lossiemouth instead. The penultimate one of the last two Tyhoons to depart performed a vertical climb on take off and within seconds was out of sight, The last to depart had a better sense of the occasion and performed a low re-heat take off over the heads of the throng of enthusiasts and a figure 8 over the airfield before a fast run along the runway followed by a vertical climb over our heads which was much appreciated, Leuchars then falling silent, no more squadron jet noise at this famous fighter base.
A personal view here, this move of the Typhoons north was a political decision and not a common sense operational one. Even before any Scottish referendum any move should have waited the outcome of the situation on September 18th, it would have saved the huge cost that has already been spent to make Lossiemouth Typhoon ready. The politics are again very much to the fore with especially this weekends poll on Scotland voting yes for independence gathering momentum.
I doubt very much if any possible embryonic Scottish air force would want to inherit two fully operational Typhoon Squadrons. Another question arises with a yes vote on the projected Army move into Leuchars as was planned (but still not finalised), after the referendum and an independence successful vote, if it were to happen, then surely the Army would cancel any plans to occupy Leuchars?
Gerry R
Gerry RFoxy Lady departure
Sea Vixen Foxy Lady G-CVIX (XP924) finally departed RAF Leuchars yesterday afternoon, its temporary base for almost 3 weeks, this shot was taken during its landing after a short air test, this classic Fleet Air Arm aircraft later departing for Bournemouth at around 2pm.
Regards, Gerry R
[ATTACH=CONFIG]231336[/ATTACH]
Gerry RRare visit to Scotland by Foxy Lady
DH 110 Sea Vixen FAW 2 G-CVIX (XP 924) arrived at RAF Leuchars today from Bournemouth, a transit of over 500 miles, it is to take part in the flypast tomorrow (weather permitting) at Rosyth for the new carrier naming ceremony. After arrival it was immediately re-fuelled, other aircraft participating in the flypast are Tornado, Typhoon, FRADU Hawk x 3, and a host of choppers, and the Red Arrows (their second visit in a week north of the border), approx time for flypast is 11.00.
Gerry R[ATTACH=CONFIG]229783[/ATTACH]
Gerry RFirst Leuchars Sqn transfers to Lossiemouth
The beginning of the end of RAF Leuchars as a front line fighter base occurred on Friday 20th June, with 6 Sqn transferring their Typhoons north to RAF Lossiemouth in Morayshire, 1(F) Sqn will follow in the autumn. Two succesive defence ministers have ignored the advice of RAF chiefs to keep the Typhoon force in Fife, the Morayshire base will be vacated by the present Tornado Sqns moving south to RAF Marham in Norfolk.
It seems a politcal decision after lobbying by the MP in the area where Lossiemouth was due to close after the Tornado move south, also the former Nimrod base at RAF Kinloss had already closed afew miles to the west, it seems the economic loss to the area with the two closures was a major factor in the decision.
The move north has already cost �millions also leaving Scotlands central belt further flying time away once the move is completed, almost 100 years as a front line fighter base will end at Leuchars as 2014 closes. The scenario of the the referendum in Sept could be a significant factor too, if a yes vote is registered then it is money down the drain, but that is purely a personal point of view.
Gerry R
Gerry RHangar Demolition
Hi,
Herewith a couple of pics taken on the Wed 11th and Fri 13th of June, the work I assume must started on the Monday the 9th, showing the former airside with the offices already flattened on the 11th, the other pic is the opposite side taken on the 13th with a large hole and the blast windows already taken out. [ATTACH=CONFIG]229286[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]229287[/ATTACH].
Gerry R
Gerry RDemolition in progress
Hi, Turnhouse hangar to go proclaims the title of this thread, in fact when I reported this almost 2 years ago, I thought then its demise was immiment after the offices were emptied, and there appeared an ominous sand and gravel mixing plant just beyond the old RAF MT yard. Sadly I have to report that Scotlands only example of a ‘C’ type is now in the process of demolition, I first noted this today, already the side offices have been flattened and two large openings have appeared either side of the hangar walls, I will post some pics of the sad scene fairly soon.
Gerry R
Gerry RLate summer upgrade for runway
A September start for the re-surfacing of the main runway has been confirmed, this being a re-schedule for this work, originally due to have been completed this month.
RCAM were installed as the interim airfield operator on 1st April for a period of 9 months, the owner of Lee/Daedalus (HCA), are seeking a longer term partner to promote the airfield. On the subject of RCAM I stated one of their areas of operation was Cardiff airport, this was incorrect, it is the heliport 2 miles from the city centre they are involved with, as well as the 4 airports at Blackpool, Derry, Exeter and Coventry.
PPR at Lee remains a requirement but now only applies to out of hours, if space is available visiting aircraft are usually directed to the tower to park, the same situation as pre-Sapphire.
Gerry R
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