This is England

[fly_tornado]

First Posted: Tue 18 Aug 2015

 

 

If you're a regular reader of the famous FLYER forum, you'll have seen the thread about a flying instructor who made an emergency precautionary landing at closed Plymouth Airport because of bad weather. The leaseholders of Plymouth Airport, property developers Sutton Harbour Holdings, are refusing to let him fly his aircraft out and a high-tension stand-off is the result with the Jodel as hostage.

 

The instructor had been visiting Bodmin Airfield in Cornwall to carry out biennual reviews for two pilots. When he checked the weather for his flight home to Farthing Corner, Kent, it wasn't brilliant but VFR all the way... or so he thought. Passing Plymouth the weather suddenly deteriorated and the only safe option was the precautionary landing - and a nice big hard runway on the outskirts of Plymouth beckoned.

 

Security guards at the defunct site, closed by SHH four years ago, were initially OK for the pilot to return two days later when the weather forecast was good to fly it out. However, then SHH bosses got involved and said the Jodel would have to be taken out by road, and also demanded recompense for the security guards costs and legal fees. Concrete blocks were placed around the aircraft to stop it being moved. It's in the open, behind locked gates.

 

FLYER contacted SHH who issued this statement: "A light aircraft landed at the former airport site last weekend and we are in contact with the pilot/owner to enable its safe removal." The company has nothing to add, said the spokesman.

 

FLYER understands that SHH has insisted upon a media blackout, with the flight instructor unable to speak to the press.

 

The current situation, so far as we understand, is that Plymouth Council councillors are meeting this week to apply some pressure on SHH to let the pilot fly out his aircraft. It was the council who granted SHH a lease on the airport in the first place. We also understand that Sir Gerald Howarth MP, a member of the government and a private pilot, has been in touch with SHH.

 

http://www.flyer.co.uk/aviation-news/newsfeed.php?artnum=2374

 

 

[DGL Fox]

What a ridiculous situation, the company has just taken advantage of the poor old CFI and are now holding him to ransom...I would come there at the break of dawn and escape with my aircraft...what a rip off...try too anyway..

 

David

 

 

[dutchroll]

That's just bloody ludicrous.

 

But then again, I'm unaware of any property developers who actually have morals, ethics, or any sense of fairness, so it doesn't particularly surprise me.

 

 

[old man emu]

Poor piloting. Didn't he see the nice little primary school just off the threshold of Rwy 31? Could've landed on that!

 

OME

 

 

[yampy]

At least the runway was still usable , unlike Hoxton Park Airport I recall , whose runway was ploughed up within minutes of the airfield officially closing down and denying any use for even emergencies ..

 

Dave

 

 

[dazza 38]

Just tell the rozzers that old mate developer has stolen your plane and you know where it is.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

http://www.flyer.co.uk/aviation-news/newsfeed.php?artnum=2383

 

The Jodel 120 trapped at closed Plymouth Airport has been cleared to fly out as soon as the weather permits - possibly this Friday. Sutton Harbour Holdings, leaseholder of the airport, has agreed to let Martin Ferid, the aircraft owner and pilot who made the landing, to return and fly the aircraft out.

 

In a letter to Charles Strasser of AOPA, Sutton Harbour Holdings (SHH) chairman Graham Miller, says, "I very much hope he [Martin Ferid] will be able to take off again from the airfield this Friday weather permitting and be safely on his way. I completely agree with you that a precautionary landing was his best course of action in what sounds like an emergency situation."

 

Mr Miller went on to say it took longer than SHH or Mr Ferid would have liked to get the Jodel's airworthiness and insurance indemnities properly documented - finalised yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. Mr Miller also confirmed no fees whatsoever will be charged by SHH.

 

Finally, Mr Miller confirmed that SHH will be updating its protocols for emergency landings "and we will be far better prepared for such an eventuality on a future occasion. That said, we have to emphasise that this site is no longer a functioning airport."

 

 

[pmccarthy1]

I flew into Stockholm and Copenhagen last week as a passenger and saw two airports that had windrows of something across them to prevent use. I can't remember quite where they were. I suspect that they are unused military fields that can be quickly reinstated by a front end loader if the neighbours get restless.