[Freeflight]

A little on our ABP investor man:

'...whereas most tycoons from China and Hong Kong prefer to be discreet, Xu errs towards flamboyance. He is often driven around in a red Bentley, has a home in the affluent north London suburb of Winchmore Hill and collects luxury watches. Today’s choice is a chunky number from the Swiss brand Roger Dubuis....'

'...Eyebrows have been raised over how ABP was able to acquire its first site near Beijing in 2003 with no track record. The deal was structured as a joint venture between England Dauphin International Group, the vehicle that holds Xu’s wealth, and the Fengtai district government, which provided the land.

England Dauphin is registered in the tax haven of the Seychelles and Xu has residency there.

There have been suggestions of croynism between Xu and a politician called Wang Qishan, who worked at the Research Office of Rural Policies in the late 1980s and became mayor of Beijing around the time of ABP’s arrival....'

China Minsheng Investment Corp was ABP’s majority backer in their London Docklands scheme supported by then mayor, Boris Johnson. The fund is run by Dong Wenbiao, former chairman of the separate China Minsheng Banking Corp.

China Minsheng Investment bought a 33% stake in Lux Aviation, one of the world's the world's largest business aviation operators with 250 aircraft and 1500 employees.

So, could it be that ABP, with Minsheng money, are behind this project with Lux Aviation/Execujet behind the scenes....? A new Euro HQ for them, where to date they had a base at Cambridge, not a million miles away?

[Bobcro]

You have to read the historical News Releases at https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press to obtain a real insight into the developments that have and are taking place. The Unversity has by its own investment and securing inward national and international investment funded possibly £200 million of investment and many of the buildings are now occupied.

In any year there are 4,500 + post graduate students at Cranfield , plus 1,600 staff and to attract more business, particularly the integration of drones into controlled airspace, Digital ATC, DARTec, developing aircraft, cargo and passenger handing they need to upgrade the Airport and this has already started.

The runway needs to be levelled and rather struggle on with WW2 buildings they need modern facilities and to attract new business. The university have a proven record of identifying business opportunities, securing outline planning permission and then securing the funding, building the buildings, opening for business and creating jobs and wealth.

The new Oxford Bedford Cambridge road the East West Corridor passes close by as does the extension of the Varsity rail line. The surface communications will be upgraded but these things take time and money. It is well north of London but this can be solved by a helicopter shuttle if that is the final destination.

Unlike Luton Cranfield doesn't have the income from the 15+ million passengers that Luton does. Nor does it have the broad GA and flight training base of Oxford but it is full of BAe146s and last night the ramps were full with some big exec jets.

Yes they can do with more business but as the Airport suffers from a chronic lack of parking space then the Exec Aircraft Park will ultimately solve this.

Will there be space for flight training facilities as at present? I don't know and I don't know of anybody who does. It has to make business sense to the University and it will be hard to sell.

Will the hours of operation be extended? Yes providing the demand is there and income to cover the additional staff required.

Times have changed Cranfield has changed and will continue to do so whatever is written on this Forum . It is very easy for pilots of whatever ilk to criticise what has, is and will happen but it's the University not you funding the changes.

[gasman]

Reality check - Cranfield University receives over £20 million per year of taxpayers’ funding.

[AshleyFlynn23]

Thanks for the informative reply, BobCro. Much appreciated.
I live in hope that the flight training can continue and co-exist with the bizjet traffic and future developments of the airport. It's nice to see the University upgrading the airport and investing in its future. I for one will enjoy the sight of more bizjets along with anything else that flies in.

[E.g. John Doe]

Whilst it is good to hear of an airfield being expanded, when many others face closure, the cynic in me wonders about the motives behind the money, and whether it is a matter of time before GA gets squeezed out (think Biggin Hill) and there is a proposal to grab airspace (think Brize/Oxford).

Until there is an official Government policy towards protecting airspace and the wider airfield network (not just commercial airlines operations), these developments are likely to be funded by organisations (either directly or indirectly) with profit in mind, which is unlikely to include GA (which is not very lucrative).

[AshleyFlynn23]

I'm hopeful that GA will continue to be welcome there. The University offers an Airport Management course so it would be good to have an airport that has a diverse range of operators such as private jets, flying schools and maintenance organisations to go with the new digital tower.
As for airspace, I imagine only time will tell but they have to do what is best for the airport and those that operate in to it.

[chevvron]

Until there is an official Government policy towards protecting airspace and the wider airfield network (not just commercial airlines operations), these developments are likely to be funded by organisations (either directly or indirectly) with profit in mind, which is unlikely to include GA (which is not very lucrative).

There is an official government policy but the DfT won't tell anyone what it is.
They have the final 'say' as to who gets CAS; the CAA just present them with a recommendation, the criteria being based on passenger throughput but what figures they use they have never said.
Problem is there are some like Doncaster CAS which slip through the net.

[flybymike]

Don’t for get Delia.....

[Paul_Sengupta]

Weren't those based on forecasts of linear growth? Maybe based on the early days of Stansted's rise to fame....