[Iceman]

@Miscellaneous, hopefully, most of the airport cafe staff will have been on their Covid-19 retraining course by now .

Iceman

[The Admin Team]

Political yellow card.

[JodelDavo]

Sounds like a bit of a power trip going on there, nobody 'owns' the air above their unlicensed airfield.

Why not just say it's closed to airborne visitors without all the drama, capitals and self opinion?

Shades of Ashcroft?

[Human Factor]

Based pilots will be allowed to fly, one aircraft in any one hour, 9am till 12 noon and again 2pm till 5pm..Flights will be on the hour.
These slots will be agreed with me…

Seriously?

If I were Henstridge based, I would be using my hour usefully to make myself Compton Abbas based.

Just remember SD, it’s 500ft away.

[Miscellaneous]

Why not just say it's closed to airborne visitors without all the drama, capitals and self opinion?

Because that would deny him the opportunity to play Hitler.

They live amongst us.

[SteveX]

Ah, right, one step up. Same applies though! Just wondering what the CAA would think of all aerodromes re-opening but with no one on the radio. That way they don't need to un-furlough staff, just make a statement, "The gates are open, the rest is up to you."

There needs to be a CAA project to look at banning, yes banning, AFIS. Based solely on the average annual number of movements at all airfields there should be:
a) tower ATC
b) a minor form of the above where instructions are given and have to be obeyed, none of this AFIS can direct on the ground but not in the air nonsense. Could be a qualification that leads to a form of restricted 'controller' license. And in quiet times the airfield must revert to unicom style. If no controller answers then it becomes self announcing and the airfield is not closed
c) no control/self announce/unicom The vast majority of airfields.

As those that fly overseas know, this all works in USA, South Africa, Europe etc. We do not need a body occupying the airwaves for 50% of the time telling us things we can work out - wind, runway in use, QNH, where to park etc etc etc

[Kittyhawk]

Interesting management style and posting on the website for Henstridge "...A friendly general aviation airfield near Wincanton, Somerset." :

Coronavirus Update:
The Department of Transport has just published what can only be described as a “Release to GA flying”..
Frankly I think it is as sudden and foolish as Johnson’s release of the Nation on Sunday….It seems to promote an instant almost go do what you want…THIS ISN’T GOING TO BE THE CASE AT HENSTRIDGE.

Based pilots will be allowed to fly, one aircraft in any one hour, 9am till 12 noon and again 2pm till 5pm..Flights will be on the hour.
These slots will be agreed with me…The flight patterns will be agreed with me..

NO-ONE will fly without my express permission..there will be NO presumption of right…
No-one will land away,it is simply too early for that…
On the ground all social distancing guidance and hygiene advice will be followed to the letter, and if the governments advice isn’t clear, you can rest assured mine will be. My staff will be briefed that anyone on my land will do as they ask as much as if I asked myself.
To the neighbourhood…If anyone has a problem with the ground use I am at liberty to allow or not allow and the subsequent use of the air above us..Please ring me..If the phone is engaged or I can’t answer text on the number above..I will get back to you..

Geoff.

I wondered what happened to Basil Fawlty.....

[stevelup]

Well, sadly, there's somewhere added to my 'never fly there' list.

I cannot for the life of me understand the mindset of a business speaking to it's customers like that. It is just plain bizarre. What is it about aviation that seems to foster folks with such innovative ways of communicating?

[malcolmfrost]

When will people realise that if you have CAPS LOCK ON you probably need to be a little less aggressive!

[Red]

Strange how we see things so differently.
It'll be one of the first places I visit when I can (Wales Based).
Always was a favourite, and that no nonsense statement from the owner makes me even more pro-Henstridge.

[carlmeek]

We're given a clear set of rules by the government, and guidelines by the CAA. Why on earth do airfields need to apply a layer on top?

[skydriller]

Strange how we see things so differently.
It'll be one of the first places I visit when I can (Wales Based).
Always was a favourite, and that no nonsense statement from the owner makes me even more pro-Henstridge.

You'll love this place then:

https://www.ashcroftair.co.uk/



And you know what? Probably both places are great to visit, but the websites do amuse me.

[stevelup]

Strange how we see things so differently.
It'll be one of the first places I visit when I can (Wales Based).
Always was a favourite, and that no nonsense statement from the owner makes me even more pro-Henstridge.

There's a line, and it's not even a fine line, between 'no nonsense' and 'downright rude'.

[G-BLEW]

I know Henstrigde (it's where my maintenance is done), and I know Geoff.

I don't know what's driven those words, but I do know he's done a great job at Henstridge, invested heavily in the airfield, and has to deal with a very noise sensitive local population. Personally I've always found him super helpful.

Additionally, his regular radio/fuel/mower chap, Brian, would definitely fall into the high risk group 'cos he's not the youngest bloke you'll ever see at an airfield.

I haven't been there for a while (hope to pick up the 182 once annual is complete and airfield available) so don't know if there are any other factors, but let's cut him a little slack in these strange and tough times.

Ian

[foxmoth]

The bit that gets me is

subsequent use of the air above us..

Makes it very tempting to fly overhead just above the ATZ and see what happens!