Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By Forfoxake
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1844407
SteveX wrote:Yes. Edinburgh absolutely superb place. Glasgow an utter eyesore. Grey tower blocks in the middle of green hills, disgraceful to have allowed such architecture.


Big thread drift here but I must challenge this.

Of course, like most big cities, Glasgow has tower blocks though several have been knocked down already! But what about the Charles Rennie MacIntosh and Alexander 'Greek' Thomson architecture. And Glasgow also has lots of nice parks and easy access to the green hills (and blue lochs) you mention. ? And above all, very friendly people.

There is nothing wrong with Edinburgh but Glasgow's miles better.

PS Glasgow means 'green hollow'.

PPS I am not even a Glaswegian!
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By SteveX
#1844446
Ive been many times and failed to see the blue Lochs in the city, do you mean those outside miles away like other cities?

I'm sure there is more but I'm not sold on endless people on street corners preaching the Lord, a sea of empty Grolsch bottles and an equally large sea of empty Tennants Super cans. And that was before I left the airport to travel in!!
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1844452
I live within City of Glasgow.
Within 10min drive of my house I have:
St Germain's Loch
Tannoch Loch
Mugdock and Craigmaddie Reservoirs
Bardowie Loch
Kilmardinny Loch
Bingham's Pond
Various other smaller ponds

The Clyde
River Kelvin
Forth and Clyde Canal

So I guess it depends what you mean by "in the city".
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By TLRippon
#1844494
I was born and raised in a Glasgow suburb, as riverrock and forfoxake points out the stereotype is as usual far from the mark. For example, I find East Anglia full of literally nothing of interest and people who all look strangely similar, based on my few visits to limited parts of Norwich.
Clearly I have missed the interesting parts and not met more representative people. There is a small chance that Rob P may have had the same experience in Glasgow.

Riverrock, I used to slide across Kilmardinny Loch on my to school when it was frozen:
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By Forfoxake
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1844497
SteveX wrote:Ive been many times and failed to see the blue Lochs in the city, do you mean those outside miles away like other cities?

I'm sure there is more but I'm not sold on endless people on street corners preaching the Lord, a sea of empty Grolsch bottles and an equally large sea of empty Tennants Super cans. And that was before I left the airport to travel in!!


Apart from the mainly reservoirs and canal within the city limits and the Rivers Clyde, Kelvin and Cart, Loch Lomond, the largest lake in Great Britain, with its mountain scenery is not miles away, but less that half an hour away by car.

I also do not recognise the endless people you mention but perhaps you have been unlucky!
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By G-JWTP
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1844556
rdfb wrote:
IMCR wrote:In the land of capitalism the last time I landed at Miami Int. I was taken aback when it was suggested I really should take fuel. The fuel prices were pretty average for Florida, not the cheapest, but no significant premium. I asked why. Well, the landing fee is $50, otherwise free with fuel. The hospitality, including soft drinks and some food was also free, as was the drive to and from the aircraft.


What's ironic is that in the case of aviation, it's the US that appears to be socialist, and the UK capitalist. In the US airports and ATC are federally funded, so that's why competition has brought the landing fee down to nothing or nearly nothing when you're clearly costing them more than that to serve you. Equal access is also federally mandated to airports receiving federal funding, which is basically all of them. In the UK, the government's capitalist "user pays" policy has led the CAA to permit siloed airspace and (commercially) unregulated airports, even though they have local monopolies thanks to planning laws, leading to the deliberate pricing out of GA at most major airports. The CAA could still fulfil their "user pays" mandate with joined up airspace and the provision of equal access with pricing that fairly reflects costs, but that's harder to set up and even harder to transform into, so they haven't done that, and so we have disjoint, effectively-closed-to-GA airspace, effectively-closed-to-GA airports, an excess of infringements and so on.

Rant over. Carry on :)



But not really capitalist.

Heathrow wanted to increase fees recently, but the CAA said no.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... irport-caa

If it was a true market led system Heathrow would set its own prices according to market forces.

For many years price controls were forced on LHR due to its dominant position.
Covid has pushed the reset button on all of this and the likes of Amsterdam and Dubai have taken away an awful lot of its hub business.

G-JWTP
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845840
riverrock wrote:Just to say, Glasgow Flight Centre confirmed £39.95 if you get fuel, otherwise £50 (incl 2 hrs parking).


Riiiiight.

That is absolutely not what they said back in February, which you were good enough to confirm with them then and report on this thread halfway down page 2.

Poor show.
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845856
I suggest you confirm the price when you PPR. I only know what I read from the manager on Facebook.
Apparently they are subsidising the landing fee, which they can only afford to do when you get fuel.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845860
riverrock wrote:Just to say, Glasgow Flight Centre confirmed £39.95 if you get fuel, otherwise £50 (incl 2 hrs parking). You must pre-book.


And this is NOT what it says on the website...

Im certainly not one to refuse to go to places with a landing fee of more than €××, BUT one thing I intensely dislike is being told its €×× and on arrival discovering its €×× plus €yy or €××++ etc. And it doesnt matter if its €5 or €50, just be up front honest!!

Regards, SD..
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By Forfoxake
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845900
Forfoxake wrote:
riverrock wrote:What did they say the extra £10 was for?


Not sure. Maybe because I did not need any fuel.

However, to be fair, I was told when I phoned before I left from Straven.


Nevertheless, when I was asked for feedback, I told Allan Falconer that I "think you should publicise on your website etc. that it costs more without fuel uplift."

I also added that most Rotax powered aircraft would not buy AVGAS 100LL because the lead is not good for the engines and probably not UL91 (if available) unless stuck because it is much dearer than E5 unleaded petrol!