Thu May 06, 2021 4:13 pm
#1845389
Cultures change.
General Aviation, and especially its recreational operation is very sensitive to change.
Big business ideas are often unable to understand the importance of the whole package.
Sometimes there’s no profit to be had from poorer pilots flying their group aeroplanes...
A small change in operational policy can lead to the demise of the unprofitable aspects of recreational flying.
But all businesses can be compared to high street shops.
A good mix of shops brings greater footfall, and many passers by.
Sometimes a passer by will happen to bring business to your shop...
An active airfield with an enjoyable positive atmosphere attracts human beings.
I had the Condor Club, rented out my little aeroplanes, and there’s not much profit in it.
But,
It brought people to the field, it brought other business to me.
It brought business to the airfield.
It brought new members to revitalise the Tiger Club.
It brought other owners to base their aeroplanes to be near me!
It brought landing fees to the airfield.
It brought business to Slingsby’s who sold a few more aeroplanes because of me.
People would say that I am not a businessman... Maybe true on one level, I never took more money than I needed then (a mistake I admit).
But not all business is as it looks.
You won’t sell coffee as profitably if you do not make the place your customers come to, pleasant and comfortable.
I charged £5 an hour more for my Condors than the Tiger Club did, and they flew a lot more, because I gave my customers pleasant positive service.
Wycombe needs to look at what it can offer everyone.
Make it a place people want to visit.
It used to be very active, gliding, R22, WAC, and even go back to PPS!
It had a good café.
It was a many facetted place to be.
They need to revitalise the place, make it business friendly... Or perhaps ultimately they want to build houses and retire to Tenerife?
As for the provision of ATC, look at how the CAA has screwed up the LAA Rally in recent years.
Last edited by MichaelP on Thu May 06, 2021 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MichaelP
Wandering the World