Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Aerotech Flyer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1872155
Dear fellow pilots,
One of the most memorable flying trips that I have taken part in on the Flyer Forum was the fabulous fly out to commemorate the closing of Berlin Templehof in 2008. It will be a great shame if Coventry airport closes with hardly a whimper, without even the slightest attempt to put up a few airframes into the air to acknowledge its own great heritage and past. After all, we should mark the building of many different types of aircraft there, the great post war King's Cup Air Races and the enthusiastically supported Airshows of more recent years. In fact why do we need to commemorate its loss? It hasn't gone yet! The developer's bulldozers haven't quite come through the gates and there is still time to add your own objections to the proposed planning application. Don't be sucked into the argument about the jobs or environmental credentials of an electric battery plant at the airport. No company or enterprise has yet come forward or proposed to actually build said facilities, it is only speculation by the developer, the same developer who was put in charge of running the airport as an airport, but has now revealed his true colours,.... and they are not green!
So how about a bit of fighting spirit? We go on about the Battle of Britain or the courage of our Bomber Command airmen, but do we have the mettle to copy their blatant refusal to submit to an adversary who seems all powerful and holds the advantage in numbers and backing? It's not too late to play your part, as we would like to see as many visitors to Coventry as possible on Saturday 2nd Oct to show your support for the airport and to illustrate to the local councillors about to decide on the future of the airport that it is not a disused, unviable, derelict, site as portrayed by the developers. We are not trying to arrange a Fly-in or do anything official, we would just like as many of you as possible to drop in for a visit, pay your landing fee and support us just by being there! It may be that we will have some refreshments up at the Coventry Aero Club and the staff at Aerotech will be there to welcome you with a burger or bacon roll or whatever. But that will just be a by the by! Let's show Grant Shapps and Robert Courts what being the best in General Aviation is really all about. It's about tackling difficult situations in aviation head on with a bit of grit and gumption! Please encourage your fellow pilots/owners and clubs to pop in, it's not too late to turn a commemoration into a celebration of flying! Thank you.
Aerotech Flyer :salut:
Flyin'Dutch', mick w, Forfoxake and 8 others liked this
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By Aerotech Flyer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873095
Just a positive update to say that despite no replies to this post :roll: we have had a good response from the aviators from local airfields, who we have contacted directly and we have also received support from Bob Davy who will be flying into Coventry on Saturday with the fabulous YAK-3 fighter along with Charlotte Bailey (who has already written an article in the local press campaigning for us).

Weather looks ok, so please consider joining us in fighting to put a stop to the airport land grabs. We have now got the backing of the General and Business Aviation Strategic Forum who include AOPA, the BBGA and the GAA. They are registering their objection to the DfT and the CAA about what is happening to us and now is the time to pile on the pressure to draw a line in front of Coventry before it affects YOUR airfield next!

Please fly in if you can find the fuel to get to your airfield! :shock:
We would love to see as many aircraft as possible dropping in on Saturday.
PPR available at http://www.egbe-flights.com
See you there!
Aerotech Flyer :salut:
#1873113
I was almost tempted to 'sign up' but then saw A) its one of those places that wants ppr, B) it actually has the audacity to close on one weekend day, Sundays.

So rather than stay available with no radio or services or whatever, it actually bans visitors then wants to 'be saved'. Hilarious. Sell it for much needed housing if it isn't needed for any serious aviation purposes.
By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873160
Im planning to join Bob D and fly in on Saturday, and hopefully bring maybe 6-8 aircraft from Waltham.

We had a 3-4 people tried to phone for PPR over the last few days but reported that the phones just rang unanswered. Seems like they really are doing thier best to dissuade visitors - and cause the airfield to be a commercial failure.
By dangerous pete
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873172
Be very careful when flying into Coventry, someone got fined I think it was £8000 last year for landing there whilst using the wrong radio frequency, the frequencies were changing due to availability of ATC staff. Even though I trained there it has put me off returning. If they are going to do that sort of thing to visiting pilots they don't need my custom.
#1873198
Please, please, do not be put off by weird stories about Coventry. The fine was because having not checked about the new use of 8.33kHz and having landed without clearance whilst there was still another aircraft on the runway, the said pilot later falsified his logbook to show he was still in check on that aircraft although in fact his check had expired.
The staff at Coventry are very dedicated and helpful and they do not want to lose the airfield any more than us the businesses based there. It is all about top management where our grievances lie!
Also, this is not a last gasp!! We have made huge in roads against the owner group's egregious shutdown plans. Some of the objections on the Warwick District Council's planning committee list drive a bulldozer and trailer through the gapping holes in the developer's schemes. And now that our aviation bodies and institutions are waking up to what has been going on, the power behind the scenes and devious lobbying is being tackled head on as well. It just needs some more overt windage such as this genuine support from the aviation community itself and their whole conniving house of cards may start to fall down!
So please, especially if you have not visited Cov before, come and discover our beautifully smooth 6000 foot runway and the realise how much of a travesty it will be to destroy it!
Keep passing the word.
Aerotech Flyer :salut:
p.s. Looks like the YAK might have a Hurricane for company now and some jets too!!
#1873203
SteveX wrote:I was almost tempted to 'sign up' but then saw A) its one of those places that wants ppr, B) it actually has the audacity to close on one weekend day, Sundays.

So rather than stay available with no radio or services or whatever, it actually bans visitors then wants to 'be saved'. Hilarious. Sell it for much needed housing if it isn't needed for any serious aviation purposes.


I can't believe that you would be so naïve not to see that this strategy is actually all part of the developer's plan! It is the airport owners themselves that are trying to redevelop the land. So by shutting on a weekend day, not staying open late, withdrawing the radar, ILS and ATC services and not investing in any new facilities, they can wait until people like you stop flying in and declare the airport unviable and only fit for redevelopment.
So please do "sign up" and help us, even if it does include using their non-user friendly PPR system.
Thank you
Aerotech Flyer :salut:

So just a reminder, please go to https://egbe-flights.com/ for PPR, it's a bit clunky, but you may not get through on the phone for PPR.
Last edited by Aerotech Flyer on Wed Sep 29, 2021 9:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
Kittyhawk liked this
#1873205
It's been a while since I've been to Coventry and would very much consider dropping in if I was able, even though it's a bit of a flight.

However your delight in extracting revenge on a brexit voting owner has rather put me off.

Still I don't really enjoy seeing airfields fail or disappear so do wish you the best of luck.
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By Aerotech Flyer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873209
proteus wrote:It's been a while since I've been to Coventry and would very much consider dropping in if I was able, even though it's a bit of a flight.
However your delight in extracting revenge on a brexit voting owner has rather put me off.
Still I don't really enjoy seeing airfields fail or disappear so do wish you the best of luck.


(For those not in the know, the above refers to the "Flying so far in 2021" thread.)
Sorry about that, in my defence, I can only say that I listed some of the very real and negative effects Brexit has had on my own flying and our business. The revenge was merely a term for the irony I found in pointing out the consequences of the owner's voting with respect to his own aircraft.

Thank you for the good luck wishes, they are appreciated.

AF
#1873210
Aerotech Flyer wrote:......... this strategy is actually all part of the developer's plan! It is the airport owners themselves that are trying to redevelop the land. So by shutting on a weekend day, not staying open late, withdrawing the radar, ILS and ATC services and not investing in any new facilities, they can wait until people like you stop flying in and declare the airport unviable and better for redevelopment.
Phase 2 of our plan after stopping the redevelopment, will be to get a decent team in to take over the running of the airport. So please do "sign up" and help us, even if it does include using their non-user friendly PPR system.
Thank you
Aerotech Flyer :salut:


It is the airport owners themselves that are trying to redevelop the land.

The worrying thing is that the owners (according to their website) are the Rigby Group who own other airports. If this is their long-term strategy, then perhaps people operating from their other airports might feel it is worth the flight to support Aerotech Flyer and your fellow pilots.
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By Human Factor
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873211
Lefty wrote:Im planning to join Bob D and fly in on Saturday, and hopefully bring maybe 6-8 aircraft from Waltham.

We had a 3-4 people tried to phone for PPR over the last few days but reported that the phones just rang unanswered. Seems like they really are doing thier best to dissuade visitors - and cause the airfield to be a commercial failure.


Not sure I can make it as I may have other commitments but I'll do my best to bring the camera ship. If I can't get PPR, I may have to divert. :wink:
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1873222
So the Rigby Group owns Bournemouth, Coventry, Exeter and Norwich, and operate Blackpool Airport and Solent Airport Daedalus on behalf of their owners.

They also operate the XLR Executive Jet Centres at Birmingham, Bournemouth, Exeter and Liverpool.
Flyin'Dutch' liked this