Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910527
Are you saying there is no NOTAM to correct the AIP being inaccurate at Staverton? If not, then I am highly unimpressed, if so, what is the fuss about?

This is exactly what the Notam system is for.

Regards, SD..
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By MattL
#1910530
When airfields are closing and crumbling away all over the U.K, I think it’s great news that the Gloucester investment and updates / resurfacing are all coming good. To have such an airfield with approaches including RNP available to GA is great.

It’s not really a great look that some on here seem to jump on anything negative they can find with it with such glee.
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By Flyingfemme
#1910534
“Coming good” is not necessarily how it is going..........one runway has been permanently lost; not a hugely active runway but a lifesaver in the winter when the wind is strong from the south. The “crosswind” runway (04/22) has been downgraded by weight and can no longer handle the traffic it used to. The main runway is very pretty but most people didn’t mind the hump in the middle and, this week, has been open then closed (see notams) for reasons unexplained. The new helicopter procedures were trialled and abandoned partway through the trial. No further trials or results have been announced. The new layouts and signage could have been promulgated in good time but were not. All the management care about is their new business park - the reason 18/36 was closed and likely to have noise problems from the irritating airplanes operating outside the windows.
By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910549
skydriller wrote:
> Are you saying there is no NOTAM to correct the AIP being inaccurate at
> Staverton? If not, then I am highly unimpressed, if so, what is the fuss
> about?
>
> This is exactly what the Notam system is for.
>
> Regards, SD..

No, the new holding point designations are not NOTAM’d. At the moment, there are two contradictory NOTAMs in place - one stating 09/27 is open and cancelling the SUP that was published in February (for the work that began in January) and another saying 09/27 is closed for to WIP. They’ve been promulgating local ‘Airport Advice’ and ‘Airport Works Notices’ but NOTAMs seem to be something of an afterthought.

MattL, there was always a plan and budget set aside to resurface 09/27 around about now, but it wasn’t predicated on the permanent closure of 18/36 and building a business park on it to fund the works.

The new business park will, however, significantly impinge on helicopter activity on the north side and require their positive integration with fixed wing circuits - they currently operate autonomously - this, in turn, will reduce capacity. The Airport publicly admitted that it hadn’t considered the implications of this until it was pointed out by operators after the planning application had been made. They hastily threw together an operational trial of the procedures but gained no meaningful data and abandoned it shortly after.

In the last four years, other active, funded projects including LPV approaches (yes, I appreciate Brexit would have scuppered those anyway), the ADSB trial that is now operating at North Weald and Barton and Pilot Controlled Lighting have also fallen by the wayside. Mandatory handling for >3mt, hi viz and PPR have been introduced and the radar has been unserviceable for the entire time. Avgas is now between 20 and 45ppl more expensive than other local airfields.

Having spent 24 years working there, I really hope that your assertion that the investment in infrastructure is a positive thing, I’m a long way from being convinced.
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By MattL
#1910579
AndyR wrote:
> MattL wrote:
> > Where else in the U.K. spends the cash to maintain 3 tarmac runways with
> > approaches including RNP?
>
> Two runways now it seems?

Exactly my point Andy - some are making out the loss of one runway is some kind of disastrous downgrade and everything is doomed at Gloucester - but where else is maintaining investment in 3 tarmac runways and ATC and IAPs?
By matspart3
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910587
MattL wrote:
> AndyR wrote:
> > MattL wrote:
> > > Where else in the U.K. spends the cash to maintain 3 tarmac runways with
> > > approaches including RNP?
> >
> > Two runways now it seems?
>
> Exactly my point Andy - some are making out the loss of one runway is some kind of
> disastrous downgrade and everything is doomed at Gloucester - but where else is
> maintaining investment in 3 tarmac runways and ATC and IAPs?

It’s not just about the runway Matt. 18/36 was always the least utilised runway, normally only accounting for around 3-5000 of the annual 50 000 fixed-wing movements. There’ll be a handful of non-flyable days as a consequence.

The bigger picture is the long-term damage the other poor operational and business decisions are doing.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910605
matspart3 wrote:
> No, the new holding point designations are not NOTAM’d. At the moment, there are
> two contradictory NOTAMs in place - one stating 09/27 is open and cancelling the
> SUP that was published in February (for the work that began in January) and another
> saying 09/27 is closed for to WIP.

That is confusing and down right Dangerous.

Jonzarno wrote:
> When I called for PPR, they told me about the amended AIP and offered to email me
> the new plate. I received it a couple of minutes later.

This is the rub. A large, busy GA airfield with a substantial AIP entry like Staverton should NOT be PPR... You should be able to get the AIP plate/info & check Notams, inwardly digest and then just pitch up!!

Regards, SD..
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910721
matspart3

> I’m a long way from being convinced.

How’s your course in aerodrome operations and management coming along these days? I do think many could learn from you, including some tertiary education institutions. :-)
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1910724
> A large, busy GA airfield with a substantial AIP entry like Staverton should NOT be PPR... You should be able to get the AIP plate/info & check Notams, inwardly digest and then just pitch up!!

Indeed. As has been posted elsewhere, if the world’s busiest GA aerodrome Van Nuys KVNY doesn’t need PPR, then Gloucester shouldn’t need it either.