[Dodgy Reckoning]

I dropped by Newcastle at the weekend in a PA28. The GA terminal there is run by Samson Aviation, who are a friendly professional handling agent and seemed to handle any request quite happily. They have a nice building, with lounge and briefing facilities and were quite happy to give us a lift over to the main airport terminal. The catch, of course, is that you pay for all this. Landing+Handling+Overnight park £75.21 inc VAT.

To be honest, I was meeting friends in Newcastle city centre and recognised that I was paying for facilities and convenience; called in advance so I knew what I was getting myself into and was pleased with the service.

DR

[Steve H]

Airport website

http://www.newcastleairport.com/

WiFi Information

Free WiFi access

[joe-fbs]

I rented from Northumbria Flying School while holidaying in the area recently so this post is written from that point of view rather than as a visitor arriving in a light aircraft. In that case, I understand that the compulsory handling by Samson includes lounge facilites, etc. Either way, there is AVGAS available with refuelling by a bowser which comes to you.

Although I have flown from an airport with CAT before (Doncaster), it is nothing like as busy as Newcastle and I had to learn quickly how to fit-in without being a nuisance. I did a local check / familiarisation trip then a land-away and return. For all of it, we were fitting into a fairly steady flow of commercial traffic. The GA area is at western end of the runway and there is no parallel taxi-way so to depart with 25 in-use, one has wait (for about ten minutes on my second flight) to enter and back-track to about half way along the runway (opposite the control tower) then turn to take-off. On landing for 25, if there is CAT coming down the ILS and you are joining visual in something small (I was renting a PA28-161) then the technique seems to be to make the final turn somewhere around the threshold and touch down well along the runway to exit direct and ASAP onto the GA apron. I guess for runway 08, the departure technique is straight onto the runway and off and to land as short as possible but that is a guess, I didn't do it. There did not seem to be anything to see or do on the GA side. I think the flying school had a hot drink machine and an empty fridge. The school let me use its PC for weather and SkyDemonLight (which was new to them). Renting at Newcastle was similar to my experiences renting elsewhere in the UK. You have to be very persistent to get a response, re-confirm repeatedly then hang around on arrival while things get organised. On the positive side, everyone was helpful and friendly once I was actually there and metaphorically waving my cheque book! There are two light aircraft operators at Newcastle. Back in January, I emailed both asking about renting. Northumbrian never did reply. Saint George Flying school responded after a long delay, took my booking then a couple of months later told me they would not have an aeroplane for me after all. I then had to go through the above mentioned run-around with Northumbrian. Anyway, it all worked in the end, I got an aeroplane (typically old and tatty flying school machine) and had some great flying over very beautiful country (we went to Cumbernauld and back via the coast, more detail in my post about Cumbernauld).

Total of five hours flying in the day, including three quarters of an hour with an instructor. Total cost was about 650 pounds.

[UpThere]

I dropped off my wife at Newcastle today, in a DA40, and was charged £80 for landing and handling fees. I had to make a couple of orbits on right base, to fit in with the commercial stuff and was pleased to make the first exit off runway 07, to taxi to Samson Aviation's facilities. A friendly Geordie greeted us and apologised for the language we were about to hear from the Newcastle football team, who were waiting for a private jet. After getting a free drink, I was directed upstairs to the empty crew briefing room, which had a TV, PC and free wi-fi. Not much for the money, I suppose, but having been stung for £250 at Edinburgh, it was almost a bargain!

Departure involved filling in the flight details on a form which Samson faxed to the tower, then waiting for another gap in the commercial traffic. I had to route via the Tyne bridges both coming and going, so, as a newcomer, I was relieved that they were labelled on my half mil map.

In summary, GA friendly, if you can afford it.

[skydriller]

So that was £27 landing and £53 for handling....which consisted of a drink and use of wi-fi/PC...
Though it doesn't say so in the document you linked to, Im guessing Handling is Mandatory at Newcastle?

Regards, SD..