Airside access at Sywell fly-in

Nigel Hitchman · Post by **Nigel Hitchman** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:51 pm

The LAA homepage now contains this information written by Peter Harvey

Airside access:

Sywell are making airside arrangements, providing free, albeit escorted access to all. Whilst this might not meet everyone’s expectations, it does meet modern Health and Safety regulations and ensures public safety which must remain a priority.

I am not quite sure what this means. Presumably the mention of "public" means that this refers to members of the general public who are not members of the LAA, not pilots or passengers of aircraft arriving at the fly-in or their guests.
This sort of escorted access would seem to be appropriate to local general public with no particular aviation interest or knowedge who just happen to turn up and want a look around.

"escorted access" is obviously totally inappropriate for LAA members and visiting pilots who should have free access to the aircraft park at all times, as is normal at all other fly-ins.

I dont know what some people think goes on at fly-ins, but my intention will be to arrive in my aircraft and stay airside in the parking area photographing and looking at other aircraft and meeting my friends for the whole time. Im expecting to meet many of my LAA member friends there, some of whom will be arriving by road.
I see no reason to go to any non airside area at all, except maybe to visit the toilet if there arent any airside!

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:20 pm

We need clarification on this pretty sharpish - no airside access = no point in going.

Ian Melville · Post by **Ian Melville** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:24 am

It could be for the safety of the aircraft from the general puplic

BTW many LAA members are not owners/pilots and have no airside safety training or experience.

Nigel Hitchman · Post by **Nigel Hitchman** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:32 am

Ian,
yes it is true that "many" LAA members are not aircraft owners/pilots, unfortunately the "many" is now becoming "few" with Rally cancellations and stupid restrications on airside access at LAA events (even if this event is run by Sywell, it is promoted as an LAA event and the LAA should be ensuring the event is run in a suitable way for its members)

These non owenrs/pilots may not have had any formal airside "training" but niether have many pilots, Ive been flying for 20 plus years and never had any!

But when you talk about airside experience, then the majority of non owner/pilot LAA members probably have a lot more airside experience than any flying club pilot flying in. They have all probably been to the rally for the last x years and been to Popham, Sandown, Henstridge, Dunkeswell etc etc already this year. Plenty of experience there!

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:20 pm

Nigel. I sympathise and agree wholeheartedly. I did attempt to get things changed but sadly failed. Slot times and no 'normal' airside access - I fear many will stay away as a result and thie event will be a mear shadow of what it could have been.

Alan Kilbride · Post by **Alan Kilbride** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:30 pm

Unfortunately I am going to have to reconsider visiting Sywell Revival having now read and digested the rules for attending.
I hesitantly prebooked my slot, but now that there is no airside access for visitors I feel that is no longer in the spirit of the LAA nor indeed my idea of a rollocking good weekend.
I can probably load up the tent and tootle off to places far and wide get blathered and generally have a good time elsewhere.....sorry Sywell

cirrusvfr · Post by **cirrusvfr** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:02 pm

R Alan Kilbride (and others! )

Can throughly recommend the European Luscombes and Friends Rally at Oaksey Park, August 7th-9th. Fantastic location, good banter and story swapping, camping by your aircraft, brilliant food and drink .....what more can you ask for ???

Full details here...... http://www.europeanluscombes.org.uk/Events/Rally.htm

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 5:31 pm

I'm spitting feathers over this ! It was my one excuse to get away from the farm for a couple of days holiday (for a change) to "get up close" to some interesting new aircraft and have a good chinwag with the owners as in the old days. I was rubbing my hands with glee a few months ago, thinking this is more like it. To say I feel let down by this is the biggest understatement since Noah said "It looks like rain"!! My own strip should be up and running by then so I think I'll have my own mini fly-in.

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:16 am

Nobody is going o agree that this is an ideal situation, but it IS the nearest thing we've got to an old style PFA Rally for three years, and there is a chance that if it goes well then we will have a proper LAA event next year. For those of us flying in it is only the slot isue that will need addressing, register and turn up sometime near your allotted slot - not really a problem. Airside access should be open to us as at any normal airfield in order to get too and fro to your aircraft, and camping by your aircraft is allowed. I really do sympathise with those attending by road, but access in escorted groups will be available, certainly better than no access at all.
I hope members will see through the problems, which are perhaps not as show-stopping as has been represented here, and at least give the event a try. A poor showing this year is hardly going to encourage EC to go for a full blown rally in 2010.

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:26 am

I had planed to fly in on the Friday and depart on the Sunday. My backup plan was to drive down. I guess no point in driving down now, so hope the weather cooperates.

Rod1

Nigel Ramsay · Post by **Nigel Ramsay** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:29 am

Gents,
I've kept out of this until I had something useful to contribute. I'm not going to comment (much) on some of the attitudes adopted toward something which (as Brian Says) is not necessarily ideal, but IS the best we can do and deserves support from the members, especially if you actually want a proper event in 2010.

The issue of camping by a/c versus airside access I felt raised a very valid point and so I asked Jeff Bell at Sywell to clarify. I hope his reply to me (shown below) goes some way towards soothing some ruffled feathers!

Hi Nigel,

A visiting aircraft and all it's occupants will get a wrist band for the one landing fee. This wrist band gives them unlimited airside access, but they must show it at airside access points. It is the general public that will have restricted access in the form of guided tours by MKAS.

Rgds,

Jeff Bell
AFISU Manager
Northampton/Sywell Aerodrome.

Come on guys, fly in, camp, enjoy and support us!

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:13 pm

Ok I am probably being stupid but perhaps someone can answer this.

I have a slot booked to fly in and camp and I want to support the rally (I consider slots a minor issue see my other posts). If the weather is bad I planed to drive in and camp. Can I do this? Can I get unrestricted airside access as I am a member and an aircraft owner and I had a slot booked? I could turn up with my PPL in hand if this helps!

Rod1

Nigel Ramsay · Post by **Nigel Ramsay** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:30 pm

So what exactly will YOU do to improve the situation Ron? (apart from whingeing). The airside access issue has been chewed over until it's pureed! Whether you like it or not, SYWELL have made their decision, based on THEIR H&E assessment in conjunction with MKAS.

The LAA have devolved responsibility for the event so as to avoid financial risk in difficult times. This was a decision rightly or wrongly arrived at by committee. Bloody difficult, not unanimous but nevertheless democratic. You vote for your EC to run the association in the members best interests. If you don't like their decisions, stand up and be counted, stand for election to the EC and MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

In other words PUT UP or SHUT UP

I'm heartily fed up listening to people carping on when they themselves have contributed precisely nothing to their association beyond paying their membership.

Yesterday alone, I spent over three hours on the phone doing the best I could to try and improve the Sywell situation. I wasn't paid for it, I don't claim expenses and I should have been working!

I resigned as Vice Chairman in 2003 because I could no longer, in all conscience operate within the current regime and politics and nor could I cope with our then CEO's autocratic ways. I remained on the Rally Committee because I felt it was a worthwhile cause. So excuse me if I seem just a little pissed off with non-contributing whingers who's efforts are always distructive.

This BB may be an area for the exchange of ideas, but it's also, sadly, our 'window on the world'. What does any would-be member think when they see this sort of dissent?