Rally Slots

[Alan Kilbride]

Anyone know why there are 3 hours with no slots available on Friday and Saturday?
Seems a bit strange if we are expecting as many aircraft as usual.
This could seriously affect the number of visitors by air.

[John Dean]

Time with no slots seem to be between 15:00 and 18:00.

I don't know the reason but could it be that these times are reserved for departures?

[Alan Kilbride]

People who leave work on Lunchtime Friday will have problems then.

[Frank Parker]

Having lived in the USA for the last forty one years, I am out of touch with the way that things are done now. But back then we did not need landing slots. I can fly into Oshkosh and Sun n' Fun without an arrival slot, or for that matter most USA airports. So why is this over regulation now a way of life in the UK?

[Harry Hopkins]

Good morning Frank,

Good to hear from you and I trust you're wel and enjoying life in the US of A.

I'm taking the liberty of replying on behalf of our Rally Committee who may well be a bit busy. ATC for the Rally is now in the hands of Sywell and hence out of our control. I believe the slot system is not rigid but has the effect of spreading the load to manageable proportions for them. It seems to work well.

While I have this channel of communication open, you'll realise that this October we will start our 70th year, cluminating in our 70th Anniversary on 26th Oct 2016. We don't have a complete set of past magazines and the EC minutes of early days haven't survived. We aren't sure, therefore, who all the chairmen were, in what order they held the appointment and how long each served. Are you able to help fill in any of these blanks?

With very best wishes and many thanks for the service you gave our Association.

Harry Hopkins

[Frank Parker]

Harry, I'm sorry to say that I do not have any records of the information you are trying to compile. From memory, when I first became involved in the PFA around 1956 I believe that Harold Best Devereux was in the chair. Eric King was chairman from 1960 to 1961, when David Armstrong took over as Eric took a job in the north. Roy Mills around 1964 or thereabouts, and I was involved in 1967 until my wife Lois died in 1972. which is when Dave Faulkner Bryant took over. Arthur Ord-Hume has had close ties to the organization for many years, he may have some very useful inputs, especially on the early days and about the man who started it all, Ron Clegg.
I would like to say how impressed I am with how the organization has developed, we have a first rate team at the helm!

Frank Parker

[Harry Hopkins]

Frank,

Many, many thanks for your prompt and full reply - all very useful. I've spoken to Arthur and will speak to him again. You'll appreciate that small scraps of information all help to complete the picture.

Arthur told me he had a lot of early documentation but no one at the time showed any interest in it and it was all junked. At one time it seems we had a collection of photos but they too have disappeared. However, we're trying to piece it all together.

We have so much to be grateful to our predessors for and the Association is in good health. The Rally is once again a major event for us.

Do you ever come back to visit UK?

Best wishes and thanks again for your help.

Harry

[Brian Hope]

Hi Alan, you will I hope by now, have received the mag which does explain the issue of no 3pm-6pm slots. Fact is that historically there have been very few arrivals between these times but of course ATC is very busy with departures. It is new this year, Sywell tried it with Aero Expo and found it to be helpful in keeping the departure queues down.
Regarding slot times, it has become CAA requirement. We have to have an AIC because of the density of traffic and we have to have a slot system to try to moderate arrivals. I know there are people who rail against it, some who refuse to come because of it, but I expect there are also those who come because they feel it is less hectic as a result. All we ask is that people read, understand and fly by the instructions in the AIC (Y048/2015) which will be put up on the website imminently.

[Alan Kilbride]

Yes Brian,
I do agree with the way it has been done in the past. I have no problems with any of it, but I do hope it won't stop those who finish work at lunchtime on a Friday from coming.
I did see the booking slots for last year and there was still a demand for arrivals. I can't for the life of me see how it would take 3 hours to depart those aircraft that arrived in the morning. I am open minded and if it works, then good ho.

[Brian Hope]

Let's see if there are any issues and if there are we will ask Sywell to try and tweak it next year.
Rgds, Brian

[l8lover]

I am not one for forum writing but I feel I must comment on the ridiculous situation regarding Rally slot times this year...AIRFIELD CLOSED FOR ARRIVING AIRCRAFT FOR THREE HOURS, my goodness who made that decision?

I except that safety needs to be the number one priority but closing down arrivals at 15:00, come on, get a grip!!!!!

I also accept that the majority of fly in visitors fly no more than an hour and go home every evening but how about the folk travelling long distances, the people who arrive Friday for the whole weekend...just stupid!!

But not to worry....we can see if Sywell can tweak this next year...OMG!!!!!

Pete