20 th April 2007

This year is going so fast

When we signed the documents for Little Rissington in mid December we could only focus on the enormity of the move. Whilst that was largely completed by 5 th January thanks to the help of a great many friends we still had the long tail of stuff moved out to the peri-track to shift. That carried on until mid February!! And we still haven’t dismantled XA880 and brought it across.

The work at LR started with huge efforts by Tim Houlihan and Simon Harris before Xmas when they demolished the concrete posts and fencing around the entrance to Hangar 102 to allow the new residents to fly across just before New Year. 11 aircraft came across together with our own Dove piloted by Angela Robotham. Huge efforts were made by Steve Evans and resident Geof Delmege to get G-ARBE in the air for the first time in 6 years!!

Just this last week a number of residents have made the same comment to us: “Having come to fly on 3 or 4 occasions since Xmas roughly at monthly intervals, the progress we have seen is extraordinary”

That sort of encouragement for the team is very helpful and motivating. It is true that we have spent almost every waking moment pushing ahead with the development of our very extensive area.

The following list of things achieved gives us a sense of satisfaction as we continue to make LR more GA friendly

Removed 130 concrete posts and chain link fencing around the hangars

Completely restored and overhauled main door operating mechanisms on 102 and the 4 doors on 103 including fitting 2 replacement wheels

Cut service entry holes in 16inch thick end wall

Purchased and installed new 166KVA generator

Refurbished all low level lighting and emergency systems in 102

Cleaned out the straw! from the entire floor in 102

Levelled the floor in 102 by removal of forklift runways left by USAAF

Levelled all surrounding foliage to ensure safe aircraft access up to and including DC3 span

Dug out and restored full width of road and taxiways around hangars and to the runways

Major purge to get FOB – chippings – under control by sweeping taxiways clean

Installed working toilet block

Identified and clean out drainage and waste water system

Cut large areas of grass including the preparation of out and back grass taxiways

Laid out and populated internal work areas including the M3 maintenance area

Next major projects on the list

Tarmac areas of taxiway

Clear concrete hardstanding by 32 threshold

Install refreshments building by hardstanding

Arrivals & Departures

Inevitably there have been a few movements. We are aware that DeltaJets are targeting former residents of C2 in an attempt to entice them back.

Tim Houlihan has moved his Europa to Croft Farm near Defford as this is an hour nearer home in Gloucester . Paul Osbourne has repositioned the V tail Beech Bonanza to White Waltham to be within 5 mins of his new home. He plans to return for the winter months as WW is outside storage only. Gerry Nash has returned to Kemble. George Simoni has moved his microlite to Lower Upham Farm near Swindon .

We would like to welcome Georgina Madams and her lovely Gypsy engined Stampe G-BEPC. We are expecting the Jungman belonging to the Loder brothers to arrive from Lower Upham early May. Enquiries continue to come in despite the fact that we have deliberately not advertised our move in the press yet.

Fuel

Prices remain at £1.27 inclusive of VAT. while stocks last

Kemble

Whilst in general we intend to close the book on that chapter there are significant developments that are relevant to the approaches being made by DeltaJets and KAS in their attempts to entice old residents back.

We have had visits from syndicate members of the Tomahawk that moved across from M1 hangar to C2 at Kemble when Richard Glover departed. They report that the unmanaged hangar environment in C2 has resulted in 2 areas of hangar rash on their aircraft already – and presumably 2 areas on the aircraft that hit them. They were specifically concerned about the 1.5 hours to open hangar doors, extract their aircraft and replace aircraft moved followed by the 1 hour to return their aircraft into the hangar.

Landing fees appear to have increased to around the £500 mark for a single ( £175 at LR ).

The most important and recent news is the Prohibition Order served by Cotswold District Council ( see details on CDC website ). Despite being given ample opportunity to either apply for a Certificate of Lawful Use or Planning permission for the current use KAS has done neither. The Prohibition Order which becomes effective on 30 th April with a ‘comply by date’ of 30 th September requires that all flying from C, D and G sites that is not directly related to maintenance or storage should cease. It seems likely therefore that all GA residents of C site ( including the new hangars apparently) together with BCT will be prohibited from flying within 6 months. We are aware that KAS are saying that it will never happen but they have clearly underestimated CDC. It is clear that CDC are determined to get Kemble under control and the management to obey the law. We are sure this will develop into a long and expensive saga of claim, counterclaim, appeals and Court hearings. However it could mean a very abrupt halt to GA activity by September.

Regards Martin, Martin, Colin, Steve and Ken