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Post by exeglkflyer on May 17, 2015 19:20:19 GMT
One would imagine that Blink, as a business that will want to maximise return on it's investment, would encourage other forms of aviation that generate a revenue stream.
Especially so if improvements/expansion are planned (we have already been informed they intend to increase opening hours) as these plans will need to be funded.
I can't imagine that Blink are going to have so many of their Mustangs flying in and out that there isn't going to room for other operators....presumably they won't make any money when their own aircraft take-off, land and park.
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Post by simond on May 17, 2015 22:07:03 GMT
And there was I thinking the worst when I read "rumours regarding Blink" on another thread. Fingers crossed for a positive aviation outcome.
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Post by PB on May 17, 2015 22:38:26 GMT
"Fingers crossed" is the best advice!!
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Post by chevvron on Jun 9, 2015 20:45:56 GMT
With Plymouth Airport on the cards for re-opening with a runway of similar dimensions to Blackbushe and with both airports needing extra revenue, it would seem feasible the two could be connected by a passenger service of some sort, not only to serve London bound passengers but also those with destinations like Reading & Guildford (via Blackwater Station) or Basingstoke (via Fleet Station). They could also connect to Gatwick via Blackwater station.
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Jeff
Full Member
Posts: 152
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Post by Jeff on Jun 11, 2015 0:51:57 GMT
Why on earth would someone want to fly plymouth to blackbushe! Its only a 3 hour drive door to door, by the time you have factored in transfer times from home to airport, checkin times, and transfer times the other end to your final destination it not only works out a lot more time consuming than 3 hours but also a lot more expensive too
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Post by PB on Jun 11, 2015 14:48:40 GMT
I guess it's a case of consequentialism ..my favourite new word!! The consequence of operating such a flight on population and the benefit to local business productivity. Airlines spend a fortune on route studies before committing their valuable aluminium to new ventures.. The sector under discussion would be interesting, LON to Plymouth generates a lot of traffic, primarily by surface. To fly from Blackbushe? In depth probing of the market would be necessary. It's true that when I used to fly Heathrow to Plymouth by Dash 7 and later by Dash 8 on a regular basis the load factors were always extremely high. How much of that TFC was LHR originating as opposed to connecting I do not know. I do know that the awful process of getting to LHR, parking, bus to the Central Area and then doing battle with T1 was not much fun. BUT I was in Plymouth in a short while, picked up a car, did a day's business and flew back late afternoon fresh as a daisy. Driving each way would have been far worse, to the point that I would have either had to night stop in Devon, or not bother. That effects the economics of business! The ability to fly, even with the back track to LHR made the day's work viable. The roads have improved since then, it's an interesting judgement point. IF there was a service from Blackbushe and I had business in Plymouth I'd fly. Whether such a service would be justified on locally originating TFC, not too sure, but there are so many more destinations out there to which a service from Blackbushe would make a whole load of sense.
Sadly, it's hypothetical. For the time being, at least... PB
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Post by PB on Nov 22, 2015 6:46:02 GMT
Talking of people who can dream, a long term supporter of Blackbushe, Dave, sent me the following report of a dream he had...
The government planners have another look at airports in the south east and suddenly notice Blackbushe airport sitting quietly in north Hampshire and come up with the following plan! They plan for Blackbushe to become a regional airport serving the UK and short haul European flights changing the name to Heathrow ,South. To accommodate this the following plans are put in place. 1.Odiham is closed, with the RAF Chinooks moving to Salisbury Plain, nearer to their operating site with the Army (perhaps Netheravon or Upavon) 2.BCA relocated to Odiham site to provide usage and employment to area with loss of RAF. 3. Runway at Blackbushe extended along common site where foundations could still exist. 4.Entry moved to BCA site with new terminal for passenger flights, with existing apron for general aviation. 5.Car parking set up in forestry commission land or even adjacent to M3 services, with a new tram link to airport site. 6. Roads redesigned with link to Junction 4A, and A30 diverted along existing roads. 7.Funding for this work taken from Government foreign aid funds to improve home communications in SE. 8.Tram link to car park also to main line railway station ( Fleet or Farnborough) with perhaps a direct rail link to Heathrow! 9. Result LCC like Easyjet and Ryanair etc have a base at Heathrow South and Heathrow becomes the long haul centre it yearns to be. Just a dream but perhaps with a little more aviation knowledge and planning in government perhaps it could have been.
His dreamed views are a bit on the extreme side and I doubt BCA - or the Chinook squadrons - would be too keen on taking up his suggestions.... Nontheless, the dream is fun to contemplate, and the underlying sentiment is one many of us share...
Thanks to Dave for his courage in putting forward his night time planning and sharing the dream with us.
The forum is for expressing reasonable views whether they emerge from dreams or daytime thinking, Dave's contribution is most welcome.
PB
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Post by chevvron on Nov 22, 2015 18:24:41 GMT
They mooted closing Odiham some years ago and discovered a covenant requiring it to revert to farmland if the government found it 'surplus'; course BCA could always re-locate to Lasham if no-one takes over the airliner servicing facility which recently closed. It might be more logical to move the Chinooks to Wattisham, midway between Colchester (paras) and Stamford Training Area (Norfolk). Apart from that, I'm sure the Chinese would be only too glad to subsidise the works at Blackbushe.
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Post by PB on Dec 2, 2016 21:22:44 GMT
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Post by rj on Dec 4, 2016 9:18:48 GMT
Surprised nobody has commented on the plans for Fairoaks, that I can see? Although I have not seen all the details, being away in the sun, it could make Blackbushe very busy. The crazy thing is that in 5 years time Surrey could be without an airfield at all! Lets hope that that the bushe is exempt from this madness and could grow to London's premier GA airport? Some details here www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/fairoaks-garden-village-plans-revealed-12229687Rob
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