Southend EGMC encouraging training flights

This has been sent round by one of the FTOs based at Southend. It is pretty amazing! I wonder if they would extend it to other GA pilots? The offer ends at the end of Feb 2021, However

Whilst obviously I’m hugely sympathetic on their current situation, some of these airfields that were looking down on “little GA” and wanted to have nothing to do with us are literally begging for business (Southampton, looking at you).

I hope they remember who their friends are in the recovery. I get that some are slot constrained, but the idea that these not-so-busy airports can’t accommodate GA too – alongside CAT – is absurd. Even the larger ones like Zurich do a good job of it.

Peter wrote:

Flying to EGMC is also a significant risk; a 10 second mistake around that bit of the LTMA will land you in this

I had a look on the chart and it doesn’t look like a significant risk – in the immediate vicinity of EGMC, the London TMA doesn’t start till 3500’. If you level off at 2000’ you’re well clear of any controlled airspace that doesn’t belong to EGMC for a number of miles, even if you’re departing EGMC in a south westerly direction.

If you’ve been buzzing around in a TBM, I’m slightly more envious of that than I am sympathetic to the fees.

I have been flying a DA42 into Southend once or twice a year for the last 3 or 4 years. For one IAP plus parking for a day or two I have found it quite competitively priced compared many other UK airports which offer far less in terms of parking or marshalling. The parking has always been on hard standing alongside the biz jets.
The ATC and ground staff are helpful as is clearing immigration. And it is convenient for London with a railway station a five or ten minute walk from the exit to the GA area
Everytime I fly in there I am thankful for the advice I received on this forum on my first trip there.
However, I advise against taking a TBM 700 in there from Europe for the weekend. The fees were eye watering.

I’ve made use if the 5 for £5.
It was an ‘engine-run only’ flight where normally I wouldn’t bother landing away.
I’ll do the same again.
Atc were friendly accommodating and professional as always.
This option helps them and me, win-win.
(Yes I know it’s only while CAT is quiet)
If they are not busy you can call by phone with quite short notice and then pay over the phone the next working day. What’s not to like.
Just be clear that this is t&g only. A regular visit attracts the regular fees. Maybe they could see a way to discount that too in the future, even if only until CAT returns.
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To be fair, for me if I needed or wanted to be in the area I wouldn’t think it too excessive, it’s just a bit excessive if it’s a ‘no particular reason’ visit but as I’m a bit too close anyway it’s rather pointless……easier (and quicker) to drive.

AFAIK instrument training is the same price as it was but that does fall in line with similar fees elsewhere in the south east.

Peter, been there at least a decade later, hard parking. Just like all other people from my school, almost everyone does – good place to go in case of bad weather.
Not sure if there is enough parking for a fly-in! :) They do have two parts – one is critical infrastructure, another one is OK.

And while you had to book a slot a year ago for, say, practised IAP approaches, all was fine if you actually land there.
BTW if you use LARS from Southend, they are quite proactive in terms of CAS busts, at least they were for the last half a decade.
If general, for people north of London EGMC is a very good alternate/backup option (ILS at both ends as well). At least I don’t know any other option.

I did a bit of my FAA CPL out of EGMC in 2007 or so, with a long-defunct outfit. I remember being forced to park on a bit of grass where I got bogged down (it rained) and the fire crew could not move it with a van (the wheels spun) so they brought a fire engine and I stopped them just in time from ripping off the nose gear; as with the van it had to use a rope around the main wheels.

At other times I had hard parking ok, but can’t remember where. There clearly is GA hard parking there, if you have an arrangement with some hangar firm.

A TB21 owner I used to know was paying £7500/year for hangarage.

On google maps I see only grass parking, which reduces the utility to a low level much of the year. A bit like Scilly Isles

There is no dedicated GA apron for visitors, no chance of e.g. doing a fly-in there, so the instant the cheap airlines come back, they will toss GA back out.

Flying to EGMC is also a significant risk; a 10 second mistake around that bit of the LTMA will land you in this. EGMC tower cannot clear you to any part of the LTMA, not least – for VFR traffic – because it is Class A.

This is an excellent incentive. Unfortunately as we don’t have lights at my home base it does make it a little tricky.