Patrick wrote:
I personally find the fees in Düsseldorf acceptable (except for the 5 euro waste disposal fee, which is BS for small GA) – with ca. 70 EUR for light types and 10 EUR parking/day (car parking is so much more expensive there!). Köln was almost twice as expensive and that’s where it starts to annoy me…
I guess at Cologne they know that unlike Duesseldorf you don’t need an airport slot to land :-}
point of having a GAT (General Aviation Terminal) to make it possible to establish different procedures than those used for CAT (Commercial Aviation Terminal)?
Nope. I agree – it would be great, but it’s not the generally the way it works. How far the security measures toards GA go depends a lot on the airport layout (separation of GA and CAT parking areas) and how its security concept is laid out. In final instance, it also depends on the (airport) licencing/supervising authority.
Stephan_Schwab wrote:
Lately I flew into one of these bigger airports to catch a commercial flight and was taken by the follow-me car from my aircraft to the gate of the CAT. That made sense to me and apparently it was normal practice there.
I have yet to fly to an airport where this is not normal practice.
boscomantico wrote:
How far the security measures toards GA go depends a lot on the airport layout (separation of GA and CAT parking areas) and how its security concept is laid out.
Exactly. At my home base, there is no barrier of any kind that prevents you to walk from the GA parking stands to the airliner parking zone. From the most westerly GA parking position to the most easterly airline parking position, that walk would take less than a minute – much too short for an intervention from security personnel in case anybody should notice. Therefore there is no alternative to a security screening at the GA terminal. And I have not been at any airport with similar layout anywhere where this is handled differently.
And regarding pireps I only believe the ones I write myself (= zero).
what_next wrote:
Exactly. At my home base, there is no barrier of any kind that prevents you to walk from the GA parking stands to the airliner parking zone. From the most westerly GA parking position to the most easterly airline parking position, that walk would take less than a minute – much too short for an intervention from security personnel in case anybody should notice. Therefore there is no alternative to a security screening at the GA terminal.
I frankly don’t see the point of this because if I arrive from an airport without security screening, I could have any amount of “goodies” in the aircraft.
For me the order has to be:
1) No mandatory handling / reasonable fees.
2) Good transport links to the city
3) Good service when settling your bill.
Erfurt fits two of the three with low fees, a tram directly outside the terminal. However on the third – it took an hour to pay the bill when I wanted to depart because only one person does everything in the GA…. I suppose a direct consequence of point 1)……
What Balliol and what Dominik said. Also James Chan regarding wads of cash. I liked Jan’s comment about bicycles but a courtsy car trumps bikes unless your in the middle of a city.I would throw in self service gas with a ladder thats available for 210s.
However my dream GA airport would have those mentioned from above with the addition of more equality for women to work in aviation. Eliminate the line boy and substitute with what I have seen in the yachting world. Pretty young ladies with hot pants and tied tops. They can either wear boots in foul weather or slight heels when things become too hot.
Free coffee in the GA terminal building with pastries served once again by one of the pretty young ladies who coordinates my handling needs. For this type of service I might not squawk about a handling fee.
Oh yes and also an airport that is available for use even when NOBODY is there to collect the fee…. meaning 24/7.
To me GA friendly means
1. Sensible landing fees
2. No handling charges and no ridiculous excessive security measures for GA small aircraft pilots/passengers
3. Sensibly priced and good quality food and drinks
4. Where you are welcomed for flying in, not just for your landing fee/fuel uplift
5. Credit/Debit card facilities are useful unless a really small airfield
6. Efficient, and polite ATC/FISO/AGCS Operators
7. A friendly café/restaurant where you can relax, meet and chat to other like minded people and preferably not be bombarded by loud piped music whether CD’s or national/local radio.
8. and where the 94% of GA pilot licence holders welcome those of us who make up the other 6% of GA pilot licence holders !!!!!! So many times we fly in and are made to feel intruders. One of these days I will fly in in the 3" heels and skirt/dress just to see what happens :)
I went to Oban/EGEO today for a day trip. Not only were they very welcoming – everyone from the FISO to the fueller seemed pleased to see me! – but there was free bicycle hire (I cycled the 5 miles into the town). And the scenery is outstanding.
Jude098 wrote:
and where the 94% of GA pilot licence holders welcome those of us who make up the other 6% of GA pilot licence holders !!!!!! So many times we fly in and are made to feel intruders.
Agreed! I’m frequently uncomfortable with the way many people talk about women on this website, even if feel certain it is with no ill intent – only cluelessness.
Not usually an issue at the bigger places, but often a problem at smaller fields especially the less busy: availability of a decent toilet.
