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Which UK airfields are NOT PPR and have no limiting "opening hours" for private ops?

I have come across Fenland for example. They explicitly say the airfield is generally NO PPR REQUIRED, and also doesn’t restrict times at which one may operate (despite having published “opening times”, during which there is a fire fighting service). See here.

Unlicensed airfields usually don’t have published opening hours, but most of them require some sort of PPR. Which don’t? (Sandown springs to mind, where you merely have to check their website and if the runways are marked as “open”, then no PPR is required, so I’ll put them into this category.)

Other examples?

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Fenland, Sandown, Pitsford are No PPR
North Weald, Lee-on-solent (both accept PPR by radio, no sure how it work when no one is around)

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Breighton

Glenswinton, and Bute, for sure no PPR or operating restriction.

Kirkbride is pretty laid back though they sometimes use the runway for drag racing and I would normally give John a prior call out of courtesy and to save a wasted trip.

Last Edited by Jacko at 25 Aug 21:22
Glenswinton, SW Scotland, United Kingdom

Thanks. These replies confirm my notion that such airfields are very few and far between.

Actually, Bute is PPR, too, judging by their website:

I also agree with you that getting PPR (or at least, giving the operator “a call” before heading off) is still a good idea in the UK, even if the airfield info doens’t call for it, as

  • any (hard surface airfields or grass airfields) may have other types of “events” going on, precluding a landing and
  • grass airfields always have the unknown of runway condition
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

This survey is not going to yield more than an academic response because

  • Many PPR airfields are actually easy, with just a email or Web form
  • You need an alternate and good luck finding one with same terms
  • Very few places will be providing runway lights while relying on pilots being honest and pay the landing fee at 3am
  • If the alternate is in say France, good luck finding one with immigration and no PPR/PNR.

For example Bembridge is easy PPR and open all daylight hours.

Of course PPR is usually pointless but in practice is not usually a huge deal.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

There are certain scenarios where knowing this might be helpful. One would be a short term decision the evening before to fly to the UK early the next morning (short term decisions are good idea with the changeable weather in the UK), without the possibility to get hold of anyone to give you PPR. In this case, it is good to know which ones don’t require any real sort of PPR. Of course, Biggin also qualifies, since an FPL serves as PPR there, but Biggin is expensive; also it is no good if coming from Europe and intending on routing further up the east coast towards Scotland.

PPR is not really required for the alternate in the UK; they will usually accept a radio call where you indicate that you are on a diversion (and it saves you a lot of landing fees, also:.)).

I was referring to daylight ops only. In the summer, where most of the “touring” to the UK happens, daylight is plentiful and not a limiting factor. But opening hours from 10:00 to 16:00 sure are.

The other scenario is “bimbling” around and knowing which airfields you could just drop into if you wanted, without being harrassed on the radio on why you didn’t get PPR beforehand. However, for that to be useful, it would require a rather dense network of such “no PPR” airfields, which clearly, as this thread shows, there isn’t. Generally, with few exceptions, UK airfield operators are obsessed with PPR, for one reason or another.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 27 Aug 06:20
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

boscomantico wrote:

Generally, with few exceptions, UK airfield operators are obsessed with PPR, for one reason or another.

There are a few reasons:

1. Some interpret the rules in such a way as to believe it is a legal requirement at a licensed airfield. The key phrase in the airfield licence is that which allows use by anyone “with the permission of the operator”. They interpret this to mean that each and every use must be individually given permission prior to the event. There is no evidence to suggest the CAA supports this view and I am not aware of any case of any airfield being forced to require PPR or sanctioned for not requiring it. My interpretation is that one can satisfy the operator permission requirement just by publishing something somewhere (AIP, airfield website, commercial flight guide, wherever) saying “any licensed pilot in an appropriate aircraft is welcome at any time”. Probably not even that is required – simply non-objection when they call up on the radio inbound could be said to constitute the granting of permission.

2. Local challenges. Noise abatement is a massive issue, and although I’m not sure of the exact legal position it certainly seems that most UK airfields are terrified of upsetting the neighbours. I am yet to hear exactly why they cannot take a position of “it’s an airfield that was here before you were, get used to it and stop calling us”, but it is clear they cannot for fear of sanction (by local authorities rather than the CAA). Talking to each inbound pilot on the phone gives you a chance to ask them to be considerate and also shows the locals that you’re trying. Lumped in with local challenges you have issues like parking – many small airfields do not have much space and all will have experienced being completely over-run on a summer Saturday. They feel they need to have a ‘stop new arrivals’ button they can press.

3. Controlling attitudes. Aviation is full of people who like to control, restrict, deny and limit. For whatever reason they seem to really enjoy exerting authority in their own small way and enjoy the sense that nothing happens here without their approval. High correlation with high-viz jackets and clipboards, often frustrated wannabe military or police types. The difference in atmosphere between a place run by someone like this and a place run by someone more normal is night and day.

EGLM & EGTN

Graham wrote:

Aviation is full of people who like to control, restrict, deny and limit.

that did make me chuckle. Most of them don’t have a Pilots Licence either.

EGLK, United Kingdom

Can you use the GAR form at all of these? In principle the UK supports customs/immigration at every location, via the GAR form, but there are some variations which I can never remember. I know for the CTA (C.I Ireland IOM) farm strips are not usually supported unless a special deal is done with the police, and then it tends to be 24hr PN. For EU flights… not sure.

Also you’ve got to ask how many are not complete dumps. Most GA airfields in Europe are in useless locations, hence we have the €200 burger run culture, and a pilot has to make a special effort to find a place which is a nice destination (unless it is Croatia ). The classic one near here is the massively fashionable Sandown which is heavily promoting itself on FB etc but which will cost you £60 for a taxi to Cowes or Ryde, so in reality is mostly used for a “greasy stodge visit”. I would rather do a “€200 stodge run” to a dump in France than to a dump in the UK because the French dump should have something edible (if they have food at all, and it’s not a vending machine like so many bigger airports).

There are loads of farm strips in the UK where you could fly anytime, if you phone up the owner and speak to him nicely. But, traditionally, you won’t be allowed in with an SR22 (or a TB20, etc) whereas you have a much better chance with a taildragger. That is just how the culture works… However most farm strip owners are quite “private” for the usual reasons.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
25 Posts
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