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Author Topic: Helicopter service - Penzance to Isles of Scilly  (Read 60484 times)
John R
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« Reply #75 on: April 28, 2013, 23:02:19 »

I have read elsewhere that two of them are stored at Newquay, pending decisions.

Bizarre things happen in aviation. When I first started learning to fly at Filton, in 2005, there was a Boeing 747 with 3 engines, and weights hanging from the mounting for the fourth, parked on the jet apron. I know it had been there a while, as I had seen it en passant. I think the livery said Southern Winds. After a few lessons, I asked my instructor how long it takes to change an engine on a jumbo - the true answer, I now know, is around 5 hours. "Oh no", he said. "The engine's been taken off to stop someone shinning over the fence in the dead of night, starting up, and buggering off." The airline had gone bust, and debt attaches to the aircraft. So anyone buying it would have to settle up before taking it away. He reckoned it would end up being dismantled on site. But one day, almost a year later, I arrived for my weekly flight, and it was gone. Someone had paid a bill, the maintenance guy stuck the engine back on, the pilot filed a flight plan for Shannon, and away it went. Amazing these things can happen, but they can and do.

From Wikipedia:  By 2004, Southern Winds was a leading commercial carrier in the troubled Argentine aviation industry. That September, however, airport police in Madrid discovered 60 kilograms (130 lb) of cocaine packed in four unaccompanied suitcases aboard an arriving Southern Winds flight. The resulting scandal cost the airline its government subsidy, and ultimately resulted in the carrier's collapse. The last Southern Winds flight operated on December 5, 2005, although proposals for the airline's revival continued to surface in 2006.

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TonyK
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« Reply #76 on: April 29, 2013, 00:17:17 »

So there you have it children - proof that drugs do ruin airlines.

I have traced the aircraft's history from its construction in 1982. It flew first for Cathay Pacific, then between 1998 and 2001 for Virgin Atlantic. It was then seconded to Air Atlanta Icelandic, prior to a return to Virgin and a trip to Mojave for storage, in 2002. It was recommissioned and bought by European Aircharters in late 2003. They leased it to Garuda for 2 months in 2004, for Hajj flights to Mecca. After that, Southern Winds had their fun with it. It flew into Filton on 2 February 2005, for de-virginisation (yes, you can do that with a plane too) and transformation into Southern Winds colours by the then thriving Air Livery paint shop at Filton - picture link here.. This was after the pharmaceutical catastrophe alluded to by John R. The process normally takes less than 2 weeks for a 747. The airline collapsed whilst it was there, and it stood gathering dust and parking fees until 29 April 2006. It has the dubious distinction of wearing the livery of an airline for over 14 months, but never having made a flight for that company. Outdoor parking fees for a 747 at Filton, BTW (by the way), were not much more than those levied at Heathrow to park a car.

After its long period at Filton, it went to work for Transeuro under a Bermudan registration VP-BPX, based in Russia. The trail grows cold - some sources say it is now stored in Melbourne, others suggest that it was broken up at Kemble.

What I think I may have realised from my research is that few aircraft are owned by airlines - a situation not unlike Train Operating Companies leasing from the Big Three, only this is multinational. Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer et al may announce orders from airlines, but the aircraft are sold to shadowy leasing companies, the names of none of whom are well known.

Who knows? If there is a runway extension project in the Scillies similar to that at Funchal, Madeira, we may yet see this particular 747 on finals to land in the Scillies. Probably preceded by a number of pigs, in formation.

Sorry - what were we talking about?
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LiskeardRich
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« Reply #77 on: May 06, 2013, 17:34:29 »

Drove past Penzance heliport today, all demolished, and they have raised up the ground by around 2 foot.
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LiskeardRich
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« Reply #78 on: August 17, 2013, 20:36:41 »

Lands end is to have 2 of its 4 run ways tarmacked by the end of the year.

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Resurfacing-work-place-Land-s-End-Airport/story-19672871-detail/story.html#axzz2c7jg1mzj

Quote
Much-needed resurfacing work will take place on two of the four grass runways at Land^s End Airport following reports of a landmark rise in pre-tax profits.

The runways at the airport, which provide an air link to the Isles of Scilly, were often closed in winter after they became waterlogged during bouts of poor weather.

Operator, The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, reported strong financial results after a year of record investment, which included a ^2million upgrade of its Scillonian passenger ship and a ^1million upgrade of its Land^s End terminal.

Andrew May, chairman of the company, said he expected work, which would see the runways covered with tar macadam, to take place at the end of the calendar year.

He said: "Our strong cash position means we will continue to invest in strengthening the route, including plans to resurface two of the four grass runways at Land's End Airport this calendar year.

Local Radio has reported that their profits for the last year were at a record high, despite the 3 million they have invested in upgrades last year.
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TonyK
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« Reply #79 on: August 18, 2013, 10:17:57 »

Lands end is to have 2 of its 4 run ways tarmacked by the end of the year.

I am confused after reading the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) online report, which is at variance with the This is Cornwall report.

Quote
New hard runway for Land's End airport
 
Land's End flights were affected by a waterlogged runway during the winter

Major improvements have been announced for two airports in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly after bad weather caused chaos last winter.

A hard runway will be built at Land's End airport and St Mary's airport on the Isles of Scilly will also be updated.

Nearly ^7m of European funding has been earmarked for the work.

Land's End airport was closed to flights for three months last winter after it was waterlogged.

About 800 metres of hard surface, replacing the current grass landing strip, will be laid over three weekends in September.

Diana Mompoloki, the development manager for the Council of the Isles of Scilly, was "very confident that everything would be ready for the autumn".

The Policy and Resources Committee on the Isles of Scilly heard on Tuesday night that ^6.7m had been endorsed by the European Development Fund.
Wet winter victim

The majority of the cash will be spent on St Mary's airport but around ^1.2m will go towards work at Land's End.

It is half the estimated cost of hardening the runway so the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, which owns the airport, will fund the difference.

The grass runway at Land's End was a victim of the wet winter with 521 hours of flying lost, according to the Steamship Company.

It is the sole provider of commercial flights to the islands, which have a population of 2,200.

On St Mary's more than ^2m will be spent on new hard runways to replace the grass ones, and bringing the present hard runways up to date.

About ^100,000 will go on updating navigational aids and lighting so that aircraft can land in foggier weather .

More than ^2m will be spent on improving the terminal building.

The TiC report mentions two runways being surfaced, but the BBC says a total of 800 metres of tarmac. A quick butcher's at the AIP shows that there are two main runways at Lands End. 07/25 is 695 metres long, 16/34 is 792 metres. If 800 metres in total is being done, that would suggest that only 16/34 is being done. 07/25 is more in line with the prevailing westerly winds, so maybe it is that runway that is being dealt with, with an extension. It would not be a good idea to part-tarmac a runway. They do exist, most notably 09/27 at St Marys, but the grass part would still be prone to waterlogging, so the object of the exercise would be defeated. It could be that the grass bit of St Marys is being done, plus 07/25 at Lands End. Twin Otters are very robust, but I wouldn't like to try a crosswind landing in some of Cornwall's winters. The shorter runway length would be more than compensated for by the better orientation.

I will look for details on the planning site - none exists so far, so it could be that an application has not been made yet.
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LiskeardRich
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« Reply #80 on: August 18, 2013, 11:04:12 »

The This is Cornwall news where the part stating 2 runways will be tarmacked is a quote from the chairman of IOS steamship company, whereas no source or interview mentioned within the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) article.

I am assuming the chairman would be providing accurate information to an interview

edit - I Re-read the BBC article and it says 800m will be done in September, the TIC (Tourist Information Centre) article says the 2 runways will be done before the end of the year. We're not comparing like for like.
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TonyK
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« Reply #81 on: August 18, 2013, 12:57:27 »

Ah, makes sense!
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« Reply #82 on: July 29, 2014, 10:07:18 »

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Quote
Land's End Airport reopens after runway work

An airport has reopened after a multi-million pound project to improve its runways.

Tarmac has been laid on four runways at Land's End Airport, in Cornwall, which has been closed since 4 July.

It was due to reopen on 21 July but was delayed because of resurfacing problems.

The airport has seen severe disruption over the last two winters because wet weather affected its grass runways.

It was closed to flights for three months in the winter of 2012/13 when the airfield became waterlogged.

Skybus flights to the Isles of Scilly have been flying from Newquay since the airport was closed.

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company is the sole provider of commercial flights to the islands.

In June, it said about ^1.3m from the European Regional Development Fund had been confirmed for the ^2.6m project.
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TonyK
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« Reply #83 on: July 30, 2014, 21:05:51 »

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):


Land's End Airport reopens after runway work


Tarmac has been laid on four runways at Land's End Airport, in Cornwall, which has been closed since 4 July.


Four runways makes it sound like Boris Island, but we are talking 07/25 and 16/34 - strictly four runways over two stretches of tarmac*. I've checked the AIP chart for the aerodrome, which has not yet been amended, and still shows all four eight runways as grass. It's also good news as grass fields are a bugger to spot from anywhere except directly overhead (and even then) unless they have big buildings around.

Good news though, esp. as Mrs FT,N! has announced an intention to make a tour of inspection of the Scillies.

(*My poetic licence is in the post)
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #84 on: September 04, 2014, 15:59:32 »

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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Isles of Scilly helicopter link 'could reopen in 2015'


British International Helicopters blamed falling passenger numbers and rising costs for the end of the service to the Isles of Scilly in 2012

A helicopter link from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly could be reopened, a Cornish MP (Member of Parliament) has announced.

St Ives MP Andrew George said talks were progressing well for passenger helicopters to return in 2015.

Tourism operators on Scilly said the price of a flight would have to be right for it to be successful.

Two companies approached by the BBC - EasyJet and Ryanair - refused to comment on "speculation" two airlines were interested in the venture.

The final helicopter journey to Scilly, after a 48-year link, by British International Helicopters (BIH) took place in October 2012. At the time BIH cited rising costs and falling passenger numbers.

Mr George and Graham Cole, the chairman of AgustaWestland, the Anglo-Italian helicopter company, have "jointly expressed" their optimism over a potential helicopter service.

Mr George said: "When I asked AgustaWestland last year to help with plans to re-establish the service I was encouraged by their willingness to engage. Following our [recent] meeting I am more confident."

The company's AW 189 helicopter will be used by Bristow when it takes over search and rescue in Cornwall.

AgustaWestland previously said it would offer the first helicopter off the production line at a cheap rate to encourage someone to set up a commercial service to Scilly.

John May, who runs a camping facility on St Mary's, said: "Wherever possible you have to offer the customer what they need, but you have to keep the cost as low as we can."

The Council of the Isles of Scilly said: "The council welcomes any initiative that brings an additional mode of transport to the islands. The council is not involved in discussions between commercial operators at this stage."

Ryanair said it did not comment on what it called "speculation". Flybe said it was "unfortunately unable to comment".
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« Reply #85 on: September 04, 2014, 16:22:36 »

From the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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St Ives MP (Member of Parliament) Andrew George said talks were progressing well for passenger helicopters to return in 2015.


Would 2015 be around the time that Mr George might be looking to defeat his parliamentary seat?   Oops - it may sound like I'm being a bit cynical here, but in practise there is a certainly cyclicity in some forward looking, and in some speculative, developments.
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« Reply #86 on: September 04, 2014, 16:23:45 »

No mention where the heliport would be in Penzance. Won't be cheap to build a new one.

Or are they going to use the Sainsbury's car park built over the old heliport?  Tongue
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« Reply #87 on: September 04, 2014, 16:46:07 »

I was in Penzance last week (having not visited for around 15 months) and was amazed to be told by the guy in the Sainsburys filling station that the whole thing was built from scratch and opened in 6 months - it's a biggish store.

I also noticed that there is a windsock on the roof at the western end - but I presume not a strong enough roof for an S61 (or AW189) to land!

I imagine they may have had to retain some kind of Met. observation facility, as the heliport used to be an official Met Office Aviation reporting station.

Even in Summer, and especially with the weather as it was last week (wet, windy, low cloud, poor viz a lot of the time), I can only imagine that the Skybus fixed-wing operation must be haphazard at best.

The big helicopters were much more resilient to the variable west country weather!
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TonyK
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« Reply #88 on: September 04, 2014, 20:01:24 »

This is, unless a cynical electioneering stunt, cause for optimism, although not much. It's a long way from the reported words of the MP (Member of Parliament) who wants a helicopter service and the man who wants to sell a new helicopter to the first flight. There is no reason why it couldn't happen. A new heliport needs less space than an airport, and with only a couple of dozen pax per flight, it needs only a small terminal, a short runway, fuel, and fire services. And a windsock.

A windsock is a visual aid to the wind as it is at the moment of observation, and does not form part of the suite of instruments in a Met Office weather station. If there is a filling station at the supermarket, then the windsock may be there to assist the emergency services in the event of vapour leak. You will see four on the roof of the huge Morrison depot near North Petherton, probably for the same reason. The nearest Met Office  weather station is at RNAS Culdrose, with another at Camborne. There isn't one at Lands End airport, nor at Newquay airport.

The latter does provide aviation observations in the form of METARs (METeorological Aviation Reports) which are observations of the weather at the airfield. These are nothing to do with the MET Office, but observation of wind, visibility, temperature, pressure, and cloud, made by the man or woman in the tower. It may be this that was offered by the former heliport, but there wasn't a Met Office station there when it closed, so far as I can tell.

METARs are promulgated world-wide by the Aviation Weather Center, part of the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.  Bigger airfields, and Newquay is amongst them, also issue TAFs, Terminal Area Forecasts. Military fields have their own forecaster on site, civilian airfields' forecasts are made by the Met Office in Exeter. They typically offer a 24 hour forecast in a fairly small area (5 mile radius of the aerodrome), updated 6-hourly. These are also collated by NOAA.

The current METAR and TAF for Newquay, for interest, reads:

Quote
Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS)

Output produced by METARs form (1825 UTC 04 September 2014)
found at http://www.aviationweather.gov/adds/metars/
 
EGHQ 041820Z 35004KT 4500 HZ BKN008 17/15 Q1017
TAF AMD EGHQ 041803Z 0418/0421 09007KT 4000 HZ BKN012
     PROB30
     TEMPO 0418/0421 6000 SCT020

showing that at EGHQ (Newquay) at 1820 UTC (1920 BST) on the 4th, the wind was 4 knots from 350 degrees. There is haze, and broken cloud at 800 feet, the horizontal visibilty being 4500 metres. The temperature is 17C, the dew point 15C (hence the haze and the low cloud), and the pressure adjusted to sea level is 1017 HectoPascals.

Between 1800 and 2100 UTC (1900 and 2200 BST) the wind will veer to become easterly, and strengthen to 7 knots, with broken cloud at 1200'. There will be temporary periods where visibility will improve to 6000 metres, and the cloud will lift slightly. But that bit has a probability of only 30%, so will be ignored mainly.

On the fixed wing front, fog or very low cloud will continue to thwart operations at Lands End, which has no instrument landing system. Newquay has, so can accept diversions in all but the worst of visibility. As the Scillies are so close, the standard procedure is to sit tight until the weather improves. Conditions can be checked locally by reference to the Aviator's Weather Forecasting Stone, which has a high degree of accuracy:

« Last Edit: September 04, 2014, 20:07:10 by Four Track, Now! » Logged

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JayMac
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« Reply #89 on: September 04, 2014, 20:21:02 »

A new heliport needs less space than an airport, and with only a couple of dozen pax per flight, it needs only a small terminal, a short runway, fuel, and fire services. And a windsock.

To add. Transport infrastructure and multi-mode ticketing options to bring custom to the heliport. Just like what there used to be.

Could be done, should be done. I agree. Whether it will be done is an entirely different kettle of fish. Or whirlybird full of people.

I've long wanted to visit the Isles of Scilly and was actively looking at the rail/helicopter options back in the early part of this decade. Much more preferable to me, for novelty, than the Scillonian sailing or fixed wing flight.
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