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Post by thamadhatter on Nov 4, 2012 4:13:56 GMT
I love Southend airport
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Post by Thames Gateway on Dec 15, 2012 20:59:14 GMT
Seems like all reference to Southend has disappeared now from the Landmark website - I guess that haven't continued with the arrangement.
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Post by tagron on Dec 18, 2012 10:00:41 GMT
The SEN website still contains references and links to Landmark Aviation but I am sure the significance is only that the website is in need of updating and tidying up. It always seemed to me a very strange arrangement. Is it known if the Landmark link brought in any extra business to SEN ?
I would be curious to know the answers to some other questions too., e.g.:
Now that SEN has a high quality executive lounge, does this mean that all business aircraft operations are handled here ? Do the resident operators use it ? Is it open and staffed at all times, or is it normally only opened up when prebooked ? Were those diverted flights last week able to use it ? And have executive aircraft movements in general increased since it became available ?
A final thought: perhaps it is time to change the title of this thread - something like "business and g.a" perhaps ?
ADMIN NOTE - Title Changed as Requested
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Post by expressflight on Dec 19, 2012 8:27:35 GMT
To answer some of tagron's questions to the best of my knowledge: The Landmark agreement has ended and I don't think it resulted in very much additional traffic, if any. I don't know if all resident executive aircraft operators use the Executive Terminal. Handling is not mandatory for them so I doubt they do as the handling charges are quite high. The Terminal is opened as required, either through pre-booking/flightplan or when diversions are inbound, and Stobart traffic and ramp staff man the facility. All diversions use it as far as I know. I don't know if executive traffic has increased, although I wouldn't be surprised if some previous traffic at the lighter end (PA31/C421 etc.) has gone elsewhere due to the high handling charges. It does seem that more heavy bizjets are being handled but the volumes are still negligible compared to Biggin Hill and Farnborough for example. The facility needs proper marketing and that is something Stobarts seem reluctant to undertake themselves or to commission.
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Post by tagron on Dec 20, 2012 0:04:55 GMT
Thanks for that response, expressflight. In the light of some recent negative comment elsewhere it is good to hear from a reliable and unbiased source.
I see that the latest AIP amendment (Dec13) refers to an Executive Jet Centre with a dedicated phone number, which sounds like a positive development. The website needs to catch up.
JetPhotos.net shows recent photos of a couple of larger bizjets which presumably would have used the facility, a Falcon 7X and a Gulfstream IV. It would seem unfortunate if the lighter end of the market is being deterred by high charges. It seems unnecessary at this stage of the airport's development when there is plenty of spare capacity - but then it is Stobart's business plan, not mine .
One more query. The German light freight operator Bin Air seems to have left SEN last year and now uses Lydd. Was this financial I wonder or an impending issue with night freight movements ?
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Post by jon on Dec 20, 2012 10:10:44 GMT
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Post by Thames Gateway on Apr 17, 2013 17:59:50 GMT
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Post by devonian on Apr 17, 2013 19:34:31 GMT
There have been several impressive looking exec jets into SEN in recent days including a Falcon 900EX on Monday.
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Post by expressflight on Apr 18, 2013 8:08:33 GMT
Yes, there does seem to have been an increase recently with a Czech Citation and an Italian 125 yesterday for example.
I hear the new Executive Terminal manager is in post and reportedly came from Netjets. I believe the stands at LTN have been very full recently so perhaps SEN has benefitted from that as well.
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Post by tagron on Apr 23, 2013 10:26:46 GMT
The issue of stand capacity and congestion at LTN seems to be ongoing for now. I wonder why this has come about. One reason could be that Farnborough introduced new noise restrictions at the start of the year. Aircraft now have to comply with Chapter 4 instead of Chapter 3 requirements which has resulted in several bizjet types being unable to use FAB and presumably having to look elsewhere.
Other possible factors could be disenchantment with the charging structure at LCY and perhaps weather problems at Biggin during the winter and early spring. Whatever the reasons it looks more encouraging for the SEN FBO.
However, not everyone is satisfied. I copied the following by a well-known poster on a g.a. site who was looking to take a C421 through SEN recently.
< I have spoken to them. The book price, including car parking, for two landings and two compulsory handlings is £390. They have shaved that to £290 one way and another, but it's still dear. I feel sorry for the people in the FBO, who are really trying to be accommodating, but, as ever, Southend management is blinded by their short-term relationship with EZY, and so are screwing over their GA customers. They'll be dumped by EZY sooner or later, of course, then will have the task of rebuilding their reputation as a GA field. >
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Post by expressflight on Apr 23, 2013 12:14:29 GMT
I have spoken to SEN about the fact that smaller business aircraft, such as the C421, are disadvantaged and deterred from using SEN by the high published minimum fees. This fell on deaf ears unfortunately.
Mind you, at least they are discounting the published prices now by the look of it and £290 doesn't actually seem that bad a price for the usage quoted. The facilities provideed for GA handling at SEN are now pretty good.
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Post by devonian on Apr 23, 2013 13:04:26 GMT
Let's hope SEN don't move to Chapter 4 requirement - that would prevent A319s from operating, wouldn't it....? Is SEN's future with EZY threatened over the tighter Chapter 4 and above requirements that will eventually be required? Can the A320neo operate from SEN's runway?
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Post by tagron on Apr 23, 2013 16:36:11 GMT
I suppose that SEN management have no incentive to reduce their fees as long as they derive sufficient income from those who are prepared to pay thus compensating for the loss of those who choose to find more economical rates and use less sophisticated facilities elsewhere. It is of course a frequent complaint of g.a. operators about "mandatory handling" of which they have no need, and not just at SEN.
I would say the Farnborough situation is about local politics. It is almost certainly to help prepare the way for further applications to the local authority for increases in the movements cap both at weekends and overall and as a sop to local opposition. In other words there is no regulatory requirement for them to adopt this policy at the present time and there should be no read across to SEN
It seems to me that the existing A319/320/321 family could comply with Chapter 4 without difficulty. They cannot be certificated at present to Chapter 4 because this is only available to types first certificated from 2006 onwards. Apparently there will be a recertification process available, so for these types and many others Chapter 4 should be just a technicality. That is how it appears to me from a cursory reading of the subject.
Moving on to the A320neo I would expect its range capability from the SEN runway to be similar to the existing A320 in broad terms. It is normal for manufacturers to offer a choice of engine and thrust rating so it will be EZY's choice as to what extent they choose to take account of the SEN runway limitations in their new order. The higher the thrust rating the greater the full payload range, but no doubt this would come at a cost. It will be interesting to see what happens.
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Post by devonian on Apr 23, 2013 19:53:42 GMT
The A321 was recertificated to Chapter 4 in January 2011, but I don't think the A319 and A320 have been recertificated. Let's hope that's just a technicality.
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Post by expressflight on Apr 24, 2013 9:20:26 GMT
This doesn't seem quite the right place to be discussing the A320neo performance but has it been confirmed that easyJet won't be considering buying the A319neo? That should have at least as good field performance as the A319. As far as I can see this variant is being offered by Airbus. They also state that the A320neo will have improved field performance so it might that this would be more viable at SEN than the current A320.
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