[Jim]

Hi All, AOPA are presently carrying out a survey.
This survey is to complete a public awareness of landing charges that are required at any Aerodromes or Airfields within the Island of Ireland. Of particular interest - any location within the SHANNON FIR (26 Counties of the Irish Repuplic).
We are putting together some very interesting solutions for future use by General Aviation.

We ask that anyone, who has any correct UP TO DATE knowledge of a present landing fee for any location within IRELAND, to complete this survey.

The survey is anonymous! Absolutely NO IP or tracking is logged.

Please assist us with your input at http://aopaireland.com/form/use/Landing ... form1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NAG]

Sounds interesting. Good luck with it!

[Demonduck]

Get a copy of the latest publication of Aviators guide to Ireland if you want to know the latest landing fees

[BDoyle]

Good luck with the survey. in the process could you enquire into the current status of landing on Inis Meain. since Aer Arran were asked to run this strip they refused GA aircraft permission to land except if they give 24 hours notice. when i complained to the parent department they changed it to landing only when Aer Arran are using it. thats about twice per day for about 30 minutes each time. strange how the tax payers money is spent !!!
on further enquiry i have found out that Aer Arran got €88,881 to 'run' the facility for the 6 months from July to December 2011. these are not estimates or mistakes i checked the figures very carefully and had them translated from the first language.(letter to the CEO of Aer Arran 22nd July 2011 from Dept of the Gaeltacht.
not bad money lads and this contract is (should be) up for tender in january. now i wonder what the Comptroller and Auditor General will make of this.
Best of luck with this one AOPA.

[StrikeCommand]

Just wondering why it's necessary to go to the trouble of having an online survey and asking the GA community for help to complete. No objection to helping with the information but would it not be quicker to just contact whichever airfields you want details of and ask them directly? A few phone calls or check their websites etc. Landing fees aren't secret are they?

[Jim]

@Demon duck:
It’s not complete or up to date.

@BDoyle:
AOPA can not interfere in someone elses contract. I wish we could, but then, Aer Arran would be down about 5th in priority! (The Tender for this is about to be published if you want to make an offer!)

@Strike Command:
No, Landing fees are not secret, but they are not stable either!
Visitor to Ireland phoned in to be told Landing for any SEP was €5. He came in and was charged 10. Went about his business and returned to Aircraft 2 Hours later. While checking his plane he was approached and told he “Owed landing fees”. He explained he was told on phone a fiver but was charged 10 which he had already paid. The reply “If you have it in writing I will let you go with a fiver BUT, I am the airport manager and I say the SEP is 20.

ONE of the reasons for this survey is to find out what you are being charged, not what was said on phone. Not everywhere has a published rate either.

[Pearse1983]

Visitor to Ireland phoned in to be told Landing for any SEP was €5. He came in and was charged 10. Went about his business and returned to Aircraft 2 Hours later. While checking his plane he was approached and told he “Owed landing fees”. He explained he was told on phone a fiver but was charged 10 which he had already paid. The reply “If you have it in writing I will let you go with a fiver BUT, I am the airport manager and I say the SEP is 20.

Jim,

I think alot of people would be interested to know which airport this occurred at?

Pearse

[JFH]

m

[aviatorsguide]

@ Jim,
If my flight guide has omitted airfields, or indeed airfields that charge a landing fee which I find hard to believe, then it would be due to the fact that the owners did not wish to have their details published. There were over 40 places I did not include. I know where they are and use them sometimes with PPR, but it's not something that I can, or need to do anything about. If there are any technical aspects that render it out of date that are not on the website, then please pm me and I will post them accordingly.

Having a survey instead of doing this by phone & eMail, where you could post official responses from the the airfield management on your site would be a much more meritorious plan IMHO. One hour would get it done, and it would be a drop in the ocean compared to the work undertaken by anyone producing a recreational flight guide. Not sure where you're angling with the €5 into €20 story, but no airfield needs bad press now, so perhaps there is a better procedure to deal with an overcharging event than a public trial here.

William

[Jim]

@Pearse:
As he did not get a Receipt, I am not in a position to name the airfield.
But, I am in a position to mention that it was the same airfield who allegedly charged a Heli Pilot who is an AOPA member landing fees, then when he hovered over to the other end of the field charged him again! 2nd Landing?

@William:
Far be it for me to put anybody on public trial. No airfield named!
There’s a reason for requesting the amount being charged instead of the amount published or supplied.

Thank You! So far to those who submitted forms, response is good.

[BDoyle]

Thanks for the reply. i was not asking you to get involved with anothers contract. what i was trying to point out is that the State has handed over a public landing strip on Inish Mean to Aer Arran with a bag of cash to 'operate' it and they have effectively prevented anyone elase from using it. Just thought that AOPA would see this as a bit strange............maybe not

[Jim]

Thanks for the reply. i was not asking you to get involved with anothers contract. what i was trying to point out is that the State has handed over a public landing strip on Inish Mean to Aer Arran with a bag of cash to 'operate' it and they have effectively prevented anyone elase from using it. Just thought that AOPA would see this as a bit strange............maybe not

Not Strange but rather expectedly spiteful.
Aer Arran never really has facilitated GA to any measurable degree.

There is not too many AOC holders in that geographic region, and obviously, those outside do not want to relocate. How many holders applied for the Tender of Inish Mean?
Without opposition, the state had no alternative!

Unless you already hold an AOC, we are talking about €14K for a Cert, then theres Aircraft, Maintenance, Staff, operating costs, etc. etc. A lot of make-up before you could ever think about profit from a strip that is only in Summer Months realistically used by others.

Aer Arran hold the contract presently and how and when they choose to open and close it is their decision.

Personally and, it is ONLY a personal view!
I believe NO AOC holder should be allowed contract of operation of any non-private Aerodrome! It provides them an opportunity (Just like this) to become biased.

[inverted]

Jim.

With respect, Do you not feel that as a promoter of AOPA you should " name and shame" the airfield that overcharged the aforementioned parties rather than all the cloak and dagger stuff thats going on here, Surly one would be acting in the best interests of there members by naming and shaming in order to avoid another member of the flying community being caught ?
I was always under the impression that AOPA represented Aircraft Owners and Pilots, not that of Airfield Owners.

[RV BLUE]

I was always under the impression that AOPA represented Aircraft Owners and Pilots, not that of Airfield Owners.

Not sure about over there, but here in the US airports are supported by AOPA and each airport has a representative that keeps a watchful eye on attempts by developers to close airports and such like. It wouldn't take to kindly to the idea to precluding GA from using a public airport. One has to wonder !! Anyway thats my two cents.......

[BDoyle]

That's what I would have expected RV Blue. But here we don't seem to mind