What's going on at Britain's busiest GA airport?

[@mothmagic1]

John your skills as an interviewer are obvious. I can see how great it must be to interviesw someone like Jason who gives the clearet answer he possibly can at the time.

[@blista1718]

As someone outside of the aviation community I thought the responses to the questions were pretty good, honest and open compared to many of the MD/CEOs I've experienced!

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching!

[@johnnorris4467]

Exactly my thoughts.

[@carlhusain1012]

Excellent interview. Well done to Jason for submitting himself to this quite direct questioning! Thank you for sharing your skills as a presenter and interviewer on behalf of GA.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Carl.

[@Captain_Al_320]

Great interview and credit to Jason for taking the questions. Ultimately it will be in the new owners hands as to how GA is valued.

[@stco2426]

Agree.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Al.

[@bristolflyerpa28]

Jon ty I am based at EGBJ and really enjoy life there as a GA pilot. Great interview and information that has not been given to us yet.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@douglasb5046]

Jon knows how to ask the key questions!

[@learningtofly-]

Nice video John. My home airfield Halfpenny Green has just had a new restaurant. Please come and have a look when you have the time!

[@vsznry]

GA airports should have a combination of private & public sector investment. To be entirely reliant on public funding is a danger.

[@cryptodoodle7506]

Thanks for covering this, your videos are top notch. Plan to go to Gloucestershire airport this summer but i'll just avoid those 10 days.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@PeterKendall-c1w]

Great interview discussing fine details we pilots would never have known. Well done Jon and credit to Jason and his honesty.

[@filecore]

Very fond of EGBJ at that's where I did my training. It is busy, but that was a good learning experience. Hope it gets back to its best!

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@richard_muschette3009]

Thanks Jon and as well Jason for this interview, l am now thoroughly cognizant of some of the crucial things happening at EGBJ Airport. in all aspects..

[@pablofb75]

Jason, have a word with Rob Cooke at Shoreham. He'll explain how to work around loss of rated ATCOs

[@davegrant2167]

Speaking as a GA pilot who has also worked in Operations Management at an airport, it’s a really hard balance to strike, many smaller airfields are stuck with ridiculous covenants that don’t permit any non-aviation business, and fields have been let go over the years to the point where you cannot bring in biz jets etc. when you combine this with the fact that generally a raise in landing fees kicks off world war three with visitors, and resident aircraft don’t normally pay landings anyway: where are you left? An airfield with limited ability to raise funds, a community who (rightly) don’t want to pay through the nose, and ridiculous land covenants that stop you raising many funds through alternate revenue streams. Add the ridiculous levels of fees that are expected of GA airfields from the CAA and you have a perfect storm to kill GA in the UK.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

We are certainly in a dire situation.

[@louissanderson719]

Wish we were like the US where GA airfield seem to get a lot of FAA support

[@davegrant2167]

@@louissanderson719 they certainly are seen as more important over there than we are in the UK

[@paulmark63]

Hi John Paul in Orpington hope you are well very good video your questions were well thought out and well done for Jason for answering them in a professional way . He was honest in his delivery

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Paul.

[@Jeffpower-]

Great interview! Any interview that includes the most uncomfortable questions is always a sign of a good interview. The worst type is when the host keeps it too light. Unfortunately, we don't have great representation among the government, which is always controlling and making it difficult for GA pilots in the UK.

[@mothmagic1]

epsecially when the interviewee seems so willing to answer those questions as honestly and clearly as possible.

[@tds456]

Fantastic interview and huge kudos to Jason for being so frank and open like that.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@PeterKendall-c1w]

Very informative interview we pilots would have never known that level of detail well done John and indeed Jason

[@angusb1434]

Great video, thanks for covering this John. I did all my training at Gloucester and continue to fly out of there. I've been concerned with the future of the airport since hearing about the sale so it's interesting to hear from the MD

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Hopefully it shed a bit of light on the situation for you.

[@angusb1434]

@@TheFlyingReporter Absolutely!

[@Pete68T]

Interesting and I Think Jason Was Very Kind to Sit Down And Let You Grill Him🙂

[@johnnorris4467]

Excellent, well-framed questions, and robust, reassuring responses which, I think, inspire confidence in the airfield's future. Thank you for setting up and sharing this.

[@ideas66]

Top job, well done for covering and 'plugging' the information gap and reducing the resulting anxiety that has been created. It's the Airports and the CAA's job to clarify and communicate such detail in an ideal world (you know, that one where the UK is 'the best Country in the World for GA' . . .

[@JustinBellingerTV]

Amazingly good video, with some direct, open and honest questions (and fair play to Jason for answering as openly as his planning approach can allow). I note, from some 'google research', that the whole sale itself is a little contentious (from reporting on full council meeting and oversight), and I keep my fingers crossed that, whoever buys it, is open to a similar interview from you to get down to the nitty gritty of the future. Brilliant stuff, thanks very much for sharing, hope you and the family are well!

[@adam_sr22]

Jon, your channel is a fantastic resource. I am already a monthly subscriber at £4.95, but wanted to send an additional one time "thanks!" payment to better reflect the value you provide to the community. Keep up the great work.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thank you Adam. 🙏 this is much appreciated. You are very generous

[@kenpile7408]

I don't see an easy answer to the ATC problem. Controllers will always be tempted to higher salaries elsewhere that Gloucester wouldn't be able to match. As an A/G Radio operator, and until a few years ago flying a Gloucester based aircraft, I am surprised that A/G is being considered. Ground movements can't be authorised by A/G Certificate holders, and a look at the airport chart shows how complex they can be. In my time a lot of the Tower operator's time was spent on getting aircraft to and from the active runway making sure they didn't bump into each other. I would be interested to hear why a FISO service (who do have control over ground movements) isn't being explored. Nearby Kemble (where I have also had a based aircraft) ran well using FISOs. GA and Bizz Jets (as used frequently by two local HRHs) co-existed there quite comfortably.

[@Barnyg84]

Here’s a radical thought, how about if you want to visit, you look at the published 10 days that are restricted… then plan to visit on a different day. Not rocket science

[@howardgraff4084]

All very interesting, but light aircraft (like I fly) are not financially significant to an airfield like this...and too many pilots complain about £30 landing fees! You can't have it both ways.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

I think you make a good point.

[@matthewsellers82]

Try flying in the US where GA airports are seen as community assets and landing fees mostly unheard of

[@howardgraff4084]

@@matthewsellers82 I imagine that they are largely municipally owned in the US...unlike in the UK where airfields / airports are almost always privately owned / owned by public companies. Municipally owned airfields are not compelled to make a profit to ensure their survival. It's a good model, followed in many countries, but sadly not in the UK.

[@matthewsellers82]

@@howardgraff4084 Absolutely, not only are they municipally owned they are often state and federally subsidised.

[@nigeleaton5715]

I've always had a soft spot for Gloucester if only because they gave me an "Excellent/Excellent" on my QXC. I really hope it survives.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Good work Nigel.

[@nigeleaton5715]

@@TheFlyingReporter Long time ago. I think it was an Avro 504K... 🙂

[@roycarpenter6380]

As Chairman of the Airport Committee in the 80's and 90's I know how hard we had to fight, with support from local businesses to avoid the site from becoming Staverton industrial/housing estate. As recently as the 00's the preference was for a reduced site with a single runway. Council ownership in the U.K. has always been contentious compared to U.S.A., France and Spain where the 'invisible' earnings from attracting businesses to the area are considered. I thought the interview was well balanced and can only wish the A.D. good luck in his position between a rock and a hard thing.

[@MacVision3D]

Fantisic interview John thank you .

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@devon896]

They need to be careful who they sell it too, you only have to look a Plymouth where Sutton Harbour holdings were given a 110 year lease by Plymouth City Council. SHH then threw in the towel on Air Southwest, closed the airport and have tried for the last 13 years to build houses on the site.

[@davelee212]

Excellent interview Jon. I'm glad you picked up on Jason's background being at airfields that haven't been exactly light aircraft friendly. I do wonder what he means by GA - PA28/C172s or the private jets... It sounds like there's still a fair bit for the owners, Jason and his Senior Leadership Team to figure out. In the mean time, I'd better get Gloucestershire Airport in the logbook!

[@nathanpritchard2943]

Thanks Jon for this interview, thanks Jason for taking the questions. Invaluable content. I'm also based at GLO in an Arrow.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Nathan.

[@markdavis2475]

Did some work there a few years ago. Got a private tour of the museum 🙂 Friendly people, some of whom have left now. I think one of Val Doonicans old planes is on the dump there.

[@SaFaRiJaCk101]

Watched you after seeing you visit Elstree! Hope you had a good fun at the aerodrome.

[@paulgul1]

I used to visit Gloucester airport in the 1980's and photograph the Intra Airways Dakota's flying in from Jersey. Used to have good airshows as well.

[@terrystevens5261]

And the Skyfame museum. i used to spend hours there as a kid. we now have the Jet Age Museum, which is well worth a visit.

[@andre_the_pilot]

Fantastic insight into the future plans and potential restrictions ahead for EGBJ. Do they have any diarised days for the restricted services?

[@marshmellow377]

First of all, great video! keep up the incredible work! You earnt a sub! But, I would disagree with you on this, Gloucestershire isn't as busy as some other airfields in the uk with a lot less! It can easily manage with Unicom, It is in quiet airspace, with not a lot around.

[@scottjames4953]

I want some of what you’re smoking

[@francescaf7967]

I opened a business in Cheltenham which I opened there because of the proximity of the airport. I used Gloucestershire airport regularly throughout the year for many years - it’s very conveniently located close to Cheltenham and Gloucester and easily accessible from the M5. It has everything you could want in a GA airfield… maintenance/ab-initio and recurrency training, examiners based on site as well as aviation medicals. Out of hours ops were straightforward and I used to leave an airport car there. I visited the airport recently after a 10 year hiatus and if anything it seems to have grown. The only thing that it has lost is the pilot shop… let’s hope that whoever buys it understands the value it brings to the local economy

[@dunelmite1]

As a Gloucester based pilot, having flown on an indemnity day, it was quite revealing whilst doing a flight hearing other pilots still calling up expecting to get an air traffic service when it was NOTAMd as closed. Just struck me as a bit concerning that there are some pilots out there who aren’t being as thorough in their planning as perhaps they should be.

[@dunelmite1]

And here we are in November 2024, and they are still going on. There must be extenuating circumstances but it is a real shame.

[@andycampbell5491]

It’s a great go to airport for me and one I visit regularly. It would be a shame to see it deteriorate, but the challenges are real and the GA community must realise that, to keep these and many other airports operating and viable, we as a community must pay our way.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

I agree Andy - as much as we are all struggling with the costs, we must accept that these places need to make enough money to remain viable.

[@stevehayes6661]

Thank you John I love your content 👍🏻👍🏻

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Steve.

[@tomcarr1358]

Looks like a brownfield site. If the freeholder is a local authority the asset would have to be put to best use on behalf of the general public. Adjacent land uses suggest eventual future if the housing shortage is to be continue.. Restrictive covenants can be set aside by mutual agreement.

[@FlyingTruckerUK]

All the closures are notamed so people can plan around the restrictions. As far as I can see some closures are only 1700 until 1830 and approach and tower are combined.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for the comment. In addition to these restrictions, there are 10 full day ATC closures. "This summer Gloucestershire Airport will not provide an Air Traffic Control Service (ATC) for 10 days across a 10-week period. On days when ATC is provided the service will begin 30 minutes later than published and end 30 minutes earlier. "

[@nickbarsby3378]

If you want a story, check out what's happening at Llanbedr airfield in Wales.

[@boeingbwoy]

i solo'd there 2008, sad to hear its been ran into the ground

[@idlewise]

Labour government would have probably pushed to have the councils build houses on the land had they not started the sale process.

[@benswain3643]

I think if we are all honest as ga pilots paying £20-£30 to land then parking at anywhere between £10 -£30 overnight is just so cheap that the economics just don’t add up! So I’m guessing here but if a single air traffic controller at Gloucester is getting paid £50k a year and there is 10 of them that’s £500k per year just in wages on air traffic control, then you have airfield maintenance, training, certification, rent etc on top. He mentioned 68k movements so again if 50% of that is GA and each pays £30 for landing that’s only just over a million in revenue! Maths don’t stack up - simples! I am a GA pilot but even I am shocked at how cheap it is to land and park at these airports whilst dropping my wife off at Manchester airport in my car costs over £5 for 10 mins!

[@tasercs]

Once again, you managed to squeeze out all the answers that the viewers were asking Jon. You show your skills as an interviewer to gain the respect of your 'target' but also to listen and respond to what he had to say, formulating new questions on the fly, based on what he has said. That is not an easy task as the rapidly diminishing quality of BBC output is testament to. So many interviews seem to be pre-scripted questions and a rushed format that doesn't allow the interviewer to really listen as they rush through. So you need to be praised for your skills. And I will assume you set up the camera equipment too as I have noticed your home setup is of a similar highly professional standard...so let's not underestimate that. In short, as high a quality interview as we could possibly expect from any source. And it isn't the first time I have found cause to tell you that either 🙂. Long may it last .

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thank you for your very kind comment.

[@SW-tech]

Many years ago I owned and flew a plane based at Staverton. There were simple procedures for leaving and arriving when ATC was closed. At the time, many felt the issues were due do the airport management so, it would be a good idea to get off the record briefings from Staverton businesses to see what they really see as the key issues. I recall significant investment in buildings that seemed OTT to airport users, Fundamentally, Staverton's location limits its growth. Flying training is a core business. Maintenance could grow, jets might grow but it's still 100+ miles to London. Finally, how are all these growth plans justified in terms of limiting carbon-related emissions?

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for your comment.

[@philmulrooney7020]

Any operations ran by “local authorities” can be relied on to fail when the access to funding becomes harder.

[@DerpyCallum]

Why not incentivise working in Air Traffic at Gloucester by offering an Ab Initio scheme in partnership with Global who are based on site. I Imagine that many would be willing to take a pay cut or bear the risk if they are offered the chance to gain their license for free or through salary sacrifice.

[@DaveP668]

Direct result of Council finances being squeezed. It is probably the case that running airports isn't Council core business and its a valuable asset, but revenue hungry. If you work there and know there will be a time of upheavel and you have skills which other airports want (and where there is a shortage) it does make sense to move on.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching Oliver.

[@FredSchumacher-pe8ic]

In terms of maximising aviation-related revenues, it's limited by geography and by runway length - a wet runway landing distance of just 1,147m on RWY 27 significantly limits any charter/public transport potential for turbine business aviation (or anything commercial/scheduled for that matter), whilst competing airports with say Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and indeed Kemble in each direction, mean if you live closer to any of those, you'll choose those and they don't have the same field-performance constraints. It has run at an average of about 4-5 business aircraft flights a day over the last year and hasn't been far from that for many years - a small increase in that isn't going to pay the bills. It needs to retain pre-existing flight training activity as primary priority and help that to grow, then retain and grow the maintenance activity as the core revenue streams. Otherwise, the only way out of the financial hole is to maximise property development anywhere that's possible whilst safeguarding the two remaining runways. Or, you could just keep RWY 09/27 and get rid of 04/22 which will save costs and open up some more elbowroom for further property development. It could never survive on aviation-related revenues alone and will only grow with additional property rental revenues where unfortunately a lot of the property on the airport is not owned by the airport - it just sees minimal ground rents on some of that. ATC costs will be the most significant burden by far when you put up the pie-chart of what it costs to run a bigger GA airport. Any new buyer will have to forensically review what Tewkesbury Borough Council will allow on the property side in the decades to come, the covenants, the boundaries, greenbelt protections, national planning policy changes anticipated with any new government etc. - nothing to do with aviation at all.

[@tomdchi12]

Privatization that sets up a situation where providing less services means more profit for the operator leads to less services. It's unfortunate that the local councils don't see operating an airport for their constituents as something valuable and thus worth them continuing to handle. (I'll be clear that I'm an American and don't have a clear view of the distinctions on what aspect of government handles what services in the UK system - it's exceptionally difficult to explain the American approach(es) so I infer it would be complex in your case.) Also interesting as an American that it's common here to have airports with part-time tower operations that shift to "pilot controlled" or non-towered operations during the hours the tower is closed, but that for this airport, that would be a significant regulatory shift. I hope this current manager's assurances of the future of GA at this busy airport (and it continuing to be an airport!) prove true in the coming years.

[@agent0066]

But for their constituents, this airport isn't valuable. It's lifeblood is pilot training, private flights and helicopter maintenance. Not a lot of value to the local residents.

[@nicolad8822]

I’d rather the Councils spend money on basics. Social care, housing, refuse collection, Education, roads…

[@nigelarmstrong252]

For a non flying aviation enthusiast, I found that extremely interesting. Clearly the councils are after money. Is this similar to what happened at Doncaster ?

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Nigel. Not totally across what happened at Doncaster, but it wasn't council owned as far as I'm aware.

[@davidwebb4904]

GA fees will triple. Its not rocket science. These things never end well…..

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Let's see. Something will need to change.

[@davidwebb4904]

@@TheFlyingReporter GA must adapt if it is to survive. It needs an ecosystem like the US has, to be able to do that. The UK system leads only to extinction.

[@SuperReasonable]

I’m not sure Jason is being totally transparent. He called Southend, London Southend and Oxford, London Oxford, both of which are desperate to grab the London name to do a Farnborough, which means grabbing massive chunks of airspace allowing the owners to sell for a short term, one off massive payout. Fortunately after Oxfords failure to grab a ridiculous amount of airspace, it would appear the authorities realise they were duped by Farnborough and unwilling to fall into the same trap. I wonder just how profitable Southend and Oxford are right now. Neither have a huge amount of custom, yet VFR traffic outside looks into their clear airspace while they have to dodge the fog of gliders, ultralights, GA aircraft and paraglides forced into VFR channels nearby. I hope Gloucesters new owners don’t have Oxford or Southend’s aspiration’s.

[@user-cr4gg1gq6t]

Hmmm 404 Movements at Oxford on Friday. Just demonstrates how ill informed you and your comments are 🤷

[@globalespresso]

Oxford has the Airbus Helicopters UK headquarters, multiple hangars for jet aircraft, 6+ flight training organisations and is constantly underestimated in its capacity as an airport. Southend have just gained multiple EasyJet aircraft based, and 2Excel have their 727s based, with the capability to go 24 hour operations.

[@duncanbradshaw8993]

It should kept as an aerodrome.

[@bvqbvq]

It is difficult to make money out of a GA airfield. It would not surprise me if the organisation that buys it only agrees to do so if some kind of Armageddon clause is written into the contract. This will then allow them to redevelop the land should the airfield become financially non-viable. This is exactly what happened at Plymouth where it has been closed and unavailable for over a decade while the leaseholder argues with the planners to be allowed to redevelop it after 'proving' that it was no longer viable as an airport.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Hopefully a new buyer finds the way.

[@rhydderc127]

A couple of weeks ago on a busy Saturday morning I heard an india victor and wondered if it was you. But maybe not because this seems like very recent information, recent rumours have been about it closing at the weekends and this ten days thing is new

[@NexusGamingRadical]

Sad really. A rare public good turning into short term cash :(

[@qcode-2208]

The unfortunate thing about GA is most owners like to have the showpiece owning an aircraft but really don't like counting the pennies off to the airfield and maintenance guys who earn far less than your average car maintenance organisation per hour with out any accountability attached. Aviation is in a serious decline and has been for a long time now. There is more time consumed in the paperwork than the actual maintenance these days. It should be the other way around as the paperwork is safe in the file.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for watching.

[@openbabel]

Will there be a case for remote atc like London City ? Will there be a local radio service available for visiting GA aircraft ? Why can't you have a RAF training academy for ATC here ?

[@evanhill110]

The RAF only train air traffic controllers for military operations. The airport already has Global ATS on site, which is a civilian air traffic control training school, but training as a controller costs an awful lot of money that a lot of people don't have.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

The interview covered Air-ground radio provision.

[@jamesj2509]

A remote tower costs several million pounds, and still needs ATCOs. The only potential saving comes from combining multiple towers in the same remote ATC centre. London City's remote tower doesn't exist to save money; it exists to save space. Two additional aircraft stands fit where the ATC facility would otherwise be.

[@Acbaker23]

Downward spiral incoming, outside investment, rent/other prices up, training prices up, training schools move etc etc

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks. I wonder what the alternative would be?

[@lancecolevc10]

An interesting and laudable effort, but count how many times the MD says " moving fowards" ( or " movin' forwards), which like the use of, So, Look, and Going Fowards, are in the PR speak lexicon just the art of saying very little. I suggest the Glos situation is best being " kept under review".

[@TheFlyingReporter]

I didn't sense it being PR speak during the interview, but as you say, the situation needs to be kept under review.

[@malcolmwhite6144]

Hey give the poor bloke a chance he only arrived just over a year ago and he got to step through ALL the politics of 2 councils as well as the usual day to day stuff - I say good luck to Jason ( I don’t know him before anyone says anything) give him a fair time and trial at least he putting his head on the block to have a go - good luck Jason is what I say -Malc uk 🇬🇧

[@hoverfilm4783]

can i get a discount code for easy ppl??? :) - love the content

[@Travis-ip2hd]

John, please drop me a line as I think my team could help.

[@typhoon2827]

I'd guess they're selling it because it is a liability and they need the money to pay for all the 'new' people they need to house in the area...

[@chrishb7074]

He seems to use ‘training pilots’ and ‘general aviation’ interchangeably, as if that’s the sole reason for GA to exist.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

I think you make a good point. Visiting pilots don't bring in much revenue to the airport.

[@chrishb7074]

@@TheFlyingReporter To be fair, he did do a good interview and I wondered if anyone had ever sat him in a plane and got him doing a few circuits, with and without ATC.

[@beano6452]

Glad it’s up for sale as a going concern. Why should the LA continue to subsidise rich men and their flying machines.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

LOL.

[@eddyhahn4650]

Are we jealous?

[@AlanFerry-cx1so]

The wonderful powers that be closed the road bridge adjacent to Gloucestershire airport, for a whole year, for bridge repairs. They could probably have built a new bridge in half that time. This closure completely blocked all airport traffic coming from one direction, leaving just one other road to access the airport. Then, in their infinite wisdom, they decided that the only other access road to the airport really needed to be narrowed, right then, to allow a huge new 2-lane cycle path to be installed alongside. By the way, before being narrowed, the existing road already had its own cycle lane marked out. Anyway, this decision to upgrade the existing cycle lane right at that time resulted in that one remaining access road to the airport being reduced to a single lane, with temporary (ha!) traffic light- control, for another year, while the 2 or 3 workers allocated to the project, on that critical access route, slowly and thoughtfully plodded their way along, stopping frequently to admire their work, stroke their chins, and make way for passing snails. The resulting narrowed road, with it's glistening new green 10-foot wide cycle lane, adjoining double pedestrian lane, and its fancy white custom demarcation kerbs (£££) dividing the two, now has neither cycles or airport traffic! We won't even bother detailing the fiasco of the junction at the end of that same road, by the Hare and Hounds pub, where they caused additional costs and months of delays by installing, with the same impeccable timing, a Swindon - style double roundabout, (more temporary traffic lights ... many more), only to afterwards realise what a disaster it was, and hastily return it to its original fixed traffic lights, under the cover of darkness to hide the red faces. Even the least-gifted can easily imagine the hugely negative impact all this would have had on airport business. The slightly more gifted, being paid for their supposed ability to look ahead, should definitely have been able to. Bridge work, yes. All the rest, on the only other access, at the same time, for so long??? So, to those responsible for the years of traffic pollution from the thousands of cars stuck at your temporary traffic lights, and your white elephant roundabout scheme, and the untold loss of revenue to the airport and nearby businesses, please get on your pedal bikes, ride down your huge new green cycle lane (you'll have it all to yourselves) and just keep right on going!

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Interesting insight, thanks.

[@NovackNGoode]

The same people who whine about a 30 quid landing fee happily pay 300 quid for a peak time round of golf.

[@use-oc4mj6n]

Good interview with someone who probably won't be in his job for long. Lack of ATC and staffing cover is due to mismanagement

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

Exactly 💯

[@Lewis_parry]

Controller here.. most Towers would 100% struggle losing 3 ATCOs in short succession. We are governed by an array of laws, one of the biggest is fatigue management. And what he says about the time period for training at that specific airfield is true.

[@martinmccabe9301]

That's not a fair statement. ATCOs are very much in demand at the moment which is driving the salary up to levels smaller airports simply cannot compete with. One airport referred to in a previous comment here as being "quiet" is offering upwards of 70k with a 3 year 50k retention bonus and a potential future as a RADAR controller which will attract another pay rise. Unless the GA community wants to pay £100 a landing, how can Gloucester compete and retain their staff?

[@nicolad8822]

Know a young ATC who was close to qualifying when Covid hit, had to be furloughed. Then obviously had to take extra time to get back up to speed, at least one of his cohort dropped out. At the same time many experienced Controllers retired earlier than they might have. Not sure there are the staff out there.

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

@@nicolad8822 all part of the plan. You will own nothing and be happy and go nowhere

[@benswain3643]

I think if we are all honest as ga pilots paying £20-£30 to land then parking at anywhere between £10 -£30 overnight is just so cheap that the economics just don’t add up! So I’m guessing here but if a single air traffic controller at Gloucester is getting paid £50k a year and there is 10 of them that’s £500k per year just in wages on air traffic control, then you have airfield maintenance, training, certification, rent etc on top. He mentioned 68k movements so again if 50% of that is GA and each pays £30 for landing that’s only just over a million in revenue! Maths don’t stack up - simples! I am a GA pilot but even I am shocked at how cheap it is to land and park at these airports whilst dropping my wife off at Manchester airport in my car costs over £5 for 10 mins! Simple solution is charge more to us ga pilots, if we pay are way then they stay open!

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks Ben.

[@jamesj2509]

£50k is a VERY low salary for an ATCO, and you can add 30%+ on top of salary for other employment costs. In addition, there's CAA fees, medical certification, etc. There's also a need for air traffic engineers, earning between £35k and £70k. Note that Gloucester receives a lot of non-flying related income, in particular rent from its many business tenants.

[@douglasb5046]

What he wants is the kerosene-burners cuz they generate the greatest revenues

[@eliotmansfield]

wiff of bs in the air…

[@nickgoodall7500]

This bloke gives me absolutely no confidence whatsoever. ‘Hopefully’, ‘Hand on heart’, ‘With a fair wind’ ?? Totally unconvincing!

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

All his ither stuff i remember as a bIoody mess

[@jamieknight326]

Good video but seems a bit combative. There’s a fine line between holding people to account, and being belligerent. They are clearly working in a really difficult situation.

[@TheFlyingReporter]

Thanks for your opinion. Other people have said the opposite, so clearly that's a subjective thing.

[@jamieknight326]

@@TheFlyingReporter aye. It’s really subjective for sure. The information Jason shared was good, perhaps it would have been a more enjoyable video if you’d made a news style piece and reported on it referencing the conversation? The extra framing & structure could make it more digestible perhaps. I wonder if perhaps the context is also a factor? Jason represents a private business who’s part of our community. He’s not a government official or someone holding an elected office. All that said, it’s good. I’ve done a heap of media interviews for radio and it’s always a bit of an adventure!

[@TheFlyingReporter]

I've looked back at the interview again, because I honestly don't like to come across as combative. I'm pretty happy that this was a non-combative, discovery interview, asking difficult questions, yes, but in a respectful, calm way. There are combative interviewers out there, but I don't honestly feel this was an example of that. Happy to receive further feedback on any particular question, or style that for you, appeared combative.

[@jamieknight326]

@@TheFlyingReporter fair enough. Combative is perhaps the wrong word. Lemme see if i can work out a better way to describe what I’m getting at. Thanks for the back and forth. This is intended as constructive feedback. I love what you do :)

[@flying-squirrel-SK]

3 months before skilled controller is operational ready???? That sounds like bureaucratic madness! Does anybody has any details what is the actual process?

[@Tdog128]

It is because each airport is different. Different runways, holding points, layout, local geography, coordination procedures/local procedures etc etc. It is around 3 months of training to complete the unit training plan at new airports even for experienced controllers. Hope this helps :)

[@dannicholas7812]

Exactly that. It takes an ab initio controller a minimum of 150 hrs to validate on Tower and 180 on Approach. Should the ATCO have already validated elsewhere its minimum 90 tower 150 approach

[@jamesj2509]

3 months is a low end estimate. I've seen MERs (minimum experience requirement) of up to 600 hours, though more commonly it's around 200-250 hours depending on location, and the maximum training time you can log in a day is 4 hours. Having trained Approach Radar ATCOs with Heathrow, Jo'burg, Auckland, etc experience, for a busy Middle East airport, it's evident that even after weeks of classroom and simulator training, the live training MER is still a bare minimum.

[@dannicholas7812]

@james wow! What an impressive CV you have there. As an ex Gloucester ATCO OJTI and Assessor, my statement made with first hand involvement in the process. The max hours isn’t 4, as you’ve previously stated, in fact we could log a many as 6.5/7 hrs in a 10hr shift. It’s very much plausible to validate at Gloucester within 3 months if the appropriate level of traffic is seen throughout training (which in the summer it very much is) and the candidate is successfully satisfactory at each level check along the UTP. 3 months is a minimum here. Reality more like 4 for ADI 5 maybe for APP.

[@jamesj2509]

@@dannicholas7812 - you seem to be contradicting yourself, by saying 4-5 months is the norm yet 3 months is "very much plausible." If you're routinely logging more than 4 hours training per day, and routinely working 10 hour shifts, your SARG examiner might like a word. In any case, an MER exists for a reason. I haven't mentioned my own CV; only that experience of Heathrow Approach does not automatically equate to the ability to handle Doha, Dubai, Dublin or even Doncaster (if revived) without unit-specific training.

[@MarkNewtonFlies]

Why does absence of ATC limit operations at all?! In Australia, we run light aircraft, business jets, and scheduled airline operations with Boeing 737s in places like Ballina, Ayeres Rock and Mildura with no ATC at all. You don’t even have to call ahead first. CTAF procedures work. You don’t need a tower or an air-ground at every airport. Pilots are perfectly capable of coordinating among themselves to not hit each other. Even Class D airports with control towers revert to CTAF and Class G after hours and on some public holidays. It’s very strange to me to hear that it’s a problem in England specifically if tower controllers don’t show up for work. Completely optional: Y’all could easily choose to not have this problem.

[@ktron684]

Do air traffic controllers have notice periods? How about this : to avoid shutdowns when ATCOs move, they need to provide X months notice before their final day. This allows the airport to find and train another ATCO in the meantime. Other industries do this all the time, it’s written in contracts. What X actually is, work it out based on CAA and operator training constraints

[@user-cr4gg1gq6t]

Industry standard is normally 3 months. It takes longer to recruit and train replacements. All training is audited by the CAA but it can be condensed for previously valid controllers. Trouble is, generally, Gloucester is a 'training unit' for abinitio ATCOs whom want to move on once their bonded period is over. Yes, staff are bonded post College Training to give the airport a return of service in their investment. To take someone or an asst ATCO through their courses (Basic and Twr) is circa 50k which will trigger a 3 year bond that reduces by 1/36th for every month of employment post validation. ATCOs have bought themselves out of bonds or future employers will pay off bonds to gain the right staff.

[@martinmccabe9301]

Come on, if an ATCO has X months notice, then the incoming ATCO also has X months notice. In addition the job advert has to go out and interviews need to be conducted. You simply cannot keep on top of it like that.

[@nicolad8822]

Course they do!

[@user-cr4gg1gq6t]

@martinmccabe9301 Apart from the issue at Gloucester is that it's not a place where Valid ATCOs go; In footballing parlelenc, it's like choosing to leave a Premiership Team to play in the National League. Gloucester will have to await for most of their own to go through Global ATS (2 x courses) and then validate. That's a 9-month timeline.

[@MrChezyoung]

No ATC, heaven

[@TheFlyingReporter]

A matter of taste!

[@flyinghedgehog3833]

Busy? Did my PPL in Van Nuys ,LA...ranked 25th worldwide.UK is a sad joke,nothing works.

[@nicolad8822]

Hardly the same given the numbers flying is it?

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

How the heII did this chap get to run an airfield I wouldn't trust him with turning burgers in mcDs

[@grahamlees4394]

somewhat disingenuous if you don't mind me saying. He has the relevant experience as the interview identified and he is not the overall master of the airport's destiny. He has to cope with the deck he is handed and deal with his hands tied behind his back. You could do better, of course 🙄

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

@@grahamlees4394 everybody has an excuse for failing this airfield will do everything he said it won't. Wait sit back and see. GA is coming to an end by design A useful idiot in charge

[@NatNay-cu3uv]

Mismanagement for sure I could fix it in a month so could most housewives

[@aaron_11111]

What would you do to return the airfield to profit while maintaining the general aviation access?

[@lawrencemartin1113]

GA could and should, feature strongly in any plan moving forward....right up to the point when the most attractive deal with a new owner, requires them to turn the airport into another Farnborough or Biggin Hill.....when rents on the airfield go through the roof and training companies and smaller concerns are forced out. Its a dangerous time I would say. Corporate interests and biz-jets will call the shots if that is where the money stream is and airspace and CAA regs permit more of those lucrative movements. Fees will no doubt increase to cover the cost of staff increases and improvements to the infrastucture and any new owner will only be looking towards running a profitable and ultimately expanding business. We see little evidence historically that GA plays much of a part in that and so often is squeezed out by commercial pressures. Great that you got that interview and very good questions and persistence, but I felt I was watching an interview with a politician rather than a man passionate about a community of pilots.....🫤

[@TheFlyingReporter]

He's the managing director of a business, I don't think he's pretending to be the protector of a community of pilots. However, I hope whatever happens, there is, as he says, still a place for GA.

[@nickgoodall7500]

This bloke gives me absolutely no confidence whatsoever. ‘Hopefully’, ‘Hand on heart’, ‘With a fair wind’ ?? Totally unconvincing!

[@LZ4099]

Can I give a shit? My hangar rent doubled over night. Fortunately I was able to escape. The current management haven’t got a clue. When jet operators are moving out and your stated business plan is to encourage biz jets?