winter night flying

As winter comes around, so do the dark evenings, and the need for an aerodrome with lighting. From Monday 21st October 2024 to Sunday 9th March 2025, we will be open for an extra hour (until 19:00 local) each day to accommodate those who wish to continue flying in the evenings.

This will be available 7 days a week, to residents and to visitors too. It will consist of an extension of the tower and AFIS, as well as our lighting (AGL). There will be no provision for Rescue Firefighting Service (RFFS) after 18:00 local.

Winter Night Flying will be unavailable on Sunday 15th December 2024 and from Tuesday 24th December 2024 to Wednesday 1st January 2025 inclusive, and airport hours on these days may be shorter and advised by NOTAM.

CHARGES

Monday to Friday: £7.20 INC VAT per Landing or Touch & Go

Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays: £14.40 INC VAT per Landing or Touch & Go

These are in addition to the usual Landing / T&G fees. Please respect our neighbours, and avoid the noise abatement areas and the use of excessive power.

PPR IN ADVANCE

The airport will remain open past 18:00 local only if there have been movements booked in advance. Pilots must PPR by 12:00 local on the day of the flight. If there are no planned movements, then the airport will close, lights will be turned off, and staff will be sent home.

CANCELLATIONS

We appreciate that plans can change. Our ATSU staff are staying late on overtime to accommodate Winter Night Flying. If you have booked a flight after 18:00 local, and subsequently need to cancel it for any reason (including weather), please do so by 12:00 local on the day of the flight. Cancellations made after this time will be charged at £12 + VAT, 7 days a week. No charge will be payable where the airport is NOTAM’d closed at short notice.

LATE RUNNING

If you don’t book flying after 18:00 and subsequently run late, arriving after 18:00 and necessitating aerodrome staff to remain onsite without notice, you will be billed at double the Tower-Extension rate. This is £144 including VAT. Please ensure if you’re operating close to aerodrome closure that you either book the appropriate Winter Night Flying, or ensure you plan to land with sufficient buffer.

EXTENDING LONGER THAN 19:00

Operations up until 22:00 are possible by prior arrangement. All Tower extensions to opening hours must be requested no later than 17:00 local on the calendar day prior to the planned operation, providing a minimum of 25 hours’ notice. A fee of £72 inc VAT per hour or part thereof will apply to any operations outside of hours, applying cumulatively from 18:00 local in summer or 19:00 local in winter. This fee includes the provision of AFIS and aerodrome lighting. There will be no provision of RFFS service in this situation.

Note: Operators requesting to operate past 19:00 local will be required to pay for a minimum of two hours extension (£144 inc VAT) but will not be charged the per landing fees listed above.

  • The Tower Extension covers all aircraft in your fleet, so you don’t need to pay multiple times for more aircraft.

  • This does mean strictly your fleet.  If you use another company’s aircraft, then it will be charged to both.  We have lots of instructors who freelance across multiple schools and it becomes difficult to manage if schools try to share the cost.

  • If two schools or clubs book the tower extension separately, yes we get double the revenue, but this goes to covering the staffing costs when we have staff staying for a whole hour just for 1 additional landing.

  • Tower Extensions beyond 19:00 must be booked the night before, and if cancelled on the day will be chargeable.  Staff have given up their evenings and will be paid.

NIGHT FLYING PROCEDURE REMINDERS

  • Please remember to book your night flying before 12:00 local on the day of the flight.  This also applies if departing before 18:00 local, but returning after 18:00 local.  The airport will close, and staff will go home after the last planned movement.

  • The circuit height is 1,000 ft QFE during night operations.

  • Please remember Blackbushe has a mandatory Hi-Viz policy.  This is particularly important at night, as taxying aircraft cannot easily see pedestrians!

  • Please ensure radio calls give an accurate report of your location on the ground, or in the air, as it is very difficult for the ATSU to see aircraft if positions are vague.

  • Be prepared for diversions. Many things can affect the ability for the airport to remain open, for example disabled aircraft on the runway, or lighting failures. Make sure you know where your diversion airfield will be, that it is open, and that you have enough fuel to get there safely.