Elstree Aerodrom

[bmwcsl]

Hi everyone, does anyone here fly out of Elstree aerodrome. If so whats it like?

[stuttgartmetal]

I don't have a plane, but it was cool to watch the planes there of a sunday afternoon.
Looked well organised.

[PJR]

What do you need to know? I used to take lessons there. And have flown in & out with friends on occasion. It's busy these days though. Plus with several major airports in the vicinity, the airspace is rather crowded also.
Somewhat annoyingly, the aerodrome is under some threat, due to noise complaints from local residents. Despite the fact the aerodrome has been there since the 1930's, and thus, has likely been there far longer than they have.

[mattdaniels]

When you speak to peeps and read up on the place on the various GA forums it seems to have a reputation for somewhat officious/unreasonable/unwelcoming ATS personnel with "ideas above their station". I've never flown in there personally so don't have first hand experience but based on a multitude of other comments its not somewhere I would rush to.

[eharding]

mattdaniels said:

When you speak to peeps and read up on the place on the various GA forums it seems to have a reputation for somewhat officious/unreasonable/unwelcoming ATS personnel with "ideas above their station". I've never flown in there personally so don't have first hand experience but based on a multitude of other comments its not somewhere I would rush to.

Ditto.

It used have a legendary character known as "The Screaming Skull" as FISO, who's capacity for unleashing unlimited quantities of bile and invective at visiting and based pilots over the radio probably still puts a lot of people off from visiting the place, even though I understand he's long since departed.

[GG33]

It's okay but the what are you really asking? Is it okay from a technical point of view? The runway is a bit short, has a marked up or down slope, depending on which way you're going, and isn't in particularly good condition. Or do you want know about other aspects?

GG

[bmwcsl]

Hi, just general views and experiences. I fly out of there occassionaly. How no one has flattened the guys in the tower is beyond me.

[anonymous-user]

bmwcsl said:

Hi, just general views and experiences. I fly out of there occassionaly. How no one has flattened the guys in the tower is beyond me.

Are they just frustrated that they couldn't get a job at a proper airport?

[mackie1]

The chaps running it seemed pretty decent when we went down there to ask if we could use their strip to shake down test our Locost. They said they'd like to help but since it never really closes they couldn't help.