Viewing

[maverick]

Good to see Dave's comment with regards to viewing at the Airport in his latest Monthly review -

Liverpool John Lennon Airport Review – February 2012
AIRPORT NEWS/LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Liverpool John Lennon Airport - England's family friendliest airport!
In a recent survey of 1,000 families conducted by Skyscanner, the travel search internet site, Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) came third in a list of the UK's top 10 busiest airports in terms of its ‘family friendliness', behind two Scottish airports, but top in England... ...choice of retail and catering facilities have made a big difference. We pride ourselves on being a convenient, hassle free, friendly airport for all passengers, but for families and particularly those with young children, these attributes are particularly important."

(NWAN note: It is just a pity that the airport isn’t so friendly when it comes to landside viewing facilities for its visitors!)

[/b]

Think it is time we campaigned big style for some facility for viewing/spectating etc. I know FoLA has raised the issue many times but got nowhere.

[Deleted]

Mar 14, 2012 11:57:02 GMT 1 maverick said:

Think it is time we campaigned big style for some facility for viewing/spectating etc. I know FoLA has raised the issue many times but got nowhere.

You could always start an online petition. How many signatures would it take for Vantage/Peel to begin listening?

[jake3]

Don't think it would be about how many sign a petition more more like how much you would be prepared too pay. It would cost to set up, a decent viewing park a LPL would be a good idea.

[Speke-EZY]

Where could such a viewing area be situated to avoid becoming blighted by yobs,bikers etc.,or being used by tradesmen (whom I have reported on several occasions) dumping waste building/decorating material as they often do around Dungeon/Oglet Lane? Probably the safest place for a spectators' facility would be inside the terminal building,but this would have its own drawbacks such as being on the wrong side for photos which would have to be taken through glass,and costing a fortune to park nearby. If we are to approach the airport with any request,it would be best to have some consensus amongst ourselves about what it is we are asking for.

[CloudWarrior]

It seems to me that if there was ever going to be a viewing facility it would have been developed by now, I cant see Liverpool, or any other English airport for that matter, ever opening up any kind of 'balcony' or viewing area as part of the terminal complex.
For viewing aircraft landing, the car park next to the GA is as good as the AVP at MAN. This seems to be an ideal spot and its always occupied anyway by spotters and families watching the planes.
Of course, you can sit there and see nothing move for an hour, and thats something your average person wouldnt contemplate paying for.

[liverpoolman1]

Put a portakabin on the roof of the hangers. Problem solved!

[Speke-EZY]

Is the old control tower used for anything? :-)

[maverick]

Some good comment there - thank you.

Indeed, we do need a consenus of what is required - it seems the photographers want external and south of the runway, whilst the spectators would be happy with internal and northside.

The current GA road is the most obvious site and could be easily upgraded to give a reasonable facility - perhaps a mound and some tarmac to park on. This site could be height restricted to stop vans and errant dumpers whilst covered by CCTV for security and behaviour.

I like the idea of a hangar rooftop room and this could be a USP airport feature and a source of revenue for the airport if handled properly. I'm not an engineer but I'm sure a staircase to the roof just before security (or after, if a security check was thought necessary) wouldn't be a mammoth engineering project whilst portakabins are on rooftops all over the place. It could even house a small airport museum!

IF the airport charged a reasonable amount for car parking say £2 for upto 4 hours then it would boost all the concessionaires with teas, coffees, pizzas etc. A limit of say 4 hours car parking would stop anyone flying from using it.

A reasonable car park fee for say 2 or 4 hours would also negate the current chaos of the dropping off and collecting of passengers - people still like farewells and reunions.

Please keep the comment coming and perhaps we could refine and define a workable spec that the airport may listen too. Afterall, the Airport's owner's, the Vantage Group, home airport in Vancouver, Canada is a outstanding example of enthusiast viewing with huge internal observation deck and external viewing platform.

[johnoakes]

Strength to your arm--interesting that the new owners realise the need for advertising the airport to potential future customers.

[ian531]

Be careful what you wish for.

How many comments on this site have we read complaining about the prices at the Manchester Viewing Park

I still go to the AVP, I think it is expensive but its one of the few left in the country.

Thinking back to the commets on the AVP very few members of NWAN use it

Ian

[LPL]

You only have to look at the comments on here re the FREE period at the drop off zone.

There is very little chance people will use a LPL AVP and pay for it.

[john1958]

I tend to carry on round Oglet Lane, and park up in that first "pull in" on the left. Gives a slightly better side on view if you are after taking piccies!!! Unless the weather doesnt decide to play..........like when awaiting a C- Learjet!!!!!!!! :-(

Something this side would obviously keep us photographers happier, and I'm certain would be great for families on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it would all be down to cost! People have been parking along those back roads for a while now, and its been free, so you will always get someone complaining that they now have to pay!!!!

John

[Speke-EZY]

Another aspect of this discussion is that,depending on all sorts of factors,such as prevailing light (or dark!),runway in use,size and parking position of interesting aircraft,and even what any given individual deems to be "interesting" (etc.,etc...),we will hardly ever all want to be in the same place at the same time. The provision of any official spectators' area may lead the authorities to restrict the use of other vantage points which are clearly more useful under particular circumstances. Do we want to be herded like sheep?

Maverick,you suggest upgrading the area adjacent to the flying clubs to make a proper viewing enclosure. I don't think Ravenair would be very impressed by a height restriction though,as their minibus would not be able to get in...nor the binmen,postman,delivery vans,etc.. Even so,this may still be the only practical site for such a facility,since any development on the south-side would involve considerable investment to convert a patch of land and improve the access road,which would then almost certainly have to become a no-parking zone.

So the question now becomes...If you can already get to all the useful vantage points around the airfield without having to pay,why bother having an "official" (probably expensive) enclosure at all?

That's photography covered. This leaves the main apron as the only part of the airfield not easily visible for spotting. Until quite recently,it was possible to see the ramp from the windows by the upstairs bar in the terminal building. This was then made airside (sensibly cutting off the retail and catering outlets from much of their business!). Having not flown out of Liverpool since these alterations were made,I don't know what this glazed area is now used for. Perhaps separate access via stairs/passages could be provided for spectators to reach an observation deck by the windows without the need to pass through security checks or mingle with passengers.

[maverick]

Lots of negativity creeping in here - who said about a paid avp? a simple free facility is all that is needed.

Deliveries to Ravenair etc could have a coded height barrier.

And don't forget that Oglet/ Dungeon Lane will close very soon as Peel didn't spend all that money for the CAT3 ILS for nothing.

Be positive.

[whittle]

I have a friend who works at the General Aviation area, and his company has been informed that within the next 18 months, Dungeon Lane will be closed off by the crash gate just after the entrance to the GA area. No alternative route to get round to the tower was mentioned, but a new security gate system has been rumored to let staff in and out. Time will tell if we can get any access to the south side in the future, I hope we do.

MW