I’d like to go, on a weekend, to an event at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, which is right at the doors of EGLF Farnborough airport. But the latter costs more than 1200 GBP… What would be your recommendation for cheaper alternatives, in terms of public transport links to Farnborough and/or availability of cabs:
The closest by great circle distance seems to be Blackbushe EGLK. Is that my best bet in VFR? It even has STARs, which (arriving from the South / Continental Europe) bring me to VEXUB at 3000 ft, at the edge of EGLF CTR. Can I reasonably expect to be allowed to cross that, or will I be dumped by descent and abandoned into uncontrolled airspace with complex airspace all around (London TMA, EGTF airspace, EGVO airspace, …)? On departure to the south, can I expect some reasonable IFR pickup clearance (maybe clearance to enter EGLF airspace from Blackbushe INFO?) or will I have to navigate low/avoiding controlled airspace to HAZAL or to GWC (Goodwood VOR), with the associated increased fuel burn?
Is there anything closer/better for a “full” IFR arrival (if weather is below cloudbreak minima at EGLF, 5km/1300ft) than Biggin Hill EGKB or Southampton EGHI?
Everything is handled by Farbrough on arrival & departure,
- On arrival you can fly ILS if weather is bad, then leave Delta on SVFR (see ORS4 1504) or IFR
- On departure AFIS gets your startup from Farnborough to join their CAS then later to LTC
https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4No.1504.pdf
Blackbushes does not have published instrument approach but it allows some IFR operations in ATZ: it has published missed instrument IFR procedure OCAS and allows 400m IFR takeoff minima
Personally, I would go to Shoreham EGKA, have an easy time, and take the train to Farnborough. Or Biggin EGKB; that’s closer and I would consider a taxi (1hr)
Farnborough doesn’t have great train connections, because back when the UK ruled the world, London was the centre 
For both Shoreham and Biggin the best is a train via London (one or two changes). I’ve sent you some illustrations.
Most Biggin airport business uses a limousine, and a humvee for the bodyguards 
They probably prefer to move on fast and not check out the local attractions
I am pretty sure no UK airport will clear you into CAS unless they have radar. Oxford has been reported as one exception. Biggin will probably hand you over to Thames Radar (they have a deal going with them, for inbound vectoring also). Blackbushe? No idea but probably London Info (which IME can take 30 mins to hand you over to London Control).
Peter wrote:
Blackbushe? No idea but probably London Info
For Southbound departures, after a deep dive in their website, it seems they have a good agreement with Farnborough. Looks like it would work out well.
lionel wrote:
1. when weather is VMC
2. if I need an IFR approach
For 1) that would be Blackbushe & Fairoaks, Wycombe Air Park; for 2) I think Biggin (ILS on 21 only) and Oxford (ILS on 19 and NDB IAP on 01).
arj1 wrote:
for 2) I think Biggin (ILS on 21 only) and Oxford (ILS on 19 and NDB IAP on 01).
If EGLK circuit is not busy, you can land IFR in Blackbushes, Farnbrough bring you down to 1800ft on QNH, position on vectors for straight final or base leg (no overhead join), then clears you for visual approach & instrument missed to Blackbushes…otherwise, it’s ILS+SVFR or ask to leave airspace on direct to CPT/EGLK then perform an overhead join
I don’t recall elevation delta between Biggin & Blackbushes nor their applicable aerodrome minima? but depending on ceiling & visibility, you may find that visual IFR or ILS+SVFR to EGLK dwarfs the utility of ILS in Biggin HILL
However, if you you don’t have GPS in the aircraft or your are operating commercial transport in Phenom 300, Biggin Hill ILS is more ideal (one with Saudi royals has crashed on visual IFR approach to Blackbushes after they overtook some microlight with 200kts on final)
@lionel, forgot to mention: EGMC could be used as a true alternate – it has got ILS at both ends, low minima and for some reason 90% of time if the weather is bad in the UK, then Southend is still OK :)
The problem if your case, of course, if you need Farnborough, then it will take some time (and then some!) to get there from EGMC, so only as an alternate.
It’s a mystery how Farnborough, with relatively speaking almost zero movements, have managed to push out GA, while recently grabbing a load of totally wasted CAS…
But, for every loser there is a winner and Biggin Hill loves the situation. Actually Biggin is a principal objector to any improvement at Redhill, which (having ATC already) would be a competitor to Biggin if it got a decent hard runway and IAPs.
It’s the same battle everywhere in Europe. The capital cities have poor airport facilities because some established player has political connections and has killed off the other facilities.
Peter wrote:
It’s a mystery how Farnborough, with relatively speaking almost zero movements, have managed to push out GA, while recently grabbing a load of totally wasted CAS…
If I were king, any airport with airspace would – as a quid pro quo for taking a public good when they get this airspace – have to have available landings at a regulated price for light GA (e.g. no more than £15/tonne) and a required amount of parking with self-handling, so everyone gets to benefit.
