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lintern

New DZ opening in the UK (Midlands)

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Has anyone heard about a new DZ that is planned to open in the UK in Stratford - just off junction 15 of the M40 ?

It is suppose to be opening in March 2005.

There are no altitude restrictions and the aircraft at first will be a Turbo Cessna 206 or and Islander.

Presumably this will change if the DZ is successful.

The DZ will be open 7 days a week.

I just wondered if anyone else had heard about this ?

As I live in the Midlands this is great news because there are no DZ's in the Midlands area.

Except from Tilstock that is, but....

- Tilstock is only open on a Saturday (and Fridays in the Summer).
- It is restricted to 10,000 ft (although you never get that, the plane struggles to get that high!).
- The jump tickets are expensive at £20 (or £18 members).
- Membership is expensive at £25.
- It is a tandem money making factory, so tandems come before everyone else.
- The aircraft is and always will be one Cessna 206
- There always seem to be running problems, such as no aircraft fuel, no pilots, aircraft breakdown or even crashed aircraft !!

The only other alternative for skydivers in the Midlands is to drive 100 miles up the country to Langar (where half the route is country lanes - its a long horrible journey) or 100 miles down the country to Hinton !

Let's hope this new DZ does well ! The midlands needs it !

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One of the people setting it up is called Brian who works at Hinton.

I don't know who else is involved yet.

The plans have to get cleared by the STC in December but apparently there should be no problems.

Although students probably won't be allowed to jump there for the first year.

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John,
I think you'll recall that there are two 206s at Tilstock. :P Charlie Echo has been in having a service for a while, but Colin has (nearly) always managed to get a second plane in if the weather is jumpable. He also seems to have sorted out the problems that we had briefly at the start of the year. You should come back some time; it would be nice to see you again.

It'll be nice to have another DZ about, but I'm not sure that you need to be quite so negative (and inaccurate) about Tilstock. It would be nice to have a big planeB|, but unfortunately someone would have to pay for it.:(

Anyway, hope to jump with you soon.
Andy

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Where exactly in the Midlands are you? I live in the Midlands close to Stratford and I jump at Hinton - which is definatley worth the journey - its only 25 mins from where I live!

In relation to your original message - I have heard about this - I know much the same as you - opening around March time if it gets the all clear, no idea what planes. I heard that once a month there might be clearance for 20000ft (but could be just speculation) - not sure about altitude at other times. Where did you hear about this PM if you'd rahter not say here. I believe it operated some years back as a DZ so the infrastructure is in place already.

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Has anyone heard about a new DZ that is planned to open in the UK in Stratford - just off junction 15 of the M40 ?



That would be good. Many years ago, in a land far away from sunny California, I made my first jump just outside Stratford on Avon at the Midland Parachute Centre at the Long Marcton airfield. Now closed for nearly 10 years, it would be good if there was a place again there or nearby.

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Lintern :
Quote

There are no altitude restrictions and the aircraft at first will be a Turbo Cessna 206 or and Islander



Scargill :
Quote

I heard that once a month there might be clearance for 20000ft



I sure hope they'll be getting another plane in for the once a month then! You'd probably be quicker flying out to Perris than going to 20K in a Cessna and by the time you got the Islander up there everyone's feet would have fallen off from the lack of blood B|:D
----
Yay! I'm now a 200 jump wonder.... Still a know-it-all tho..

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Unfortunately,it's all on hold for the time being:( so it may not happen this year as the landowner is applying for planning permission and does not want anything that may rock the boat.:(:(:(

Maybe next year.....

..
God gave men 2 brains,but only enough blood to fill one at a time....I can live with that.

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