Pilot reviews of Leicester Airfield

“Some friends and I flew into Leicester on Sunday 10th February, as mentioned by a previous reviewer the airfield is under threat so the more names added to their petition the better. There were ten of us in five aircraft flying together from three different bases, Andrewsfield, North Weald and Stapleford. The weather was great and the food very good, the parking area was very busy but everyone seemed to manage ATC coped well under pressure on what was a very busy day at the field.”

“Flew into Leicester today from Gloucester. The A/G was very clear and the people very welcoming. The airfield is under threat at the moment and there are plans to build houses. Please visit this airport and make sure you sign the petition when filling in the booking in sheet. Although it was just after 11am, I decided to have lunch and was blown away with the chilli con carni. My poor passenger had to suffer the consequences on our return journey :-)”

“Decided to fly over to Leicester today as the weather was actually good for the first time in days. I also wanted somewhere with a hard runway as most grass fields in eastern England were very soft due to recent heavy rain. The person I spoke to when phoning for PPR was most helpful and I had no trouble getting through the Cottesmore MATZ and finding the airfield. The A/G radio was a bit difficult to hear and spoke rather quickly (even by big airport ATC standards) but no problem. We had a nice bite of lunch and an uneventful departure. Everyone we spoke to was friendly and over all it was a very pleasant visit. ”

“I was sorry to read Nick Matheson's experience at Leicester.

It is my own base airfield and has been for very many years. The Leicestershire Aero Club operates a Cessna and Piper fleet providing aircraft hire as well as flying training for the PPL and associated ratings including FIC. We have a very wide range of aircraft based at Leicester including possibly the largest number of sport biplanes anywhere so a browse round the hangars is always of interest.

There is an active social side to the Club and many events are arranged through the year.

The Club is owned by its membership rather then being the more usual proprietary club and the clubroom is licensed. To comply with the licensing laws for such a club it is necessary for visitors to be signed in but this should never be a problem.

The range and quality of the food available at lunchtimes, apart from Monday, and on the Thursday evening Curry Night make Leicester a popular fly-in venue for a large number of visiting pilots and their passengers.

Additionally the resident maintenance facility has recently been taken over by a new organisation which is eager for new business on a wide range of both certificated and permit aircraft.

I do hope a future visit will prove more enjoyable. If is does not then please register your complaint there and then so it can be dealt with promptly. To delay by some five months seems pointless.

”

“Flew into Leicester 28/8/07 having started my training there in '72 - Had to give it up then due to the 3Ms (marriage, mortgage, money). Have since got JAR PPL and Night Qual at EGTF.

, I had gathered from the LAC website that my principal Instructor in the 70s is now the CFI. On landing, I asked that familiar looking face if he was the CFI? I was given the cold shoulder and asked why I needed to know and who was I anyway? An approach guaranteed to make one feel welcome. He is pictured on this airfield review page as the CFI so why not admit it.

Sadly, that serious lack of a welcome from one flyer to another was typical of the generally unfriendly welcome I received at Leicester.

The only good thing about the visit was the sausage bap (cob if you are from Leicester!) in the clubhouse. I felt guilty climbing the stairs and passing the notice that said 'Members and visiting Pilots only'. It seems that passengers and other visitors must pay an additional daily fee before being allowed to have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake, even if they are accompanying a pilot who has just handed over the landing fee! Just as well I was on my own eh?

I will not be flying into Leicester unless a really have to. Of all the airfields I have flown into since qualifying, this has to be the very worst. ”

“”

“Sadly not the friendliest of welcomes, 'visiting pilots only' and 'members only' signs dotted around the place don't exactly endear us GA types to the general public.”

“Visited Leicester 28-01-2007 from Fowlmere, very friendly from inital call up on the radio to having a snack in that delightfull well furnished and nostalgic lounge. A second visit is to be undertaken later in the year.”

“I've been to Leicester a few times as it was my school's "partner" for cross-country.

Nice big runway (by my standards anyway), proper taxiways (OK minor runways), nice clubhouse with restaurant and the old buildings a have a very nostalgic feel. Also it's quite easy to spot.

A bit intermittent on the radio though.

”

“

Visited Leicester for the first time on Tuesday 18th July. Very quiet on this hot week day, just a couple of other movements whilst we were there. Plenty of runways to choose from if required including grass. The proximity of built up areas means that circuits have to be kept close if you are in a microlight and approach to 10 with a left-hand circuit was best done with a curving base-to-final turn from abeam the threshold.

Landing fee for a microlight was the now-average-for-most-GA-fields £10. The clubhouse is pleasant with a pilot shop downstairs and upstairs a bar with nice conservatory area for eating and access to outside seating too. A selection of standard pub-type food is available from 1130 (sign says now serving on Mondays unlike the info in the flight guides). Interesting aircraft in the hangars to have a nose at with rather a lot of Pitts Specials evident.

There is a resident microlight school, so a petrol station run might well be possible with prior arrangement if you can't take the AVGAS available on the airfield (we didn't need to worry about fuel this time so didn't investigate).

Leicester's a good place for a stop, all the facilities you need and clear of controlled airspace.

”

“Visited Leicester on Sat 19 Nov 2005.

lovely airfield with an excellent Club house overlooking the airfield.

Steak and kidney pie for lunch at £4.00 was excellent. We will be back.

”

“Dropped into Leciester for a bite to eat and was pleasantly suprised. Good all day brekkie (which finishes at 14:00) and nice layout. Staff very friendly. Just be careful that if you go during the week then the free landing with fuel uplift does not apply.”

“went to leicester again and noted with the plift of 50 litres of fuel they drop the landing fee. 50 litres £55.00 landing fee £10 so fuel is then £45 for 50 litres. just thought i would add that”

“went there recently and as always was very impressed with the freindly people and the flying club facilities a great cross country destination for the $100 hamburger”

“Called in a Leicester on Monday and was surprised to find it quite busy. The long runway was in use and A/G were working the radio. Only snag was that the cafe isn't open on Mondays in the Winter. Otherwise a good destination”

“went to leicester today very nice place for a stop off nice easy going and good food in a very pleasant club house.”

“Just returned from a first visit to Leicester. Easy to find, east of Leicester. We found a pleasant clubhouse with good facilities and very helpful staff. Moderately busy, but it was a Bank Holiday monday. Good fish and chip lunch, in the restaurant overlooking the field. We will visit again!”

“10 Runways
AVGAS and Jet A1
Club club facilities including Bar and Restaurant
Comparitively cheap landing fees plus an uplift enough fuel and get landing fee waived scheme
Welcoming members
Busy airfield at the weekend without any Controlled Airspace
There is even someone to answer your radio calls in the week now
What more could you want?
I love flying from Leicester and suggest that you give it a visit and make up your own minds.”

“Not our experiences at all. Such have they on each of several visits that we've resolved not to go there again.”

“I flew in to Leicester courtesy of a magazine "freebie" last Wednesday and I was surprised how quiet it was. The Tower was unmanned (I had been warned of this when I phoned prior to departure) but "Golf Echo" was just leaving the circuit and gave me the QFE and runway in use. The young lady on Reception took my token with good grace and I made my way to the cafe, which has good views over the field, for a very good tuna sandwich and a coffee. Only one other aircraft flew in while I was there but the local joy-flying Tiger Moth was working hard. I was glad the long runway was in use, I should think the shorter ones might be a bit marginal on hot days. Overall a pleasant place to visit with good facilities.”