Sending freight to Coventry
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Whi an injection of capital and attractive freight facilities tnere's every reason for local hauliers to make use of 1e[r own airport, as Brian Chalmers--unt reports
-PHILPHILLIPS, manager of :.:oventry airport, is putting :::oventry back on the airfreight map.
Historically, the airport has nad an uncertain future because .atepayers were tired of subsi'dsing an annual deficit of many ihousands of pounds. However, 3 year ago the manager and his olleagues presented a sufficiently strong case to the local authority resulting in a £300,000 capital investment loan over five years and a minimum guaranteed future life of ten years. This is in addition to £50,000 per year from the Corporation's renewal fund.
Phil Phillips and his team sprang into action and started to make the airport facilities more attractive for freight. The seven hangers were waterproofed and repainted, a new aircraft marshalling area was built, the car park enlarged, and the hard runway resealed.
Also new radio and navigation equipment was installed and a rapid intervention vehicle bought in case of incidents. Other improvements included renovating several administration buildings and a new fuel quality control lab being built.
All this happened over a period of several months and the local freight forwarders started to take interest.
Coventry is just over two miles away from the airport, with Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Warwick and Rugby nearby. Within a ten-mile radius there is a population of half a million.
Although Birmingham airport is just ten miles down the road, Phil isn't in competition with it. When Birmingham airport is closed due to bad weather, Coventry can take freighters within the BAC11 and Viscount range on its 1615m (5300ft) runway.
Also good for business are several new industrial estates nearby, including a new British Leyland parts complex due to start operation in June or July this year.
Phil Phillips decided not to compete with scheduled large capacity freight-carrying services but rather to specialise in the 1 to 15 tonne range. Until recently he was handling annually 2500 tonnes of flowers from Jersey, destined for the UK market.
One of the main users of the airport is Volkswagen, using its own aircraft to fly in spare parts on average four times a week. Each load is approximately 800kg (17641b) and comprises VOR parts for the car, commercial and MAN range of vehicles.
Chief pilot for VW is Captain Ted Cooper, and he can complete the round trip in five hours, ' and last year he brought over 100 tonnes of spare parts to Coventry.
According to Ted, although it would be geographically better to use Luton airport because it is nearer to Milton Keynes, there are minimum delays at Coventry, with resident Customs officer Paul Warner completing formalities in minutes and the load being driven away in —under half an hour.''
So enthusiastic is Phil about the potential freight business for this airport, he has been in contact with many leading manufacturers and suppliers in the motor industry. Already Ford and Dunlop are occasionally using the airport but this business could well. be expanded. The freight package Coventry is selling is small weight (1 to • 1.5 tonnes) consignments for the smaller business who do not wish to use air freight, except when essential. This package 'take one of three forms, according to the operation: (a) Ad Hoc Charter — most expensive but quicker. By using air companies like Air Commuter Ltd based at the airport, arrangements can be made in a matter of minutes.
(b) Regular consignment basis, that is once a week, but the customer is liable to payment whether he utilised the .service fully or not. Cheaper than (a).
(c) Own aircraft — reliable and cheaper particularly when a handling agency is used.
The companies being contacted are those who produce or distribute small size components of high value.
These consignments would be shipped from Coventry airport to the small local airfields in Europe where the scheduled freight aircraft do not operate. This would mean less time for customs clearance and minimum mileage, being nearer to the point of delivery than the large commercial airports.
Phil is already in contact with local RHA and ETA members because obviously freight would have to be delivered to and collected from the airport. Although vast tonnages are not envisaged, the total handling capabilities could exceed 5000 tonnes per year; and regular contracts with local vehicle operators can only be good news.
Phil can envisage large fuelsavings because road journeys to .Gatwick or Heathrow would no longer be necessary.
There are two freight for
warders on the site. The Pandair office is managed by Alan Johnson who, although agreeing that there is a future in small freight consignments from Coventry, does not really see how his organisation can introduce much business.
In his view the role of the freight forwarder is to get the best price for the job, and this can be achieved by groupage and using the larger aircraft on the established freight routes.
When time saving is a crucial factor, small aircraft and small freight loads could be the answer.
C. P. R. Nicholson & Co also have an office on the airport site. Directors Chris Nicholson and Chris Goodrem would be pleased to handle any new trade introduced to them by local businessmen but could not see the sense in diverting traffic on its way to London on the motorway to drop off small freight consignments at Coventry.
On many occasions airfreight has suffered a decline which has resulted in a price war between the major airlines. With fuel charges continually increasing, it could well be that small freight consignments in small aircraft will be the answer to the Midlands businessman.
It is ironic that Mortons (BRS) Limited are renting one of the warehouses on the site for the storage of CKD and vehicle parts. However, as warehouse manager Peter Goddard said -it is a pity they do not use the aircraft available at the airport for freight movement.
Besides. having adequate freight storage facilities on the site, there is also a bonded customs shed. Phil Phillips has one card up his sleeve. Pointing to a large expanse of wellmaintained concrete he said, "That is where the trailer bond site will be."
Local hauliers should seize on this point. They are all Contributing to the airport through local rates, and with a little organisation they could increase, their business as well as using the facilities of their local airport.