STATEMENT FROM CARILL AVIATION FLYING SCHOOL BY CAROLINE RABSON.  DIRECTOR.

1.  Carill Aviation was set up under an Aircraft Operators Certificate (AOC) offering the public Scenic Flights from Hamble Airfield on 9th April 1983.  The proprietors were the late W.R. Rabson (Bill) a retired PAN AM Flight engineer and myself E.P.C. Rabson, (his wife Caroline), a flying instructor with a commercial licence obtained at what recently had been the British Airways flying training school at Hamble.  We operated one aircraft G-AXZF a single engine Piper Cherokee (PA28-180C) capable of carrying four persons.

2.  On 7th April 1984 the whole enterprise moved to Southampton International Airport due to Hamble being a target for development.  Carill then opened up its own aircraft maintenance facility at Southampton under the supervision of Bill Rabson who was a licensed aeronautical engineer. The two enterprises complemented each other well.

3.    Carill Aviation was incorporated into a private limited company no.1963226 on 21st November 1985.  The only two shareholders, each holding a £1 share, were W.R. & E.P.C. Rabson.  The company remained at Southampton successfully expanding into a professional flight training school offering commercial licences and instrument ratings for potential airline pilots as well as private pilots licences, recreational flying and an air taxi service.  On 2nd April 1990 we also commenced a daily flight service each weekday around 0800 giving the public a "flying eye" on the rush hour traffic and spotting hazards in conjunction with the local radio station. This, like the air taxi service and the scenic flights was supervised closely by the Civil Aviation Authority being an AOC operation. We owned two twin-engine aircraft, five single-engine aircraft and a flight training device similar to a flight simulator.  Turnover was over £500,000 pa.  There are many airline pilots to-day who trained at Carill Aviation Flying School.

4.  During June 1992 Carill Aviation moved its aircraft maintenance department from Southampton to Compton Abbas in Dorset due to the inevitable development plans for the enlargement of Southampton Airport.

5.  On 1st April 2005 Carill voluntarily moved its operation from Southampton to Lee on Solent due to the escalating costs and congestion at Southampton. This was done with the full knowledge and consent of the police operators and also the late landlords, Defence Estates.

6.  Carill along with all other aviation operators at Lee were asked to remove themselves from the field from approx 24th September 2006 to 29th October 2006 to allow World War II bombs to be dug up and disposed of. Carill re-located at Old Sarum at Salisbury for this time at a huge financial loss.

7.  Carill along with all other powered flight operators was given notice by HPASU that with effect from Saturday 12th May 2007 that it would be banned from using the runway and thus mixing with the gliders from 1000 hrs to 1700 local time every Saturday and Sunday together with an 1100 to 1630 hr ban on Wednesdays.  This has basically ruined the financial side of the Carill business as the bulk of their customers are only available to fly at week-ends.  Nevertheless the ban was observed by Carill.  It was noticed however that there were not infrequently powered aircraft seen landing and taking off at the same time as gliding was going on.  A letter to the Chief Constable was sent pointing out the unfairness of this.  

In conclusion I feel as the owner of a legitimate business offering a service to the local community (we have sold 359 flight vouchers since we arrived at Lee in 2005) that we have been offered little help by SEEDA whose avowed aim is to "encourage local marine and aviation businesses" and the HPASU whose policies have targeted our school unfairly causing us to lose business.

Caroline Rabson
Director

Press Contact: 02392 553310