Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > PPRuNe Worldwide > The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions
Reload this Page >

Unfriendliest airport for GA in Australia?

Wikiposts
Search
The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Unfriendliest airport for GA in Australia?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 29th Apr 2022, 01:34
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
Unfriendliest airport for GA in Australia?

I was planning a flight to Queensland and thought I would drop into Miles (YMLS) and spend some money in the local area, however I noticed in the ERSA it has the following points:

1. Restricted OPS – PPR FM AD APR all non scheduled OPS.
2. AD charges apply due to limited PRKG PPR 48 HR PN FM AD OPR for all ACFT.
3. Avdata fees apply.
4. AD code 2C.

Can you imagine if a shopping centre had similar rules for going into their parking area to spend some money? It would be crazy.

Is this Australia’s most unfriendly airport or are there others?

Please note, it is not as if it is privately owned – this is a council owned airport. You would think they would be encouraging people to come to the area.
Dick Smith is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 02:14
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
At least it has a toilet - or at least ERSA says so. YPPF doesn't have any public toilets any more, even land side. Western Downs Regional Council is merely among many others who treat the local airport as a business unit and are going to learn the really hard way that, on its narrow accounting methodologies, it will never make a 'profit'.
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 02:19
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Queensland
Posts: 42
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Use Chinchilla - was in there a few weeks ago and pleasantly surprised how nice & friendly it was.
Ironpot is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 02:32
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
Mildura's been working hard to marginalise GA. (Of course we all have at least $20,000,000 of public liability insurance, noting the airport's interest, in accordance with the airport's terms of use, don't we?)
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 02:39
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3,880
Received 193 Likes on 100 Posts
YMLS might be council owned, but appears that they have outsourced management to this mob: https://amsaustralia.com
Squawk7700 is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 02:42
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Cab of a Freight Train
Posts: 1,219
Received 122 Likes on 62 Posts
Originally Posted by Lead Balloon
Mildura's been working hard to marginalise GA. (Of course we all have at least $20,000,000 of public liability insurance, noting the airport's interest, in accordance with the airport's terms of use, don't we?)
That's better than the Gold Coast. They require $35,000,000 US Dollars worth of "Aviation Hull, Third Party, Passenger, Cargo & Mail Liability and Premises Liability including War Third Party Liability" insurance.

Warnervale has been PPR for yonks as well, despite also being owned by the Council. Their airport charges are astronomical too. When I was based on the Central Coast, it was cheaper to fly past Warnervale to Archerfield, do an hour of circuit training there, land, refuel, and fly back to the Coast than it was to fly 10NM and do an hour of circuits and refuel at Warnervale.

Originally Posted by Squawk7700
YMLS might be council owned, but appears that they have outsourced management to this mob: https://amsaustralia.com
But AMS show both Miles and Chincilla as under their management. What's the difference there, as noted by Ironpot?
​​​​
KRviator is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 03:06
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
$35,000,000,000 USD insurance required? At least they’re providing comic relief, albeit inadvertently.
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 03:11
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: AUSTRALIA
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 3 Posts
Maybe PPR entry is due to what appears to be limited apron space and a cursory measure to avoid a sudden influx of unexpected aircraft causing congestion.
Out of interest Dick, did you make a call to see if it would be ok? Personally I've never been knocked back by an airport saying PPR in their ERSA entry. Mine site strips though are a different beast. You need to have at least 10 space shuttle landings in your log book and $1.2Bn liability insurance.
Roy Nolland is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 03:24
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 55
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Moorabbin's landing fee for visiting GA aircraft is up to $65 or $70 now, which is ridiculous. Not to mention all the attempts to replace hangars with non-aviation related buildings.
phlegm is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 04:48
  #10 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
Why would 48 hours prior notice be required for a parking position?

Lets say there is plenty of parking available and you have only decided that day to go to the airport. But you can't.

Its now become a new requirement for other airports.
Ayers Rock requires 24 hours prior notice and Mt Isa 48
Probably lots more.

And you need to have a Julia Gillard jacket to go to Wynyard.
Dick Smith is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 05:20
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Abeam Alice Springs
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The airport runway is the most important main street in any town..

This title has been around for some years and is from the USA. see these links:

https://slideplayer.com/slide/1582249/

or this one

https://thatbaldwinguy.wordpress.com...t-in-any-town/


triadic is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 06:40
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Canberra ACT Australia
Posts: 721
Received 250 Likes on 125 Posts
From a judgment in the USA in a case where the local council was trying to grab the airport land:
Not only is general aviation important to the national infrastructure, but it serves a critical role as the cradle of aviation. The security and economic vitality of the United States depends on this laboratory of flight where future civilian and military pilots are born. Airports such as Solberg blossomed in an era when local young men turned their dreams of barnstorming into air dominance in World War II and led this country into its golden age. These dreams still live in our youth, and general aviation endures as the proving ground for future pilots from all walks of life.

Finally, there is a certain freedom that defines general aviation. Men and women throughout history gazed longingly at the soaring effortless freedom of birds, pondering release from the symbolic bondage of gravity. Only here can a man or woman walk onto some old farmer’s field and turn dreams into reality. As Charles Lindbergh once said: “What freedom lies in flying, what Godlike power it gives to men . . . I lose all consciousness in this strong unmortal space crowded with beauty, pierced with danger.”

Thus, general aviation airports serve a myriad of public purposes. The record substantiates the importance of general aviation and Solberg Airport’s role in particular. The Defendant offered documentary and testimonial evidence, which this Court found persuasive in its determination of public purpose. The objective evidence demonstrated that general aviation generates over a billion dollars in revenue and creates thousands of jobs across the state [of New Jersey]. It has a substantial economic impact on communities and contributes directly to local business transportation capability. The evidence also demonstrated that New Jersey’s general aviation infrastructure provides many health, welfare, and social benefits: emergency medical services, schools, fire and emergency services, law enforcement, tour operators, and traffic surveillance directly benefit from general aviation airports.
Clinton McKenzie is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 06:55
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane, Qld
Posts: 1,370
Received 29 Likes on 15 Posts
I think like some others have said this isn't to try and scare people off but to prevent congestion at the Airport and a quick call to ascertain that all is good would be fine so very unlikely they'd knock you back. Unfortunately, they can't put in "Please give us a ring before you come on in" and have to keep to more "official language" like this that sounds unfriendly.

I remember many moons ago heading into Uluru as we couldn't make Alice Springs due last light, ERSA entry had me all kinds of scared with all the requirements for prior notice etc.., security rolled out as we were pulling into a parking spot and waved us to a different spot so I was getting a bit worried at this point we'd get a yelling at, fined or what have you. Turns out it wasn't marked but was a preferred spot for RFDS and the security was the nicest bloke I've met at an Airport, could not have been more helpful and accommodating!
Ixixly is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 07:06
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Ferrara
Posts: 8,460
Received 363 Likes on 212 Posts
"From a judgment in the USA" - it's a sad fact that outside of N America the vast majority of the population sees anything aviation as a rich mans toy I'm afraid
Asturias56 is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 07:24
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
Looking at ERSA and the satellite photo for YMLS, it seems they've built a very nice runway and a very nice apron for 3 x ABV 5,700KG aircraft, with only one taxiway on and off the runway to that apron. I can therefore understand why they want to know who's coming and when, because everyone has no choice but to mix it at that taxiway choke point and apron.

If only they'd included a second taxiway - it only needed to be gravel - off to a patch of parking on grass or gravel at the northern end of the apron. The cost in addition to the works already done would have been rounding error numbers. That would give all us nobodies in bugsmashers a way stay out of the way of the ABV 5,700KG aircraft that have no choice but to use the apron and paved taxiway.

Plenty of places out there have signs and ERSA entries about where itinerant aircraft under 5,700KG must not and may park, and most of us are demonstrably capable of complying, without adult supervision.
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 08:51
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 343
Received 24 Likes on 13 Posts
+1 for Mildura. Same bloke who escorted me off the tarmac due to no ASIC wouldn’t let me back out to my own plane +4hrs later. No ASIC No Coach or something like that..
TimmyTee is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 09:05
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
Let's face it: You're a potential threat to western democracy, TT.

It was only a few years ago that the Mildura airport had to be pulled into line for presuming to 'ban' sport aircraft from 'its' airspace. Even CASA had to do something to 'protect' us, in the face of Mildura airport's pretentions to an airspace dictatorship. But once we're on the ground, we're the playthings of the airport...
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 09:12
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Geostationary Orbit
Posts: 374
Received 59 Likes on 22 Posts
TIMMY - curious how you resolved that situation. What happened next. Or are you still stuck there?
thunderbird five is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 09:20
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
Posts: 5,295
Received 422 Likes on 210 Posts
I'm guessing TT found a non-terrorist (ASIC holder) from the local aviation community to do escort duties to ensure TT didn't detonate the explosives vest hidden in the back of his aircraft.
Lead Balloon is online now  
Old 29th Apr 2022, 11:15
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: FNQ ... It's Permanent!
Posts: 4,292
Received 169 Likes on 86 Posts
This came up in the Birdsville thread…..
When planning to arrive in Miles for a pit stop with your caravan in tow, do you have to give 2 days notice?
What is it with airport owners that makes them so special?
Capt Fathom is online now  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.