Originally Posted by
OzCountryFlyer
Mildura Airport is not operated by Mildura Rural City Council. It is a Corporate entity acting on behalf of the Council.
Fuel is Available via World Fuel Services who took over from Mobil some time ago. There have been changes to aspects of service delivery with WFS and a new fuel facility is in the process of being delivered.
With regards aircraft parking, the negative comments reflect a small window in time when we will admit, parking facilities were far from perfect.
We now offer a substantial grassed apron with cable tie down.
The larger areas of bitumen pavement have, by necessity, been reserved for RPT and heavier aircraft
I am a Commercial Pilot myself and if I look objectively at Mildura, I see a Regional Airport with facilities that are second to none. We have great tie down facilities, a well equipped GA lounge with free coffee and tea facilities and soon to be a new relocated Avgas fuelling facility with credit card capability that gets around the old canate card system.
Further to that, the price at pump will be pegged to an index that reflects fuel price at several other capital city locations and increased only to reflect transport cost.
Additionally, avgas will be available from truck delivery if required.
The airport has a comprehensive cafe in the main terminal that is open during hours of RPT departure
Only getting one side of the story there. Unfortunately the Mildura Airport has gone from being a council owned and operated airport, for the joint benefit of the local and aviation communities, to where it now exists solely for the benefit of Mildura Airport P/L. Although the airport is still owned by the council, there is almost no oversight from the council itself over MAPL. Management has been allowed free reign to implement any policy or arrangement it has seen fit to without any blow back from anyone, regardless of how it might affect the local operator's or other airport user's. The airport board basically exists as a rubber stamp for senior management. As I said, it's now ALL about MAPL and how the airport can be used to increase the revenue stream for THEIR benefit. No-one else gets a look inside the tent. It could be argued that as the sole share holder in MAPL, the council (hence the local community) has indeed derived some benefit from the way MAPL has conducted itself and it's operation over the last few years. Maybe, maybe not.
As an aside to the above, the water industry is meeting in Mildura tomorrow with all of the heavy hitters attending, from the Minister on and downwards. I would expect a number of corporate machines to fly in. The GA park out in front of the aeroclub used to be able to accommodate up to around 20 aircraft of different shapes and sizes in years gone by. That entire expanse of bitumen has now been effectively reduced to two bays for PC-12/B200 sized aircraft.
'You want me to park the GV down on the grass with the rest of the aviation flotsam? Fcuk off!" As I suggested above, management has done some great things, but also some dumb things. This was one of them.