Don, No I am not having a laugh, 18 was quite common, usually in the weekends running with two parallel runways. Week days was a lot slower, usually just 6 or 7 at peak times. At number 23 I just followed the aircraft in front.
I dont recall any major stuff ups, though a lot of go arounds.
Ardmore is now uncontrolled and can have 8 or 9 aircraft in the circuit with no ATC including Jets, DC3 and war birds. Which is safer?
2b2 you must be careful with extrapolation with limited information, the costing numbers were not my calculations they were the projections from Airways at the time of the meetings in the late 1980's.
Back to the issue Controlled or Uncontrolled.
If they want to intall ATC with full cost recovery then the cost increases will drive operators away, as less people fly there the cost must born by the remaining operators. As the old addage says "high prices will correct high prices" unless it is government mandated that you must pay.
Airways first attempt at full cost recovery, particularly with the charges for filing of flight plans was a classic, almost overnight the filing of flight plans stopped. People stilll flew just no one filed plans. Met service charged for weather information no one obtained weather briefings (usually we just rang pilots that we know along the route flown for the weather and called pilot friends to tell them what we were upto and if they didnt here from us by xxxx call the police). Airways finally came up with a reasonable charge, internet weather and filing, some (myself included) went back to flight plans.
The point is if the price is seen a value for money then the people don't mind paying.
I for one avoid any airfield with excessive charges (It has been years since I have flown to AA or Motueka due to pricing). Just look at the numbers that left Ardmore in the last 10 years due to the rising cost of operating there.