G'day PAF,
Skeptical? Not at all.
Whether or not it (RFF) is truly needed is not a debate I care to partake in. However there are those outside this forum who will lobby quite hard for it to be provided and expect it to be provided for free. Maybe if for no other reason but to have their own egos massaged should it come to fruition. Am I being skeptical?
I wonder if any cost/benefit analysis and a safety case has been completed to objectively wiegh up the advantages/disadvantages of such a service. How does JT compare to BK, PF, AF, MB for example? Do any of them have dedicated fire services on the field. Anyone know how long ago was it since the fire service that was provided was taken away? This would have been back in the days when the annual movement figures would be nowhere near what they are today. Yes we will certainly pay for it in landing fees but just how much is the question
In my 8 years at Jandakot I can recall only one accident prior to this resulting in fire. That was when an R22 caught fire a couple of years back after it impacted heavily with the ground during a training session in the middle of the field. Luckily both occupants were able to escape but the only initial response was an airport employee quickly loading a few extinguishers into his ute and getting to the scene. FESA turned up about 10 minutes later. But their ability to respond even in this time frame normally is going to be dependent upon the crew from the closest station not being on another task at the time. Another serious accident was when a C172 landed on top of an ultralight. No fire resulted and I'm not sure whether or for how long the ultralight pilot/s were trapped before being released.
If it is statistics that may well decide or give weight to what, if any changes are going to be made, I'd suggest that Jandakot like most other GA airfields stack up fairly well. It will also be these statistics which leave us with no qualified RFF capability should an unlikely event such as this occur again.