Moorabbin Airport Meeting

[CitationJet]

Moorabbin Airport Residents Association and Dingley Village Community Association will hold a public meeting at the Moorabbin Golf Club on Sunday, September 14 at 11am. The clubs welcome the community to voice opinions about various issues relating to Moorabbin Airport and the closure of the golf club. Call Tom Uren on 9580 3830 about airport matters, David Madill on 9551 5442 for updates on the golf course and golf club and Joe Biviano on 9551 3072 about Dingley Village Association.

It may be wise for some representatives from the airport to attend and counter any misinformation.

[Brian Abraham]

And take along an aerial survey photo of the airport (of suitable antiquity) so the good residents can point out their house. :E

[VH-XXX]

http://users.netconnect.com.au/~njah1/mbn.JPG




http://users.netconnect.com.au/~njah1/mbn2.jpg

[Atlas Shrugged]

After all these years, damn place still looks like a bowl of spaghetti!

[VH-XXX]

My left hand circuits on 35L are lucky to be west of the airport museum in still within the airport boundary even when I'm heavy. The recent crash was beyond the far top right of the picture where you would think that circuit traffic shouldn't be, particularly after a go-around.

Photo taken from 6,500ft.

[Kulwin Park]

So who went to the meeting today at 11am - what was the outcome, or was there just a big punch-on?! ;)

[Mark_pilkington]

I was also informed that the Moorabbin air museum was looking to move to Mangalore or similar because they future for them there is not bright, however the quote of $2m simply to move the aircraft is well beyond their reach.

On behalf of the Museum concerned, I can absolutely dispell the rumour above, none of it is correct.

Such incorrect information about the situation of the museum or its future is also not helpful to our operations and ongoing success.

I realise the forumite concerned may be simply repeating rumour and comments made by others, but the posting onto a public forum re-inforces and spreads those incorrect rumours if not challenged and corrected.

The Australian National Aviation Museum (formerly the Moorabbin Air Museum) is in its 45th year of operation at Moorabbin Airport since opening in 1964, enjoys an excellent working relationship with our landlord and have no current concerns regarding our future, other than implementing building expansion plans at Moorabbin, and managing the expanding collection through undercover storage and display, concerns that the museum has been having since 1962 when it first formed.

While we are unable to acquire any further adjoining land to our existing site, there is no suggestion we cannot remain there, and construction plans have been developed to allow expansion of the existing site to the limit of its footprint capacity, and to lift both the internal and external presentation of the museum to be in keeping with future tenancy/precinct ambiance and also to improve museum visitation attractiveness.

We have been exploring "additional" sites (rather than an "alternative site") to create a Museum annexe to allow for ongoing expansion of the collection and museum display beyond the development capacity of the main Moorabbin site, and Mangalore has been the prime focus of those explorations.

The Collection has over 50 aircraft in its collection although not all are restored and on display, in fact it has a number of aircraft displayed, stored or under restoration off-site, including as far away as Queensland.

In recent years the museum has acquired a number of large aircraft, DC2, Beaufort, Lincoln and Catalina, which have wingspans and footprints in excess of the current free space at the Museum when those airframes are eventually restored and re-assembled. In addition the objectives, collection policy and title of the museum suggests other aircraft will be pursued or acquired if they become available - this is essentially the cause of the expansion/annexe strategy - that strategy is a long term objective, and does not take priority over the more urgent project of improving and expanding existing under cover display space on the main museum site at Moorabbin.

There have been no quotes to relocate aircraft at a cost of $2M or otherwise, or consideration to do so. A Regional Partnership Grant for funding on a building at Managalore was unsuccessful in 2007 and that currently is the only thing that has been outside the museum's reach.



The Museum's location at Moorabbin is clearly identified in the MAC Master Plan, and is acknowledged by that plan in its Key Issues.

Key Issues
• Need to set aside areas for hangars and aircraft parking to accommodate appropriate facilities for long-term aviation growth and development.
• Opportunities exist to develop and diversify activities towards non aviation related businesses.
• Recognise the importance of the National Air Museum to the Moorabbin Airport and the State of Victoria.


Although I cant speak on behalf of the Moorabbin Airport Corporation, a quick inspection of the current published Master Plan 2004, mentions no loss of runways, in fact it identifies lengthening of widening and lengthening to 13L/31R and 13R/31L, with the only loss being shortening of 04/22 which was apparantly consulted with users, and approved by Government.

I am not in a position to know of any future MAC runway intentions, but the current Master Plan of 2004 is what is approved by Government and its not possible to deviate from the Plan without updating it with the intended changes, consulting, and recieving Government approval.

It is indeed dis-appointing that airports suffer mis-information and undermining by local residents wishing to close them down (even when the airport was there first) but uninformed information/rumours in circulation by aviation enthusiasts can only add to that outcome, by raising concerns within the aviation and resident community.

Its particularly disappointing when the correct information seems freely available to both aviators and residents in the form of the Master Plan and other news on the MAC website, or museum news and activities on the Museum's website - Australian National Aviation Museum - Moorabbin Air Museum (http://www.aarg.com.au)



I would encourage those hearing rumours relating to Moorabbin check the MAC website for the Master Plan, before circulating them further, given the damage they can cause.

Moorabbin Airport - Melbourne Australia. (http://www.moorabbinairport.com.au/)

http://www.moorabbinairport.com.au/NewImages/MASTERPLAN/FinalMasterplan2004.pdf

I hope the above information is of interest.


regards

Mark Pilkington
Secretary
Australian National Aviation Museum

[Stationair8]

Rule #1 Never trust airport owners, master plans and spin doctors.

Rule #2 Never trust retired politicans and their intentions, old Tom will be calling in some old ALP favours to help his case or needs.

Rule #3 Never trust local councils, state or federal governments in relation to anything aviation.

Rule #4 Refer to all above and keep eyes and ears open.