Essendon Lunatics Again

[CitationJet]

Air base opens

THE Essendon home of the air ambulance and police air wing has been opened after a $20 million upgrade.

The state-funded upgrade to the air ambulance and police air wing base at Essendon Airport includes more hanger space for planes and helicopters.

Ambulance Victoria air operations manager Phil Hogan said the new base would benefit patients brought to Melbourne from rural areas and those being transferred from Melbourne.

``On fine days it's not a problem to unload patients outside but if the weather is bad we can now bring them into the hanger to do it out of the wind and the rain,'' Mr Hogan said.

He said the new base was ``up there with world's best practice'' and had better training and video conferencing facilities.

``There was a bit of uncertainty about when we'd get the upgrade but now we've got it and know we have a future here,'' Mr Hogan said.

But Close Essendon Airport Campaign member Helen van den Berg said feedback from local residents was that the police air wing and air ambulance were a ``major source of aircraft noise''.

She said residents had noticed increased noise in the past few months, particularly from helicopters.

``We will continue to work for the relocation of this airport,'' Ms van den Berg said.

[zube]

The media ring them for a comment. Its a game they play.

If it wasn't published in this fashion nobody would know or care what the good lady thinks.

And nobody cares even now.

[TOPendFLYER]

Why do people buy or rent houses near airports then complain when they hear a aircraft??? stupid people :ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Under Dog]

Where's Wally when you need him,Gone quiet old fella.

(may be hes's in the sinbin again)

The Dog :ok:

[bdcer]

Doesn't Helen van den Berg & her mob realise that the police/ambulance air assets are there to save lives, possibly their own lives one day?!?!
Yes let's relocate them to some out of the way location which will increase retrieval/connection times!!!?!
The airport's been there since circa 1921, you think you'd research the surrounding area before you purchase property??

[Tidbinbilla]

A hanger is where one hangs one's coat.:*

A hangar is where one puts one's aeroplane. :8

Since when was a kingair a "major source of aircraft noise"?

[tobz92_ymen]

i live within 500 metres of the the southern end of YMEN, and im also doing a PPL course there. This crap from Home - Close Essendon Airport Campaign (http://www.closeessendonairport.com/) has been going on for about a year now, and i've had enough.

This minority group says it is speaking on behalf of the majority, but how many people rocked up for their peaceful protest on Keilor Road ( Essendon/Niddrie) there was a little less than 50 people there, i wouldnt call this a community as on their website the CEAC (Close Essendon Airport Campaign) claim that they

"represent and express community sector opinion in regard to the best alternate use of the Essendon Airport site"

the only thing they represent is a bunch of idiots who are bored and want something to have a whinge about. And there claims about the bad odors of AVGAS are pathetic, living here for over 10 years have i smelt AVGAS fuel.

And if anyone has bothered to read the CEAC's submission to the General Manager of Essendon Airport, they will see that their arguments are flawed and contradict themselves, for e.g, one part their complaining that the security is weak and not of standard for a metropolitan airport, then to contradict this complaining that, the new Australia post building

"fails to integrate with the local area and it and parts of the airport look like a concentration camp with high fencing and lights "

the CEAC Submission is full of flaws and its only real argument that holds any strength is that of Aircraft Noise. There is a curfew from 11PM to 6AM, the CEAC argue that jets are taking off in the curfew time, if the CEAC had bothered to properly look into this matter that most, of the aircraft that leave in the curfew time are Air Ambulance Service aircraft carrying out critical flights which wait until 6AM as more often then not, most of these cases are a matter of life or death.

CEAC know what your talking about before you start making false arguments!!:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[VH-YYY]

But Close Essendon Airport Campaign member Helen van den Berg said feedback from local residents was that the police air wing and air ambulance were a ``major source of aircraft noise''.


I'de love to be there the day she has to be air-lifted to hospital..........

[kookabat]

It's the Chickenwings comic, but I thought it was appropriate...


http://www.chickenwingscomics.com/archives/content/strips/20070828.jpg

[bullamakanka]

Tidbinbilla,

Surprisingly the king air is pretty much the loudest aircraft that regularly goes into Essendon on runway 26. Must be the combo of airframe, engine, exhaust.

The DC3 is pretty loud too but unfortunately it does not fly as much!

The titans from A.J. also sound great.

All are louder than the biz jets, small and medium.

I honestly think the close the airport group get a lot of the traffic for YMML confused as traffic for YMEN. Mainly when rw34 is duty runway at YMML and the stars take aircraft over YMEN. When overflying Pascoe Vale and then YMEN the jets have gear and some flap out and there is some airframe noise. I swear these guys think this noise is from YMEN traffic.

Helen van der Berg commented on the chopper noise over the last 2 months. Of course there has been more choppers, we have had all these fires!! I was dissapointed the media did not cite this after her quote.

I got some great photos of the sky crane over the last few months, maybe I should email them to her...he...he...

Bulla..

[Lasiorhinus]

The Metros are noisier than the Kingairs, surely....


And Little Miss :mad:, yes, plenty of firefighting helicopters... because theres been :mad: fires...

[chiefedge]

We have been based at Essendon since December with 2 Cranes and of course been rather busy. We also have had additional aircraft arrive from Sydney and Adelaide.
I'm sure the good people from Wesburn and Bunyip are extremely sorry to have disturbed a few of the local Essendon residents with all that helicopter noise.
The locals at the fire areas have shown us amazing hospitality and are deighted to be shown the aircraft.
But don't worry we are out of here beginning of April, so the noise levels will reduce.
If you have some shots of the Crane see if you can pm them to me.
See ya next year
CE

[TeeTail]

CE,

My thoughts exactly... Increased helicopter noise particularly over the last few months... sky cranes maybe...

These people should do some research before mouthing off!!!

The cranes are literally life savers and we couldn't have done without their help this bushfire season. Thanks guys!!!

TT

[Buster Hyman]

Yes, but a Kingair is an aircraft, and a King Heir is Prince Charles! :p

Ok, enough of this rot. Lets keep an eye on their website for their next protest rally & out muscle them with a show of support for Essendon? Who's with me????:suspect:


"All together now....Carna Bombers!!!"

[Teal]

Fortunately, with the future of Essendon Airport formally assured by the Federal Government several months ago, the CEAC has become a pointless exercise in futility. Helen Van Den Berg is just a convenient 'dial a comment' point of contact for lazy journalists. Ironically, she lives within earshot of the Calder Freeway/Western Ring Road Interchange, (must be one of the noisiest locations in Melbourne), with a railway line thrown in for good measure between her street and the Interchange. I'm surprised she can hear any aircraft at all over all the traffic/train noise.:ugh:

Go Bombers!!

[NZFlyingKiwi]

I wonder if these people also petition to stop ambulances and police cars from using the roads? Those sirens make a hell of a lot of noise after all... :hmm:

[Stationair8]

Maybe something to do with the full moon?

Don't tell the poor woman that those blokes flying the the Erickson Skycranes are actually CIA guys in disguise and they are secretly flying in terrorists from Gutamono Bay and opening up a new top secret prison at Essendon airport.

[Buster Hyman]

:rolleyes: Fer cryin' out loud Stationair8, don't reveal who the citizens of Airport West really are!!!:rolleyes:

[tio540]

Every resident of Essendon bought after the airport opened, and 10 times more people die on the freeway around the airport than from flights. Hell close the airport and annoy the Tulla residents.

[ozblackbox]

I always wonder!

What would Helen do if she lived in a rural community and needed our services to bring her or a family member back to YMEN for emergency care in one of the Melbourne hospitals?

She certainly wouldn't be complaining about the noise of a King Air or a helicopter.....

[Mr.Buzzy]

Ahhh the Dutch!

bbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[palm3]

You know, if you cut-and-pasted that CEAC media release about helo noise and mailed it to a certain Victorian tabloid with the caption "HEARTLESS LOCALS COMPLAIN ABOUT NOISY FIREFIGHTERS", they'd run it un-edited on the front page. Add in a photo of a burnt-out house with a slightly singed dolly in the ruins, a collage of a Skycrane and a file-photo of a masked protester, and you'd be on to a winner.

Not that I'd ever advocate such a heartless exploitation of people's grief or anything.

[bullamakanka]

ozblackbox

Her response would be

"Take me in a chopper and land straight on the hospital. It will be quicler than landing at YMEN and then driving to the city. The chopper can be based at Tulla, Avalon, or Moorabin (anyones back yard but hers). The labour government promised to close essendon airport in 1985. Its is a safety threat, a source of noise pollution, environmental pollution, and past its used by date."

[Teal]

Mystery flights.....no flight plans.....conspiracies.....all in a day's work for Kelvin Thompson representing "local residents". Ya gotta laugh....:ugh:

No mystery flights at Essendon Airport, air body says 15 Feb 10 @ 10:59am by Engel Schmidl

THE air traffic authority has refuted claims that 4 per cent of aircraft movements at Essendon Airport could not be accounted for in a study monitoring night time flights during a three-month period last year.

Air Services Australia spokesman Matt Wardell said there were no mystery flights at Essendon Airport but that a number of aircraft did not lodge flight plans.
Mr Wardell said not all flights required flight plans and law enforcement aircraft, such as the Victoria Police Air Wing, did not need to lodge flight plans.
“There are no unidentified movements at Essendon,” Mr Wardell said.

He said some members of the Essendon Airport Working Group consultative committee had misinterpreted figures taken from the study report.
Mr Wardell said even if no flight plan was lodged or recorded by Air Services Australia, these aircraft were still identified to air traffic control.

Wills federal Labor MP Kelvin Thomson, who has raised the issue of the missing flights with Air Services Australia, wants a clarification about the information in the report.

Mr Thomson said residents had a right to know the nature of flights using the airport.
“The advice that I have received is that all flights must lodge a flight plan, and the idea of unidentified planes coming and going from Essendon Airport has raised concern amongst local residents,” Mr Thomson said.

But the Air Services Australia spokesman was quick to hose down any such suggestion.

“This is not a safety or security risk as all aircraft are identified by air traffic controllers on departure from, and approach to, Essendon,” he said.No mystery flights at Essendon Airport, air body says - Government - News | Moonee Valley Leader (http://moonee-valley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/no-mystery-flights-air-body-says/)

[scarediecat]

I occasonally wonder what the next campaign the like's of Kelvin Thompson would be sucked in too by the likes of Helen van den Berg and co. if they had actually closed the airport. I suspect something like too many trams travelling down Keilor Road.

Off the topic slightly. I am looking for a new job. Does Kelvin still give written character references cause Im looking for one?

[Wally Mk2]

Yes I agree the airport ought to be closed down, it's a disgrace that we allow a whole community to work there & etch out a living, (which I might add has been there since Noah!!!!) how selfish of us!!!!. How inconsiderate of us 1000's whom cause noise to the few who want peace while living next to an airport by choice!!!!..:ugh: Still the likes of KT & the others are a source of entertainment here I guess, time to rev up the old Pratts a little more at 2am, just for safety reasons you understand!:ugh:

I often sneak off at night in the old Beech ducking under the radar to go save some sick/dieing person, yeah it's me it's me I did it!!!:ugh:

Thank God this has come back up again I was beginning to think that prune had gone soft (pun intended:}) Sure beats the old twin V single debate!!:}

Wmk2

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Ya weally weally need the ole' Queenair Wally.......

All dem gremlins bangin' away in dose 44gal drums........

At 2am, That would make them sit up and take notice.....again...as it used to be!!:ok::ok:

[Wally Mk2]

............yeah "Grif" what we weally need is some of the old IPEC's Darts x4 & a few JT3/8 engines:} Sharpies also run screaming Garetts a lot now so that adds to the noise level, love it:ok:
I reckon now that all the emerg services are up the Nth end of the airport the noise factor has gone up for the northern residents.The cops & Ambo Heli's are in & out like cookoo clocks!:ok: Now that the whirly gig boys roost up to the Nth of the airport they tend to make more concentrated noise closer to the poor residents:)

Wmk2 who rests in peace of a night time as God who would WANT to live next to an airport?:}

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Essendon Airport Noise Management Working Group (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/environmental/files/Essendon_Airport_WG_Report_April09.pdf)

Good Grief..4%??? Two PVT jet flights DURING curfew didn't submit a flight plan prior to taxi and the world comes crashing down....

These dills want to eliminate 17/35 outright! Just wait for the first screaming southerly or a summer northerly and watch the fun. How about a displaced threshold reducing 17/15 to just over 1000m.

HAs anyone on this committee thought of the consequences of building a facility for our emergency services at the furthest position from the ONLY active runway...taxi time 5 minutes? ten minutes? whats that, maybe 40nm down track lost?

EDIT- The minister vetoed the runway shortening and closure recommendations.

[triton140]

Really dunno what the fuss is about - I grew up in Pascoe Vale under the approach to 26 in the fifties when the planes did a bloody fantastic job of converting fuel into noise, but we didn't notice it at all (except when visitors asked us how we put up with it).

And later on, just married, I lived directly across the road from the run-up bay for 26 - and lay curled up in bed each night with the bride listening to the BBA Bristols warming up for the run across the Strait.

Bliss!

[Centaurus]

and lay curled up in bed each night with the bride listening to the BBA Bristols warming up

Oy! Cut out the porno images of brides and her Bristols... this is a respectable website..

[eocvictim]

Wall you think the pratts are loud Imagine the 3 GAM 228's doing ML 34 - EN 35 at 0200, 0300 and 0500. Then just as they get back to sleep the 3 shrikes and 2 680s plough off (usually lead by your noisy, selfish RFDS morning crew).

The neighbours should be happy there are no late night 228s anymore :(

This whole argument reminds me of the pedestrian council (probably the same group) complaining that trucks should be taken off their roads. :rolleyes:

[eocvictim]

A nice quote from the FAQ page on the ESAP website :ok:

QuestionWhen will the airport be closing?AnswerThere are no plans for Essendon Airport to close. As part of the lease the Australian Federal Government requires Essendon Airport Pty Ltd to maintain the airport for use by aviators. Airports in major cities are considered transport infrastructure of national significant by the Commonwealth. The lease which requires aviation to continue upon the site expires in 2098.

:D

[frigatebird]

Quote:
QuestionWhen will the airport be closing?AnswerThere are no plans for Essendon Airport to close. As part of the lease the Australian Federal Government requires Essendon Airport Pty Ltd to maintain the airport for use by aviators. Airports in major cities are considered transport infrastructure of national significant by the Commonwealth. The lease which requires aviation to continue upon the site expires in 2098.
:D

Will have to show that to the other members of our Group. We are researching how to stop the recently amalgamated Fraser Coast Regional Council from favouring Hervey Bay, and closing Maryborough airport for suspected subdivision. There also was a clause similar, in the agreement in the conditions of handover, from the Commonwealth to the old Maryborough City Council. With a Childcare Centre built on the cheap land on a busy road at the Airport entrance, one recent Letter to the Editor said that the possibility of an aircraft falling on it was a hazard and wanted the airport closed. The only fatal accident was in 1930 when an airliner crashed at the northern-Hervey Bay-end either on approach or takeoff, when the airstrip was new. Perhaps there were accidents during the War, when it was used as an Air Gunner and Radio Operator training, and Maintenance base. As the birthplace of Sunstate and a good training field, it should be kept, at least for aircraft smaller than jets, as everything required is already in place, and it doesn't cost much to maintain. See maryboroughaeroclub.com history

Sorry for the distraction from Essendon, but seems we are in the same 'boat'..

[Brian Abraham]

Oy! Cut out the porno images of brides and her Bristols... this is a respectable website
Oy, Centaurus, thems be one of your immediate ancestors you malign, Hercules by name. Ahhhhh....for the sound, just as good as a Centaurus. I fear romance is in the air.

[lk978]

send them some fan mail :ok:

Contact Us - Close Essendon Airport Campaign (http://www.closeessendonairport.com/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3)

[Stationair8]

Opinons are bit like arseholes, everyones got one.

Long may Essendon Airport stay open to be used for all things aviation.

[Wally Mk2]

Tanks "IK" for the link to the 'noise makers':}

I note that they have the results of a university study on the ill effects of noise from A/C on children. Interesting perhaps the complaining parents of said children effected by noise should be charged with putting their children in harms way by living near an airport by CHOICE!
I doubt they would make their children cross a busy highway putting them in harms way hoping they don't get hit by passing vehicles so as far as I am concerned it's the same thing. Your responsible for yr own actions!
If the fools believe in the self propaganda about the ill effects on children then I say to you & this is free advice ............GOODBYE & close the gate behind you!!!!:}

Closing EN will do one thing, (apart from the world collapsing it won't happen anyway) bring chaos to their area by way of many more cars etc (& petrol fumes, another thing that like to hang onto) as the developers would have a field day building a zillion new homes there, yep there's plenty of capacity for thousands more in the EN area, who needs infrastructure there's freeways that are almost M/T, plenty of parking at the local Keilor strip shops :ugh:so bring it on I say:}

Wmk2:ok:

[startingout]

Amazingly their site quotes:

Essendon Airport has the worst safety record of any airport in Australia.
Twelve people have been killed and many others injured in recent times.


I believe that you may find a number of airports in Australia that have exceeded that number, even Lockhart River. Some of the facts seem to have been pulled from wikipedia :suspect:

[777WakeTurbz]

Bullamakanaka
Helen van der Berg commented on the chopper noise over the last 2 months. Of course there has been more choppers, we have had all these fires!! I was dissapointed the media did not cite this after her quote.Surely you never had the expectation the media would have done their research? :=

The majority of these people who buy in the area of the Airport would all be hoping that one day the airport would close so that the value of their houses will rise by a large percentage. It really is quite selfish since they CHOSE to buy in the area of their own free will. As mentioned they would sing a different story about the placement of the airport if they ever needed to be airlifted into Melb...

It also would be no surprise if this woman knew quite well that half the traffic they would hear at night would be departures from MML out over MEN, and just report it the way she wants to get support for her bullsh!t CEAC... Shame on her :yuk:

[YPJT]

I love the closing statement in the submission.

The closure should be completed within a period not exceeding four years and in any event within the term of the current Federal Parliament. Or what Helen? You'll write an even more poorly researched paper?

[Buster Hyman]

Perhaps we could close it & build something like Disneyland there? 70,000 people a day eh...that should make 'em happy!:E

[the air up there]

I would love to find out how far away from the airport her house is, and what the decibel reading would be on her front doorstep (and the frequency of that reading). If she can see the runway from her back yard, its her own fault.:ugh:

I'm guessing she's not a fan of powerlines either. Poor women, I bet she can't even get away from the hustle and bustle to the serenity of her holiday house in bonny doon.:}

[eocvictim]

I'm wondering when the people who built those 2 or 3 absurdly large houses off the end of 06L at YPJT will start complaining about the PC12s arriving and departing at all hours. I guess they should just be thankful the RFDS no longer fly C441's :}

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

Perhaps she could worry about global warming and the sea rising, and polar bears roaming around Moonee Ponds and eating the small children?

It's not a full moon this week?

[triton140]

Twelve people have been killed and many others injured in recent times.

Recent times??? Recent times??

Gimme a break - we gotta be talking geological time frames here ....