Belmont Airport sold

[BPA]

Aeropelicans old airport had been sold to a local aviation consortium. The consortium is made up of local operators and includes Matt Hall. Further details here:

Freestyle race pilot Matt Hall among new owners of Belmont airport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-01/freestyle-race-pilot-matt-hall-among-new-owners-of-belmont-airp/5422660)

[gerry111]

Brilliant news! :ok:

[WAC]

Awesome! Was twotters out of Aeropelican that gave me the bug!

[Ultralights]

Awesome news, seam it will be a base for skydiving ops and adventure flights to start with! but rumours are of the construction of a restaurant as well, which will be great, i miss the $100 meals at YWOL.

[Trojan1981]

Awesome news, seam it will be a base for skydiving ops and adventure flights to start with! but rumours are of the construction of a restaurant as well, which will be great, i miss the $100 meals at YWOL.

Agree, absolutely awesome news! :ok:

I miss the Twotters though...

[nitpicker330]

So the name Aeropelican is available, buy 2 Twotters and start a service to YSSY?

Must be a goer?

[Captain Nomad]

Great news! I hope they do really well and that the council is 'cooperative.'

[TBM-Legend]

Ah the ghost of Keith Hilder and his gaggle of Cessna 402's

[sms777]

That's great news for us aviators indeed. I wonder how long before the local community put there group together and start crying about aircraft noise again.....:(

[Al E. Vator]

...well if they're smart (and I think Mr Hall might be), they will involve the local community as much as possible to give them a sense of 'ownership' and it being 'their' airport of which they can be proud. The new owners should play the PR game beautifully and concentrate of the short and long term employment gains that will rest plus focus on the numbers of tourists (and thus $) that the re-commenced (not new) airport will bring in. That way you nip the naysayers in the bud. I suspect the tide has turned a bit against the anti-airport brigade, as demonstrated by the lack of opposition to the now announced Badgery's Creek.

[OZBUSDRIVER]

May I suggest an idea?

Hangar7 (http://www.hangar-7.com/en/architecture/concept-architecture/)
http://www.hangar-7.com/typo3temp/pics/752d5e6bc6.jpg

[gerry111]

Does anyone know why Mirvac sold the land rather than develop it? (Or even sit on it as a land bank.)

[RENURPP]

Does anyone know why Mirvac sold the land rather than develop it? (Or even sit on it as a land bank.)
Its zoned airport so not much use for anything else unless the council changed their minds.

[gerry111]

True, RENURPP.

But developers buy industrial land all the time and have councils rezone it for housing. Mirvac's a long established developer, so I wonder what happened in this case?

[truthinbeer]

ICAC....UCAC

[RENURPP]

These images were the vision of "Eastern Lakes Airport" back in the 1950's. It will be interesting to see the vision of the 2014-------'s


http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz286/Peterpilot2010/plan2_zps0ca63f39.jpg
http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz286/Peterpilot2010/Thedream_zps1573a514.jpg
http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz286/Peterpilot2010/Scan_zps974bec9a.jpg

[LeadSled]

Does anyone know why Mirvac sold the land rather than develop it? (Or even sit on it as a land bank.)
Folks,
The way I heard it, they ran into all sorts of environmental limitation, and it was not the local council.
Let us sincerely hope that Matt Hall and his mates have done a thorough homework job.
Looks like we lose Warnervale.
Tootle pip!!

[catseye]

Leadsled,
spoke at length with Wyong council a few months ago. They are planning 2700 metres with Boing and Bus pavement strength. Have been recruiting project managers and engineers as a lead upto changing the local environment plan. :D

[LeadSled]

Catseye,
There must have been some big changes on Wyong Council, that is a very big change in policy.
I sure hope you are correct.
Tootle pip!!

[hiwaytohell]

Last year I heard some of the regionals were asked about possibility of services to MEL & BNE from Warnervale. Maybe a fishing exercise?

[Village Idiot1]

From Warnervale? They would have to do a hell of a lot of work to make it viable. Possibly even realign the runway direction away from the hill at wyong.
Currently about 1000mts max of partly sealed runway and with obstacles the useable length is way shorter.

[BPA]

Wyong Councils plans (it's on their website) is to build a new (RPT Jet) airport on the western side of the HWY, to the north west of Warnervale. If approved Warnervale will close and be sold to developers.

[gerry111]

Please pardon my scepticism of Wyong Council's "plans" for a new airport.

Let me guess? Warnervale Airport to close and be flogged off to developers. (That may also suit many residents who take part in council elections living around Woongarrah.)

Then magically a new airport never eventuates, due to a lack of funds. :sad:

[Xray Tango]

Belmont Airport sale falls through | Newcastle Herald (http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1978899/belmont-airport-sale-falls-through/)

[BPA]

X-ray Tango

Did you check the date on that news article? It's from the 17 Dec 2013 and old news.

The Newcastle Herald posted this last week

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2253335/consortium-buys-belmont-airport-for-skydiving-adventure-flights/?cs=303

Information about the "last weeks" purchase also appears on Matt Halls website.

http://matthallracing.com/hall-on-the-move-as-old-belmont-airport-goes-under-the-hammer/

Detiails about the new Wyong (Central Coast) airport can be found here

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/for-business/central-coast-regional-airport/

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/for-business/central-coast-regional-airport/what-type-of-airport/

Proposed Location

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/for-business/central-coast-regional-airport/proposed-location/

[gerry111]

BPA, I do note in that old news article that there were issues for Mirvac with a $250,000 development application fee and contamination of the site. That may explain why Mirvac wanted to sell the property?

Hopefully, Lake Macquarie Council will be more ameniable with the new owners. I wish them the very best to restore the place for aviation purposes.

[KRviator]

:ok:

Terrific news... If they have any plans on an airpark, I'll be first to sign in the dotted line. Couldn't ask for a better spot. :}

[Creampuff]

Unless someone named Obeid is 'helping', it isn't going to happen. The residential developments in close proximity mean that anything more than a couple of light aircraft movements per working day are doomed.

[sprocket check]

My understanding is council is supportive. How much of a long term support that is remains to be seen. Unlikely to be an airpark with residential unless the new owners can weave magic Mirvac couldn't.

Skydive? wonder who....

It's a good thing for me at least as a viable alternate now...

YWVA will go one day... I think... maybe ... who knows ??? !!!!!

sc

[Creampuff]

I'm not sure how 'council support' makes any difference to the propensity of neighbours to complain about the noise and the 'risk', or their avenues of redress that go around and above the local council.

Still, I suppose it's remotely possible that this will be the first aerodrome in Australian history to exist in harmony with the ever-expanding adjacent suburbia.

[BPA]

I think one of the press releases said it was Skydive The Beach.

[fencehopper]

Yes Skydive the Beach, main operation Wollongong. Also Warnervale, Hunter Valley(elderslie), Barwon Heads, Airlie Beach, Mission Beach and several other locations around the country.
Airbourne is also one of the shareholders.

[Wally Mk2]

PC 12's to Melb? This ought to be good !:E

Ya gotta luv local councils, their only task is to be obstructive & create a life long job for themselves as long as corruption & Nibby's reign!:)


Wmk2

[Popgun]

Anyone have any updates on Belmont Airport?

Is it just being used as a sky diving strip now?

I flew past today and wondered what the latest gen was. It doesn't appear on the Newcastle VTC so I'm guessing visitors still aren't welcome.

I haven't operated in there since the mid-90s but from overhead it still looks like a great bit of bitumen in an emergency.

PG

[aldee]

Check out Matt halls website for some answers

[Ultralights]

Check out Matt halls website for some answers ,

yep, fire of an email asking permission, you usually get it..

http://pamuva1.smugmug.com/Other/SmugShots/i-SvTRw92/0/M/smugshot_6989830-M.jpg

[DWB50]

I enquired about landing at Belmont & was forwarded an agreement to sign stipulating a charge of $550 per annum payable in 2 instalments for up to 25 landings per year & 14 overnight tie downs. Further one had to have the Airport noted on a Public Liability Insurance as being indemnified form any matter arising from the use of your aircraft. Also advised no one off landing permissions granted. I know they need to get a return on investment & I wish them all well but for possibly my use of 4 or 5 landings a year this was excessive.
If anyone has any further revision of this policy would be good to hear

[The name is Porter]

At the moment the charge is all about insurance not a return on investment. The landing charge will change in future when all of this is sorted out :ok:

[Popgun]

Good info...thanks for the replies.

Lets hope they get it sorted soon.

PG

[Popgun]

Great to see that it looks like activity is on the increase.

Rescue choppers moving in: Rescue chopper signs deal to move to Lake Mac Airport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-19/rescue-chopper-signs-deal-to-move-to-lake-mac-airport/6558086)

Airport now officially known as Lake Macquarie Airport (YLMQ). Nice looking website http://www.ylmq.com.au has a few more details including history with great photos, circuit procedures, contact details and links to the airport businesses and lake-front restaurant.

Not too many positive GA stories out there lately...Here's hoping they all do well.

PG

[no_one]

I like the description of the engine failure on takeoff emergency procedure:

"Rwy 25 – stop if you can, otherwise prepare for moisture in the cockpit"
Lake Macquarie Airport | PROCEDURES (http://www.ylmq.com.au/index.php/procedures/)

[Ultralights]

WOW, those are some Massive circuits.

[Captain Nomad]

All about minimising noise impact and keeping the locals happy by the look of it.

[The name is Porter]

Milanos is seriously good :ok: Pelican RSL is close and not too bad.