Upgraded security at Windorah Airport

[Dick Smith]

I am at Windorah at the present time – I have flown the Longranger in from Halls Creek via many other places. I have been informed that the Windorah Airport security is going to be upgraded. It appears there is a Rex flight every couple of days with a Saab.

One of the locals told me they are going to have to put in full security checking with trained staff and an X-ray machine. It doesn’t sound possible.

Does anyone have any information on this? What could be the reason for it? I understand that the population of Windorah is around 115.

[KittyKatKaper]

The reason would be administrative efficiency.
'Security' is 'required', therefore it will be implemented uniformly.

A collection of bleeeping politicians have decided to stoke the fear-of-(whatever) factor for the forthcoming election and hence 'the public must be protected'.
So, all RPT flights will require more 'security' theater 'for your protection', and it does not matter how costly or useless that 'protection' is.
The effing pollies have spoken and the bureaucracies (via wannabee dictator Dutton) will enforce it to expand their empires and glory.

It makes as much sense as requiring an ASIC to be able to land at Birdsville (population: humans 140, kangaroos 10k+)

[YPJT]

https://securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/articles/2018/05/11/73-australian-airports-to-get-a172-million-security-upgrade/

Now where is my bag of popcorn as I watch this thread descend into the usual irrational comments on everything from what a waste of time ASICs are, to the inadequacy of perimeter fencing at Birdsville Airport.

Still not a single pilots representative group at the recent Department forums.

The trigger for screening is to be changed yet again. It used to beRPT/open charter with jet thrust aircraft. Then it became 20,000kg MTOW. It will now be based on a combination of seating capacity and passenger numbers.

[Dick Smith]

So will the Rex SAAB into Windorah result the new requirements ?

[YPJT]

Dick,
check PMs

[TBM-Legend]

Again, who pays? Costs go up, pax numbers go down. Aviation loses again...

[YPJT]

TBM,
at the regional airports it will definitely be a killer where screening costs can go beyond $40 per Passenger. That was probably one of the factors that killed Esperance, Albany and Busselton when Skywest and the Virgin were operating F50s. As for the major airports, provided they have sufficient floor space for any additional equipment I would guess the cost increase would be almost negligible. Smaller airports might be faced with significant costs to expand their screening points.
Whether or not it would improve things at all, the government doesn't have an appetite for introducing a network charge to spread costs equally.

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

The Feds are tipping in $50M. Whether that's enough?? Windorah only gets the REX air service because of QLD govt subsidies, so the population is irrelevant. It cannot support a stand alone service anyway. It's not about Windorah, it's about where the flight ends up. If you want to fly to a major airport, be prepared for security at the origin, whether you like it or not.

[TBM-Legend]

Windorah only gets the REX air service because of QLD govt subsidies, so the population is irrelevant

Qld Govt only provides a subsidy and exclusivity and REX needs patrons to make money. It's not fully paid by Govt..

[morno]

Then why not just screen them at the last port before Brisbane? After all it already has security screening in place (Wellcamp)

[dhavillandpilot]

If you fly on Rex say from Parkes to Sydney, you don't go thru security screening at Parkes. When you land Sydney you exit directly to the non secure area. so what's the problem?

It's all about appearances of the politicians doing something, not about actual security.

So so why does Windorah need screening? Rex will soon work out that even with subsidies the route isn't worth it by reduced patronage due to extra cost of the tickets.

having been to Windorah regularly this is stupidity at the highest level.

[Hew Jampton]

Are Merv and Bub still at Windorah? I'm sure that they could handle the security, especially Merv.

[tail wheel]

Quilpie and Windorah have received Government subsidised RPT services since the 1950s. I thought security and screening was only required at ports serviced by aircraft < 20 tonnes?

If Windorah is getting security and screening by virtue of being serviced by an airline, so too must the other Government subsidized airline ports of Quilpie, Birdsville, Winton, Charters Towers, Julie Creek, Hughenden and Cloncurry?

Never mind Dick, it is only tax payers money! (To quote a CASA employee some years ago.)

Are Merv and Bub still at Windorah?

Merv and Bub retired to Toowoomba some years ago. There would be no need for Security if Bub were still there! :}