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Merged: Aboriginal Air Service in Dire Straits

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Merged: Aboriginal Air Service in Dire Straits

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Old 2nd Sep 2006, 23:12
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Aboriginal Air Services falling apart

I have heard all sorts of things about Aboriginal Air Services lately -

- NG Air separating from them in Alice Springs
- ending their Darwin services

Something about poor financial decisions, lies, bad management and lots more lies.

Of course it's only a rumour! Anyone got any more goss?
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Old 2nd Sep 2006, 23:51
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Yep another one bites the dust!

The amazing thing is that we dont even have to know the full story but we can all be sure that bean counters and "brilliant management" will be loading the boots of their BMWs and Mercs getting ready to drive their abbo money loaded arses out of town in air conditioned comfort.

Good luck to all the real people affected by this! It's always the people that work hardest and invest the most that come off worst in these messes!

bbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzGO CROC GO!bbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzbzzzzzzzzzz
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Old 3rd Sep 2006, 10:03
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Toldya

Well Well Well...
An aboriginal airline suffering the same outcome as the others, Anindilyakwa Air and AIR NGUKURR
These companies should have had a serious look at their management styles, one can't take the Govt money for granted. An aboriginal grant to keep the business afloat? Keep it real, what next, an Italian restaurant asking the Sicilian mafia for money because their food is **** ...
esp the last two companies still standing given they had the "Pinman" working for them

For those managers What comes around goes around, 9 slade court is haunted with my rainbow serpent spirit.... Dreamtime

Buzzy you're right about the BMWs and Mercs, if only you could sell them to pay out the pilots's unpaid entitlements.
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Old 3rd Sep 2006, 10:14
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Its a pitty....there was a future...just couldnt apply good management skills and long term strategy to pull it off. Sound familiar ?
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Old 3rd Sep 2006, 10:35
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There has never been a company like the Anindilyakwa Air of the mid to late nineties.

Those that worked there during these years well know that staff were treated incredibly well and were part of a very unique GA outfit run by a very talented couple.

So many of us owe so much to the Wacwacs of this time and the great people working there.
If you are reading this GB. Best wishes to you and your family. Happy father's day and please know that my career and hence life was made a great difference by you.

To the current crop of hotshot "managers", do some homework, find out about the success enjoyed by the Anindilyakwa of the mid to late nineties and see also that screwing staff was not part of the "business strategy"
kindest regards
Buzzy.

bbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz
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Old 4th Sep 2006, 06:13
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In relation to Aboriginal Air Services I believe an administrator was called in last Tuesday who after looking over the books and the prospects for the company pulled the pin on any further trading on Friday thus making a number of people unemployed.

The causes are many but the catalyst for calling in the administrator was one of the four aboriginal councils deciding to withdraw from the agreement with Aboriginal Air Services. This also effectively took a number of aircraft away from AAS (stand to be corrected but I believe 2 x C208 B and 1 x C210). Their decision to withdraw was, I believe, based on having to continue to fund the operation without seeing much benefit.

That particular aboriginal council also owns and operates Aboriginal Aircraft and Maintenance Services (the maintenance base in Alice Springs) which continues to trade.

My sympathies to those out of work and I hope you soon find another job.
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Old 4th Sep 2006, 06:39
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Question

so, just to clarify, has all of AAS bitten the dust? or just a certain part of the overall company?
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Old 4th Sep 2006, 06:54
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Link here

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-23349,00.html
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Old 4th Sep 2006, 09:47
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It is about time this organisation was made to be accountable for the amount of money it loses each year.

I know a lot of people bang on about how great it is working there, but the reality is, the way its run is just not realistic.

Hope fully they can restructure and keep crew employed. Needs a drastic change of senior management and a new work ethic throughout the joint.

bulla
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Old 4th Sep 2006, 14:22
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Subsidies???

There is no need for anyone to subsidise anything. Air charter companies were providing all the services needed before aboriginal air existed, and they can do so again now.

There have been too many govt subsidies, and distortions of the free trade syatem. This is not the first problem they have had.

The previous management group raised money from the public to help pay the bills.

It's all to do with building empires. At our expense.

Charter and RPT AOC's should not be issued to "not for profit" organisations. This is one of the major reasons that GA is having problems. No-one can compete with organisations that are allowed to continually lose money, and get topped up every now and again.

Sorry for the crews, but others will expand, and need crew to take up the slack.

Last edited by bushy; 4th Sep 2006 at 14:31. Reason: to add a bit.
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Old 5th Sep 2006, 06:28
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Merged: Aboriginal Air Service in Dire Straits

Interesting, not so long after AirNorth abandoned these routes and now AAS is having a tough time of it...


Aboriginal air service on verge of closing
Jeremy Roberts
September 04, 2006
MORE than 60 communities across remote Australia could be without regular flights from as early as tomorrow, after the company that runs them was placed in voluntary administration last week.
The board of Aboriginal Air Services voted last Tuesday to bring in an administrator, who is understood to have told staff on Friday the company will fly its last scheduled flights today.

Charters for mining companies, governments and Aboriginal communities were at risk of reduced services, AAS general manager Anthony Sandford warned yesterday.

AAS, which has four propeller aircraft, has never made a profit in its 20-year history and has been propped up by its shareholders -- four Aboriginal groups from central Australia -- with large management fees.

Sources close to AAS said regular flights through Arnhem Land would be halted tomorrow. The flights land at 10 communities, twice a day, and once a day on weekends.

If the service is withdrawn, it will leave the area more isolated, especially when the rainy season makes roads impassable.

While Mr Sandford said it was "business as usual" at AAS, he added: "There is a risk that services will be downsized or reduced in frequency."

Mr Sandford called on the governments of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia to subsidise the Aboriginal services by $2.2 million a year.

AAS administrator Austin Taylor, of Meertons Administrators in Darwin, did not return calls. But Mr Taylor is understood to have told a meeting of AAS staff at Alice Springs on Friday that 32 of them would be made redundant, including 16 pilots. Mr Sandford said the reported number of redundancies was exaggerated.
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Old 5th Sep 2006, 06:55
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Dire Straits?? not Torres Straits ??
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Old 5th Sep 2006, 13:55
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BMW steering wheels don't give you blisters on your little fingers...

Ngaanyatjarra Air was/in part of AAS? I remember they had a PC-12 out of PH but I can't remember the last time I saw that.
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Old 6th Sep 2006, 01:43
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Led Zep

The PC12 went a long time ago. Sold to the NT Police who still operate it out of Alice Springs.

Further to my earlier post I do stand corrected as some AAS operations are continuing.
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Old 6th Sep 2006, 06:01
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It's such a pity that companies with so much potential such as the old wac wacs and ngukurr lose so much money. They have so much business! I can't stress enough that a good ops manager (allowed to make own decisions) and CEO can make or break a company.

I just can't believe the amount of money that one of these companies lost due to poor ops decisions and intervention by CEO who had no opererational experience. The pilots were just shaking their heads in disbelief!

Wac Wacs of the 90s was the best charter company in Darwin. Such a pity that the likes of 'C**** Dunnowhatimdoin with an attitude' and others took over and stuffed it! Yes darling you started it! Unfortunatly, companies like this fail when it's run by the wrong people with no aviation experience who think that money will just roll in when needed.

Good luck to the crews of AAS. Redundancy can be a blessing in disguise sometimes!
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Old 6th Sep 2006, 09:54
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Originally Posted by Dr Oakenfold
And here I was thinkin this was gunna be about "Money for nothing" ...
You forgot and "your chicks for free"... eeeew!!
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Old 6th Sep 2006, 10:01
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Talking

Mark Knopfleryunnipingu the lead singer and guitarist?
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Old 6th Sep 2006, 23:21
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In DN the other day and as a mate said to me...

That corner building... must be haunted...

First it was Wimray... (shoulda stayed in the lovely demountables of old!)
Then it was Air Ngukurr...
Now its Abo Air...

Just doesn't seem right that corner not covered in black fellas and rubbish...

1.2.3... gonnnneeee...
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Old 7th Sep 2006, 00:13
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Maybe the building needs to be smoked?
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Old 7th Sep 2006, 00:41
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Tin - Just call a meeting of all the council members to the building first. Best of wishes to all the crews and the staff - hopefully NGS will resale enough for the entitlements.
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