Arena Aviation - closed
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Arena Aviation - closed
It appears yesterday Arena Aviation (once based at YBAF, then YRED) closed its doors for good. No doubt there will be mixed emotions posted about this...
I feel for the students who have potentially lost their money (paid upfront, rumoured not into a trust account) and the newbie instructors who no longer have jobs.
I feel for the students who have potentially lost their money (paid upfront, rumoured not into a trust account) and the newbie instructors who no longer have jobs.
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That would seem to me to be a very sad day in local GA. Maybe its not, and there could be a good reason for it. I know for sure a viable operation rarely shuts down, (GOANA Air tours did though courtesy of DOTARS and ASICS) so one has to wonder if the move from YBAF yielded fewer students or was that an attempt to cut cost on a sinking ship.
Either way a sad ending to many folks jobs. On the other hand, of course it may yield many new opportunites, and I dare say it will.
Good luck to all affected.
J
Either way a sad ending to many folks jobs. On the other hand, of course it may yield many new opportunites, and I dare say it will.
Good luck to all affected.
J
Very Sad to the students who have lost money, I Am sure the owners still have lovely cars and homes.
Just another cas of what goes around, comes around.
For the instructors, at least the industry is very healthy for you get get placed quickly again. Look at charter.
Just another cas of what goes around, comes around.
For the instructors, at least the industry is very healthy for you get get placed quickly again. Look at charter.
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The ship was sinking quite a while ago ...
I am glad I jumped ship when I did, because at the time there were apparent signs of the ship taking on water .. It took about 8 months, countless phone calls/faxes/emails then intervention to finally get them to cough up my training records, which I think now poses a greater risk for students than the monetary side of things ... Without those training records, it may be extremely hard for students enrolling at a new establishment to resume training from their current segment in the syllabus .. I only hope that they do the right thing & transfer all progress records/training documents etc without too much delay.
Shame Arena shame
Shame Arena shame
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Well it is sad as Air Training Centre or Arena as they have been recently known has indeed closed down. But I think the real issue is that Archerfield itself has ground to a halt, almost, its a ghost town compared to a few years ago! I went there recently a few months ago and there ws no one in the circuit! Last time I was there 8 years ago you needed a start Clearance to do circuits! This reduction in training has to have an effect and I'm guessing it will take a few years to bite but it's coming. Take heart flying staff from Arena! Go West! You'll be rewarded! ^^; Or south but I wouldnt recommend it the weather is crap!*!
Or south but I wouldnt recommend it the weather is crap!*!
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It is true that AF, BK and others are well down on numbers but I think the reasons are more than just airport specific. Yes, operating costs have skyrocketed but Arena's move to Redcliffe and subsequent closure prove that the company had more problems than just the operating costs at YBAF.
I see some midsize/big flight schools (like Arena) unable to evolve with changing times and by not changing fleets (Arena still had the same beat-up and high-time PA38s from the early 80's) and business direction - they are destined to fail.
Arena won't be the last midsize/big flight school to fail this year.
To their credit, some flight schools are buying new types (Tecnam, Cirrus and Diamond etc.), have changed their way of doing business and as a result are flying more than ever.
Schools that have new aircraft are seeing a huge increase in Private Students as well. The more well-heeled Citizens have no problem paying a premium for PPL training as long as they have nice new aircraft and quality instructors.
Also, there is now more career competition than ever before. The pool of local Commercial students is drying up as other professions look more attractive. The fact that HECS can fund a $100k degree and not an Aviation career doesn't help!.
In New Zealand, a similar scheme to HECS is possible for CPL students. Should the Australian govt. do the same?. In light of a possible future Pilot shortage, maybe a HECS type scheme, offering even partial funding, could be considered.
Kudos to the flight schools that are surviving and thriving.
No tears for the Aviation 'Dinosaurs' like Arena who can't see the writing on the wall.
Good Luck to the former Students and Staff of Arena. Hopefully, you all get your $$ refunded/paid out. You now have the opportunity to choose organisations with newer aircraft and a better business direction.
I see some midsize/big flight schools (like Arena) unable to evolve with changing times and by not changing fleets (Arena still had the same beat-up and high-time PA38s from the early 80's) and business direction - they are destined to fail.
Arena won't be the last midsize/big flight school to fail this year.
To their credit, some flight schools are buying new types (Tecnam, Cirrus and Diamond etc.), have changed their way of doing business and as a result are flying more than ever.
Schools that have new aircraft are seeing a huge increase in Private Students as well. The more well-heeled Citizens have no problem paying a premium for PPL training as long as they have nice new aircraft and quality instructors.
Also, there is now more career competition than ever before. The pool of local Commercial students is drying up as other professions look more attractive. The fact that HECS can fund a $100k degree and not an Aviation career doesn't help!.
In New Zealand, a similar scheme to HECS is possible for CPL students. Should the Australian govt. do the same?. In light of a possible future Pilot shortage, maybe a HECS type scheme, offering even partial funding, could be considered.
Kudos to the flight schools that are surviving and thriving.
No tears for the Aviation 'Dinosaurs' like Arena who can't see the writing on the wall.
Good Luck to the former Students and Staff of Arena. Hopefully, you all get your $$ refunded/paid out. You now have the opportunity to choose organisations with newer aircraft and a better business direction.
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Boomerang
Arena were to be the launch customer for the Whitney Boomerang, strange as Mr Magoo was listed on the Whitney web site as a key staff member or director as I recall along with other Arena directors?
Karma perhaps?
Karma perhaps?
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Arena, who's next
It is a sad day indeed to see one of the long term GA ops close the hangar doors... However, could anyone not see this coming! I am pleased to say there are a few more operators I would like to see close their doors and leave GA for good. I really do hope for GA's sake that the operators that take care of their pilots and ground support staff are the ones left standing, sadly they're the ones that will go first....
Maybe GA is really struggling, as I do agree with one of the posts above, AF is now a ghost town compared to what it used to be years ago.
I only hope that the students that did their doe with Arena get it back and that the directors do the right thing...
Thats my two cents from a aviation nut that walk away from it all years ago and haven't looked back!
Maybe GA is really struggling, as I do agree with one of the posts above, AF is now a ghost town compared to what it used to be years ago.
I only hope that the students that did their doe with Arena get it back and that the directors do the right thing...
Thats my two cents from a aviation nut that walk away from it all years ago and haven't looked back!
Last edited by Rigpiglet; 24th Mar 2007 at 00:58.
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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I doubt very much that the folding of Arena will mean the end of the Boomerang. THere is still one launch customer Australia although not in the numbers that Arena was going to buy. Also a lot of interest overseas in the aircraft.
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Intervention??
jbr76, what sort of intervention eventually worked?
I ask, because my niece is in the same position. She's concerned that records may have been lost in the move to YRED. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there with the same difficulty.
I ask, because my niece is in the same position. She's concerned that records may have been lost in the move to YRED. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there with the same difficulty.
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If Faulty Towers Aviation fell over at YBAF, then Archerfield is in more trouble than I thought. I would say he would be the LAST operator to close. There never seemed to be much PVT flying, but Griffith University ensures a steady supply of students. In my previous association with the company the aircraft were well maintained by their own maintenance arm and the instructors were always taken care of, thats why it takes them so long to leave 
'Basil' is eccentric but he has a good CFI and he runs a tight ship.
'Basil' is eccentric but he has a good CFI and he runs a tight ship.
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An administration notice for Arena was in today's Courier-Mail:
The Courier Mail|14 March 2007
Corporations Act 2001
ARENA AVIATION PTY LTD
(ADMINISTRATOR APPOINTED)
A.C.N. 009 975 964
FORMERLY KNOWN AS "AIR
TRAINING CENTRE PTY LTD"
Section 450A(1)(b) - On 13 March
2007 Jonathan Paul McLeod of
McLeod & Partners was appointed
Administrator of the company.
Section 436E(3) - A first meeting of
creditors will be held at the offices of
McLeod & Partners, Level 3, 380
Queen Street, Brisbane on Tuesday,
20 March 2007 at 10:00 a.m.
Dated: 13 March 2007
J P McLeod
Voluntary Administrator
Corporations Act 2001
ARENA AVIATION PTY LTD
(ADMINISTRATOR APPOINTED)
A.C.N. 009 975 964
FORMERLY KNOWN AS "AIR
TRAINING CENTRE PTY LTD"
Section 450A(1)(b) - On 13 March
2007 Jonathan Paul McLeod of
McLeod & Partners was appointed
Administrator of the company.
Section 436E(3) - A first meeting of
creditors will be held at the offices of
McLeod & Partners, Level 3, 380
Queen Street, Brisbane on Tuesday,
20 March 2007 at 10:00 a.m.
Dated: 13 March 2007
J P McLeod
Voluntary Administrator
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what sort of intervention eventually worked?
I ask, because my niece is in the same position. She's concerned that records may have been lost in the move to YRED. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there with the same difficulty
I ask, because my niece is in the same position. She's concerned that records may have been lost in the move to YRED. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there with the same difficulty