What's happening at Bankstown
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What's happening at Bankstown
I've just been sent this link Aviation Advertiser ? - Reviews Blog Archive Federal Government Sellout and have seen no discussion of this on here, maybe I've missed it? Is there more to this than meets the eye for those of us who don't operate out of Bankstown?
Time perhaps to make KRudd realise that GA people are "working families" too?
Time perhaps to make KRudd realise that GA people are "working families" too?
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The push to get rid of ALL of the GA Airports is about as obvious as it can be. 
Between the greed of developers itching to get their hands on prime property and the guvmints only too pleased to be able to sell off some good propert AND absolve themselves of the respomsibility of looking after the airports, the outlook is hardly surprising.
Then if you add in the attraction to the local shire of getting rid of a source of noise complaints...well, you get the picture.
Unfortunately, Aviation has passed from being necessary in the eyes of the general populace to being just a nuisance.
Unfortunately, I can't see it changing in the future.
Between the greed of developers itching to get their hands on prime property and the guvmints only too pleased to be able to sell off some good propert AND absolve themselves of the respomsibility of looking after the airports, the outlook is hardly surprising.
Then if you add in the attraction to the local shire of getting rid of a source of noise complaints...well, you get the picture.
Unfortunately, Aviation has passed from being necessary in the eyes of the general populace to being just a nuisance.
Unfortunately, I can't see it changing in the future.
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the article sums it up pretty well, has anything good yet come from privatization!!???!!!?? (except kick backs to pollies) ask the americans about their health care system 
It's a shame the general public are so stupid... after all they love convience of flying & taking overseas holidays but want to close the local airport (even tho it was there 50 years before they built their house
)
but cannot see the correlation between training new pilots & booking flights
Something needs to be done before aviation is killed off in australia (between casa & corporate greed we're screwed at the moment)
It's a shame the general public are so stupid... after all they love convience of flying & taking overseas holidays but want to close the local airport (even tho it was there 50 years before they built their house
) but cannot see the correlation between training new pilots & booking flights
Something needs to be done before aviation is killed off in australia (between casa & corporate greed we're screwed at the moment)
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I thought I should quickly tap out a thank you for everyone from PPRuNe that has clicked in and taken a look at my article on Privatisation and how it is failing general aviation at Bankstown.
I have been receiving thousands of enquiries regarding the article and video, and its great to see the support from around the globe. Please keep passing the link on, as Im working to prepare a petition for submission to the Prime Minister and we need all the support we can. If you have not had a chance to sign my petition, please consider signing it, I need your support.
For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ben Morgan. Im 29 years old and I am an aircraft owner and pilot, and I live in Sydney. For many years, I have watched my family and others participate in aviation here in Australia, only to end up leaving it in disgust of the situation and more times than not - less a considerable sum of money.
I have watched industry leaders, associations, regulators, politicians and government throw the issues of aviation back and forth like a hot potato, always claiming it to be someone else's responsibility to fix.
Like many of you, I have also watched the horrific in-fighting and excess use of personal opinions and agenda's that each of these have bought to the table. The effects and results of which have been disastrous for everyone who participates in this industry.
It's time to get over the office politics and start working towards a viable future for aviation. It's time for the federal government to step up and take responsibility.
I don't know if I can effect change, but I will try. I am working to get a meeting with the Prime Minister, and Im not going to stop until we start to see something new happening.
If anyone can lend me any assistance, it would be greatly appreciated.
BEN MORGAN
aviationadvertiser
I have been receiving thousands of enquiries regarding the article and video, and its great to see the support from around the globe. Please keep passing the link on, as Im working to prepare a petition for submission to the Prime Minister and we need all the support we can. If you have not had a chance to sign my petition, please consider signing it, I need your support.
For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ben Morgan. Im 29 years old and I am an aircraft owner and pilot, and I live in Sydney. For many years, I have watched my family and others participate in aviation here in Australia, only to end up leaving it in disgust of the situation and more times than not - less a considerable sum of money.
I have watched industry leaders, associations, regulators, politicians and government throw the issues of aviation back and forth like a hot potato, always claiming it to be someone else's responsibility to fix.
Like many of you, I have also watched the horrific in-fighting and excess use of personal opinions and agenda's that each of these have bought to the table. The effects and results of which have been disastrous for everyone who participates in this industry.
It's time to get over the office politics and start working towards a viable future for aviation. It's time for the federal government to step up and take responsibility.
I don't know if I can effect change, but I will try. I am working to get a meeting with the Prime Minister, and Im not going to stop until we start to see something new happening.
If anyone can lend me any assistance, it would be greatly appreciated.
BEN MORGAN
aviationadvertiser
Good on you Ben.
Ascot Capital own Jandakot Airport Holdings. At the moment they have on thier website a "minor variation" to the master plan which is to build a road coming in from the South to thier commercial development. Submissions close on 21st November.
They also have a couple more roads in the pipeline and have been to local government about this. Meanwhile there is no sign of the 4th runway which was approved in 2006, they NOW say "It hasn't been approved". All infrastructure works have been to develop roads leading into thier developments. The revenue from landing fees, rents etc is certainly not seen to be going into aviation infrastructure. Some of it has been thrown into "community projects" to benefit local schools FFS.
They can't even make the effort to paint the lines on the taxiways straight!
Ascot Capital own Jandakot Airport Holdings. At the moment they have on thier website a "minor variation" to the master plan which is to build a road coming in from the South to thier commercial development. Submissions close on 21st November.
They also have a couple more roads in the pipeline and have been to local government about this. Meanwhile there is no sign of the 4th runway which was approved in 2006, they NOW say "It hasn't been approved". All infrastructure works have been to develop roads leading into thier developments. The revenue from landing fees, rents etc is certainly not seen to be going into aviation infrastructure. Some of it has been thrown into "community projects" to benefit local schools FFS.
They can't even make the effort to paint the lines on the taxiways straight!
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At least Ned Kelly used a gun! 
White collar thieves are still thieves.
White collar thieves are still thieves.
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Ben, I applaud you're efforts. It's people like you who will save this industry. I feel it is time to make some sort of major group action against BAL, not being a company director I am not sure exactly what, but maybe an agreement that nobody will pay fees on one day of each month or something.
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Surely (if they wanted to) the Government could just nationalise the assets and take them back from the greedy 'merchant bankers' (also works in rhyming slang!)...
After all it would be in the National interest!
After all it would be in the National interest!
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Thank you for the positive responses. I agree with everything that is being said here. The situation is not getting better, its getting worse, and we must take action before its too late.
Over the past three days, I have seen an incredible response to this topic, and there are many joining the petition, which is great news.
I have just received news that Channel 10 are going to meet with me tomorrow some time, to discuss how they can pick this story up and get it to air.
Change is happening.
Keep passing word to as many people as possible, we really need to have the biggest audience possible, if we are going to stand a chance in achieving our ultimate goal.
I will keep you all posted as this progresses.
Thank you again.
BENJAMIN MORGAN
Aviation Advertiser
Over the past three days, I have seen an incredible response to this topic, and there are many joining the petition, which is great news.
I have just received news that Channel 10 are going to meet with me tomorrow some time, to discuss how they can pick this story up and get it to air.
Change is happening.
Keep passing word to as many people as possible, we really need to have the biggest audience possible, if we are going to stand a chance in achieving our ultimate goal.
I will keep you all posted as this progresses.
Thank you again.
BENJAMIN MORGAN
Aviation Advertiser
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This is my interpretation of the whole situation which I posted in the petition in response to the whole situation:
Speedbird 9
As a student pilot I am one of the victims of the bankstown airport’s privatisation. All the increases in rent and landing fees directly affect the cost of my formation: for instance I am now paying $210 per hour dual on a 152! Even though I am only young and have only studied economics at school, even I can see that selling off the three sydney GA airports to one operator, BAL, will create an absolute monopoly and giving BAL the option of doing what they want when they want as they have NO competition to contend with. It is time for the government to wake up and step in in order to prevent the situation getting any worse. The Australian government must follow the example of the British government when they broke up BAA’s monopoly over London’s busiest airports. Although the economy is in a slump at the moment it is important to realise that this situation will not last for ever and as the Australian and indeed global economy starts to get back on its feet and pick up the pieces, a demand for air travel will again surge. But how would the aviation market cope with this dramatic increase in demand if they do not have the labour to fly the planes? Where would the airlines and GA get pilots from if airports such as Bankstown continue to decline? Wake up Australia, if you want cheap and accessible air travel to continue you must provide the resources and infrastructure to train pilots, cabin crew, engineers… Without the infrastructure, pilots will become very thin on the ground and as a direct consequence, the cost of the average ticket will inevitably rise. That’s my take on the whole situation, now I shall turn it over to the people who can do something about this and simply hope for the best…
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I tried to sign your petition but when I logged onto the email cofirmation I got this;
What code?
Keep up the good work.
The confirmation code you supplied was invalid. Either it was incorrect or it has already been used.
Keep up the good work.
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Thank you everyone for your continued support.
We have been registering phenomenal inbound traffic to the Bankstown article and I have received so many personal messages from people giving me their support and encouragement to keep the momentum going. The viewership has covered just about every continent of the globe that has a general aviation industry! Thank you to everyone from PPRuNe that has helped provide the awareness this particular issue needs here in Australia and abroad.
Clearly this is an issue that everyone in Aviation around the globe is touched by, and its great to see so many pilots and individuals from Australia coming forward and committing their support.
I understand, to some, signing a petition may be seen as an insignificant and pointless undertaking, given the gravity of the current situation. Aside from representing the individuals who have signed this petition, it represents the thought that the entire aviation community can be heard as one - and cannot be ignored.
For many years now, the Australian federal government and of more recent, the private companies that are now taking advantage of the aviation businesses that they hold captive in their monopolies, have relied on fragmentation and in-fighting inside of this industry. This fragmentation and dissolution has provided the perfect environment for these organisations to pass policy that ultimately will deal a crushing blow to this great industry, leaving many of us unemployed. It has also kept the media at bay, with the eyes of journalists focussed on the personalities, rather than the issues and crimes that are being committed.
Through choice or not, the time for change is now upon us, and as an industry, we must all go forward or face the continued destruction of something that so many people have worked so hard to create. Each and every pilot, aircraft owner, aviation business operator or passenger stands to loose something significant. The responsibility in creating this change falls squarely on us all at this time.
Of course, this issue will not solve overnight. There will be many fights and battles ahead in the quest for change. However, with the support of the aviation industry working together, I believe there should be no challenge great enough to stop this change occurring.
Thank you again for your support.
BENJAMIN MORGAN
We have been registering phenomenal inbound traffic to the Bankstown article and I have received so many personal messages from people giving me their support and encouragement to keep the momentum going. The viewership has covered just about every continent of the globe that has a general aviation industry! Thank you to everyone from PPRuNe that has helped provide the awareness this particular issue needs here in Australia and abroad.
Clearly this is an issue that everyone in Aviation around the globe is touched by, and its great to see so many pilots and individuals from Australia coming forward and committing their support.
I understand, to some, signing a petition may be seen as an insignificant and pointless undertaking, given the gravity of the current situation. Aside from representing the individuals who have signed this petition, it represents the thought that the entire aviation community can be heard as one - and cannot be ignored.
For many years now, the Australian federal government and of more recent, the private companies that are now taking advantage of the aviation businesses that they hold captive in their monopolies, have relied on fragmentation and in-fighting inside of this industry. This fragmentation and dissolution has provided the perfect environment for these organisations to pass policy that ultimately will deal a crushing blow to this great industry, leaving many of us unemployed. It has also kept the media at bay, with the eyes of journalists focussed on the personalities, rather than the issues and crimes that are being committed.
Through choice or not, the time for change is now upon us, and as an industry, we must all go forward or face the continued destruction of something that so many people have worked so hard to create. Each and every pilot, aircraft owner, aviation business operator or passenger stands to loose something significant. The responsibility in creating this change falls squarely on us all at this time.
Of course, this issue will not solve overnight. There will be many fights and battles ahead in the quest for change. However, with the support of the aviation industry working together, I believe there should be no challenge great enough to stop this change occurring.
Thank you again for your support.
BENJAMIN MORGAN
