Sell Off Airservices..?? 'Nail In The Coffin' For AOPA, or Airservices..??

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

From the AOPA Newsletter -

"Project Eureka proposes that the Trust capital be generated by the sale of a financially underperforming Australian public asset, Airservices Australia. This capital is needed to re-invest..etc etc ....."

Does anyone think that THIS will ever happen..??

'Tis already a GBE - Govt Business Enterprise - One more 'extra step'..??

I can see it now....'XYZ bank' forms a consortium, buys the LOT, then changes the airspace to ALL Controlled, REQUIRING Full Flight Notification, and .....wait for it......Charging accordingly.

Why not?

Its a monopoly - just like 'our' airports....and, they've already done it there.....

Yes / No...??

Cheers

[Lead Balloon]

No. Airservices 'tis not a GBE: Current Government Business Enterprises | Department of Finance

Lots of the people on near-7 figure salaries at Airservices think they're the smartest guys in the room 'cause they're running a 'business', but they'd be wrong.

However, I agree with your overarching point: giving the monopoly to the kinds of unscrupulous a*rseholes who are real experts at sucking money from the public at eyewateringly high rates would in my view be disastrous for GA.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Hi L B,

I thought it was. It was when I worked there, and I've heard nothing to the contrary. Nothing 'unusual' about that.

I see its now a 'Govt Owned Organisation'. (Thanks for the heads-up)
Not that that bit really matters...

Interesting hypothesis though eh?

Imagine the major responsibility of AsA shifts to the making of dividends for the shareholders.
ATC become like bank clerks... and paid accordingly.....imagine a clearance via ATM??

It really would be the death of GA as 'we' know it.

And, not beyond the realms of possibility, if AOPA has its way.....

I can imagine lots of 'Nosar no Details' as they used to be known.

I wonder if they thought of a 'Plan B'...??

No Cheers

[Lead Balloon]

I thought it was. It was when I worked there, and I've heard nothing to the contrary. ..

Airservices has never been a GBE, despite what the wannabe smartest guys in the room have been saying since 1995. (Not suggesting, BTW, that you should have been aware that the warm feeling spreading down the side of one of your legs was, in fact, something really icky disguised to make you feel comfortable ...)

[Horatio Leafblower]

Beautifully put, Cleared to Enter.

[QSK?]

I can see it now....'XYZ bank' forms a consortium, buys the LOT, then changes the airspace to ALL Controlled, REQUIRING Full Flight Notification, and .....wait for it......Charging accordingly.

Not necessarily so, Griffo.

Quite a few international ANSPs are not for profit organisations that are typically owned by the relevant government (usually 49% ownership but with a golden share) with the remaining shareholding being held by a combination of commercial air carriers and general aviation organisations, unions and even employees.

International ANSPs that come to mind that fit this model include NATS (UK) and Nav Canada.

[Lead Balloon]

Is that what AOPA is proposing? The letter just refers to "sale" of "the asset".

I am very impressed by the letter, and the fact that AOPA appears finally to be getting assertive again, with concrete proposals. However, I'm firmly of the view that selling off Airservices would be just as much a disaster for GA as the sell off of the airports. A more sophisticated structure such as the one to which you allude, QSK?, would be much less risky.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Ullo Mr Q,

The letter says
'capital be generated by the sale of a financially underperforming Australian public asset, Airservices Australia. This capital is needed to re-invest..etc etc ....."

Doesn't say 'part sale', so I just took it at its word, literally.

And, I know 'tis a 'longshot' but no mention of the 'not for profit' bit....

'Rotsa Ruck' to all ATCs, working for the new 'chinese' (??) owners.....

Port Darwin was only the start....

Cheers