Flying GA in to Mildura
What rubbish
All we said is go somewhere that’s still GA friendly. Like Swan Hill and Wentworth.
All we said is go somewhere that’s still GA friendly. Like Swan Hill and Wentworth.
Mildura Airport is not operated by Mildura Rural City Council. It is a Corporate entity acting on behalf of the Council.
Fuel is Available via World Fuel Services who took over from Mobil some time ago. There have been changes to aspects of service delivery with WFS and a new fuel facility is in the process of being delivered.
With regards aircraft parking, the negative comments reflect a small window in time when we will admit, parking facilities were far from perfect.
We now offer a substantial grassed apron with cable tie down.
The larger areas of bitumen pavement have, by necessity, been reserved for RPT and heavier aircraft
I am a Commercial Pilot myself and if I look objectively at Mildura, I see a Regional Airport with facilities that are second to none. We have great tie down facilities, a well equipped GA lounge with free coffee and tea facilities and soon to be a new relocated Avgas fuelling facility with credit card capability that gets around the old canate card system.
Further to that, the price at pump will be pegged to an index that reflects fuel price at several other capital city locations and increased only to reflect transport cost.
Additionally, avgas will be available from truck delivery if required.
The airport has a comprehensive cafe in the main terminal that is open during hours of RPT departure
Fuel is Available via World Fuel Services who took over from Mobil some time ago. There have been changes to aspects of service delivery with WFS and a new fuel facility is in the process of being delivered.
With regards aircraft parking, the negative comments reflect a small window in time when we will admit, parking facilities were far from perfect.
We now offer a substantial grassed apron with cable tie down.
The larger areas of bitumen pavement have, by necessity, been reserved for RPT and heavier aircraft
I am a Commercial Pilot myself and if I look objectively at Mildura, I see a Regional Airport with facilities that are second to none. We have great tie down facilities, a well equipped GA lounge with free coffee and tea facilities and soon to be a new relocated Avgas fuelling facility with credit card capability that gets around the old canate card system.
Further to that, the price at pump will be pegged to an index that reflects fuel price at several other capital city locations and increased only to reflect transport cost.
Additionally, avgas will be available from truck delivery if required.
The airport has a comprehensive cafe in the main terminal that is open during hours of RPT departure
Only getting one side of the story there. Unfortunately the Mildura Airport has gone from being a council owned and operated airport, for the joint benefit of the local and aviation communities, to where it now exists solely for the benefit of Mildura Airport P/L. Although the airport is still owned by the council, there is almost no oversight from the council itself over MAPL. Management has been allowed free reign to implement any policy or arrangement it has seen fit to without any blow back from anyone, regardless of how it might affect the local operator's or other airport user's. The airport board basically exists as a rubber stamp for senior management. As I said, it's now ALL about MAPL and how the airport can be used to increase the revenue stream for THEIR benefit. No-one else gets a look inside the tent. It could be argued that as the sole share holder in MAPL, the council (hence the local community) has indeed derived some benefit from the way MAPL has conducted itself and it's operation over the last few years. Maybe, maybe not.
As an aside to the above, the water industry is meeting in Mildura tomorrow with all of the heavy hitters attending, from the Minister on and downwards. I would expect a number of corporate machines to fly in. The GA park out in front of the aeroclub used to be able to accommodate up to around 20 aircraft of different shapes and sizes in years gone by. That entire expanse of bitumen has now been effectively reduced to two bays for PC-12/B200 sized aircraft.
'You want me to park the GV down on the grass with the rest of the aviation flotsam? Fcuk off!" As I suggested above, management has done some great things, but also some dumb things. This was one of them.
I wonder how many people are making a 6 figure income out of YMIA now, compared with when the Council was running it.
(I used to wonder how many people are making a 6 figure income out of YSSY now, compared with when the government was running it, but I then realised 6 figure incomes would be lost in the noise of the snouts grunting at the YSSY private trough. And YSCB? I wouldn’t be getting in the way of any of the bloated leaches sucking 8 figures out of that monopoly each year.)
(I used to wonder how many people are making a 6 figure income out of YSSY now, compared with when the government was running it, but I then realised 6 figure incomes would be lost in the noise of the snouts grunting at the YSSY private trough. And YSCB? I wouldn’t be getting in the way of any of the bloated leaches sucking 8 figures out of that monopoly each year.)
Last edited by Lead Balloon; 9th Oct 2019 at 09:02.
I wonder how many people are making a 6 figure income out of YMIA now, compared with when the Council was running it.
Technically the council still runs the airport. But its done via a board that the council appoints. The first problem is that the board does not have anyone with an aviation background, nor anyone that represents aerodrome based business or aviation stakeholders. Its predominately big ego local business people on the board for the status.
The second issue that that the board appointed an empire building CEO who demonstrates very little interest in consultation with either the airport users or even CASA (who has sanctioned the CEO and or airport twice). The airport / CEO has basically been in open warfare (publicly reported in the press) at one time or another with every airport user - including each of the airlines who fly in to Mildura, a number of whom have reduced services to Mildura citing difficulties with the airport management as a contributing factor. The most recent CASA study of Mildura notes that while passenger numbers through Mildura have increased (largely on the back of fly-in fly-out workers for rail, solar and mining projects) that aircraft movements have decreased. The airport management seems to be intent on pursuing some sort of status / image agenda rather than serving the best interest of Mildura or aviation.
Mildura airport fits the model of airport monopolies that the ACCC is currently turning its attention toward - see Graeme Samuel's article in the Australian dated Wed Oct 9. and another article in the Fin Review on Sept 19 naming Mildura as one of the airports with "Sky High" airport fees.
One of the problems of the federal government handing over airports to local councils is that councils simply don't have the expertise to run them. Mildura is a classic example. Its basically out of control. It submits flawed master plans, then pays them lip service in implementation, but the council never holds it to account to deliver against its master plan and its budget & performance is not available for public scrutiny. Nor does the council ever require and benchmarking of Mildura against other airports. So Mildura airport - like many other council run airports - basically unaccountable and the CEO runs a fiefdom. A benchmarking study of Mildura against other large regional airports that mix GA & RPT would show that Mildura is performing poorly on most measures. One of the single best things that could be done is to require airports to report benchmarks on a range of measures. I think a number of airports would stand out as being managed ineffectively.
A point of interest at Mildura is the number of staff required to maintain it since its been under the current management. The local businesses that have been there long enough will tell you its exploded from a handful to over 20 - during which time the land area and and facilities have stayed the same or reduced a little. The costs of all of this are passed onto users with question or scrutiny.
One of the sadnesses is that Mildura council doesn't recongnise the damage being done to Mildura. People who fly-in use taxi's, hire cars, stay in hotels, restaurants and local shops. People who drive in to camp, don't use any of these services and typically even bring in their own food. Before the current management, when I stopped at Mildura for fuel there was always, always at least one other aircraft fuelling and a number of parked visiting aircraft. Now I typically see either other aircraft fuelling and typically my aircraft is parked on its own for days at a time. The loss of business to the Mildura economy, I suspect, is significant in an environment where a number of Motels are struggling.
How much does the ‘empire building CEO’ get paid?
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Old Akro,
The above link which contains a list and short bio of the current (??) board and shows that 3 of the 6 board members do have extensive aviation backgrounds. Is this information out of date as it clearly contradicts your opening statement??
Old Akro needs to add the word “general” in front of the word “aviation “.
I’m not sure that the Board has the knowledge to ask the penetrating questions of the CEO that are required, but I don’t know. After all, their jobs are (1) To ensure laws are followed (2) Protect the shareholders assets. (3) Ensure a sound business plan is created and implemented by the CEO. 1. and 2. should be OK, it’s (3.) that is perhaps problematic.
What that comes down to is hiring and firing the CEO.
From my limited point of view YMIA doesn’t seem GA friendly.
I’m not sure that the Board has the knowledge to ask the penetrating questions of the CEO that are required, but I don’t know. After all, their jobs are (1) To ensure laws are followed (2) Protect the shareholders assets. (3) Ensure a sound business plan is created and implemented by the CEO. 1. and 2. should be OK, it’s (3.) that is perhaps problematic.
What that comes down to is hiring and firing the CEO.
From my limited point of view YMIA doesn’t seem GA friendly.
From my limited point of view YMIA doesn’t seem GA friendly
So youngmic, in the interests of transparency, let’s declare our interests.
I have no direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport, Swan Hill or its airport or Wentworth or its airport. If anything, I have a bias towards Mildura: Great food at Stefano’s and great accommodation and service within stumbling distance at the Commodore Motel.
Do you have any direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport?
And do you know what salary is paid to the CEO of Mildura Airport Pty Ltd? Round figures: Less than $100,000.00? More?
I have no direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport, Swan Hill or its airport or Wentworth or its airport. If anything, I have a bias towards Mildura: Great food at Stefano’s and great accommodation and service within stumbling distance at the Commodore Motel.
Do you have any direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport?
And do you know what salary is paid to the CEO of Mildura Airport Pty Ltd? Round figures: Less than $100,000.00? More?
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So youngmic, in the interests of transparency, let’s declare our interests.
I have no direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport, Swan Hill or its airport or Wentworth or its airport. If anything, I have a bias towards Mildura: Great food at Stefano’s and great accommodation and service within stumbling distance at the Commodore Motel.
Do you have any direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport?
And do you know what salary is paid to the CEO of Mildura Airport Pty Ltd? Round figures: Less than $100,000.00? More?
I have no direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport, Swan Hill or its airport or Wentworth or its airport. If anything, I have a bias towards Mildura: Great food at Stefano’s and great accommodation and service within stumbling distance at the Commodore Motel.
Do you have any direct or indirect pecuniary, business, family or other interest in Mildura or its airport?
And do you know what salary is paid to the CEO of Mildura Airport Pty Ltd? Round figures: Less than $100,000.00? More?
I have no idea what the CEO remuneration package would be at MIA corp, but would think it extremely unlikely it would be less than the figure you raised and to my mind that position would justify more.
Yeah. Right. Very ordinary.
I look forward to crossing paths with you at an Avgas bowser (not at YMIA) soon!
I look forward to crossing paths with you at an Avgas bowser (not at YMIA) soon!
