Tamworth - Oh Dear!

[Sunfish]

Why am I not surprised? What was Virgin thinking? We have discussed “entrepreneurial characters” before.

Virgin Australia and shadowy partner HNA Group have abandoned plans for their mega flight training school for Chinese pilots in Tamworth. In the latest bizarre twist in the saga, Anthony Klan reports a businessman working with the consortium faces up to 13 years’ jail over a string of serious criminal offences. ​

Michael Foxman, who operates a number of businesses in Australia and overseas, has been ordered by a court to leave Tamworth, after being charged with seven offences over eight months, including multiple counts of threatening, or attempting to influence, witnesses.

It was revealed here last year that Virgin Australia and secretive Chinese conglomerate HNA Group had somehow got permission to build a giant training school for Chinese pilots at the Australian Defence Force (ADF) airbase in Tamworth. Foxman is associated with that deal. His charges are unrelated but are the latest bizarre twist in the bizarre flight school project.
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https://www.michaelwest.com.au/anoth...TS-KnHe1aV19fs

[belongamick]

The journalism on that website is absolute trash. I'd rate the Betoota Advocate or the GA Herald as higher quality sources.

[gerry111]

Originally Posted by belongamick

The journalism on that website is absolute trash. I'd rate the Betoota Advocate or the GA Herald as higher quality sources.

That may well be correct, belongamick. Perhaps you could tell us what was false or inaccurate in the article Sunfish linked?

[Cleared Visual]

Originally Posted by gerry111

That may well be correct, belongamick. Perhaps you could tell us what was false or inaccurate in the article Sunfish linked?

Well for one, Tamworth is not an "ADF airbase". BAE systems have a facility there that operated a contract to provide basic flight training for the ADF. As far as I am aware, that contract expired in 2019.

[Kooim00]

Tamworth

Originally Posted by Cleared Visual

Well for one, Tamworth is not an "ADF airbase". BAE systems have a facility there that operated a contract to provide basic flight training for the ADF. As far as I am aware, that contract expired in 2019.

Quite correct, there's no Australian Military flying training being done in Tamworth at all any more.

[lucille]

Originally Posted by gerry111

That may well be correct, belongamick. Perhaps you could tell us what was false or inaccurate in the article Sunfish linked?

"secretive Chinese conglomerate HNA Group"

Not all that secretive. They own quite a few airlines and hotels and and one time via their leasing companies owned more aircraft then anyone else. All easily available on Google. They're in deep doo-doo now for having irritated the Emperor for Life a couple of years ago.... This is what usually happens to anyone who irritates the Emperor... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-44709256