Wikiposts
Search
The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Birdsville Races 2023

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 1st Sep 2023, 01:05
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Here and there
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
Received 36 Likes on 15 Posts
Birdsville Races 2023

Getting in early.

OK, how many aircraft attended?

What were the costs for the average fly in pilot?

Was it worth while flying in to the event?

Anything unusual happen?

runway16 is offline  
Old 1st Sep 2023, 04:35
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
BE20
PA31
C510
ATR
C41
BE20
SF340
BE58
PA31
L60
C208
TBM
GA8s
DA42s

Various singles
wheelyfunny is online now  
Old 6th Sep 2023, 06:22
  #3 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Here and there
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
Received 36 Likes on 15 Posts
OK, I will try again.

How many aircraft flew in?

I am told that last year it was a small number. All the aircraft described in # 2 sound like your companies taking over the Race event


R
runway16 is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2023, 06:50
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: FNQ ... It's Permanent!
Posts: 4,292
Received 169 Likes on 86 Posts
Originally Posted by runway16

How many aircraft flew in?
I'd say all of them!
Capt Fathom is offline  
The following 4 users liked this post by Capt Fathom:
Old 6th Sep 2023, 07:05
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
If ever there is an example of the destruction of GA in Australia it's shown by the staggering reduction in the number of planes attending the Birdsville races.

In the good old days I think the number was over 180!
Dick Smith is offline  
The following 2 users liked this post by Dick Smith:
Old 6th Sep 2023, 10:35
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Cab of a Freight Train
Posts: 1,218
Received 117 Likes on 61 Posts
How would it compare to something like the Old Station fly in? We went up there last year and there were 203 aircraft on the field - with over 500 campsites for ground-pounders too (proving it isn't just geared towards fliers). I certainly don't disagree with DS - but do wonder how much can be attributed to changes in the races themselves vs the declining GA climate?
KRviator is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 6th Sep 2023, 22:23
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
Very mysterious! Why would there be such a large drop off of aircraft attending the Birdsville races?

Is it a lack of perceived friendliness?
Dick Smith is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 6th Sep 2023, 23:00
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Age: 75
Posts: 1,808
Received 25 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by Dick Smith
Very mysterious! Why would there be such a large drop off of aircraft attending the Birdsville races?

Is it a lack of perceived friendliness?
I think the words "Greedy Shire" probably sums it up. No camping under the wings anymore etc, etc. I'm sure someone else will add to this.

DF
Desert Flower is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 6th Sep 2023, 23:04
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: inner suburbia
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Would requiring an ASIC, to land at an airport in a town with a population of around 100, be a factor ?
Biggles_in_Oz is offline  
Old 6th Sep 2023, 23:22
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Posts: 2,471
Received 315 Likes on 117 Posts
Originally Posted by Dick Smith
If ever there is an example of the destruction of GA in Australia it's shown by the staggering reduction in the number of planes attending the Birdsville races.

In the good old days I think the number was over 180!
I’d have to largely disagree with you there Dick. Sure that’s probably a contributing factor, but how many people in the past have flown because it was the easiest way to get there?

I think a more accurate assumption is that the roads have hugely improved, the cars more reliable, and the demographic of race goers has changed dramatically. I know for a fact that numbers are not down, if anything they’re increasing.
morno is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2023, 03:27
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
Morno. Do you work for the Minister or the Department?

There must be another explanation for why aircraft numbers are down.

Yes. Roads are better but that is hardly the reason for such a drop off by flyers!

It takes days to drive to Birdsville from a capital city and only hours by plane!

Are Oshkosh numbers down as much?
Dick Smith is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 7th Sep 2023, 04:21
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: YORG
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
There was a thread that discussed this in great detail earlier this year. In short, council got greedy with insane landing fees and wouldn't allow camping under the wing, but would allow camping elsewhere for an exorbitant fee.
giantkingsquid is offline  
The following 2 users liked this post by giantkingsquid:
Old 7th Sep 2023, 04:28
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NSW Australia
Posts: 2,455
Received 33 Likes on 15 Posts
Originally Posted by giantkingsquid
There was a thread that discussed this in great detail earlier this year. In short, council got greedy with insane landing fees and wouldn't allow camping under the wing, but would allow camping elsewhere for an exorbitant fee.
Jeez.

How many ratepayers are there in Diamantina Shire?
What are the security requirements placed on the shire by the Dept Homeland Security?
How much do you reckon that costs?

"Greedy Shire"?
Horatio Leafblower is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2023, 08:08
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Age: 75
Posts: 1,808
Received 25 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by giantkingsquid
There was a thread that discussed this in great detail earlier this year. In short, council got greedy with insane landing fees and wouldn't allow camping under the wing, but would allow camping elsewhere for an exorbitant fee.
Like I said earlier, two words can sum it up - "Greedy Shire".

DF.
Desert Flower is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2023, 08:10
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Age: 75
Posts: 1,808
Received 25 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by Horatio Leafblower
Jeez.

How many ratepayers are there in Diamantina Shire?
What are the security requirements placed on the shire by the Dept Homeland Security?
How much do you reckon that costs?

"Greedy Shire"?
Was never necessary all those years ago.

DF.
Desert Flower is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2023, 08:39
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane, Qld
Posts: 1,370
Received 29 Likes on 15 Posts
Ok, so, after all that, what were the numbers?
Ixixly is offline  
Old 7th Sep 2023, 09:50
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: YMML
Posts: 27
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
FYI at Oshkosh this year a record of ~10,000 aircraft flew in (not a typo).
Whispering T-Jet is offline  
Old 9th Sep 2023, 01:17
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Posts: 2,471
Received 315 Likes on 117 Posts
Originally Posted by Dick Smith
Morno. Do you work for the Minister or the Department?

There must be another explanation for why aircraft numbers are down.

Yes. Roads are better but that is hardly the reason for such a drop off by flyers!

It takes days to drive to Birdsville from a capital city and only hours by plane!

Are Oshkosh numbers down as much?
I most certainly don’t. Your average Birdsville Races attendee these days probably doesn’t have a pilots license nor want one. People are happy to drive there a) because the roads are improved, and b) there are other events in the leadup to the races in surrounding towns that people would rather drive to.

You can’t compare Oshkosh to the Birdsville Races. One is a dedicated aviation event in a country with 250 million or so people, and the other is a horse race in an outback town. Yes the latter used to have a large aviation presence, but times change. The event has changed considerably.

What did you do to promote general aviation in your time at CASA Dick? How’s that user pays system working out?
morno is offline  
Old 9th Sep 2023, 02:02
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 0
Received 69 Likes on 28 Posts
They were going to bring in user pays by GA for full position Flight Service.

We solved that problem by removing the full position requirement and providing good redundancy payments.

Same with RFFS at the secondary airports.

Over $500 m saved by GA since then without one life being lost.

It was the Henry Bosche report that introduced user pays - I wasn't involved in any way with that.

I still think the destruction of GA is one of the reasons for the drop off at Birdsville!
Dick Smith is offline  
Old 9th Sep 2023, 02:55
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Posts: 2,471
Received 315 Likes on 117 Posts
I’m not disagreeing that the destruction of GA has contributed to lower numbers at Birdsville Races, but I think in the grand scheme of things, it’s more than likely only a small factor.
morno is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.