Point Cook.. Something Stinks.
 

I wish to draw your attention to the plight of Point Cook - the birthplace of the Australian airforce. I suspect it is under threat from property development.

As I'm sure many of you know, Point Cook is the birthplace of the RAAF. It is home to the RAAF museum, the RMIT aviation faculty as well as a flying club and other operators. I fly out of it myself since it is only 15 minutes from Williamstown.

I have just learned that applications from aircraft owners to base their aircraft there have now been rejected, on the basis that "applications will be considered again in twelve months" or suchlike, deposits returned and so on.

Now Point Cook is surrounded by brand new housing developments, some of which have been sold by unscrupolous real estate salesmen on the basis of "Don't bother about the aircraft noise! The airport will be closing in two years time."

I respectfully submit that Point Cook is going to close and be chopped up for housing unless the aviation community does something about it. The Victorian Government's aviation people are spineless and will not do a thing about it.

Melbourne currently has an ideal GA aviation infrastructure ( unlike Sydney) with GA airports at Moorabbin, Essendon and Point Cook. Why screw up a system that puts anywhere in the city within half an hour's car travel of a GA strip?

This is property development lunacy and it needs to be stopped.

I thought you were talking about the Werribee crap farm!

But seriously, the real estate encroachment on that place in the last 15 years has been incredible - nearly as incredible as the skills of the developers and agents who have been able to convince prospective clients that a bunch of stinking salty old paddocks are some kind of land buyer's dream!

The airfield certainly has good aprons and runways, thanks to some well-meaning but ultimately wasted upgrading by the RAAF just prior to the closure of 1FTS, but I think your battle is one more in a slow steady war of attrition that will see it finally gone before too long, Sunfish. Bear in mind, too, that it hasn't been a general use GA airfield for very long, either - not that I like seeing the property sharks win.

Point Cook Pootang and 747-300's
 

ha! I used to live in the new housing development at Point Cook!!!

It's true what they say, you hardly hear any aircraft noise...but I highly doubt that they will be taking down the airport and replacing it with houses.

I think that a lot of the buildings at the Point Cook base may be heritage listed (maybe I am wrong, but I lived in the O's mess for a bit) and also, have you smelt the air around that base? It seriously smells like the worst foulness one could imagine, I highly doubt that people are going to build houses in poo smell.

Say, does anyone know much about 747-300's?

Give Point Cook to the weekend warriors down the road. They would love direct access to a runway, a range, PP Bay, old buildings with doors to kick in and lots of trees to hide amongst.

OTS (RAAF's Officer Training School) is moving from Point Cook to East Sale. They've started constructions already. That won't leave much else there except the RAAF museum and a few other VERY small units which could easily go elsewhere.......so it looks like it could very well get swallowed up.

But where will they film 'Flying Doctors' now??!?:eek:

If they haven't gone after Laverton (or have I missed that), why go after an active airport?

I remember in the late 80's when development kicked off near Point Cook, 1 FTS was bombarded with noise complaints from new home owners in the area. The CO arranged flying on a Saturday during a land auction, lots of EFATO's over the crowd so they could not complain later that they did not know the RAAF lived down the road.

G'day LS
 

Sadly,

We can't kick in the doors anymore (Asbestos) :{

But YES, we'd like the airport access, bay access etc.

Cheers,

DIVOSH!

Why can't we fly into Point Cook?
 

Why can't we fly into Point Cook. I would love to use this airfield. It seems that the restrictions are contributing to the demise of the airport. Minimal movements only makes it easier to close.:hmm:

At lease some good may come out of it. RMIT might have to close down.

I fly out of Point Cook also. Somehow I dont think it will be going anywhere, the Headquarters of the AAFC are on the base and have just moved into a new building there, why would the RAAF stuff them around and make them move (there is a lot of stuff aswell) into a new building if they planned to shutdown the base. Not to mention some of the buildings are heritage listed. RMIT has a good setup down at PCK and for them to have to move wouldnt help anyone.

The way I see it with the noise complaints, is that the Base has been there since 1914, those houses havent even been there half that time. Its the residents fault for buying a house next to an airfield. Why move in if the noise was going to be a problem. Not to mention that most of the housing developments are actually away from the flightpaths. You probably fly over about half a dozen houses at below 1000' and thats only if you are using 17/35. On 04/22 circuit there are NO houses below what so ever 80% of the circuit is flown over water..... Since when is a cessna in approach config ~1500rpm on final that noisy anyway. Fair enough PCK sees the occasional citation and King Air, but they rarely come in. And im sure they can get over a 15 minute Mustang display that happens on some days but not all. Most flying is done during the day, and At night there is usually only 1 or 2 in the circuit. So unless the people who live under the flight path sleep at like 1 in the afternoon then I dont see how it could be a problem.:ugh:


http://www.users.bigpond.com/oasisft/YMPC.jpg
As you can see from this pic of PCK, there are very little houses actually around the field, the bulk of the houses are a little bit down the road and often the aircraft dont even fly over them.

In case you are wondering who the operators are-

http://www.lar.net.au/airportPlanning.cfm

This is the what they do for your landing fees-

http://www.lar.net.au/db_files/docum...A-D-04-001.pdf

This is what the National Trust think-

http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/docu...VIC-PtCook.pdf

This is what the State Government says in its vision2030 development statement-
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/melbourne2..._policy43.html

You've never stayed at the Richmond O's mess when there is a light westerly NW blowing have you? :}

Looking at that photo makes me want to roll power prop trim and recant the 11 reasons why I am about to have to go around!

It would be sad to see the airfield go. I was under the impression that it was the world's oldest continuous airfield.

And as for the parfum de poo.....why on earth would you want to live there?

In accordance with the "Do we really need DAPS thread":

Everyone knows that real men don't go around...

Oh.. and as one of my mates says "No one ever died from pressing" :}

QuizO: What would you do if you were forced to carry out an S-Turn on final or had not touched down by the 1500ft markers or were told by the Tower to go-around, Officer Cade-eeeet............... Snot?


OffCdt L. Snot: Go around, Sir! :ok:


QuizO: Correct, sit down, Snot. What are the other eight reasons for going around, Officer Cade-eeeeet......... Fire?


OffCdt H. Fire: :{


QuizO: Remain standing.

Definately remain standing.. just remember.. your ejection kit includes the life raft everyone assumes... don't ignore it!
You'll be left standing!

Q: "What is the western boundary of area A?"
A: "Umm...a line from...Moriac to Bannockburn to...somewhere else ahh...dunno sir (thinks...I knew he was gonna ask me that one...grrr):(

My favourite was
Quizz O: " And what are the limitations on practice forced landings....Off Cadet Anon"

Cadet Anon " um... go around by 250 ft, um.... not over water, um... not over any spastic centres?"

Quizz O: "...oh god....Remain standing....again."