GA dead in Canberra.
 

In 1998 the 'Minister' (a term used to describe the dim witted these days) promised us a cap on fees increases when airports were privatised.

In 1999 Capital Airports group took over Canberra Airport and more than doubled parking fees and pushed all the GA aircraft onto the grass (unless they wanted to pay quadrupled fees for hardstand).

At the time I rang the department (because a then member of the AOPA Board told me on the phone 'he has to get a return for his investment', :mad: this person is no longer on the Board, but tries to influence it), they told me they knew they had stuffed up, but couldn't fix it now.

Same charge applied, even if you parked in your own hangar. :mad:

(and I am told the owner at Merimbula thinks this sets a precedent and is trying the same stunt, so take care all you canberra bashers, it is infectious)

The new owners promised a new lease of life for GA.

Then there were six flying schools.:rolleyes:

Now there are two. :(

Last weekend the airport owners declined to renew the lease on the Shell facility and the bowsers were closed. Mobil has already gone.

Now you cant get self serve fuel in the nations Capital and can't get it at all 'out of hours'.

Spoke to the Department again yesterday. Now it's 'before my time', 'not our problem, privatisation and all that' etc etc.

Well, it is the same bl@@dy Minister. So please, those of you in his electorate, thank him for me at the next election.

AK :mad:

You had better move to Bankstown where it is all happening. :D :D or move AOPA to Canberra to make it look busy? :D :D :D

Ah now I understand.

Piper Arrow = another BH clone :D

Interesting how the boys from Bankstown on the AOPA Board think everything revolves around that slowly dying airport. Very short sighted.

Canberra, Jandakott, Archerfield .... watch out BKT, your turnis coming (in fact those of us that park there have seen the beginnings in the last few months)

Chuck

Bankstown is just as bad, Last year i paid $2400 for the parking toll for a meduim size twin. This year it has gone up to $5200 just to park it outside. BK will be privatised half way through the year and i'm sure the bean counters will increase it again.

Cheaper to keep Aircraft at Bathurst, Orange or Dubbo. :D :D :D

But wait there's more...
 

It's only a question of time before the same thing happens at BK and CN - and CN isn't exactly busy these days.

The inevitable result of incredibly stupid, shortsighted, narrowminded government economic policy.

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Hon John Anderson
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

Dear Deputy Prime Minister.

General Aviation is hurting from the profiteering of airport owners. Despite your promises of a CPI-1% price cap, proces have more than doubled at many privatised airports including Canberra, Jandakott and Archerfield.

This is costing GA jobs and making the industry less safe as it loses critical mass.

Flying schools are closing. Maintenance operations are closing 9such that owners can no longer properly maintain aircraft). Money that could be spent upgrading an ageing fleet goes into the pockets of greedy airport owners.

Essentially it is your policies that are to blame, so I must say that unless the trend is reversed I will have to take it strongly into account at the next election, and particularly when voting in the Senate.

I hope together we can find a solution to revitalise GA and stop this blatant profiteering.

Andrew Kerans

Archerfield is also hurting in a BIG way, most private owners have now left for Redcliffe,Watts Bridge, Caboolture, Caloundra after the owner has slugged a $15 a movement fee, even when the tower is CLOSED! The $15 movement free rather than the flat yearly fee was changed to be cheaper for the private owners and make the schools pay more, problem is there are no private owners left and all the schools have upped their rates to pay for it. Movements at AF continue to drop each month, everyone keeps saying it can get any worse and it does...every month!

Selling the airports IMHO was a joke, an airport is NOT a money making enterprise...because of the size of Oz we have an aviation history that most countries wouldn't even come close to, our airports should be an asset of the country, not sold off to the highest bidder in an effort to fund the next election campaign promises, think of the BILLIONS the gov made in selling off the airports, how has this been reinvested back into an industry that has given so much to the australian public, not a cent......where did it all go then???

Forgot to say.

Please copy the above letter, change it a bit and send it off.

tell EVERYONE to do the same.


AK

AK, I disagree that prices are doubling and flying schools are closing at Jandakott (sic) In fact the landing fees haven't changed since the privatisation, and the infrastructure and services to tenants are a whole lot better than when the FAC were here.
I think it's important to do some research and get your facts right when sending letters to ministers if you want any credibility.

Best leave it to your local chamber of commerce or other local operators group or individuals, rather than pretend to represent people at an airport you can't even spell.


:rolleyes:

:mad: Well you'll be pleased to know that in DARWIN we are to getting screwed:mad:

Wouldn't it be great to have a business with NO competition...

Darwin airport may be hurting with Malaysian, Its My Party and Ansett gone but why oh why does GA have to pay for it. What it does is to make flying more expensive for everyone.

Oh no thats right security has been increased in the GA, yeah right, never once been told off burnen around the tarmac on the Trumpy... (whoops probably will now).:D

Extend the aero modellers strip at East Point.................:cool:

Wasn't it the labour government that decided to privatise the airports....??!

I don't recall which party decided to privatise airports, and it doesn't really matter because both major parties have embraced the principle of privatisation.

It seems the Liberals are just more gung-ho about it.

If airports are good money-spinners they should remain in public ownership for the financial benefit of the whole community.

And even if they are not very profitable they should remain in public ownership because they are an essential part of the community's infrastructure.

Public ownership is the best way to ensure that the community's needs are met.

One thing that no politician has ever explained is - how are governments generally going to balance their books when there is nothing left to flog off?

Will they finally have to resort to good economic management and live within their means?

Those who understand the problems facing GA after privatisation; pilots represent 0.375% of Australians. In political terms stuff all clout, UNLESS we all write to the pollies, then it can work (75,000 letters is a big pile).

Now given the apathy and infighting in the industry we can only get a few thousand, maybe, if we try hard.

But it is better than nothing.

So, please use the letter or something like it, and get heard.


Andrew

CFI, you have to watch those ALP, tree huggers & Democraps people, they will sell Australian's out real quick. :D :D :D

Unlike Libs and Nats who just sell out GA and go to war for the good old US of A :D :D

At least someone’s has got some Balls to take a stand against terrorism :mad: and illegal immigrants :mad: and keeping Australia Financially in the Black. :)

The changes in Canberra over the last 5 years are incredible. It's like a small airport with a giant head. Such a shame.

Snarek .. is anything happening regarding a shift of GA owners to Goulburn?

Goulburn
 

I don't know if that post was a lead in to a plug or not, but I shall follow with:

In a brief period of insanity the other day I was thinking about how much longer I could hold out looking for airline work and wondering whether setting up a high quality flying school could become a longer term option to keep me gainfully occupied - Well, like I said, it was the silly season just before Chrissie.

I have since come to my senses, but not before wondering whether Goulburn may have some advantages to operate out of given the cost of CB (I did my last renewal in BK because I was annoyed at the charges at CB). I drove past GLB to see if anything was happening there and found what appears to be a very big flying school under construction - ops rooms, accommodation the lot.

I don't hear much gossip/news about GA except what appears in these pages. Can someone please inform me who and what these new buildings are all about? Maybe I can log a few hours there in the future?

A little off the thread but perhaps related to airfield charges?

Regards and Thanks,

snarek

AOPA executives seem to make a specialty of alienating and p!ssing off prospective and very influential non-members and those who have actual real experience in matters that they, AOPA, purport to represent.

You are welcome to use this Forum to discuss and debate, even vigorously and robustly, to advance a worthy cause if it is justified, but not to flame or abuse the users who "dare" to participate.

In this instance you could not have been further from the mark if you had tried.

I'm leaving the remark as it is, it will be up to to decide whether you want to edit it or apologise but it's going to cost you some points anyway.