Fly free weekends

[Guest burbles1]

Australian Flying notes that Bankstown Airport is waiving landing fees ("aeronautical charges") on weekends to entice more recreational flyers to use the facilities:

 

Australian Flying: Fly free weekends for Bankstown

 

Is this a cunning ploy to encourage pilots back to GA? I mean, Bankstown is a GA airport and you need a PPL to go there into controlled airspace. Why are they using the term "recreational flyers" when they know very well that RA-Aus recreational pilots don't have CTA access? Hmmm?

 

 

[XP503]

I think it's a great idea.

 

Both sectors of aviation should be able to grow and prosper, not at the expense of one and other.

 

There are many "recreational" GA pilots.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Sooner or later, the Divide between GA and RAA, will have to become as one.I dont mean RAA or GA taking over each other over, i mean we will have to fight for a common cause, that is, keeping airfields open.IMO. I personaly have not for a long time seen Us against them, sort of rot.I know heaps of RAA guys and GA guys, i havent seen that bad side of aviation, us against them for a ages.I used to years ago, but not for 10 or so years.Maybe im lucky.

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

mmmm...I wonder if the guys at Archerfield, Parafield, Morrabin and Jandakot are privy to Bankstown's inititivei_dunno

 

 

[sseeker]

I'm pretty sure Jandakot has been doing it for some time now. There are some signs up in the Royal Aero Club saying that weekends are landing fee free.

 

-Andrew

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Its very important that the GA guys take up this most genorous offer by BAL and show them that they,re enthused by the offer.

 

This could well be a test.

 

If they do not take advantage of it, BAL will say "We cant even give away free Landing Fees to these blokes, lets continue with Plan A and get rid of the aviators and sell off the joint."

 

Imagine the frenetic activity there if they had a RAAus fly in weekend, free of any fees!

 

I,m sure we could show our enthusiastic side and say..We,ll use it if they wont !

 

 

[djpacro]

The policy at Moorabbin Airport for a long time has been

 

However, we waive certain Access Charges for some categories of itinerant aircraft in order to encourage airport visitation and use of commercial facilities.

You still get to pay Airservices for the Tower charges.

[old man emu]

Why are they using the term "recreational flyers" when they know very well that RA-Aus recreational pilots don't have CTA access? Hmmm?

The message was directed to non-commercial pilots, as opposed to commercial operators. It was not directed to RAA pilots.

 

I'd say the wording was used by some poor copy writer who was given the job of writing the press release, but who did not know thre was a difference between GA and RAA.

 

I noticed on some advertising while I was in the BAL office that organisations who had landing fee arrangements with BAL (ie flying schools) were not beneficiaries of the free landings on weekends program.

 

I agree that it is probably a move by BAL to get more people back to BK. Wait a while to see if there is an increase in weekend traffic, then see the landing fees come back.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

[djpacro]

I'm a recreational flyer yet I'm not a member of RAA.

 

Looking forward to CASA implementing their "new" draft (of 10 years ago) regs with a CASA recreational licence.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

mmmm...I wonder if the guys at Archerfield, Parafield, Morrabin and Jandakot are privy to Bankstown's inititive

If you are legal to fly your RA aircraft into Parafield, they already do not charge landing fees!

They do all their charging through avdata and they don't have records on RA aircraft. It's funny because they know exactly who operates SportStar 4467 but can't be bothered to send a bill directly.

 

 

[planedriver]

All around Bankstown Airport the green bits seem to be being replaced with concrete and "for lease" signs, having driven many organisations out through financial greed.

 

I understand that any private organisation has to keep the "bean counters" happy, but it sure seems to come at a pretty high price to many who have been operating there successfully for many decades.

 

You only need to have a chat with the likes of Ray Clamback or many others affected by their grab for land to turn into extra $$$. The way many have been treated by BAL is beyond reproach.

 

The roadway on the western side near the golf course has been closed for quite a long time now, and I understand the official reason given, was that the road needed maintenance. I specifically checked the road only yesterday, and it looked as good as it's ever been. However, there's a lot of work going on the green bit behind it, which is being dug up probably for more concrete strutures, unless i'm wrong.

 

It's really sad to see vital infrastructure for a supposedly modern city bastardised in this way.

 

If they recognise that they could have done things better, good on them, it's about bloody time. Hopefully they can retrieve the situation before all is lost.

 

Before too long, anyone wanting to come to Sydney, will have to come by road, or boat.

 

Would'nt it be great if we had a government who had the balls and forsight to stipulate that what few airports we have left, be restricted to orgaisations involved in aviation related activities, instead of carpets, hammers and nails, and dancing schools etc?.

 

 

[old man emu]

Closing off Tower Road near Rabaul Road must please the shopkeepers at the Georges Hall shops. Most times I'll go up to the traffic lights then thru Georges Hall rather than risk the right hand turn into Rabaul Road and then battle over the speed humps. If I go past the shops, I'll drop in at the Vietnamese bakery for a hot buttered roll, and maybe use the Post Office.

 

The road was allegedly closed for maintenance, but in reality it was closed to stop people who have no business to transact on the airport from using the route as a short cut.

 

With the new Airport CEO taking over recently, we may see a movment towards and aviation-friendly BAL.

 

"Hotel Oscar Golf, clear to take off."

 

Old Man Emu