Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Just a quick question if any one is aware of what's going on at pelican airstrip just south of Newcastle. I went for a drive up that way today and as i always do slowed down for a look at the runway and think what a waste that it's not in use. Last time say 4 months or so agao i went past and the usual big blocks of concrete we smack banging the middle at the start and end of the runway, not even allowing the use for emergences if needed. ( seems very strange to me).. Than today there it is the strip all painted the centerline all nice and white the big blocks are removed and in the hanger a plane i was so excited to see and am hopeing that it is the start of a good thing.... Dose any one have any information for me... I know that good old warnervale is ment to be relocating to there when wyong council sorts out there stuff but i fly from warnervale and no one knows anything there ... It looks so nice there water at both ends of the pelican strip i would love t o use it as home base!!!!
Ultralights Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 oh to win a huge amount of money and turn belmont airport to a nice airpark/marina, open to the public of course.
Ultralights Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 rumours i have hear it was "sold" to Mirvac developers on the sly, hence the building of units and townhouses on the site, but someone in the govt/council pointed out that if they sell both warnervale and belmont airports, then they would loose federal funding, so a deal was done to sell warnervale to mirvac, so they can develop it into residential/industrial estates, and its a far bigger land area for that, and mirvac return belmont to the council. who will reopen it apparently, but this is just rumour i have heard.
Guest ozzie Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 OK so maybe the Aero Club at Warnervale should know what is happening part of the Council/Mirvac deal was the Aero Clubs relocation to Belmont. Concrete runways are big bucks and usually for heavy aircraft. wonder what gives there. I've done a few landings in there including night. can be a bit tricky. Especially in blustery southerlies. The tall trees and hangers create a fair bit of turbulance. Tall yacht masts can be a hazard as well. Hope it does not go RPT, keep the place ASIC free.
Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 Woo sounds great i know that there been banter back and forward over warnervale one day it's sold and than it's not i like warnervale as it is very close to gosford and very convenient, but it is a strange going ons, there is warnervale air the training school and the warnervale aero club.. I have been a member of the club for 3 years now and in the begining I was getting regular news letters emails and club sort of aranged events. But I than found out that it was, The great guys at warnervale air that was doing the most of the work with the news letters and club events. I am in business myself and am a very organized person and I though that joining the club would be a great way of meeting people and having some fun but it just never seams to eventuate, now that warnervale air dose not look after that side of things.. So it's going to be great to have some fresh people and a new club to hopefully bring more pilots and friends together if all is true about the pelican strip I am so keen for some club BBQs and get togethers that seams to happen at other clubs!!!
Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 I was also wondering I have heard that after the sale of warnervale strip that it would have to sit vacant for at least 6 years for the led in the ground from all the fuel to settle than all the dirt would have to be dug down so many meters and new soil brought in sounds like a very costly exercise to me so makes me wonder how much the sale price would be ???
Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 How good would it be shame i didn't get any of the 31million lotto new years eve would have been a great gift to a lot to get pelican ( Belmont ) up and running with some spare cash in the bank lol
Ultralights Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 if Belmont were reopened, im sure Aeropelican will again operate out of there, as well as maybe Brindabella airlines, as it would be cheaper than paying the costs of operating from Newcastle/RAAF Williamtown, so sadly Belmont will most likely be ASIC required. as long as GA and RAAus aircraft are welcome, i would patronise it, would be great with a club setup there also, an actual social flying club. places like Ballina and Moree have proven that RAAus GA, RPT and Jet operators can all get along without a tower. but dont tell airservices or CASA that.
Barefootpilot Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Hello Guys, Pelican has never been closed but requires permission from MIRVAC to use it. We kept our aircraft there for over a year for the RPT service before moving it back to Sydney. Last I heard is that MIRVAC walked away from the deal with Warnervale because it became to hard dealing with the club. Aeropelican and Brindabella would not go back into Pelican as it is too short for there aircraft (860 meters) and they would need to invest far to much to get the airport back up to standard. The airport has huge potential but MIRVAC paid to much for it and now need to sell it for too much or just sit on it until they can get there way and build houses on it. The Warnervale aeroclub as far as I have seen would not be capable or running an RPT service as it cost big bucks to get up and running and keep running. So anyone with a spare 8 mil? Adam
facthunter Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 I remember Keith Hilder setting up Pelican. There was a big kerfufflle with RNAC types, management. (going or not going there). RNAC eventually moved to Rutherford as District Park was far too small to safely operate there, and had been operating on a dispensation from DCA for years. I got on OK with Keith who had a DH Dragonfly at Pelican. I would drop in there to pick up people and when I was doing Shark Patrol. The land has too much value for other purposes. It is not far above sea level and the runway (single) is too short. (could be extended on the western side out into the lake, but imagine the hullabaloo if that was proposed). Its a fairly high salt environment being close to Blacksmiths Beach let's face it, It is a lovely spot. How can recreational fliyng users ever pay for aerodrome/hangar space in the Sydney basin?. Land is at a premium and most people just don't want aircraft above them. You have my sympathy up there. Nev
Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 It's so hard because I want to be involved in a great club atmosphere with pilots all ages talking and learning going on organized fly in and I think that pelican will offer that if it all goes ahead its a great opportunity for a good start if you know what I mean.. Barefootpilot I know what you mean with dealing with the club seams to have slipped dramatically in the last year at least
Guest ozzie Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 What a sad scene this is. NSW Labor, the State is never going to fully recover from the dozen years of having them in power. Stupid voters!
Jayz Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 David if we need to all get in to save warnervale I just feel it should all be starting to happen now and it just seames as the same as everything that it will be to little to late by the club and it's members it would be such a shame to see it go.. Are you still in the club or a part of it
Guest ozzie Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 About the only way to sort out Mirivac and others like them would be to make it illegal for political parties to accept donations and other favours, land swaps ect. Ex PM Keating is right against large political donations by these sort of people and is quite outspoken about the subject. A letter to him explaining the situation would not fall on deaf ears and he does still have powerful friends that he can lean on. I would suggest trying to set up a meeting at Warnervale with the politicians/PRESS and have every pilot we can lob up and let them know we aren't happy with the situation. Even if the politicians and developers do the expected and don't front up, I am sure with the upcoming state election the press will use the story as a good NSW Labour Party bashing. Might even get the opposition onside to act on it after the March elections. Out of the two properties Warnervale would be the one to push for the obvious future aviation growth. Rather than develope out Pelican the property should be returned to it's natural state and tacked onto the existing reserve on the immeadiate southern side of it.
Chrism Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 We should absolutely make this a political issue and make a noise about it leading to the upcoming NSW election. I found this as part of the Parliamentary debate into the Warnervale Restrictions Bill: "The Warnervale Airport (Restrictions) Bill is nothing more than a stunt designed to save the preselection of the honourable member for Wyong....... Stunts will not save the honourable member for Wyong when the mayor of Wyong takes him on at the next Labor preselection." and later on, "... The bill is a sham; it is not in the right jurisdiction." (More can be found at http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19960620007) You know who said that? Some newish MP (in 1996) by the name of Barry O'Farrell! Since he's likely the next premier, it's perfect timing to remind Mr O'Farrell of his speech in Parliament! He's surely to be happy to receive ammo to bash the Labor party on the Central Coast, plus the issue of airports surely could be pushed as part of "infrastructure" this State has so neglected in the past 15 years. CM
Jayz Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 hi there David no problems i did not even know that there was going to be a meeting, what time is it so i can work out something with work and i will be there. Dose every other member know about it and what your plans are, it would be what the club needs by the sound of the conversations that i have had with you.
Jayz Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 this is true we need so make some noise but in the right way that will help Warnervale. My Uncle lives just behind there and is always whining about the noise on a Sunday morning of the planes doing circuits. It was not until i took him up for a fly that he was convinced and now can see why we all love it (flying) so much. When he got to have a great look over Norah Head Light House and there were some dolphins swimming just of the heads he could see the good side of what was to offer on his back door step.
Jayz Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 I went to the AGM today and it is looking good for warnervale airport from what the board had to say today it's should be the start of. A good thing so heres hoping. It was the 1st AGM I have been to and it was sad to see that there was only myself and 1 other guy the age of 30 and i am well sure the other 25 people were between 45 and 70. I am hoping in the future that we can get the younger pilots interested in the going ons with there training airport. Apparently they said today mirvac has the Belmont airport up for sale for 8.5 million so good luck getting that for it.
ajy29 Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 It's such a nice airport too. I drive past it every time I go to Warnervale. I've only seen an aircraft taking off there once though. Let's hope the airport survives.
Jayz Posted January 10, 2011 Author Posted January 10, 2011 Jayz,Sorry I missed you mate. I got called to Sydney at the last minute and had to phone my apologies through. You hit the nail on the head about new pilot involvement. David yeh David was looking for you I wanted to say a few things at the meeting but as it was my firstmtime so I just shut up.
Jayz Posted January 10, 2011 Author Posted January 10, 2011 Malcom Brook and his wife was there which was a great positive for the airport, on the local council side of things. It was also stated that the new guy in the Wyong shire council is not interested in selling of any of the assets in the Area, which is including the airport an other great bit of news. As for the microlights and trikes there are plans of training out of warnervavle under some stricked rules that will apply to the new users so it is a win win situation as there will be more people around useing the airport evey weekend..there is a few other things that were on the cards but can not be said untill finalized theyare also very exciting so I am hoping that we can all get together and keep it opened for may years to come
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