Increased security at regional airports?

[Bruce Tuncks]

There was an item on the news about millions of dollars for more regional airport security.

 

Does anybody know more about this story?

 

 

[SDQDI]

Aparrently it is because of some social media posts by recreational pilots saying they are going to boycott asic, they are increasing policing.

 

This post is not to be taken seriously, anyone taking this post seriously doesn't know me very well. To put it plainly this post is a joke! (Well it is meant to be one, take it as you may)

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

See other thread:

 

Viability of regional and rural airports under threat amid costly counter-terrorism measures

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Thanks Old K, yes I hadn't noticed that thread. But this announcement seemed to me to be a new and big escalation, which I hope was not really true.

 

 

[Raytol]

Unfortunately, it is real! I heard the Minister talking on the radio about it. Safety and security are the new buzz words if you want to get anything ( even the most ridiculous thing) done!

 

I could not believe what I was hearing!

 

They are going to increase security fencing at regional ( back of tobuggery) airports to stop those nasty terrorists from taking off in their Cessna 150 and then flying all the way to Sydney

 

or Melbourne to blow the creama off the poor unsuspecting public's cappocino!

 

User pay principle deems that we will be paying for it!!!!

 

Last one at the airport can you turn off the light.

 

 

[johnm]

Just completed 3 regional flights in NZ - ATR's turboprop - all Air NZ ................... big planes

 

no obvious airport security for local flights (no metal detector gateways etc - non existent, no body or bag searches). ................ saw no evidence of aircraft fuselages protruding from any buildings

 

 

[mnewbery]

Umm has anyone thought about putting a grass strip just outside the airport fence and using that instead. For places with a fuel truck this would work well. Anywhere else, just get a bunkering trailer than can be towed behind a quad bike or ute and send that from the fuel bowser through the gate instead. Moruya does this successfully but inside the fence and over to the skydivers.

 

Once the big airport dies due to economic interference, life would go on and the fence would eventually come back down because nobody could be bothered to keep it there. What happens after that is up to whoever speaks up first.

 

But think, what is the difference between a grass strip 500 metres from a regional airport fence and one that is a mile away, ten miles... ?

 

There might be security up to your neck at Wellcamp but a DHC-8 200 can still fly in and out of Toowoomba YTWB without remark. Also of note, there are lot of places you can land a plane as big as a Dash-8 and take off again fully loaded with nobody seeing it on the ground.

 

Goulburn for example is 3500 feet along the main runway and the only people there after dark are probably shooting rabbits.

 

 

[poteroo]

Increasing security is likely to be a fact of life for we aviators. It's all based on emotion, fear and politicians employing the precautionary principle.

 

As an example: our local Member was dismayed to find that when REX took over the contract for Albany/Esperance, they were able to operate Saab 340s without full security screening. (SkyWest/VA had previously operated 20.8 tonne F50's which required full security). It's unsafe, the public is being endangered wailed he. Bring back full security immediately - everyone feels safer! Believe it, or not - many punters wrote to the local rag in full support. There was also some sympathy from Councillors of the City, which now has a room full of security stuff and nowhere to use it! It's difficult to refute this idiocy. The press and media are very unsupportive of our viewpoint that current security at regional airports is farcical.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Well it seems reasonable that regional RPT aviation security should be at least on par with interstate passenger bus service security for example.

 

Wait, what's that...?

 

 

[ave8rr]

Just completed 3 regional flights in NZ - ATR's turboprop - all Air NZ ................... big planesno obvious airport security for local flights (no metal detector gateways etc - non existent, no body or bag searches). ................ saw no evidence of aircraft fuselages protruding from any buildings

And NO ASIC cards to be seen on Rec Pilots.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Unfortunately, it is real! I heard the Minister talking on the radio about it. Safety and security are the new buzz words if you want to get anything ( even the most ridiculous thing) done!I could not believe what I was hearing!

They are going to increase security fencing at regional ( back of tobuggery) airports to stop those nasty terrorists from taking off in their Cessna 150 and then flying all the way to Sydney

 

or Melbourne to blow the creama off the poor unsuspecting public's cappocino!

 

User pay principle deems that we will be paying for it!!!!

 

Last one at the airport can you turn off the light.

I’ve been through the same thing in the health field. If you have a “cause célèbre” you find a way to weave the words safety into the argument and then it deems it above criticism.

 

Even the stupidest ideas can no longer be criticised when they have been suggested to involve safety. There is no actual requirement to demonstrate how the idea might enhance safety the speaker just has to include it in the monologue.

 

Any mention of disbelief is shot down with the suggestion that the disbeliever is as good as racist, homophobe, climate change denier etc. simply by questioning how safety is actually affected by this “great idea”.