Jab at Katoomba today

[Guest Fred Bear]

Who was doing circuits at Katoomba today in a Jabiru around 1000? I was driving below on the highway you lucky bugger! Rego seemed to have alot of 3's or 6's not sure...white in colour.

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Hey Darren, it would almost definitely have been 55-935

 

PIC would have been our CFI, Rod. Probably doing a lesson with someone lucky enough to not be working. "What a beautiful day it was for flying".

 

 

 

We would love to see you drop in there one day. In a plane or the car.

 

We are currently fighting for our lives as it were , with our 25 year lease up at the end of the year and the greenies determined to have us out of there and make us rejuvenate the entire area.

 

We need all the support we can muster.

 

We have some ideas but need actual flyers to help "use" the place to show it is actually needed.

 

Our website is under construction

 

 

 

http://www.katoombaairfield.com/

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Thanks for the info Steve. I will get up there and check it out. Maybe when I have a break during one of my runs. I will have a look at the website too :thumb_up:

 

 

[shafs64]

Good luck with keeping the airfield mate. its one of the places i hope to visit when i change over my GA liscense to RAA.

 

shafs

 

 

[Guest Graham Lea]

Who owns the airfield is a starter in order to start any lobbying...

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Thx guys, the land is owned by the Dept of Lands.We have started lobbying and have met with their rep (he,s a GA pilot ) but he has to remain objective for the needs of the community etc etc

 

So far so good. but still early days.

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Hey guys how is Katoomba fairing these days?? With YHOX gone I would think YKAT would become slightly more popular?

 

 

[gofastclint]

How hard would it be to get a bbq and 20kg of sausages and name a time and date. Then when everyone turns up, photos could be taken showing so many happy fly people having fun using the airstrip. Then submit the photos to people of power.

 

Step one, who is going to name the date?

 

 

[Ultralights]

but he has to remain objective for the needs of the community etc etc

this is NSW, plenty of money will ensure he puts the communities best interests first, after his..

and love how greenies want to rejuvenate the area, and the other 500,000km of dirt tracks everywhere.

 

dont forget to play the emergency card, especially with bushfire season here..

 

 

[Galpin]

Where is . . .!

 

Where is Darren Masters? He started this thread and contributed much to the forum last year. Haven't heard from him with his unique style and sense of humour for many a long day.

 

 

[Ultralights]

actually i just looked at the dates of the posts, how did the lease renewal go? i take it that it all went well, seeing as there was a bit of circuit activity there last weekend in a Jab, as i was overhead enroute to Mudgee.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Where is Darren Masters? He started this thread and contributed much to the forum last year. Haven't heard from him with his unique style and sense of humour for many a long day.

I think he's been pretty busy on his website maybe?

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Thanks for the interest guys,

 

things are now in the hands of the gods, final decision will come down in March.

 

Local action groups/greenies are trying to deem the place not essential (visiting planes not many) so there fore unneeded, they judge everything by tourist dollars brought into the local industry and if planes were arriving from out of town and staying in local B&Bs etc they would have to look differently at our proposal as a piece of important infastructure.

 

But this is a double edged sword in that , then the local green brigade would see this as a threat to the " World Heritage" local enviroment and lobby the place into the ground.

 

We have some 8 houses 800mtrs up the road from the airfield, (2 are for sale).

 

If we could get pilots to buy them up over time, we would effectively have a defacto airpark. And even up the vote.

 

Anyone looking for such a convinient location ? come up and have a look.

 

Otherwise we have some new tenants from down the hill. 1 x R22 and a brand new 182 Skylane. Another fully rebuilt Jab will arrive in next 2 weeks.

 

We also had a recent visit from VH-KFT a Socata TBM 700. what a weapon :thumb_up:

 

If he can bring a hi-tech bit of gear like that in here all you guys that are scared of the place need to have a good look at your perceptions.

 

 

sorry post is getting long.

 

Get your backsides in up here befor March, could be your last chance.

 

What did you think of the feature in RAAus mag and two pager in Pacific Flyer ?

 

Cheers Big Ears :thumb_up:

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Steve please pm me with some contact info, I would be keen to help Rod and you guys out up there if I can. Have a strong background in sales and marketing. I am not currently flying but keen to try to assist any way I can.

 

 

[crazy diamond]

Guys just wanted to bump this up, still not doing a lot of flying but what is the status at YKAT now?

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Guys just wanted to bump this up, still not doing a lot of flying but what is the status at YKAT now?

Hi Diamond, everything is still in limbo, with the change of State Government this has been deemed a low priority.

Which is hard to make any sort of investment plans for the place.

 

Rod is still on site but has no aeroplane at the moment for training. His Jab was ground looped and pretty badly damaged and is in the process of being repaired.

 

The airfield is open for busy as usual. (always phone for an update on the strip conditions and permission before flying in.)