Write Your Local...

[mnewbery]

In between ironing and nappy changing duties I managed to send a letter to the ACT chamber of commerce.

 

A week has passed. If 'they' ever reply I will publish my original correspondence along with the reply in this forum. Today though, I am beginning to lose hope.

 

A summary of my letter would be that I outlined where and how I spent my ~$xy'000s on flying since 2009 and how it was increasingly difficult to do so in or near Canberra. At the end of the letter I basically asked the ACT CoC if they wanted (me to spend) my money in the ACT and what they were going to do about it.

 

Recently Canberra Region Aviation Association (CRAA) approached the ACT Government to continue the efforts of the CRAA and individuals in securing a GA airfield at Williamsdale.

 

CRAA will have a presence at Natfly.

 

I don't trust the current ACT Government to progress the interests of general aviation even though it was the same Government that coughed up the money for the initial feasibility study. I'd like to think that since RA-Aus has its head office in Canberra it would be of some interest and benefit to have a GA airfield nearby. I have no evidence either way.

 

By GA airfield I mean not in controlled airspace and not an expensive 24 hour security patrolled access model.

 

I and others have taken a different track in recent times. Notably, local aviators have taken to writing to the Canberra Times and have had some success in getting their comments published.

 

As I write this, I can complete MECIR training, do all the exams and live near the airfield with a choice of aircraft to train in - at Redcliffe YRED - for change out of $20K.

 

I can't do this or get an RA-Aus licence in Canberra, unless I hire or buy a plane and base it at the airfield - which would be so expensive as to make the whole thing not worth my while anymore.

 

I can, however, do the CASA cyber exams in Canberra.

 

For a city of nearly 400,000 people, that is ironic.