Landing Fee's. What Tha???

[Guest Brett Campany]

OK, a bit of a grip with the Royal Aero Club of WA here. They run Murray Field air strip here in the West. It's 7nm SSE of Serpentine airfield where I fly out of. It's an ok airstrip for its members and the public. But the RACWA gets a little nancy on who comes and goes to it.

 

Being that it's only 7nm from Serpentine, we occasionally (more so than not) get Murray Field aircraft shooting through the Serpentine circuit at 1000ft or using Serpentine to practise engine failures minus the radio calls.

 

Busselton airport is an awesome airport with a long strip and facilities for visiting aircraft plus it's a hub for RPT aircraft.

 

OK, these are just examples, here's the point.

 

Murray Field landing fee = $15

 

32°30'32.54"S 115°50'6.89"E

 

Busselton landing fee = $nil

 

33°41'9.86"S 115°23'59.65"E

 

What tha????

 

Can someone explain this to me?

 

 

[FlyBye]

There is only one answer to this to this bull*## don't land at Murray Field, just bypass until they get the message. Busselton much more friendly anyhow.

 

PS I am not from this area.

 

 

[bones]

Simple dont do correct calls, alot of locals here call Charlie 182 with no other call sign, so no chance of a fee, every one knows its a cessna 182, but no one cares since they allow drag racing on the strip and shut the air port completely to aircraft,,, go figure that out

 

 

[Guest burbles1]

Was over at Mandurah recently to see the rellies, and dropped by Murray Field a couple of times one weekend to see if they were running joy flights - I thought I'd take some family members up. Couldn't believe how quiet the place was - no-one was at the RACWA office the first time, and the second time the front gate to the whole airstrip was padlocked!

 

I can't figure out why, when RAC advertise joy flights, no-one is there on the weekend (when you'd expect it to be busiest). I was also dismayed that the airfield - which isn't a huge distance from Perth, and certainly has the facilities - doesn't have a RA flight school. I'm comparing it with The Oaks, which is in a roughly similar rural position and with similar facilities, but that airfield has two RA schools.

 

 

[Guest Qwerty]

Simple dont do correct calls, alot of locals here call Charlie 182 with no other call sign, so no chance of a fee, every one knows its a cessna 182, but no one cares since they allow drag racing on the strip and shut the air port completely to aircraft,,, go figure that out

I have been tempted to use OQA just for the fun of it. OQA is a Qantas A380. Imagine a local council fronting up to Qantas for a $15 landing fee for an A380 on some out of the way local strip. it just makes me laugh.

Or, how about UFO but that wouldn't be fair to the poor bugger who owns the Slepcev Criquet.

 

 

[Thx1137]

So does that mean people think there should be no landing fees?

 

I imagine there is some upkeep required so the owner should be able to recoup the cost. I don't mind a small fee and won't try to cheat my way out of it but noone likes to be gouged. I reckon there should be a rule that if you spend more than X amount at the field then the fee is waived. That way everyone contributes without people who purchase stuff getting hit twice (it isn't like stuff at airfields is ever cheap!).

 

Steven.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Steve, i feel the same about landing fees. when i was running Shute if a visiting aircraft filled up with fuel (and they usually bought in excess of 150 dollars worth)and spent some money in the bistro i would 'forget' the 30 buck landing fee that i thought was a ripoff anyway plus he charged 30 a night for parking. Boss used to whinge to me but he was making more than enough from the operators based there anyway.

 

 

[facthunter]

Comparo.

 

Took my wife to the Epping Hospital yesterday, and for just over 2 hours it was 10 dollars, parking. Get better value landing at an airport but I still think that the cost of recouping the landing fees is such a large percentage of the fee that you might as well have an honour system for a smaller fee. I get billed for a lot of flights that I don't do, and that is a pain in the butt also, sorting those out. This is supposed to be fun.

 

Country airports would be better to allow free access so that people would come and spend money in their town. The same town would not charge a toll for you to drive on one of their scenic roads, would they? Nev.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

I just think $15 is a bit excessive. Especially when I'm flying down there to pick a mate up to take him flying then returning to drop him off and pick up another mate on that same day, all up I'd be looking at $60 in landing fees alone.

 

I understand that there's maintenance issues within the field and everything else but seriously, $15? They also charge $15 per circuit for circuit work as well as touch and go's.

 

Even their members don't agree with the fee because they're getting slogged as well on top of the clubs hire fees. Where does it end??

 

 

[facthunter]

Situation.

 

I agree Brett. IF you are a consistent user there should be a reduced rate. People vote with their feet, (or should it be wings). A fair thing is obvious, so is a rip-off.

 

Nev

 

 

[Thx1137]

I understand that there's maintenance issues within the field and everything else but seriously, $15? They also charge $15 per circuit for circuit work as well as touch and go's.

That sure is rude isn't it. I am happy to pay my way but if they really expect that kind of money per circuit then they should be told where to go. The issue is of course that it is pretty difficult to set up competition.

 

Steven

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

Seriously....Jandakot have a circuit rate and a landing fee circuits are like $2.50 each and landing on weight Cherokee about @$27.00

 

Someones gotta pay for the maintenance and traffic control etc but thats steep at a non towered field

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

reading the latest RAAus magm (seems to be on time this month)and noted there is that the Mudgeeaero club have convinced the local council to waive landing fees for a trial period of 12 months for aircraft under 2000kg after the aero club found that there was areluctance by recreational aircraft and other aero clubs to visit the airport.

 

just goes to show how over flying works.

 

those flying to Cowra this weekend and passing near Mudgee should call in just to reinforce the point.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

reading the latest RAAus magm (seems to be on time this month)and noted there is that the Mudgeeaero club have convinced the local council to waive landing fees for a trial period of 12 months for aircraft under 2000kg after the aero club found that there was areluctance by recreational aircraft and other aero clubs to visit the airport.just goes to show how over flying works.

those flying to Cowra this weekend and passing near Mudgee should call in just to reinforce the point.

That's not a bad idea. I think the Royal Aero Club of WA will be to stuck up to do something like that. The requirements for landing and taking off are ridiculous and so is the way the club operates.