Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 24, 2019 15:16:04 GMT 12
Matamata flight instructor trespassed from airfield despite claiming to lease land and hangars
Sharnae Hope
05:00, Sep 24 2019
Peter Ryan from Sky Venture was trespassed from the Matamata Aerodrome on August 29.
A Matamata flying instructor has been trespassed from using a publicly-owned airstrip, despite claiming to lease land at the aerodrome since 1994.
Sky Venture's Peter Ryan, who runs the privately-owned flying school at Matamata (Waharoa) Aerodrome, owes Matamata-Piako District Council more than $3600 in outstanding landing fees.
He was trespassed on August 29 for not paying the fees for almost two years, as well as incorrect radio calls and breaching Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules and regulations.
However, documentation given to Stuff, shows Ryan paid a lease of $345.60 from July 2019 to June 2020 for his site as well as three hangars.
Sky Venture's Peter Ryan has spent the last 20-30 years of his life at the Matamata Aero club, he wants a fair deal for his club's landing fees.
"You can't trespass someone from their own property. Now I lease the land, I've got a lease for 10 years and that's all paid up and it's only the landing fees in dispute. All I ask for is the same deal as everyone else, but there's all sorts of deals. The whole thing is a mess," Ryan said.
Ryan admits to not following all Council's rulings, but says it was in protest of there not being an "honest pay balance on the airfield".
"They starting charging me $40 a landing fee while the other schools and clubs are getting away with nothing.
He also admitted to incorrectly calling in for some landings.
"That's what I did, so I didn't have to pay the landing fee, but I always called in a plane... just not always my plane, so there was never any health and safety issues."
Ryan has been fighting for fair fees since August 2018, when an Ombudsman investigated aerodrome fees. He said members of his flying club were charged $40 per landing. He understood members of the Matamata Aero Club were charged $50 each, per year.
But the owner of the aerodrome, Matamata-Piako District Council, said Sky Venture is a commercial operation, a business, whereas the aero club is a not-for-profit organisation.
Peter Ryan has leased land with Matamata-Piako District Council since 1994.
Commercial users were charged $15 per day. If their fees weren't paid in the same calendar month, the fee went up to $40.
Despite being trespassed Ryan still flys at the Matamata Aerodrome. He has since been given a second trespass notice by Matamata-Piako District Council, on September 3, if he receives a third he can be fined of up to $1000 or imprisonment not exceeding three months.
"You obviously don't know me very well. I'm still going to be flying and teaching these young ones like the Te Aroha College students how to fly."
Ryan has been trespassed for non-payment of landing fees for aircraft ZK-PPG, incorrect use of aircraft radio calls, breaching CAA rules and regulations, which has given CAA cause to investigate this behaviour.
"There are also repeated reports regarding Mr Ryan not following the safe flying procedures at Matamata Aerodrome, specifically a more recent incident involving the PPG aircraft and the lack of/ incorrect radio calls, as well as non-adherence to correct circuit rules/etiquette, required by all pilots," council group manager business support, Manaia Te Wiata, said.
"A flying school, which uses Matamata Aerodrome, but not based there, has made the decision to restrict operations at Matamata in light of the risks caused by this reported behaviour to their trainees.
Te Wiata said Ryan does not have land in his name, but in his son's name. The documentation for his son was posted to Peter Ryan's address, however, this is no longer the case.
"We are willing to meet with Mr Ryan to work through the issues if he disputes the facts or feels he has been unfairly treated."
Commercial users were charged $15 per day. If their fees weren't paid in the same calendar month, the fee went up to $40.
www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/matamata-chronicle/115920036/matamata-flight-instructor-trespassed-from-airfield-despite-leasing-land-and-hangars
Sharnae Hope
05:00, Sep 24 2019
Peter Ryan from Sky Venture was trespassed from the Matamata Aerodrome on August 29.
A Matamata flying instructor has been trespassed from using a publicly-owned airstrip, despite claiming to lease land at the aerodrome since 1994.
Sky Venture's Peter Ryan, who runs the privately-owned flying school at Matamata (Waharoa) Aerodrome, owes Matamata-Piako District Council more than $3600 in outstanding landing fees.
He was trespassed on August 29 for not paying the fees for almost two years, as well as incorrect radio calls and breaching Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules and regulations.
However, documentation given to Stuff, shows Ryan paid a lease of $345.60 from July 2019 to June 2020 for his site as well as three hangars.
Sky Venture's Peter Ryan has spent the last 20-30 years of his life at the Matamata Aero club, he wants a fair deal for his club's landing fees.
"You can't trespass someone from their own property. Now I lease the land, I've got a lease for 10 years and that's all paid up and it's only the landing fees in dispute. All I ask for is the same deal as everyone else, but there's all sorts of deals. The whole thing is a mess," Ryan said.
Ryan admits to not following all Council's rulings, but says it was in protest of there not being an "honest pay balance on the airfield".
"They starting charging me $40 a landing fee while the other schools and clubs are getting away with nothing.
He also admitted to incorrectly calling in for some landings.
"That's what I did, so I didn't have to pay the landing fee, but I always called in a plane... just not always my plane, so there was never any health and safety issues."
Ryan has been fighting for fair fees since August 2018, when an Ombudsman investigated aerodrome fees. He said members of his flying club were charged $40 per landing. He understood members of the Matamata Aero Club were charged $50 each, per year.
But the owner of the aerodrome, Matamata-Piako District Council, said Sky Venture is a commercial operation, a business, whereas the aero club is a not-for-profit organisation.
Peter Ryan has leased land with Matamata-Piako District Council since 1994.
Commercial users were charged $15 per day. If their fees weren't paid in the same calendar month, the fee went up to $40.
Despite being trespassed Ryan still flys at the Matamata Aerodrome. He has since been given a second trespass notice by Matamata-Piako District Council, on September 3, if he receives a third he can be fined of up to $1000 or imprisonment not exceeding three months.
"You obviously don't know me very well. I'm still going to be flying and teaching these young ones like the Te Aroha College students how to fly."
Ryan has been trespassed for non-payment of landing fees for aircraft ZK-PPG, incorrect use of aircraft radio calls, breaching CAA rules and regulations, which has given CAA cause to investigate this behaviour.
"There are also repeated reports regarding Mr Ryan not following the safe flying procedures at Matamata Aerodrome, specifically a more recent incident involving the PPG aircraft and the lack of/ incorrect radio calls, as well as non-adherence to correct circuit rules/etiquette, required by all pilots," council group manager business support, Manaia Te Wiata, said.
"A flying school, which uses Matamata Aerodrome, but not based there, has made the decision to restrict operations at Matamata in light of the risks caused by this reported behaviour to their trainees.
Te Wiata said Ryan does not have land in his name, but in his son's name. The documentation for his son was posted to Peter Ryan's address, however, this is no longer the case.
"We are willing to meet with Mr Ryan to work through the issues if he disputes the facts or feels he has been unfairly treated."
Commercial users were charged $15 per day. If their fees weren't paid in the same calendar month, the fee went up to $40.
www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/matamata-chronicle/115920036/matamata-flight-instructor-trespassed-from-airfield-despite-leasing-land-and-hangars
