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Post by ErrolC on Jan 31, 2022 18:52:49 GMT 12
www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/127645591/protest-planes-and-passion--raglan-airfield-stoush-gets-heatedA protest group has started a full-time occupation of the airfield at Raglan as emotions threaten to spill over in the seaside town. In a ratcheting up of tensions, a dilapidated caravan was wheeled onto the airstrip late Monday morning with protesters vowing to continue their occupation until Waikato District Council officials meet with them. For the past three months, Raglan resident Ra Puriri and a close-knit group of supporters have occupied the airstrip for about two hours every Sunday. The group oppose the erection of a 1.2 metre-high post and wire fence around the perimeter of the airstrip which, they say, impedes locals’ access to a nearby beach. Much of the fence, which was erected by council, has been cut, and lengths of wire neatly rolled up. Their campaign morphed into a 24-hour protest alongside the fence line about a month ago before a decision was made on Monday to occupy the airstrip. Puriri claims the group has widespread community support and ultimately wants the airfield shut down permanently. The protest action has led to a wider debate about who owns the aerodrome land. ...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 31, 2022 19:53:42 GMT 12
CAA needs to act now and have these protesters arrested. Both CAA and the Police have been sent loads of complaints and so far have done nothing. They will be liable if an accident happens.
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Post by Mustang51 on Jan 31, 2022 20:58:35 GMT 12
Like here....yet another case of the tail wagging the dog...........
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Post by typerated on Jan 31, 2022 21:03:09 GMT 12
CAA needs to act now and have these protesters arrested. Both CAA and the Police have been sent loads of complaints and so far have done nothing. They will be liable if an accident happens. I would hope pilots would be bright enough to not fly in these conditions - there is never any NEED to fly private aircraft - nor endanger life. If I was the aeroclub I'd ask the council to gift the airfield to the local Iwi. I'd suggest there might be every chance once they have ownership that this whole thing might blow over. If not put the call out for a strip - surprising how people can help – maybe even the Iwi might have some suitable land to exchange What seems certain is that fighting this will benefit no one. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 31, 2022 21:12:34 GMT 12
I would hope pilots would be bright enough to not fly in these conditions - there is never any NEED to fly private aircraft - nor endanger life. Sorry, it is the protesters endangering life. The pilots are all well aware of what is happening and are not landing because they can't. But don't put the onus on the pilots, it is the dicks pushing caravans onto the active runway who are endangering themselves and others. If I was the aeroclub I'd ask the council to gift the airfield to the local Iwi. Um, there is no aeroclub there, and the land IS owned by the local Iwi. They, the owners of the land, support the airport and do not support these non-local dicks who have decided to make the fuss. Again the local Iwi owns the land and have for decades, and they happily allow the council to maintain it as an airfield. These protesters are trespassers in every respect. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 31, 2022 21:33:03 GMT 12
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Post by typerated on Jan 31, 2022 21:51:28 GMT 12
I would hope pilots would be bright enough to not fly in these conditions - there is never any NEED to fly private aircraft - nor endanger life. Sorry, it is the protesters endangering life. The pilots are all well aware of what is happening and are not landing because they can't. But don't put the onus on the pilots, it is the dicks pushing caravans onto the active runway who are endangering themselves and others. If I was the aeroclub I'd ask the council to gift the airfield to the local Iwi. Um, there is no aeroclub there, and the land IS owned by the local Iwi. They, the owners of the land, support the airport and do not support these non-local dicks who have decided to make the fuss. Again the local Iwi owns the land and have for decades, and they happily allow the council to maintain it as an airfield. These protesters are trespassers in every respect. The Stuff article reports: Waikato mayor Allan Sanson said council documents show the Raglan Aerodrome is owned by the council, with three hapu having claims to the land. Prior to the reserve being vested to the council, it was Crown land.
Sanson said the council is keen to discuss the future ownership and management of the reserve with the three hapu, all of whom, the mayor says, do not support Puriri.
Council staff plan to meet with the three hapu in February.
"We're open to discussing the ownership issue because we have a great relationship with those hapu. But of course I don't want to do it while we have squatters on it.Have Stuff got the wrong end of the stick? Irrespective of ownership, I'd ask can anyone see how the airfield could be used in the future without continued protest? If you think it would be by police,CAA or council enforcement – I’d suggest that might be a little unrealistic. And the agencies might have other more important tasks! And, speaking as a pilot, it’s only an airfield! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 31, 2022 22:01:08 GMT 12
Have Stuff got the wrong end of the stick? I am only repeating what I have been told by several of the airfield's users, some of them involved in the lobby group to get this fixed. Yes, eviction and also charge them with the crimes they have committed - trespass, criminal damage to council property, breaching CAA regulations, endangering lives on a runway, etc. Balderdash, this is a seething issue affecting a whole community who are growing angrier by the day, and it is endangering lives, laws are being broken and the authorities appear to be ignoring it. They should treat it as a priority before it becomes a criminal assault or worse. Strange attitude. You'd have a different view if it was your local airfield, I'd bet. And Raglan is not just an airfield, it is one of the most popular flying destinations in the North Island. Or it was till landing started getting denied to pilots. |
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Feb 1, 2022 18:32:28 GMT 12
I think giving the impression that if you don't like the airfield in your town you can just set up on the runway and block it until it gets shut down because no one will do anything about it is an extremely poor precedent to set. The sad reality is once an airfield is gone, it's gone. No one will build another public airfield nearby, it will just be yet another place you can't fly to anymore.
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Post by flyinkiwi on Feb 17, 2022 11:38:52 GMT 12
Speaking as a pilot who has flown into and out of Raglan for 16 years, once the airfield is gone I'm never going back. There are better locations to spend my cars petrol on rather than risking my life on that road.
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Post by retiredav8r on Feb 17, 2022 15:30:29 GMT 12
What is needed is the policing authorities(police,CAA) to start doing their job. It doesn't matter who owns or operates it, these people, protestors whatever you want to call them are interfering with activities at an airport, a crime. Tell the police , CAA that there is a large haul of drugs coming into the airport and you will not be able to get close to the airport for every authority wanting to do a bust will be present. Come on NZ police, NZCAA, do your jobs.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 17, 2022 15:50:26 GMT 12
In case you missed it the other day, the police finally did do their job the other day. Two protesters were arrested for endangering lives, and the camp was moved off the runway. The council is rebuilding the fence and they hope to reopen the airfield soon.
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Post by retiredav8r on Feb 17, 2022 16:08:00 GMT 12
Wow, must be a new policeman on the job - hasn't worked out to leave the mundane things and only concentrate on those that will get you in the 6 o'clock news
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Feb 17, 2022 17:53:23 GMT 12
I am still hopeful the protestors don't get away with a slap on the wrist, but it does seem to be being dealt with properly at last. Look forward to the airfield being open again.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2022 19:23:16 GMT 12
Rebuild of Raglan's cut-down airfield fence, planes expected from MondayRichard Walker 05:00, Feb 26 2022 It’s been repeatedly cut down, but there’s a rebuild of the perimeter fence around Raglan’s airfield. The airfield on Marine Parade is set to reopen to planes from Monday, and Raglan locals accessing a popular harbour beach may have to start taking the long way round again. The original perimeter fence was built just before Christmas but suffered extensive vandalism that led to the airfield’s closure for several weeks. Waikato District Council is working to get the planes flying again. The airfield reopening will mark the end of an expensive two-month saga sparked by the installation of the original 1.2m mesh fence in response to safety concerns over shared pedestrian and plane use of the landing strip.  Planes are set to start flying into Raglan airfield again from Monday, after a closure of several weeks.The council reviewed the airfield’s safety following a fatal air accident near Masterton airfield in 2019. That led to an independent report which recommended building the fence. Raglan Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson said the fence came at a time when Raglan was growing and more people were accessing its reserves including the airfield, increasing the risk of something “dire” happening. “Would we want to be responsible for that possibility? I don't want to be responsible for that to happen.”  Lisa Thomson doesn’t want the risk of something “dire” happening.But the fence was repeatedly cut and warning signs were removed, with the council estimating 80 percent damage, and at one stage a caravan was taken onto the runway, according to council service delivery general manager Roger MacCulloch. In response, the council closed the airfield at the start of February, since which time locals have continued to cross it to the beach, while a group of protesters have also been camping outside the perimeter fence. The reserve is a long-established way for locals to reach the harbour or walk their dogs. They will now need to walk around the western tip or park by the campground and follow the perimeter fence from the east.  Protesters camped near the airstrip and, at one stage, blocked it with a caravan.
“If the fence gets cut again, we'll assess the evidence and information we've got as to how that happened, and we'll work with the police to take appropriate action,” MacCulloch said. “But ultimately, we need to get the field operational again.” The final steps to reopen by Monday will be to have the landing strip grass mowed and a white warning cross to pilots removed.  Cut wire was strewn around the vandalised airfield before the fence rebuildA Notam (Notice to Airmen) will remain in place, meaning pilots will have to phone ahead to be told of any hazards. The saga has so far cost ratepayers $61,958.04, up from an initial $30,942 for the original fence and signage. Since then a pole-mounted CCTV camera has been installed along with the deployment of security guards, particularly overnight when MacCulloch says most of the fence cutting was done. www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/127892322/rebuild-of-raglans-cutdown-airfield-fence-planes-expected-from-monday
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Post by craig on Feb 27, 2022 7:22:59 GMT 12
There's a really obvious solution to this issue. Take the fences down and erect warning signs asking pedestrians to use caution and cross at their own risk. Pilots have always been required to ensure their landing area was clear of obstacles, so nothing changes there. In this PC cotton wool world, common sense and personal responsibility don't exist.
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Post by saratoga on Aug 21, 2022 19:35:49 GMT 12
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Post by ErrolC on Aug 21, 2022 21:11:26 GMT 12
I assume the link generator can't deal with macarons, which are required if you want to spell Māori correctly. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 23, 2024 10:15:27 GMT 12
Reports say that the protesters returned to Raglan Aerodrome yesterday and have set up camp. Warnings are being issued to not land there, and to check NOTAMs before planning any flight to the airfield.  |
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