Post by corsair67 on Aug 9, 2006 15:02:38 GMT 12
From this morning's The Australian.
This is certainly an issue for operators on both sides of the Tasman.
Flyers blast private airports as a 'failure'
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
AIRPORT privatisation is a failed government policy that has handed control to operators who do not have the interests of aviation or the local community at heart, general aviation's peak body says.
In another sign of the rift between aviation and airport operators, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) said yesterday it was deeply concerned at the effects of privatisation.
It accused airport operators of a land grab and argued that the federal Transport Department had failed to properly investigate the issues involved with privatisation.
"Jandakot, Archerfield, Moorabbin, Camden and Bankstown are just the beginning," said AOPA president Col Rodgers. "All Australian airports are potentially at risk; property developers see only dollars, not national assets."
AOPA wants federal Transport Minister Warren Truss to intervene and set rules for rent increases, land reuse and runway closures.
It says this should be the first item on Mr Truss's proposed "action agenda" for general aviation.
"This needs fixing now or Australia will be denied the benefits of a thriving aviation sector," Mr Rodgers said.
"Look around Sydney and count the number of golf courses, race courses, parks, nature reserves and playing fields, and then count the number of general aviation airfields - only three, and one is closing in 2008."
AOPA's claims come after a recent stoush between Bankstown Airport Ltd and the Save Our Secondary Airports Group.
SOS accused BAL of being more interested in property development than aviation by demanding rent increases of up to 200 per cent and closing airport facilities.
BAL rejected the claims, saying they were poorly researched and the views of a handful of self-interested individuals seeking to preserve their subsidised status.
But Mr Rodgers backed SOS's view and said the group appeared to speak for the majority of operators based at Jandakot, Archerfield and Bankstown.
"The costs imposed by airport management make basing an aircraft at Bankstown (not viable)," he said.
"This is not just a loss of aircraft to flying schools, it is a loss of revenue for the refuelers, the maintainers and even Airservices Australia because aircraft have been lost to Bankstown."
A spokesman for Mr Truss rejected the criticism of airport privatisation.
He said staff from Mr Truss's office had been talking to operators at airports such as Bankstown about their concerns and were not dismissive of them.
"If they have a submission or view on this, we'd like to see it put forward," he said.
"But we certainly disagree with the view that airport privatisations are a failure."
This is certainly an issue for operators on both sides of the Tasman.
Flyers blast private airports as a 'failure'
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
AIRPORT privatisation is a failed government policy that has handed control to operators who do not have the interests of aviation or the local community at heart, general aviation's peak body says.
In another sign of the rift between aviation and airport operators, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) said yesterday it was deeply concerned at the effects of privatisation.
It accused airport operators of a land grab and argued that the federal Transport Department had failed to properly investigate the issues involved with privatisation.
"Jandakot, Archerfield, Moorabbin, Camden and Bankstown are just the beginning," said AOPA president Col Rodgers. "All Australian airports are potentially at risk; property developers see only dollars, not national assets."
AOPA wants federal Transport Minister Warren Truss to intervene and set rules for rent increases, land reuse and runway closures.
It says this should be the first item on Mr Truss's proposed "action agenda" for general aviation.
"This needs fixing now or Australia will be denied the benefits of a thriving aviation sector," Mr Rodgers said.
"Look around Sydney and count the number of golf courses, race courses, parks, nature reserves and playing fields, and then count the number of general aviation airfields - only three, and one is closing in 2008."
AOPA's claims come after a recent stoush between Bankstown Airport Ltd and the Save Our Secondary Airports Group.
SOS accused BAL of being more interested in property development than aviation by demanding rent increases of up to 200 per cent and closing airport facilities.
BAL rejected the claims, saying they were poorly researched and the views of a handful of self-interested individuals seeking to preserve their subsidised status.
But Mr Rodgers backed SOS's view and said the group appeared to speak for the majority of operators based at Jandakot, Archerfield and Bankstown.
"The costs imposed by airport management make basing an aircraft at Bankstown (not viable)," he said.
"This is not just a loss of aircraft to flying schools, it is a loss of revenue for the refuelers, the maintainers and even Airservices Australia because aircraft have been lost to Bankstown."
A spokesman for Mr Truss rejected the criticism of airport privatisation.
He said staff from Mr Truss's office had been talking to operators at airports such as Bankstown about their concerns and were not dismissive of them.
"If they have a submission or view on this, we'd like to see it put forward," he said.
"But we certainly disagree with the view that airport privatisations are a failure."
