Post by flyjoe180 on Feb 12, 2008 16:36:48 GMT 12
Air terminal threatens business and home
07.02.2008
By Don Farmer
A Masterton man fears his home and business may become the first casualty of a secretive attempt to set up a Masterton-Auckland air service.
Mac McCarthy was shocked to discover a passenger terminal for proposed Eagle Air flights to and from Hood Aerodrome would swallow up land he has leased from Masterton District Council for years and from where he manufactures canvass goods, including parachute harnesses.
The former skydiving instructor said the first inkling he had that changes were in the wind was when the council seemed reluctant to renew his lease on land around and beneath the building he owns, and lives in, on Manaia Road.
His fears were confirmed when surveyors swarmed over the land and round the building on Tuesday and it was from them that he learned the area was to become the terminal for the planned new air service.
Mr McCarthy said the terminal would be established by converting a hangar next door and a large chunk of land will be turned into a "massive car park" and driveway.
It would swallow up land that he has had to pay to service with a septic system, underground electricity and reticulated water.
"Why they chose this spot to put the terminal is anyone's guess.
"They have the whole frigging airport on which to put it but they decided on here, where I live and work. It's nuts.
"They will probably claim this land is closer to the runway but if they built a terminal over the other side of Hood, it would actually be closer."
The converted army mess Mr McCarthy owns would become useless to him.
"I can't afford to pick it up and move it.
"I made contact with council a couple of months ago about renewing the lease but it was only on Tuesday night that I got a telephone call and was asked to attend a meeting with Kevin Montgomerie on Thursday.
"I reckon they will say your lease has run out, tough luck."
Mr McCarthy a qualified parachute rigger said his forced move from the fringe of the aerodrome was likely to lead to his business, Canvass in Action, being lost to Wairarapa.
Apart from the building of the terminal and the necessary resealing of the runway, a huge sealed apron allowing the airline's Beech 1900D aircraft to manoeuvre would need to be constructed, along with a taxiway to the terminal.
Mr McCarthy said the saddest thing was that just about everyone connected with aviation has warned the air service has little, if any, chance of success.
"It's been tried many time before from here, and each time it's been a financial failure."
He said one of many unanswered questions regarding the proposal is just who will foot the bill for the extra maintenance costs associated with more use of the runway, and of the sealed areas.
"You can bet it won't be the airline."
News of the plan to start the air service was first made public in the Wairarapa Times-Age before Christmas and Air New Zealand the parent company of Eagle Air was expected to confirm the plan and supply details of the service soon after.
The airline has since made no comment at all on its Masterton proposal and its principal partner in the venture, Masterton District Council, has likewise made no attempt to clarify the proposal for the benefit of ratepayers.
All meetings of the council to discuss the planned new air link and the changes that would be needed at the aerodrome to accommodate it have been held at meetings where both the press and the public have been excluded.
Soon after news broke that Eagle Air was thinking of setting up a Masterton-Auckland air link several experienced people connected with aviation warned against it.
These included former Wairarapa Airlines pilot Robert Thurston and the company's former managing director, Alan Stewart, along with the founder of Gliding Wairarapa, Jim Bicknell.
times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3762992&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=
07.02.2008
By Don Farmer
A Masterton man fears his home and business may become the first casualty of a secretive attempt to set up a Masterton-Auckland air service.
Mac McCarthy was shocked to discover a passenger terminal for proposed Eagle Air flights to and from Hood Aerodrome would swallow up land he has leased from Masterton District Council for years and from where he manufactures canvass goods, including parachute harnesses.
The former skydiving instructor said the first inkling he had that changes were in the wind was when the council seemed reluctant to renew his lease on land around and beneath the building he owns, and lives in, on Manaia Road.
His fears were confirmed when surveyors swarmed over the land and round the building on Tuesday and it was from them that he learned the area was to become the terminal for the planned new air service.
Mr McCarthy said the terminal would be established by converting a hangar next door and a large chunk of land will be turned into a "massive car park" and driveway.
It would swallow up land that he has had to pay to service with a septic system, underground electricity and reticulated water.
"Why they chose this spot to put the terminal is anyone's guess.
"They have the whole frigging airport on which to put it but they decided on here, where I live and work. It's nuts.
"They will probably claim this land is closer to the runway but if they built a terminal over the other side of Hood, it would actually be closer."
The converted army mess Mr McCarthy owns would become useless to him.
"I can't afford to pick it up and move it.
"I made contact with council a couple of months ago about renewing the lease but it was only on Tuesday night that I got a telephone call and was asked to attend a meeting with Kevin Montgomerie on Thursday.
"I reckon they will say your lease has run out, tough luck."
Mr McCarthy a qualified parachute rigger said his forced move from the fringe of the aerodrome was likely to lead to his business, Canvass in Action, being lost to Wairarapa.
Apart from the building of the terminal and the necessary resealing of the runway, a huge sealed apron allowing the airline's Beech 1900D aircraft to manoeuvre would need to be constructed, along with a taxiway to the terminal.
Mr McCarthy said the saddest thing was that just about everyone connected with aviation has warned the air service has little, if any, chance of success.
"It's been tried many time before from here, and each time it's been a financial failure."
He said one of many unanswered questions regarding the proposal is just who will foot the bill for the extra maintenance costs associated with more use of the runway, and of the sealed areas.
"You can bet it won't be the airline."
News of the plan to start the air service was first made public in the Wairarapa Times-Age before Christmas and Air New Zealand the parent company of Eagle Air was expected to confirm the plan and supply details of the service soon after.
The airline has since made no comment at all on its Masterton proposal and its principal partner in the venture, Masterton District Council, has likewise made no attempt to clarify the proposal for the benefit of ratepayers.
All meetings of the council to discuss the planned new air link and the changes that would be needed at the aerodrome to accommodate it have been held at meetings where both the press and the public have been excluded.
Soon after news broke that Eagle Air was thinking of setting up a Masterton-Auckland air link several experienced people connected with aviation warned against it.
These included former Wairarapa Airlines pilot Robert Thurston and the company's former managing director, Alan Stewart, along with the founder of Gliding Wairarapa, Jim Bicknell.
times-age.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3762992&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=
