[Peetwo]

Speaking of the killing off of airports? - This kind of fits... 

Via AOPA Oz:

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OPINION: CANBERRA AIRPORT CROSS RUNWAY 12/30 CLOSURE

April 3, 2020 By Benjamin Morgan

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AOPA Australia CEO BENJAMIN MORGAN provides an opinion.


During an unprecedented week in which our aviation industry has been locked in a desperate battle for it’s survival, Canberra Airport have chosen to announce the closure of the cross runway 12/30, using the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and ‘a downturn in aircraft movements’ to justify it – I am calling bullshit.

Canberra Airport’s Head of Aviation, Mr Michael Thomson; “The decision to close Runway 12/30 was not made lightly but reflect the significant fall in aircraft movements at Canberra Airport and these challenging times”.

The closure came into effect 5am, 3rd April 2020.

Given the current situation, onlookers could almost be excused for thinking the closure makes sense, except that it doesn’t.  It’s not about coronavirus, nor is it about aircraft movements, that’s just a convenient decoy.

Take a look at the graphic in the headline of this article.  It’s a google earth image of the Canberra Airport showing runway 12/30.  Now take a look at the graphic below, which shows what happens when Canberra Airport runway 13/30 no longer exists.


ABOVE: With Canberra Airport’s cross runway removed, two new large scale real-estate development zones can be established worth hundreds of millions.[/size][/color]

So, do you believe that coronavirus COVID-19 and a downturn in aircraft movements are the reason for the Canberra Airport runway 12/30 closure?

I am sure someone famous once said… ‘Never let a disaster stand in the way of creating opportunity’ and I fear that’s exactly what we are witnessing here.

Should Canberra Airport runway 12/30 be closed and removed, it will directly compromise aviation safety and will reward the airport operators with hundreds of millions in commercial property developments.

During a time when our industry is fighting for it’s very survival, we have Canberra Airport closing an essential runway, reducing aviation safety and making access for general aviation harder.  How do these actions help Australia? How will these actions help us kick-start aviation again?

How much money have the Australian people pumped into Canberra Airport to assist with it’s development since Privatisation?  And importantly, what do we now have to show for that investment?

I dare say, that it appears that Canberra Airport are hoping that this closure will slip through unnoticed during a time of national disaster and crisis, without facing any opposition from the Government.

Shameful stuff indeed.

AOPA Australia has written to the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, and is calling on all members of government to oppose the closure of Canberra Airport runway 13/30 and for Australia’s aviation infrastructure to be protected.

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Plus some comments off AOPA FB page:

Noel Casey Spent 10 days in CB flying a fire bomber on the Braidwood fire in December. Used 30 about 95% of the time due to excessive crosswinds on the main strip. Can't imagine how many houses would have been lost if we didn't have access to 30.

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Gordon Briggs This is the unfolding of the eventual outcome of the government sale of the airports. After 50 years the owners can do what they want and the developers will have a field day. Some things are more important than immediate profit. The Governments decision to sell the airports was due to greed for the money, the rigid dogma of small government, the excuse of user-pays and an extreme disregard for possible outcome. A total failure of good government.

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Mark Leslie Dixon Absolute rubbish. Nationalise the airports again. It might mean you can park an aircraft or a car there without taking out a mortgage.

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Stephen Hsl If there is a downturn in movements just look at the landing and parking fees

Ian Mooney - Stephen Hsl exactly - price it so nobody comes then you have the argument to close it down and sell it off.

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David James Wiman Only satisfies one agenda, reducing airport costs, and opening more area for leasing to tenants who will likely not be aviation tenants and whinge about noise.
Any safety case would highlight the risks of not having an into wind alternative. Not to mention the environmental impacts of less noise sharing and increased delays due to sequencing for same runway.

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Gordon Briggs The buildings at Moorabin airport are rotting and falling to pieces but representations to the relevant government authorities to force the owners to get things fixed are totally ignored.
From the time that that airport was opened with fanfare until now when it is being raped to death there seems to have been some major change in government attitude. I blame little Johnny and his foaming at the mouth pursuing of small government. I lost my last decent (IT) job in his 2000 public service downsizing.

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Rob France Looks like they want to start building another bloody shopping centre, or.more offices

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Gary Carter They are gradually pulling our airport s apart just like they closed Bankstown Airport cross runway many years ago and then sold Hoxton Park Airport which didn’t belong to them ,how does that work

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Simon McDermott They have done the same here on the Sunshine Coast at the #sunshinecoastairport prior to Covid.

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Tony Griggs Where is the Minister for Transport? Napping again? - 

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Gerald Davies Same frustrating struggle to reopen our crosswind strip in Narrabri. The Hon. Mark Coulthard emailed back to me on the 2nd April 2020:

Further to my email on 24 March 2020, please see the below response from the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, the Hon Michael McCormack MP.

"While Narrabri Airport was originally operated by the Commonwealth, ownership of the airport was transferred to Narrabri Shire Council under the Aerodrome Local Ownership Plan (ALOP). The ALOP transfer process fundamentally recognised that the management of aerodromes was best achieved at the local level – ALOP aerodromes serve local and regional needs, and as such, planning and developments matters are considered through State and local planning schemes.

Under the terms of the deed of agreement governing this process, Narrabri Shire Council, as the owners of the aerodrome, are required to keep Narrabri Airport open for use as an aerodrome.

Provided Narrabri Airport remains in use as an aerodrome, there is no restriction on the airport closing a runway for economic reasons.

We understand Runway 09/27 is an unrated grass runway which has been closed for approximately five years due to the cost of maintaining the runway to the required CASA safety standard. Narrabri Shire Council informs us that the runway will remain closed for the foreseeable future, owing to the low historic use of the runway and the cost of restoring it to meet the required safety standards.

We encourage Mr Davies to contact Narrabri Shire Council directly about this matter.

Hmm...meanwhile despite the aviation industry getting economically hammered by COVID19 in the US -

Congress Looks to Protect Aviation Infrastructure During COVID-19

MTF...P2