[Peetwo]

A is for...???

miniscule adviser - "..4D whatever you do, FCS don't mention the A word.."

Sandy said (Reference #75):

"..Obvious truth is that general aviation in Australia has suffered grievously from very poor governance. Those of us having watched this slow motion disaster remain appalled at the lack of responsible government action to correct this blot on the life of the nation, let alone the numerous injustices perpetrated on so many individuals. 

The likes of Ben Morgan and the Board of AOPA, Dick Smith, Ken Cannane of AMROBA, Phil  Hurst, TAAAF and numerous others to inspire reform are working in the interests of Australia. I am hopeful that all the pet theories, the various individual ideas are now coalesced into the one true direction..."

Absolute spot on statement, regardless of the Alphabet different wants, needs and approach to advocacy, the message should remain loud & clear to miniscule 4D i.e. "Not happy Jan!"   

The following is an example, yesterday BM tweeted this message to 4D:

@DarrenChesterMP AOPA Australia calls on you Minister to provide investment in general aviation to help regional communities #auspol

And recently from this thread we made mention of the Triple-A concerns in regards to regional airports and possible closures:

P2;"If 4D was actually sincere about the above statement then you would think that he would have responded by accompanying the AAA MR with a presser from his own office?? But for some reason that didn't occur".

Very good pick up P2. Well done. Pollies love positive Pressers. Perhaps he saw that there was a risk he may have to shelve out money, hence his forgoing some PR? Or maybe he was busy at the hair salon that day getting his todger trimmed and primed for another men's urinal selfie shot? And that's about the truth of it isn't it? This der-brain Politician hasn't got a clue. He accepts a report, shakes someone's hand, twerps it out on Twatter (probably along with a photo of his perfect hair and manscaped body), files the report on Barmyboys top shelf under the heading 'More IOS Complaints' and leaves it there to gather dust for the next half a century.

Amongst other platitudes, I note that ironically miniscule 4D, in his address to the AAA conference, has more publicly acknowledged the AAA exemplary report:

Australian Airports Association — National Airport Industry Awards 2016

Great Hall, Parliament House Canberra.

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& via AA:


Federal government committed to funding regional airports

“I thank the AAA for its recent report on Regional Airport Infrastructure, highlighting the challenges that these essential transport hubs are facing,” he said.

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& this AM from Oz Flying:


Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester.

Minister commits to Regional Airport Funding
25 November 2016 

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...pb7zHQt.99

Then along the same theme Hitch in the Yaffa yesterday reported...

Regional airports without RPT services face potential closure over the next 10 years due to funding shortfalls. (Steve Hitchen)

AAA Report heralds Regional Airport Closures
7 December 2016

A report into regional airports presented to the Australian Airports Association (AAA) in September predicts a funding shortfall that may force some airports to close over the next 10 years.

According to the report compiled by ACIL Allen Consulting, regional airports that don't have regular public transport (RPT) services have a 45.6% funding gap between income and expenditure, compared with just 3.4% for airports with RPT, a situation that local council owners may be reluctant to bear in the decade ahead.

ACIL Allen estimated that the average income for non-RPT airports is $99,000 per year against an average cost outlay of $182,000, with maintenance costs averaging 49% of the expenditure.

"The AAA has always understood from discussions with our members, that regional airports do face significant challenges in maintaining and repairing essential infrastructure and that they do not always have access to adequate financial resourcing," said AAA Policy Manager Simon Bourke

"Most regional airports are not profit-generating enterprises due to the high costs involved in maintaining safe operations and the limited revenue opportunities available. The most surprising finding was the extent of the financial burden facing non-RPT airports."

ACIL Allen believes the consequences of these funding gaps is that many non-RPT airports face challenges just to stay open, as they have to compete with other infrastructure and amenities for local council cross-funding, and may eventually buckle under financial pressure and close.

It is a situation that the AAA believes is a very real scenario.

"The unfortunate reality is that for a number of small regional airports, particularly those without the benefit of RPT services, there is simply no way to generate enough revenue from the airport to cover the cost of its operation," Bourke told Australian Flying.

"This ultimately means that if the local government council that operates the airport is no longer able to afford sustaining operations, there is the real risk of it facing closure.

"This is why it is essential for both the Commonwealth and State Governments to provide financial assistance for critical infrastructure investment and maintenance that allows the airport to continue facilitating aviation services essential to the local region."

The AAA has said it has started a strong advocacy campaign with both the federal and state governments to make sure the situation for all regional airports (RPT and non-RPT) is recognised, with the goal of securing additional funding in the 2017-18 federal budget.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...qp8Siut.99

Now referring to the website of the gurus of regional aviation advocacy the RAAA and their statistics pages:

Statistics Menu

• Introduction
  
• Operator Statistics
  
• Airport Statistics
  
• Conclusion 
  

Conclusion
Australia is a large country with maps not truely recognising visually the distance between different destination. For example, Bourke NSW to Sydney NSW is about 800kms, Alice Springs NT to Darwin NT is about 1,500kms, Mt Isa Qld to Townsville Qld is about 900kms, and Pt Hedland WA to Perth WA is about 1,700kms. Distances that take many hours travelling by car or train.

Reliable RPT services give people the peace of mind that they can routinely obtain access to essential medical, financial, and educational services and also be able to get away to see friends and family without having to undertake an arduous car or train trip.

RAAA Members operating RPT services provide a quality service to city dwellers, international visitors and people in the bush. This is in the light that aircraft are an expensive asset to purchase, operate, plus maintain and the economic realities this entails.

It is understood that given market forces not all RPT routes would of survived. With improved road conditions in some areas and modern vehicles the necessity for short route RPT services is deminished if not removed. However, it could be argued that there has been an over reduction of airports with RPT services in regional and remote Australia.

The data and commentary contained here is but the tip of the mountain but does highlight that:

• Governments at all levels their departments and agencies need to focus on the implications of these figures,
  
• the market based approach that the Government has been relying on for air services in Australia is not effective in all situations,
  
• equitable air transport should be available to all Australian regardless of where they live - not just those living in the cities and other major centres, and
  
• Governments at all levels need to start looking at aviation services in regional and remote parts of Australia from a social justice perspective and start working with the regional aviation industry to find solutions to the current inequable situation experienced by people in regional and remote Australia.
  

                          

Although much in need of an update we can see that the RAAA conclusions from the statistics very much reflect the concerns of AOPA & the AAA.

On another front which should also carry another serious wake up call for 4D and the Turnbull government (  but probably won't ) I note the following promotional tweet from PT:  https://twitter.com/PlaneTalking/status/...9730362369

#Boeing's wake up call re future aviation jobs sharply contrasts with policy failures in Australia https://t.co/3LaWlx5BY7

This was also reported on by Oz Aviation:

Boeing forecasts need for 30,000 new pilots and maintainers in Oceania
December 7, 2016 By australianaviation.com.au

Boeing expects Australia, New Zealand and the nations of the South Pacific to require an additional 30,000 pilots and aviation professionals over the next two decades to meet the growing demand for..[-]

The PT tweet garnered this response from Phil Hurst and the AAAA's: https://twitter.com/PhilHurst62/status/8...2370396160

Missed opportunity coming? See TAAAF policies!

So as you can see the Alphabets all have different approaches/methodologies to advocacy but their discontent & frustrations with a seemingly disengaged miniscule and government is reaching critical mass. As Sandy said, if they can now all coalesce into one true direction for reform, maybe (just maybe) we might get the undivided attention of the Minister...

MTF...P2

Ps


Pps  I know ever an optimist...