[Peetwo]

Bruny Island airstrip under attack from local council...  

Thanks to Shannon Wells for bringing this to Aunty's attention -  

Via SW & the Oz:

Lots of coverage for the Bruny island airstrip closure...  #politas

7:46 AM - 6 Jun 2018

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Bruny Island fights plans to close its only airstrip

Bruny Island is ready to fight to keep its airstrip, warning that its planned closure will cost jobs, ­destroy a successful business, and reduce pilot training and air safety.

The gravel airstrip has been earmarked for closure by its owner, Kingborough Council, after a report found it required $250,000 in upgrades to meet air-safety regulations.

However, several small aviation companies that use the airstrip say the council has misread the regulations and appears ­determined to shed a perceived liability.

At stake is an entire business based at the airstrip, Island Scenic Flights, which employs several young pilots, as well as some sightseeing and pilot training ­operations run on or from the ­island by the larger, Hobart-based Airlines of Tasmania.

Both companies fear the loss of the airstrip would be a significant safety issue, removing the only suitable emergency landing south of Hobart.

Many islanders are outraged, arguing the airstrip was gifted to the community decades ago and built by volunteers.

“The community of Bruny Island are really, really passionate about it needing to remain as an airstrip — people in the pub are saying ‘they can’t do that, that airstrip is for the people’,” said Hotel Bruny owner Dave Gunton.

A recreational pilot, Mr Gunton confirmed he was one of ­several businessmen potentially willing to help buy the airstrip, on the right terms, including that any proceeds be reinvested on the ­island. Island Scenic Flights and Airlines of Tasmania have also expressed potential interest in a deal, but are unsure of the attitude of the council, which rejected all offers in an initial expressions of interest, in favour of closing the airstrip at the end of the month.

Steve Wass, Mayor of Kingborough, which swallowed Bruny in council mergers in the early 1990s, said the council was still open to sale offers. “To bring it up to today’s standard would cost about $250,000 and from our point of view … it may well be better off in someone else’s hands,” Mr Wass said.

Island Scenic Flights founder Peter Steininger said he felt as if the council was forcing him to buy the land he now leased. “Basically, it’s ‘buy it or we’ll shut you down’, which I think is fairly rude,” Mr Steininger said.

He would have to go deeper into debt to make the purchase and flatly rejected the council’s claim that upgrades, including fencing, were needed. “The population of Bruny Island are disgusted,” he said. “They feel it’s their airstrip. They built it and the council has no right to sell it. If the council just shuts it … they will have a fight on their hands.”

Airlines of Tasmania managing director Shannon Wells was mystified as to why the council, in private session, rejected three bids to keep the airstrip open. “My biggest concern is that it is our only refuge, safe haven, south of Hobart (airport), where pilots can land in case of poor weather,” he said.

MTF...P2