Flight Training School
sue August 24th, 2008
Maryborough City Council had been negotiating with a Flight Training School with the view of it building a school on the Maryborough Airport prior to amalgamation. Such a school would have an impact on the Hervey Bay airport also, in that training flights would use this airport.
The Fraser Coast Regional Council will now have to make the final decisions about this flight training school. I invite your comments as I am not sure that Hervey Bay residents know much about the proposal or about the local impact.
Flight Training Queensland http://www.flighttrainingqueensland.com/ is the organisation. They are currently based at Parafield in SA. http://www.flighttrainingadelaide.com/
I would appreciate your comments and questions.
- Comments and questions
- Comments(17)
Hi Sue,
The thought of our council sending good money after bad, sends a shudder through me.
As has been said by others air travel is sitting on a knives edge, costs are climbing,
passenger numbers are down and as a result most airlines are tightening their belts.
Over the next two to three years the cost of fuel will impact on private and recreational
flying. Both the Hervey Bay and Maryborough airports are losing money. Although promised
by our ex mayor, ratepayers will never see a return from the $20 million or so spent on
Hervey Bay’s airport. Sell Maryborough, lease it out, give it away, but don’t pour any more
ratepayer money into a dying cause.
Regards,
Sadman
Sue,
I was opposed to the upgrade of the Hervey Bay airport, I felt a new airport more
centraly located was the way to go. Time has proved me right.
The ratepayers of this area cannot afford two airport thirty minutes apart, neither
of them making a profit.
While it’s a thousand to one chance, there have been two light aircraft accidents
in recent weeks. Added to which we have seen the people revolt over Esendon
airport.
Sue, Hervey Bay airport is costing ratepayers a fortune in interest, it will not
show a profit in my lifetime, Maryborough will only be worse. I agree with
Sadman, sell it and spend the money on Maryboroughs dying sewerage system.
At least they won’t smell in the heritage city.
Regards,
Jonangel
Received via email
Hi Sue
A Flight Training School would be cheaper to run from here than elsewhere this is why it is proposed. It is away from a large city like Adelaide or Brisbane.
It would also be cheaper for people to train than another more expensive place. We have to consider all reasons of the proposal which is very exciting for me to think about.
Here the weather is good all year around and it will take care of new pilots well needed in the world. There is a shortage of pilots due to early retirement caused by the sharemarket prices.
Also it will be an international school and it will be good for all international pilots to be well trained in English so to avoid accidents due to poor communication.
It is going to bring industry and income to the area. A lot of needs like catering will need to be met and it will create jobs for people where it is needed.
It could bring tourism also.
I am looking forward to it.
We have to think of the future and the young people.
Regards
Sue,
Regarding the e-mail from ?, their case is flawed.
Why would it attract tourism? As to jobs, it will create very few and they will be filled from interstate people,
as to catering, come on. 40 or 50 people at a time, not
worth a mention.
The down side as previously mentioned, noise, pollution,
risk of accidents, plus cost to ratepayers. 90 thousand people can’t support two airports.
Regards,
Sadman
Sue has anybody yet suggested that a suitable future for the Maryborough airport precinct could be a residential airpark? Council could do the residential subdivision, pocket a considerable amount & then continue to upgrade facilities at Hervey Bay airport without the “white elephant” that is Maryborough airport hanging about. Existing residents would not be subject to the constant flights that would be happening with the extensive flying school that is proposed & the demographic of residents who would buy into the new subdivision would definitely have a large disposable income to spend in town & council would enjoy the ongoing collection of the additional rates which would be paid annually. Why any region would want to maintain 2 airports within a half hour of each other is simply madness. If council is serious about being financially responsible, the Maryborough airport should be cashed in.
Thanks Jennifer. Yes there is much debate about what is the best way forward for our region in terms of air activity. Some people think that both airports should be sold and a new regional airport be developed in a more central or more accessible position than either of the existing airports. I personally worry that both existing airports will compromise the ‘quiet amenity’ that residents are entitled to if these airports continue to attract more air traffic. Any flight training based at either airport would use both airports to my knowledge. From here at Dundowran Beach it takes me close to the same amount of time to drive to either airport. Cheers Sue
Why is it that anytime there is some sort of opportunity for our community to bring in new industry that a small element of the community insists on trying to spoil it?
In recent weeks I’ve read on several sites the discussion regarding the proposed flight training school and I’ll make the following observations.
Firstly, regardless of the downturn in the industry, there is a desperate shortage of quality airline pilots worldwide. These pilots need somewhere to train safely and in turn a place to reside and to spend their money.
Secondly, the aircraft proposed are some of the quietest available and I am sure not many of us in the Maryborough area noticed the pair of similar craft in the skies over the weekend - flying at perhaps 200 feet over head, it made less noise than the A737 I spotted a few minutes later at perhaps 10,000 feet.. again.. not enough to notice unless you live in a very quiet street as I do.
There is definitely scope for council to explore industry and / or air-park style developments at the Maryborough site in due course and I am aware that the previous council had already done significant research in that direction.
Sue,
I read Ben’s post with some dismay and would like to reverse his question. Why do some people put growth and the almighty dollar before quality of life?
I repeat, 90,000 people can’t support two airports. Both
currently loosing money. Can I suggest Ben read some of my earlier posts and address the problems posed.
I’m at a loss to understand how a few light aircraft can drastically affect quality of life for local residents.
I live directly under the final southern approach to Maryborough’s airport, a few hundred metres from a major engineering firm and a little further from the sugar mill yet none of these impact on my quality of life.
Just to answer a few of Sadman’s negatives:
1) The $20million spent upgrading Hervey Bay’s airport will never be DIRECTLY recovered - BUT.. and its a big but.. the tourists & other business brought in on the additional services made possible by the upgrades will spend many times that in the area in coming years - it’s called indirect benefits.
2) Aircraft are expensive pieces of machinery yet sales of smaller aircraft particularly for business and recreation use continue to grow. There will always be a need for pilots and there will always be those with the money to afford the luxury of a private aircraft.
3) The proposed flight school has the potential to increase revenues for both airports and in turn assist both in being more viable.
Ben,
Our (HB) airport was, so we were told going to show a return for ratepayers!
It never has and it never will. While I take your point re “indirect benefits”
they only assist a very small % of Fraser Coast Regional Council residents,
so the many are subsidizing the few!
Regarding the proposed flight school, I very much doubt it will make any impact
on local business profits and I am certain it won’t make the two airports viable.
So we are left with ratepayers subsidizing two airports!
Lastly, tell us Ben, why do the people in Essendon, Bankstown, Moorabin and
Sydney, just to name a few, want their airports relocated?
Sadman
If flight training happens here there will be considerably more than a ‘few light aircraft’ in terms of flights. The trainee pilots practice landing using touch and go’s so they circulate closely around the aiport to do this. I understand that they would use both airports for this activity. Ben do you see setting a commercial lease fee as a means to making the airports ‘profitable’? I’m interested as to what expectations there are as to the economic benefit of a flight training school to our region.This link shows the impact at Parafield of flight training there.
http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/projectsservices/reports/nfpms/2006/PF1484.pdf
Cheers, Sue
I’ve read into the goings on at Parafield and feel that there would need to be significant improvement on what has occured over there in terms of public relations as well as aircraft noise. Again, it is still my understanding that the craft proposed for the FC will be much quieter than the older machines currently in operation at Parafield.
In theory, having 100+ students at a flight school should generate jobs for the local community -they need to eat, sleep and engage in other recreational activities do they not?
As far as sustaining two airports, my thoughts are that there is large tracts of land at the Maryborough Airport that could be developed either into an air-park style boutique housing estate (land sales, rates revenue & landing fees all going straight to council coffers) or aircraft maintenance, servicing and even manufacture in conjunction with the existing businesses operating out of Hervey Bay’s airport industrial park.
Our airports need not just be a bitumen strip with a terminal on one side but rather, well-utilised multi-purpose economic centres creating jobs and opportunities for many.
If managed properly, neither airport should cause excessive dramas for nearby residents - council and the community could ensure this if we agreed to work together to find positive solutions and not just complain about the problem.
Ben,
Please think this through, if we create an “air-park” there is no knowing what type of planes will be used.
No knowing what type of planes the “air-park” residents friends own.
Students - I doubt very much that there will be 100+ students at any one time. However, even if there
were, what impact would 100 extra people have divided by HB and M’boroughs eateries, pubs and rental
premises?
Ben, you still haven’t told us why people in Essendon, Bankstown etc want their airports relocated!
Sadman
Honestly Sadman, if we spent all our time worrying about small issues, we’d lose sight of the big picture.
There are many ways both airports could be utilised and some have much lower impacts than others. Curfews, noise restrictions (yes - council could stipulate maximum dB levels for resident aircraft) and other measures could be used but that is not the issue.
The issue is whether or not council wants to properly investigate their airport operations and to prepare a strategy for the future of both facilities.
I won’t respond further on the issue but all I will add is that I hope whatever council choses to do reflects the needs of the entire community and not just Hervey Bay as I keep hearing the Fraser Coast Regional Council being referred to as “Hervey Bay Council”.
Ben,
At least we agree on one thing, that coucil’s decision “reflects the needs of the entire community”.
After all Woocoo and Tiaro ratepayers are subsidising both these airports now, as well as us!
Ben, let’s put all other issues to one side and focus on why no one in the know wants to live next to
an airport? Added to which, just as many people don’t want to live under the flight path and I don’t
blame them. Adelaide people would love the traing school to came to Maryborough/Hervy Bay, it’s
about as far from Adelaide as you can get.
Sadman
An airpark style development would be a fantastic addition to the fraser coast. Have a look at the airpark development up towards Airlie Beach. It has been an astounding success and attracts a lot of money to the area. Maryborough is fortunate enough to have a large tract of land available for such a development, which would surely bring a great revenue source to the area.
It is much easier to keep light aircraft out of the big jets base so far as safety goes, Maryborough is a great alternative airport for the lighter planes.
As far as the return issue on the Hervey upgrade, the extra income to the whole area from having the services there is spread right across the community and is really an option that a centre like the bay must have to remain competitive.
Flight training, whilst I support it in principal, is a very sporadic industry with schools opening and closing quite regularly. I’m not sure that it’s stable enough to guarantee a constant support base.
Sean,
How much does the Airlie Beach airpark contribute to the area? How much will a flight traing school
contribute to the Fraser Coast Regional Council? As I have stated before not one cent has been
returned from a $20 million dollar investment at Hervey Bay. In fact both Hervey Bay and Maryborough
airports cost ratepayers!
Tell us Sean, who is the Bay competitive with? What benefit does the bulk Woocoo, Tiaro, Maryborough
and Hervey Bay residents get from our airports.
Sadman