Sluf7 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Hi Team. Nice site. I am President for the Stratford Aero Club Sport Flyers based outa Stratford Aerodrome Taranaki New Zealand. On the Aerodrome we have around 25 Microlites 3 GA 1 tow plane and 9 Gliders. The RC guys also operate of the end of Runway-34. The Aerodrome is like in the ole days big Grass Field .... Aircraft on the Aerodrome are 4 x Sonerai's, 1 x Zenair 601XL, 1 x Zenair 601UL, 1 x Zenair 601HDS, 1 x Zenair 701, 1 x RAN's S-10, 2 x Bantam B-22, 1 x Jodel D-11, 1 x Sting S$, 1 x Dover Hawk, 1 x Sadler Vampire, 1 x Titan Tornado, 1 x Titan T-51 Mustang, 1 x EuroFox, 1 x Jabiru 230D, 1 x Polaris FK-14, 1 x Cessna 185, 2 x Vans RV-4's, 1 x Luton Minor, You can check whats going on either here or here. http://blogspotbigsky.blogspot.co.nz/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/252750118154567/ Cheers Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneL Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Sounds like heaven, Nick. A nice selection/collection of model types. Welcome to the forum. Wayne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Which one are you flying to Ashburton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Non to busy orginising 85th Celebrations at the Mo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Thanks Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR Pilot Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Welcome Nick, look's like you have a nice aerodrome there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Yeah pretty lucky owned in trust by Stratford District Council was given back in the day and always has to be an Aerodrome. Bonus Council right behind it the Manager rings me up says it's to do with Aviation (He's not an Aviator) you sort it let me know. How goods that. Also surrounded completely by Council Farm so no issues there. The Farm pays for no Landing Charges and uncontrolled airspace uo to 4500. Unusually this Aerodrome has Fans of all runways for 3000 feet...... Even the Mayor & CEO are on our side. The Aero Club just put fuel back on the Aerodrome (Can you beleive we got full funding including from the Council. Wholly owned by Aero Club. We are 85 years old this hear so a Hooley will be in order. We are also the only Aero Club in NZ that has a Titan Mustang on line with the Club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
440032 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Spent a couple hours there a couple years ago and was made to feel welcome by those I met. I sneaked away from my Mrs and her school reunion down the road. He He....... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 We try to make it accessable to all not many places ya can go now and get up close and personable with Aircraft and people. Come see us again....anytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Yeah pretty lucky owned in trust by Stratford District Council was given back in the day and always has to be an Aerodrome. Bonus Council right behind it the Manager rings me up says it's to do with Aviation (He's not an Aviator) you sort it let me know. How goods that. Also surrounded completely by Council Farm so no issues there. The Farm pays for no Landing Charges and uncontrolled airspace uo to 4500. Unusually this Aerodrome has Fans of all runways for 3000 feet...... Even the Mayor & CEO are on our side.The Aero Club just put fuel back on the Aerodrome (Can you beleive we got full funding including from the Council. Wholly owned by Aero Club. We are 85 years old this hear so a Hooley will be in order. We are also the only Aero Club in NZ that has a Titan Mustang on line with the Club. Mate you are so lucky. Councils here in Oz mainly seem hell-bent on selling off small aviation assets to developers, or the private sector. Aviation is such an important part of our lives these days, and yet the facilities for getting training to become part of it, are fastly diminishing. Sydney's Bankstown Airport was once a real thriving asset in that regard, having once had the second most number of aircraft movements a day in Australia. Sadly, it was privatized and exhorbitant costs have driven out many of training facilities. Dick Smith recently commented that it was in parts becoming like a ghost town. Unfortunately, the almighty dollar seems to rule the day, so to put in freight terminals, factory units, huge Bunnings store with car park, etc; gives them a better profit margin while club houses get flattened ready for the next commercial development. Like many, i'm disgusted by some of the decisions that both councils and governments make, while supposedly representing the best interests of the community. It might prove interesting if those who made the decisions had their bank balances monitored for a sudden growth. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Nice that somebody's got something good happening. Welcome. Keep this up and you might have to welcome invaders from the West. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 4, 2017 Author Share Posted January 4, 2017 Yup real Lucky Ya awl welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR Pilot Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 If I could fly across the Tasman, I would take you up on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 4, 2017 Author Share Posted January 4, 2017 Ah well you can always have a holiday and come fly ours chap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alpipete Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hi Nick,Pete here in Whakatane.Welcome to this great site.We here are fighting our council regarding our landing fees for rec pilots.In their wisdom they increased the annual fee by 33%,an unjustified amount for some of us that do not do a lot of flying.We now have to pay $200 per annum. They did away with the AIM,S system saying that this would save them $12.000 per year and then would not be able to monitor who lands here.So they are not even charging any visiting aircraft that land here.Since July of last year they have lost revenue of over $2500.So now we are subsidiseing everyone else.Talk about heads in the sand they cannot see the woods for the trees.We are still negotiating with them and have been trying to encourage them that they need to put in an honesty box system like a lot of other airports(SIMPLE) most pilots don,t mind paying a small fee.Maybe we can give you guys our mayor and a few of our other councilors in exchange LOL Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR Pilot Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hey Pete, I pay $440 per year and I thought that was a pretty good deal. (plus hangar fees on top of that). Einsteins Relativity, It all depends on your position in the universe. I wouldn't mind being in your position though. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alpipete Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 yeh great country and area here,flew to Pauanui yesterday for a BBQ 104 aircraft and lots of people,ham sausages tons of salads etc and to top it all off apple crumble cream and plums soaked in brandy,got home ok though,cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hi Nick, Stratford is a great spot. I used to fly there regularly in the mid 90s taking workmates from Hamilton to the Cheese factory in Eltham. In the Spring I reckon the grass grew an inch between 8am when we landed & 4:30 in the afternoon when we left to fly home. Once I landed in the pouring rain with a stiff southerly blowing. The cross strip is fairly short but I touched down with 4 POB (Cherokee Archer II) in the middle of the cross & taxied straight to the clubhouse. Aerodrome activity has certainly increased a lot since then by the sound of it. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hi Nick,Pete here in Whakatane.Welcome to this great site.We here are fighting our council regarding our landing fees for rec pilots.In their wisdom they increased the annual fee by 33%,an unjustified amount for some of us that do not do a lot of flying.We now have to pay $200 per annum. They did away with the AIM,S system saying that this would save them $12.000 per year and then would not be able to monitor who lands here.So they are not even charging any visiting aircraft that land here.Since July of last year they have lost revenue of over $2500.So now we are subsidiseing everyone else.Talk about heads in the sand they cannot see the woods for the trees.We are still negotiating with them and have been trying to encourage them that they need to put in an honesty box system like a lot of other airports(SIMPLE) most pilots don,t mind paying a small fee.Maybe we can give you guys our mayor and a few of our other councilors in exchange LOL Regards Pete We took over the Crown Lease from Council a year ago & look after the aerodrome ourselves. Hangar owners pay $1,200.00 a year which covers the lease, P/L insurance, aerodrome maintenance, signage, fencing etc & users pay $180.00 U/L or M/L & $260.00 GA a year to help with runway maintenance etc. We have an honesty box for landing fees ($5.00 U/L $10.00 GA). It works sort of as we get about $1,500.00 a year but still plenty turn up & don't pay. The runway has just been resealed. Cost 44k. 900metres x 8 metres. It is great. With Council getting anything done was virtually impossible. Requests were either ignored or they wanted a 50 page report from some expert that charged an arm & a leg so say what you'd just said anyway. Total bureacracy & total BS. Loved flying in to Pauanui. Fantastic location right on a superb beach. Some very hospitable property owners on the airfield. Had to stay the night on more than one occasion after their hospitality got the better of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microman Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 We at Rangiora had the same problem as Pete at Whakatane - the council owns the airfield and had been ramping up landing fees ($6 to $10 for casuals and $100 to $200 pa for aircraft on the field). However unless the council were prepared to spend truckloads of money on a full monitoring system there were many users simply ignoring the fee (they only had one camera and if you landed short and turned off immediately they couldn't clock you), so we went to the Council and said we will collect the fees for you, but in exchange you need to be realistic about it. They agreed and all airfield users now pay $60 pa to the club which then passes it on to the Council - casuals still $10 - a win/win we think - no need for the council to pay for expensive monitoring equipment, and we now pay a reasonable amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Unfortunately , most councils are examples of a failure of democracy. They get elected and then change into tyrants who are out to stop all ordinary people doing anything, but let developers get away with everything. I think it's because the wages of the CEO etc are related to RATE income and bigger is better for them in their pockets, which is all they care about. Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Sorry chaps been Tarting up Club House etc for the 85th celebrations on the th 28th Jan 2017 Yeah here at SD we have the council farm to pay for no landing fee's. Although if you bounce we charge a Million dollars a Leg. Club Hangerage is $525 a Year (Hangars all full) we try keep costs down. That's why when we do trial Flights on Open days the Club trainers are $30 and the Mustang $60 for 15 mins it means more people get to ecxperience Flight in something interesting. Yes by all acounts we have a council to die for. They no if it does not do what we are doing now it's just a big Grass paddock they can't do anything with as the deed trust says it has to be an aerodrome and have the vision to try make something of it. The Aero Club has the overall authority on the Aerodrome and we have a chat with council a things come up and just sort it out and our man at council just rings me if it's aviation related and says you sort and he will go ya or nay. He even said what do we need to do next year so I can add it to the 2017 budget :0) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightyknots Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Hi Nick, Welcome to the site. It seems like you have a truly ideal situation there in Stratford. May it long continue. Greetings, eightyknots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluf7 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Well nothing lasts forever but hell it's working fine as ....at the mo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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