gympie qld aerodrome upgrades

[johnm]

at gympie queensland we have a small aerodrome - a tarmac strip and a grass x strip, a taxiway and parking, the obligatory bog, a fuel facility, about 30 hangars (6 commercial) - probably 70 planes, avgas and mogas, coffee and about 50 grumpy aero club members. The facility is superb and is the biggest aviation hub for the shire. 

 

I guess future expansion will come from the sunshine coast creeping this way (and subsequent pressure on their aviation facilities)

 

The council want to involve themselves in aviation matters - it is their ? land after all - this might be a good thing - I personally believe their aviation consultant (s) ? are suggesting things that do little but muck around with things that are adequate - the latest list from Council is below in the quote marks

 

I understand a consultant needs to suggest and change to justify a fee

 

'START Good afternoon

 

Following a comprehensive analysis of the aerodrome project by Council staff and external consultants, Council at its Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, resolved to undertake further investigations regarding future economic opportunities for the aerodrome prior to any major investment decisions being made. As a result, the planned parallel taxiway or glider strip improvements will not be proceeding at this stage.

 

As safety is of paramount importance, Council has committed funds to the following works and investigations in the financial year ending 30 June 2019:

 

 

 

·         Threshold relocation

 

·         Installation of flush gable markers

 

·         Aircraft Parking

 

·         Fencing and signage

 

·         Construction of an Aerodrome Reporting Officer’s office

 

·         Runway Regrade design.

 

Should you wish discuss the above matters further, please contact me on 07 5481 0759.

 

Kind regards ................. END'

 

some of it looks like fantasy land - fencing (the whole perimeter - who knows) (signage - don't stick your hand in the propeller) (reporting office (cash register and boom gate)) - authorities must be seen to be doing something but sometimes the best course of action is to take a rest and stop spending money ? - and yes to a degree they are n't spending money on site (just shuffling paper)

 

- what say you about the above ?

 

- are there similar tales to tell - how were they solved (there is probably no solution)

 

- are there any aviation consultants out there that are versed in provincial aerodromes ?

 

- the old question - can a council kill an airport - do they have the legislative clout to do this - does a council have to keep an aerodrome operational ?

 

 

[pmccarthy]

At Kyneton we have an excellent relationship with council. They let our club run the airfield and our members do a great job through working bees, we save the council heaps. Hangar owners pay ground lease fees and rates. A similar size, about 65 aircraft on the field in hangars.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

At Kyneton we have an excellent relationship with council. They let our club run the airfield and our members do a great job through working bees, we save the council heaps...

That's the model we should be pursuing, PM. My conversations with local government leaders have shown great interest in saving money by getting the community to once again take over a few roles that local councils now have to provide.

 

Getting local residents to mow their footbath is one obvious example.

 

 

[Possum1]

The North Burnett Regional Council, nearby to the north-west Gympie, has just put in 4 weather cameras here at Gayndah Airport. They went live last Tuesday. If this council can do it, so can Gympie Regional Council instead of doing the above, which is really just maintenance dressed up as new work.

 

Why hasn't this so-called expert put weather cameras at the top of the list for a Gympie Airport improvement? You people  at Gympie Airport did have 2 cameras on Ben Quinn's Weathercam network site, but they only worked for a little while and have been off-line for a few years now.

 

It would be nice to have the council pick up the tab for some new cameras which they would have the responsibility to maintain.