Second Canberra Airport

[Ian]

Hi All,

Given that there's an election coming up. Is anyone willing to vote for whoever will pony up for a second airport at Williamsdale near Canberra? Are there enough fliers and friends to make a difference?

• There will be more significant fires in the future which will require airstrip access close to where the fires actually are.
• Polo Flat can't be used because it's been purchased for Snowy Hydro2 to use as industrial land
• Canberra Airport is too far away and requires fire traffic to be interwoven with RPT
• While big planes get their share of the media footage the smaller planes are the workhorses of fire control
• If the smoke blows the wrong way Canberra airport is closed.
• The economic analysis has already been done and was positive.
• The people in the Eden-Monaro region will be threatened by fires again and an airstrip nearby would mitigate the issue to some extent.
• Planes can deliver retardant more economically than helicopters if they have the infrastructure.

 

The other key benefit of an airport with a primary focus on GA would be the higher profile that it generate for GA in the eyes of our political masters.