Issue 169 17 July 2019
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Aero Club fears loss of airport C
entral Coast Aero Club and its supporters say they’ve been pushed into a corner and now realise that “we’ll lose the airport if we don’t start pushing our own agenda”. Club CEO, Andrew Smith, said: “We’ve been here for 47 years, operating in harmony with the community …. and I think Council is using underhanded tactics to close the airport. “There is a distinct lack of transparency since this Council was elected in 2017. “We have not been involved in any decisions and they won’t talk to us,” he said. “And they’ve snuck this latest motion through,” he said, “just another anti-airport motion put to Council which has been enabled by the Mayor and Labor councillors.” Councillor Louise Greenaway’s Motion to the July 8 meeting called for replanting of a previously cleared section, and that there be no mowing, slashing or trimming of vegetation around the landing strip. Smith says that as the vegetation grows, it will result in the loss of a third of the usable runway. “I think it’s an underhanded tactic to close the airport by making it unusable and eventually it will have to close. “Councillor Greenaway openly ran for Council election on a ticket of
closing the airport, it was her primary tactic, and since then, there’s been the anti-airport Motions put to council which have also been enabled by the Mayor and the Labor Councillors. “I don’t know why they’re against the airport, publicly they are saying nothing,” Smith said. He said the Aero Club’s licence agreement with Council expires in August, 2021. “We were promised by the Mayor, via email, to have discussions by July/August last year, but repeated requests for that to happen have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. “The Mayor has made it quite clear she wants to protect the wetlands. Smith said if the airport closed, “they’d probably make it light industrial, and with all its concrete and light pollution, that’s
Warnervale was one of only six airports chosen for an Australian demonstrator tour to launch the new Cirrus SR22T G6 Turbo going straight into Porters no intention of renewing could do 10 movements, Creek and downstream our lease agreements and then with all the to that sensitive wetland. beyond 2021. other aircraft activity, it “It’s nonsensical that “The Mayor has didn’t take long to log 88 you’d close the airport on repeatedly promised movements. ecological grounds,” he the aero club, in various Meanwhile, Chairman said. emails, that we would of the Your Central Coast Association, Mayor Jane Smith has have our agreements Airport not responded to inquiries looked at in July, 2018, John Codrington, said by this journalist on the yet despite numerous Warnervale airport was progress of discussions attempts, everything is an incredibly valuable community asset that with Central Coast Aero falling on deaf ears. Club or questions about “The club was advised has been identified as a the future direction by council representatives major economic driver for of the airport site and that airport traffic was the Central Coast. surrounding lands. exceeding the cap limit “Council’s own of 88 movements per $450,000 report into the The Aircraft Owners day, and that all future economic opportunities and Pilots Association airport could (AOPA), as well as other operations would require the a full 24 hours advance generate, which has supporters, have swung notice of movement, been buried and hidden into action with petitions through their websites which includes all local, by council, makes clear private, club and flying the positive employment, and change.org social and economic AOPA Australia school aircraft. “This is a huge problem improvement the airport Executive Director, Benjamin Morgan, said for our airport community could deliver for families “a displaced runway and is clearly designed living in the region. “An example of the threshold will make to negatively impact on Warnervale Airport the airport’s usability,” utter Council stupidity has been the Amphibian unusable within a short Morgan said. Industries space of time. Aero Club CEO, Andrew Aerospace debacle at Warnervale Smith, said that in one “It is obvious that whereby Central Coast Council has hour, a training plane airport,
ratepayers have been forced to stump up an alleged $50m to buy back the aircraft manufacturer’s leasehold at the airport. “This one act of lunacy has cost the Central Coast region up to 7,000 skilled jobs and hundreds of millions in lost economic investment and benefit over the next 10 years. “The Central Coast has one of the worst youth unemployment rates in Australia and suffers from major welfare issues as a result, so it’s astounding that our Mayor and councillors have sought to undermine the education, training and gainful employment of those living on the Central Coast,” Codrington said. Central Coast Aero Club conducts pilot training, commercial and scenic flights for tourism, charity days such as free flights for disadvantaged children and their families, school tours, try and fly days, and theory instruction. There are also many support industries such as avionics, aircraft frames and engines, and overhauling and repairing aircraft. The airport is also used by the Rural Fire Service and for medical flights and evacuations. Aero Club CEO, Andrew Smith, said it would be a huge loss to the Central Coast if the airport closed.
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