Grand Central Review 2020

GRAND CENTRAL REVIEW

November 2020

141

GRAND CENTRAL REVIEW

GRAND

CENTRAL AIRPORT Grand Central was once one of the busiest General aviation airports in South Africa. Unfortunately, bad management in the past few years has meant that many of its tenants are leaving. One of the more recent departures has been the key tenant Safomar who moved to the more accommodating Rand Airport, and other helicopter operators who have moved to the nearby Ultimate Heliport. The large terminal building – which was once famously described as having the architecture of Lenin’s tomb – is now looking worryingly deserted.

A combination of high rents and poor management has pushed many of the larger tenants out of 142 November 2020 Grand Central.

The terminal building - architecture reminiscent of Lenin's tomb.

FOR an ideally located general aviation airport,

currently park in the open. However, this idea

the potential should be huge. Recognising this the

will only see fruition once there is a recognised

owners made a significant investment in August

demand from enough charter companies to

2014 when the runway was redone. But unlike

support a complete large scale building plan in

Rand Airport, in terms of future development,

order to prevent having to redo work at a later

Grand Central can’t expand because the

stage. The plan also has to be approved by

surrounding land is owned by Old Mutual.

the shareholders of the airport, a consortium

The running down of the airport plays into the

of companies mainly with a property and

hands of Old Mutual Properties which is reportedly

investment background. In the current constrained

looking quite seriously at using the land for the

environment this has to be considered unlikely.

development of their multi-billion Rand Zonk’izizwe project. Pre-Covid-19 they were however, still in serious discussions with airport management to

INTERNATIONAL STATUS Grand Central has long hoped to regain its

find out how best to use the land for offices, taking

international status, which its lost in 1998, but

into consideration the aircraft movements.

the security requirements are too considered too

Like all other GA facilities Grand Central has

cumbersome for the diminished airport.

been hard it by Covid-19. Part of the 2020 ‘master plan’ was to build hangars and do renovations on the southern end of the airport where aircraft

TENANT RELATIONS A challenge for any airport is balancing November 2020

143

relationships with tenants while remembering that an airport is ultimately a business. One of the biggest issues for the tenants has been the rentals that Grand Central charges. But for the convenience of having a 1850 m tarred runway, air traffic control, fuel available seven days a week and maintenance staff on hand five days a week, the airport maintains that the rates are market related.

ABOVE: Under Covid-19 pressures and the loss of tenants the main building is worringly empty.

Grand Central currently has a generator that powers the runway lights and control tower in the

there are now signs warning people who park their

event of a power failure, but is looking at getting

cars on the side of Grand Central Boulevard of

enough generators to power the entire airport.

the risk. This is largely due to the open land being

Security is another challenge. The airport is

used as a thoroughfare and the police refusing to

guarded 24/7 – but there is a crime problem right

enter into any joint venture patrols. Old Mutual has

outside the gates. There have been a number of

erected fences around some of the open land, and

incidents where cars parked outside the premises

the airport has engaged with them about putting

have been broken into or stolen, to the extent that

up more fencing.

Central Aerospace Medicine

D

r KA Ingham is a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner with rooms situated in the immediate vicinity of OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg and Grand Central, Midrand.Dr Ingham is an experience Aviation Medical Examiner with a career beginning in 1969 as a Flight Surgeon at Langebaan Air Force Base. As a registered Senior SACAA Aviation Medical Examiner, Dr Ingham’s practice (Central Aerospace Medicine) is suitably equipped to carry out the full range of medical examinations necessary for aviation relevant to pilots, operating under licences issued in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and all European States (EASA).

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November 2020

He is in possession of a CertiďŹ cate in Travel Medicine, a Diploma in Public Health and BSc (Hons) Aerospace Medicine. He is a Diving Medical Examiner and is registered with the Department of Labour for professional divers. He is registered with the Department of Transport (Maritime Safety Authority) for medical examinations of Seafarers.

For more information contact Dr Ingham on:Tel: (011) 315-5817 Email: kaingham@hotmail.com Website: www.aerospace-medicine-sa.co.za

SA Flyer 2020|11

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November 2020

145

FLIGHT TRAINING SERVICES

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Browse through their site and have a look at the services on offer.

FTS is a flight school that operates out of Grand Central Airport’s main terminal building.

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November 2020

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