Darwin GA Relocation Troubles

FAC operations and technical manager Peter Stoner said, ‘in the early planning development stages, a number of meetings were held specifically with the NT aviation community and related organisations. The new GA site is a direct result of this representation including the FAC’s decision to develop two separate site locations for GA fixed wing and GA rotary wing facilities. The objective is to make Darwin airport more efficient and capable of coping with future traffic growth.

Rationalising the piecemeal development of an airport’s infrastructure needs the full contribution of all participants in the air transport industry: airlines, aircraft maintenance organisations, airports, government and so on. Fundamental change is unavoidable because construction of new airports and expansion of existing ones is a costly and time consuming process. Such projects are politically highly sensitive, and politicians’ will be reluctant to act with an increased perception of economic downturn.

FAC’s Peter Stoner said, “The Corporation’s business charter will work towards reversing the trend of aeronautical revenues exclusively diversifying into non-aeronautical activities through the proposed development of the north east section of the field”. It is hoped that the FAC could become profitable within five years with a minimum increase in aeronautical charges. Last year Darwin airport handled a total of 641,300 passengers and 7310 tonnes of cargo, while most domestic airports run at a loss due to low traffic levels and high operating costs.

Tourism and the associated airline business are the two industries which can contribute greatly to the improvement of any community’s economy. Combine this with the absolute necessity of air travel in the Northern Territory and you have a finely balanced amalgam of tourism airlines, and the general aviation industry. This relationship has been in a state of tremendous flux while pressures on the general aviation industry have been rising because of the slow economy.

Emotion is one thing, efficiency is often quite another, and despite torrents of FAC concessions, the average general aviation company proprietor finds his increasing income eaten up by inflation and bureaucratic inefficiency. “FAC’s boom may be our doom,” intoned a scholarly proprietor recently.

Two new structures enhance the upper level of the three tier gradient design of the newly developed general aviation fixed wing section. A design related to the optimisation of the existing ground by the generation of earth works’ slopes and three leveled tiers. Popular opinion is that the contouring and isopachyte analysis lacks the validity to ensure the accuracy of the level data, and thus proper drainage and continuity. Surface water must drain rapidly for safety reasons, especially in critical areas such as junctions between taxiways.

The two new hangars have been erected by Skywest Aviation and Pel-Air, the latter having the first operational facility on site. Skywest and Pel-Air are two of the most viable operators in the Northern Territory while the less successful majority, complain that the FAC is forcing their hand to make unwise business decisions they would normally defer in a severe recession.

Trevor James of Aerosystems, whose maintenance facility supports 40 aircraft and many others on a casual basis said banks would not grant him a loan to finance the relocation project, mostly because of a lack of confidence and inexperience they have with FAC leasehold land policy. The shift to the north is forcing their demise; after years of reinvesting the profits back into their organisation to become properly equipped, they are considering the option of a merger with another such company in a similar situation, RossAir.

The Darwin Aero Club is being offered an existing facility on the north side to relocate their operation without cost. Many fail to see why this provision could not be made by the FAC in developing and financing an affordable facility and offering this option to companies such as Aerosystems and RossAir for instance. I’m sure they could recoup their investment over the years and through doing so, reflect goodwill to the general aviation industry.

Twenty-five year GA rotary wing veteran and founder of Rotor Services, Carl Timm, said, “I am facing a $50,000 relocation expense from a facility constructed 18 months previously on the current south side location. I made the decision to build on this site with a 1994 relocation compliance in mind. The FAC although vague, reflected this scenario, since their inception, on location in Darwin. I have always had a good working relationship with them (FAC). Economic recovery cannot take place with these financial burdens being forced on the GA sector, where bureaucrats, some watching with only academic interest and some looking like they were waiting for the Christians to take on the lions”.

Amham Air Charter, a well managed and currently viable RPT fleet operator’s, managing director Ossie Osgood, fails to see why he should enter into debt just for the FAC. Mr Osgood said there is no economic recovery in sight, he’s up against price cutting by companies already operating at a loss, he’s up against the onslaught of the C. AXs safety tax and he’s up against an FAC policy that virtually dictates that you redevelop or get out of the business. Here’s where we should remain echoes Ossie, due to the current recession and the combined fact that the facilities and hangars on the south side are too valuable at this time to be marked for demolition.

“Someone needs to rethink the logic being forced upon us, in most instances a year or two is all any of us need, currently it’s economic suicide for operators to even consider relocation and redevelopment. To further my point,” says Ossie, “there’s no pressing need to vacate our current location”.

In order to verify Ossie’s point I contacted Group Captain David Leach, RAAF airport facilities diredor of planning and programming. Through my research I discovered the only defense project subject to parliamentary committee decision is slated for 1994. Group Captain David Leach in representing the RAAF reflects flexibility whereas the FAC reflects a scheme of locked in defense commitments of the south side site.

The end result is that the FAC, as a monopoly which has planned this exodus, with uneconomical pricing will force the weaker competition out of business.