Big skies

The long list of regional airports now served by airlines continues to get smaller. Most, perhaps with the exception of Narrabri that recently lost its air service but may get a replacement, have little chance of getting air services back, due to being too close to larger ports and/or not having viable passenger numbers.

But many offer great potential as pilot training bases. They offer access to adjacent expansion flat land, nearby towns that can support the required infrastructure, lack high rise and other obstacles affecting many airports’ airspace, and are blessed with often superb weather.

By comparison, monsoon weather and airspace congestion in much of Asia affects potential training sites there.

During WW2 inland RAAF bases such as Narromine and Uranquinty supported high traffic density training operations Maryborough and Glen Innes are both WW2 era all-weather IFR night/day capable facilities.

Maryborough hasn’t regained air services lost in 2007 as it is too close to booming Hervey Bay’s 737-capable airport, whichis served by Virgin Australia and QantasLink 717 jets, but boasts a 1,587m long sealed runway and a 885m grass cross runway.

A large flying school/academy mooted for Maryborough (which would have also seen an ILS installed at Hervey Bay) did not eventuate, leaving it with low frequency RFDS, GA, freight express and limited FIFO movements using GA types – typical low-revenue usage many such ports now get.

Glen Innes was designed as a WW2 ‘Brisbane Line’ heavy bomber base, safe from sea bombardment, with a 2,255m runway (shortened postwar to 1,498m). It lost its air service in 2013 but has received a $500,000 federal upgrade grant, covering a runway reseal and other needs, and a state infrastructure grant of $1. 6 million.

These place the airport in a good long-term position to attract training operations, and Glen Innes is in advanced discussions with Aviation Wings Academy about establishing an academy there, accommodating 400 live-in pilot and 200 other technical cadets. Engineering degrees could see a pairing with Armidale’s University of New England.

This proposal has attracted wide support at many levels and would earn council money, not cost it. Open space would allow a parallel runway – similar to Tamworth’s 1,100m 12R/30L – to be built,

But many offer great potential as pilot training bases.

which would be a far more useful and safer training option than cross runways, although the present cross runway does cater for all wind conditions.

Close by Inverell, 23nm away, another ex East-West F27 port, with its 2,114m runway could be a useful satellite to Glen Innes.

The overlying controlled airspace base of 10,000ft and the absence of military restricted areas and high rise obstructions, allows any flying training operations from Glenn Innes great freedom denied many other training aerodromes. Some have controlled area steps as low as 1,000ft above them or lie in ‘ground level up’ military Danger Area airspace, sometimes overlaid by Restricted or Controlled airspace, and thus severely limiting operations.

The addition of an ILS at Glenn Innes could also attract non-resident users given the scarcity of practise ILS slots at Brisbane and Sydney, and typical ILS approach fees of $60-70 would further enhance earnings. The nearest ILS is at Tamworth, 95nm away, thanks to the BAE Systems training college there.

The potential is certainly there.