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Airport closure blow to training

BY ANNE TARASOV
25/06/2008 4:00:00 PM
THE closure of Hoxton Park Airport, expected in October, will be yet another blow to the already struggling aviation industry.

So says aviation identity Keith Robey, a long-time flight instructor at the airport.

``The worst thing that ever happened to aviation in this country was the sale of secondary airports such as Hoxton Park, Bankstown and Camden,'' said Mr Robey, 86.

``If the Government wanted to discourage people from becoming pilots, they're going about it the right way.

``There's a shortage of pilots in Australia as it is and this will just make it so much worse.''

Mr Robey, of Georges Hall, runs the Robey Air flight school with his wife Senja and son Chris, from the Phoenix Air Club hangar at the airport. He said that once the smaller airports in Sydney closed there would be nowhere for training pilots to hone their skills.

``It's essential to have a north-south runway for beginner pilots and when Hoxton Park closes the only runway of this type will be the one at Mascot and an inexperienced pilot cannot be expected to land alongside jumbo jets.''

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Comments


Another example of short-sighted political expedience at the expense of the many users of this excellent airport. General Aviation in Australia is under attack from politicians keen to generate cash by selling public assets to sweeten electorates for their re-election, rising costs, particularly fuel and an insatiable demand for land for housing. They justify this by saying that airports like YHOX are only used by the elite. If that's the justification then let's sell some golf links! Once these assets are gone, they're gone! To be closing airports in a country the size of Australia is pure madness.
Posted by John L on 26/06/2008 7:21:01 PM
Keith Robey is right about the closure of Hoxton Park being a blow to aviation training. He also touched on safety, but only briefly. Bankstown airport's north/south runway closed some years ago. Everyone was told that it wasn't needed, as pilots could use Hoxton Park's north/south runway in an emergency. When Hoxton Park closes, are we to expect that Bankstown will reinstate its north/south runway? I don't think so. Even if inexperienced pilots could land alongside jumbo jets as Keith mentioned, Mascot is not within gliding distance for a light aircraft from an altitude of 1500 feet. Forget saftey. Forget training pilots for a country that needs them. The move to close Hoxton Park is all about real estate development and short term profit for a chosen few. Why doesn't the government 'fess up' and admit it?
Posted by Gary Pittard on 27/06/2008 8:13:01 AM
The revenue lost to local areas is staggering. The whole world, not just Australia, is short of qualified pilots, Australia's geography and climate make it an ideal location for flight training but, as already posted, short term real estate profit wins the day. Affiliated industry, like aeronautical workshop skills, are also in worldwide demand and closing aerodromes takes job opportunities from that field too.
Posted by Barry S on 27/06/2008 4:05:05 PM
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