Katoomba Airfield: FlyBlue Management helicopter charters banned from Katoomba Airport

Commercial helicopter charters have been banned from this airport over a number of concerns including noise and polluting water supplies.

The Blue Mountains RFS Aviation Support Unit was based at Katoomba Airfield co-ordinating helicopter firefighting resources during the Christmas bushfires. Picture: Katoomba Airfield Facebook

• ‘We were very lucky not to lose the train station’
• Man allegedly found with stolen firefighting gear
• Hope in Gospers’ scorched earth

A community campaign to stop helicopter charter flights taking off from Katoomba Airfield to protect the heritage-lised Blue Mountains has won State Government backing.

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment yesterday announced it has rejected FlyBlue Management’s application for a lease at the airfield on Crown Land in Medlow Bath.

The department’s deputy secretary of Crown Lands, Anne Skewes, said there had been overwhelming community opposition to a proposal for helicopter charter flights due to concerns about potential impacts on the Blue Mountains region.

“In direct response to feedback from the community, the department has declined the application by FlyBlue to lease Katoomba Airfield at Medlow Bath, to use as a recreational aviation hub,” Ms Skewes said.

Former leaseholder of the airfield, the late Rod Hay, with Blue Mountains Aviators Club president Fred Taylor. Club members have operated private and commercial aircraft from Katoomba Airfield since it opened. Picture: Katoomba Airfield Facebook

Overall sentiment

The lease was publicly exhibited for eight weeks, attracting 1582 submissions.

A total of 85 per cent of respondents (1354 people) opposed the proposal, while 12.4 per cent (196 people) supported it.

Some 694 (43.9 per cent) of submissions recommended the land be incorporated into the national park and managed for emergency use only.

Among the concerns were noise pollution, preserving the appeal of the Blue Mountains as a peaceful environment, potential pollution of water supplies, and protecting Aboriginal heritage interests.

Currently only commercial helicopters operate from the site. However, FlyBlue Management (owned by Derek and Floyd Larsen) will no longer be able to use the runway for helicopter flights from February 28, when a new interim licence prohibits it.

It has been closed to fixed-wing aircraft since early 2018.

The Blue Mountains RFS aviation support team based at Katoomba Airfield co-ordinating helicopter firefighting resources during the Christmas bushfires. Picture: Katoomba Airfield Facebook

The airfield will remain open to emergency services.

The Australian Business Aviation Association’s chief executive, David Bell, previously told The Blue Mountains News it was very important Katoomba aerodrome be retained for emergency purposes, both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.

“Fire trails could be created radiating from the aerodrome to protect the pristine environment,” he said.

The Larsens have been contacted for comment on the department’s decision.

A Crewman field repairing a water bucket damaged whilst fighting the Ruined Castle fire near Nellies Glen today. Aerial...

Posted by Katoomba Airfield on Saturday, December 14, 2019

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KATOOMBA AIRFIELD

• Located on Crown land at Medlow Bath, it was opened in 1965 and established as a facility for recreational flying, tourism, and emergency services operations
• A lease of the site started in 1968, ending in 2008, with the last leaseholder occupying the land from month to month until October 2017
• In January 2019 the tenant’s company — FlyBlue Management — submitted a lease application and business case to the department
• FlyBlue’s interim licence will cease on February 28 and a new interim licence will be issued that prohibits helicopter flights