Owners outraged by fees charged for flying over airports

Concerns have been raised by aircraft operators about airports charging a “training fee” for flying over them.

Airports charging flyover fees have infuriated aircraft owners.

Concerns have been raised by aircraft operators about some airports charging a “training fee” for simply flying over them.

A submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into the economic regulation of airports highlighted the issue, calling it an “increasing occurrence” in the industry.

Andrew Jones’s submission said an example of the fee, would be a Piper Warrior flying over West Wyalong at 5500 feet, and making a safety broadcast of position and intentions.

“I can understand an aircraft charged in this situation at night, if the lights were activated on the ground, however during the day there is no cost implemented on the aerodrome operator nor do they or can they own the sky,” Mr Jones wrote.

“The results of these fees is more and more aircraft are simply not making required safety broadcasts reducing the safety of aviation at many locations for no apparent reason.”

Among the airports using AvData — which records radio calls — to collect “training” fees are Lismore, Moura, Narrabri, Taroom, Thangool, Theodore and West Wyalong.

Flat fees range from $1.36 to $10, and some charge $1.81 per tonne for aircraft weighing more than 1500kg.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association executive Benjamin Morgan said they were aware of “a number of airport locations charging fees to pilots who perform an approach then go-around, without ever touching the wheels on the runway”.

“It’s an absurd situation,” Mr Morgan said. “It’s high time a royal commission was called into the abuse of Australia’s aviation industry, looking specifically at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and airport operators.”

Mylvaganam Niruban is the engineering services manager at Bland Shire Council, which owns West Wyalong airport, in central west New South Wales.

He said the flat $10 training fee charged by the airport helped to maintain the airstrip and pay the electricity bill. “That’s the only income we have to maintain that airstrip,” Mr Niruban said.

“We are struggling to upgrade the airstrip.

‘‘We have asked the (federal) government for funding but we’re not hopeful because it’s not a major airstrip.”

However a submission to the inquiry by Bland Shire Council said it was not their intention to charge “flyover” fees. “If this system is misinterpreting flyover planes as planes landing then the matter should be addressed to AvData,” the submission said.

AvData did not respond to questions put by The Australian.

A spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Productivity Commission’s independent review process would give “due consideration to the views of all stakeholders”.