A New Recreational Aviator facility - interested?

[CrayonBox]

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE COMPLETING THE POLL...

 

Hervey Bay is the gateway to Fraser Island, located about 300kms North of Brisbane.

 

A few years ago construction of a North-South cross strip commenced, but completion was voted against by council and work halted. All that is required to complete it is fencing alterations and some grassing of the strip itself.

 

If this airstrip was completed, and allocation of leasable land for hangers was made available to make the airport more recreation aviator friendly... Would you use it?

 

May I also add that the prevailing winds are SE, but summer our seabreeze generates total northerly crosswind on runway 11/29.

 

 

[Mick]

That cross strip was part of airport expansion that was funded by state / federal government, but Hervey Bay City Council spent the funds on the terminal & car parks. At the time HBCC could not have been less Recreational & GA friendly.

 

Thankfully that has changed, but I think the Fraser Coast Regional Council would prefer non-commercial activity be focused at Maryborough, leaving Hervey Bay for commercial operations.

 

 

[ave8rr]

That cross strip was part of airport expansion that was funded by state / federal government, but Hervey Bay City Council spent the funds on the terminal & car parks. At the time HBCC could not have been less Recreational & GA friendly. Thankfully that has changed, but I think the Fraser Coast Regional Council would prefer non-commercial activity be focused at Maryborough, leaving Hervey Bay for commercial operations.

Mick, I think you are right on the money there. Do you know if Rip now has a lease at MB for his maint bus? He was getting ready to shift away or close.

Cheers

 

 

[metalman]

Last I'd heard the council had planned to do something for Qlink in the northen end of the cross strip area, besides maryborough is a better airport for lighties anyway

 

Met

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I called into Maryborough doing some of my nav training.... got to say pretty much a ghost town there. The aero club building looked totally empty and a bit run down but prime position overlooking the runway. The only place that was open was the business that put the Ibis together. It seems to ahve all the facilities there but no one really using them. The pic is the only one I took outside it is in front of the aeroclub building looking towards the SSE the awning on the right is the outside undercover area of the aeroclub

 

 

 

[CrayonBox]

Maryborough is a good airport for training. There are two runways (grass 12/30 and bitumen 17/35), and the winds are kinder than on the coast. I even suggested the idea to my instructor, but he said by the time we get there (in a microlight doing 55kts), and fit in with other traffic also training in the circuit, and other arrivals/departures, a lot of circuit time will be consumed. I don't fancy paying my instructor 40-50 minutes of extra flying time (and fuel) to transit back and forth to Maryborough.

 

For tourism, accessing Fraser Island is much quicker and easier from Hervey Bay - whether it be by ultralight Microlight or GA. Especially the Northern end.

 

The only thing Hervey Bay has got going for it's economy is - tourism.

 

 

[Neville75]

Maryborough is a good airport for training. There are two runways (grass 12/30 and bitumen 17/35), and the winds are kinder than on the coast. I even suggested the idea to my instructor, but he said by the time we get there (in a microlight doing 55kts), and fit in with other traffic also training in the circuit, and other arrivals/departures, a lot of circuit time will be consumed. I don't fancy paying my instructor 40-50 minutes of extra flying time (and fuel) to transit back and forth to Maryborough.For tourism, accessing Fraser Island is much quicker and easier from Hervey Bay - whether it be by ultralight Microlight or GA. Especially the Northern end.

 

The only thing Hervey Bay has got going for it's economy is - tourism.

And an avgas fuel bowser!

 

 

[CrayonBox]

And an avgas fuel bowser!

Exactly!

Don't forget there should be U91 or U95 or U98 as well.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Avgas - most expensive I have found on the Qld E coast, but I suppose you have to pay for the convenience especially in a tourist based area [only 3 or 4 cents a ltr so 3 or 4 dollars a refill in my case - still cheaper then dropping in on the way to refuel just to avoid it]

 

 

[CrayonBox]

Looking for more votes please. We would like to know what the aviation community feels about visiting here. Thanks.