Aero Clubs Concerned About Landing Fees

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 14

Aero Clubs Concerned About Landing Fees

Aero clubs throughout New Zealand are concerned at the possibility Of airport authorities levying landing charges for aero club aircraft lauding at other than their home field.

About IS months ago th* Government gave airport authorities th* power to oharg* fee* of 20* a landing in *uch cage*.

Clubs object to the imposition of an arbitrary ebarg* for isolated lendings at away-from-bome fields, and the R6y*l New Zealand Aero Club, to which *lFn*w zh> land club* »r« affilteted, l* still negotiating with th* Minister of Aviation (Mr Gordon) and the Civil Aviation “CT?: ffAW'i. Mtnre of * yardstick for *irport authorities, whfoh can then negotiate with Club*. But If dubs and authorities c»nnet »gre* on th* matter, the question may be submitted to the Minister, who can set an arbitrary charge. Aero dubs print out that they use Arid* under the control of up to 20 different autborit|*s. Th* total Nil for landing charges to each a«ro club eould thus be substantial.

Gev*rnm*nt pelfoy The Government's policy is to M*k a bigger contribution from aviation to the cost of •Irways facilities, L**t year the Civil Aviation Department lost <38,128 m |te own airfield*.

Aero clubs, however, maintain that all they and gliding elube need for their sport and training Aying is a suitable piece of grass. While they approve of the installation of sophisticated navigation and landlnt-ald gear, they say that they do not use thi* equipment, and therefore do not see why they should be asked to contribute to its

Before the landlM charge Issue was nlsed by the Goveminent IS month* ago aero clubs paid fees only to thrir heme hans. Visiting rirereft were catered for by the "hosf’ dub.

Asked to comment on the situation a* it affected the Canterbury Aero Club, the president (Mr w. A. Morrison) Mid that the dub paid fees on commercial flights to al| Aelds, based on a percentage of revenue. It also paid fees for the um of the Rangier* airfield, of wfoeh |t made ext*n»ive use, but the dub Itself owned the

Ashburton Ae|d and made no efisrge for any airewt using it, including commercial aircraft.

Most clubs bad no great nrobiems with their home fields, Mr Morriion Mid. But clubs objeetod to any suggestion of an arbitrary 20e ebarge for landings at Other than their home fields. The Canterbury Gliding Club has its own facilities at the wigram Royal N*w Zealand Air Force station, where tt J* run beside the Witram (Air Force) Gliding Club. The club does not pay fees. The Auckland Gliding Club,

whleh It run from Ardmore civil airfield, w*s recently asked to pay *7B a year in lahdihg fees. It had previously paid no landing Tees. Th* club has alto bad the font on its hangar at the airfield raised from $45 a year to $5OO a year, and the rent for the space occupied by its petrol pump raised from $l2 a year to $lOO a year. The dub feels it has been unjustly treated, but the Minister of Civil Aviation has told tt that tb* new charges amount to only * nominal contribution toward* tb* airfield costs.