Flying trainees hit hard

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33874, 20 June 1975, Page 21

Flying trainees hit hard

It was ironical that at a time when almost every form of education was either provided free or subsidised by the State those wishing to make flying their career should have to pay for their training.

Making them pay a tax as well was ridiculous, said the outgoing president of the Canterbury Aero Club (Mr P. H. Scotter) on Wednesday evening. In his report to the club's annual meeting, Mr Scotter said that if the industry was to have pilots then fuel would have to be used and someone would have to pay. "I think the fuel tax will make flying training to commercial pilot standard so expensive that many trainees will be unable to find the money while most are already making a tremendous effort,” he said. The result of recent price increases and the tax announced in the budget was that the price of fuel used by the club had increased by about 262 per cent in the last 18 months. Motorists were smarting under a mere 100 per cent increase over the same period. Mr Scotter said that organisations like the aero club differed from boat clubs and racing clubs which also paid a road tax on their fuel. ‘STUPID’ Throughout New Zealand hundreds of specialists were employed in the business of flying training. The Canterbury club provided employment for about 20 full-time (employees who at present were somewhat concerned (about their future. Mr Scotter said. | The new fuel tax was not (levied on air transport (operators as it was recognised that these provided employment. But no recognition was given to training (organisations.

“This results in the stupid situation where it can actually cost less to employ someone to fly an aeroplane for you than to fly it yourself.” he said.

“Using the club’s air transport licence one of our instructors can take you for a flight over the city—an 'operation which is exempt

from the fuel tax. But as soon as this useless exercise is turned into training by the instructor allowing you to handle the controls yourself this exemption ends and a tax of about $3 a flying hour becomes payable," said Mr Scotter.

He told the meeting that he had written to the Minister of Civil Aviation (Dr Finlay) outlining a case for tax relief in the form of a subsidy to commercial pilot trainees. Other than this vexing problem, Mr Scotter said, the club had enjoyed a year free of accidents, and was in a sound financial position. He hoped that stage two of the clubhouse development—a second storey—might be started soon.