The Australian Airports Association (AAA) has published a study report into seven metropolitan general aviation airports.
Released at the AAA's conference on the Gold Coast this week, the report analyses issues confronting Archerfield, Bankstown, Camden, Essendon, Jandakot, Moorabbin and Parafield airports.
Each one is a former Commonwealth airport now leased long-term to a private company.
"Australia’s Metro Airports are the secondary airports located in Australia’s capital cities," the intro states. "They are not only significant centres of aviation activity in their own right, but are also a key to ensuring the future efficient operation of the primary airports in their cities.
"At the same time, the Metro Airports confront an uneasy future and require sensitive and tailored consideration by Commonwealth, State and Local Governments if they are to achieve their great potential contribution to the future of Australian aviation and the Australian economy and community more generally."
Among the challenges facing the metro airports, the AAA report identifies a range of regulatory issues that the AAA believes need to be addressed, including:
- These smaller airports have to comply with the same rigorous planning laws as the major capital city airports
- Such compliance is inordinately expensive and inappropriate
- A 20-year master plan every five years is too frequent
- Master plans can’t be straightforward updates, they have to be completely new
- Major Development Plans (MDPs) are required on too many, often relatively simple projects
- MDPs have to be consistent with master plans which is not always appropriate
- Public comment periods on these plans are too long
- It takes too long to get approval (or rejection) of plans
- The current regime of community consultation and forums is quite possibly inefficient and costly
- Limitations on on-airport activities are unrealistic and unnecessary
- Decision making processes affecting these airports is far from transparent
- Current legislation inhibits the potential for competition between airports and off-airport developers
The aim of the study was to "establish a significant data source about Australia’s Metro Airports in the hope that their value will be better recognised within the community and that those who directly or indirectly regulate airports will be better able to appreciate and assess the likely impacts of the regulatory requirements they administer or impose."
The full report, entitled Securing the Future of Australia's Metropolitan Airports, can be downloaded from the AAA website.