CASA boss John McCormick has clarified his recent remarks on threats to GA.
There's been a rumour circulating that CASA Director of Aviation Safety, John McCormick, made mention at a Brisbane seminar recently of a paid lobby group in Government that wanted to get rid of General Aviation.
In a statement released late last week McCormick set the record straight:
"At CASA's Class D and non-towered aerodrome workshop in Brisbane there was discussion around the future of airports in general. It is common knowledge a belief is held by some people in the aviation industry that there may be attempts to close or move some secondary airports.
"I pointed out the Commonwealth leased the airports and they were subject to approved master plans. In response to a question I stated there are interest groups on all sides of the debate - those wanting to develop airports sites for other purposes, those against development, people concerned about noise and the local communities. Some of these interest groups lobby politicians across the political spectrum.
"What I made very clear was that I did not want to see the end of General Aviation because, as I have said to a Senate Committee, if we weaken General Aviation we undermine the foundation of aviation in Australia."
So there you go - GA remains its own worst enemy, in terms of its inability to establish cohesion, in the face of those interest groups with hostile perspectives.
