Aviation Forum / Country Specific / Australian Group / September 2008

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24272250-2862,00.html

I wonder how many of these people have been here since before the airport
commenced operations? And how many moved there knowing that an airport is
nearby. In particular how many people moved there since 1978 when that fatal
crash occured?

And how many of these "protestors" have a vested interest in seeing the airport
closed and the land opened up to redevelopment?

If they close the airport will they accept a doubling of capital improved value
based rates?

Say they move the airport, or rather build a new one out near Calder or
somewhere like that, how long before the ever expanding suburbia encroaches on
it and it (and perhaps Calder Raceway) are forced to close?

Look at the likes of JFK, LAX and LGA, three airports smack in the middle of
suburbia that see more operations in a month than what MEL or Essendon would see
in a year. Yet they don't seem to be under threat of closure for "safety
reasons".

What do the pilots here who may use Essendon or even Moorabin, think of this?