First State Super CEO Michael Dwyer AM has promised to arrange a meeting to discuss the future of Bankstown Airport, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
Last week, AOPA CEO Ben Morgan wrote to Dwyer outlining concerns with the health of general aviation at Bankstown offering to collaborate with the lease-holder to improve the outlook. First State Super is one of the co-owners of BAC Holdco, which owns the lease for the airport.
In a letter to members today, Morgan outlined the reply he received from First State.
"I have today received a response from Mr Michael Dwyer AM, CEO of First State Super, who has advised that he is now organising a meeting between AOPA and the airport head-lease holder, so that we may open discussions with regard to the future of the airport and general aviation within the Sydney Basin.
"The AOPA believes the meeting is an important first step towards clear and open communication between industry and the new lease-holder, with a view towards establishing a working relationship that can deliver higher airport asset values and increased industry activity and output.
"The past 15 years for the aviation community at Bankstown Airport has been devastating, with aviation tenants forced to accept unconscionable lease valuation increases with unworkable short tenures. The result of the historical mismanagement has been the large scale destruction of the aviation business community at both Bankstown and Camden airports, damaging the national general aviation economy."
Bankstown Airport has experienced a 33% drop in movements between the 2001 and 2015 calendar years. In 2001 Bankstown was ranked as the busiest airport in Australia, but by December 2015 had slipped to sixth behind Sydney, Moorabbin, Parafield, Melbourne and Jandakot.
Figures for Camden in that period have increased 33%, but the 24,770 increase in movements at Camden does not completely offset the 111,254 movements lost at Bankstown.