Fisantekraal Airfield closing down?

[skybound®]

No prob Trikenut. In fact I am envious of you, having the opportunity to mix with okes like us at a young age is going to provide you with some accelerated learning on how to deal with faceless people and life itself. I bet it will stand you in good shoes in years to come.

Morph - 12 months can go by very quickly. Hope they come to some amicable arrangement. We have just ended two 10 year leases at two airfields and are also in renegotiating phase.

[John Boucher]

Reputations precede themselves young Ross - owners and operators alike I'm afraid!

The acquisition of Phisantekraal by the current owner is quite a contentious issue by many an aviator in the Western Cape and maybe you should ask Louis how it came about! In this case, the owner of the airfield knows exactly what he wants to do and when it's going to happen I'm sure! The colour of money determines the life expectancy of Phisantekraal at this stage I'm afraid and I wonder who is going to prove me wrong - any takers?

Personally I think to secure an airfield for another 12 months merely postpones the inevitable in this case and that is not speculation - merely a business observation! Take a look at what mining speculators are trying and going to do with wine farms such as Zevenwacht etc.

[Wargames]

Just to close down the facts. Fisantekraal is not going to close and is not becoming a development site. There has been a few changes in management, but that is it. You can still get your AVGAS there.

Will let you know if there is any more movements, but at this stage all is safe.

Regards,

[Gyronaut]

I support Wargames' sentiment.

I spoke to a visibly relieved Louis today and it seems that the immediate threat has at least been postponed for a further 12 months. Nothing is forever and the only certainty in life is that things will change. Lets hope that someone with the necessary means turns FAFK into a flight park! We certainly need one in this area although I am led to believe that the owner wants too much for the land to make it viable.

[Morph]

I meant that lets not turn this into as slinging match. Many pilots don't like Fisantekraal, nor its owner, or Louis for that matter.
What I meant was: Lets speculate, but not start to abuse the airfield or the owner.,

Ross you were certainly picking up non-existent straws here. It was out of concern for the risk of loosing a great airfield and schools that I was on about, not feelings about people.

BTW Louis is not the owner of the field, just the owner of one of the schools

[Trikenut]

I meant that lets not turn this into as slinging match. Many pilots don't like Fisantekraal, nor its owner, or Louis for that matter.
What I meant was: Lets speculate, but not start to abuse the airfield or the owner.,

Ross you were certainly picking up non-existent straws here. It was out of concern for the risk of loosing a great airfield and schools that I was on about, not feelings about people.

BTW Louis is not the owner of the field, just the owner of one of the schools

Ok, cool thanks morph. I am aware Louis is not the owner of the airfield. However he is (possibly was - I'm not sure) the manager of the field.
I understand that it isn't about feeling towards people however, the reasons I stated were reasons to prevent a bllodbath on this site.
Again sorry if I offended anyone.
Please can we now put this misunderstanding behind us and move on to the topic at hand.

[John Boucher]

and move on to the topic at hand.

.....and the topic is what?

Has anyone considered the negative spin-off should this airfield become redundant or close? What is the impact?

1. AVGAS not available
2. Flying Schools x2 shut down
3. Re-location of various aircraft (already strained for space at other airfields)
4. Re-routing of GA traffic to Stellenbosch / International / Morning Star / Delta 200
5. Direct and Indirect loss to many

More.....?

[Hak]

I do not know anybody at Fisantekraal but the closing down (IF) of a airfield is just very
good luck

[Gyronaut]

Hak, then here is an open invitation for coffee and a flip when next you are in Cape Town!
Rgds

Len

[Boet]

Awww shucs, and Fisantes would have been a fantastic "Flightpark". I went solo there in `72.

[The Agent]

That writing has been on the wall for a long time. I have seen it in writing that the local council will not allow a flight park BUT wanted it for developement.
I fact I was in a meeting with someone here in JHB two weeks ago and was told the same.
What amazes me is how fast they can make a decission for housing and look how long we have been working on Malmesbury, almost 3.5 years.

Not wanting to hijack the thread just to keep you posted is that we have submitted most of the dox to the WP govt for the estate and will soon have an answer.

I still think that an estate like the one that is planned for Malmesbury can and will work.

And next look at the boo haa about parking at CT Int for the SWC and if we had been given permission earlier for the developement the parking problem could have been sorted out very close by, now they have to go to Bloem or Upington, what a waste of fuel and green house gasses as the bunny huggers would say.

Hey guy's keep da wings level and the blue stuff on top.