It probably goes to show that I have more passion than brain, but at least I have passion. The rest of the world is ruled by apathy
ACSA
c.c.Institute of Natural Resources
Ethekweni Council
City Planning
Attn: Deon Cloete
Alinee Padayachee
Jenny Mander
Mike Sutcliff
Julie-May Ellingson
Dear Sirs / Madams
Offer to purchase land zoned “Airport†for General Aviation Airport and Airport Estate at proposed new Durban Airport site, La Mercy
Should ACSA reconsider, or the environmental impact assessment for the project to move Durban International to La Mercy be negative, and the Durban International Airport not re-locate there, I would like to enter into negotiations with yourselves to purchase the land for a General Aviation (GA) airport, to supplement the current Virginia Airport.
It is clear that Virginia is in need of expansion, and this site is the only viable option. Airspace is, after-all an airfield’s most important asset. With the ocean on the East and mountains on the West, it makes airspace sense to have high density training facilities in the North, and keep passenger air-traffic on the South.
After reading the draft scoping report for the Dube Tradeport and move of Durban International Airport, it has become clear that Durban International can expand at its current location well into the medium term future.
It is also my understanding that there are many issues which are not ideal for the move of Durban International to the La Mercy site, and I am therefore confident that common sense will prevail and this project in its current format will not get off the ground.
I am an aviation enthusiast, who has served the Durban community through Aviation Tourism for almost 8 years. The potential to expand in this field is huge, and I believe that it will be in the interest of Durban as a whole, as well as Aviation in general to keep Durban International Airport at its current position, and expand General Aviation at the La Mercy Site.
I understand that ACSA is not in the business of looking after General Aviation, but would like to point out that the proposed move to La Mercy will destroy some, and severely impact other, aviation related tourism, training and maintenance businesses at the current La Mercy, Virginia and Ballito Airfields.
Creating a General Aviation site there, however, will boost tourism in Durban tremendously, as well as offer much of what Virginia is lacking.
The ideal situation will be for parallel runways with a grass runway for microlights, tail-draggers, gyroplanes, skydivers and other sport aircraft on the Eastern side, and a tar runway which will be able to accommodate small business jets, helicopters and light aircraft on the Western side. Hangar, office, ATNS, restaurant and student accommodation facilities will be situated between the two runways.
Surrounding this, there will be airport estate housing, which will pay for the entire infrastructure including purchase price of a potentially environmentally friendly airport. This will mean that the City council and tax payers will not be required to pay for the creation of an essential aviation service, with significant job creation.
This will accommodate, amongst others, the following businesses:
- Full-time training of light aircraft, helicopter and commercial pilots
- Much greater charter potential than Virginia
- Safe and friendly atmosphere for all aviation tourists
- Safeguarding microlight training in the greater Durban Area
- Offering tourists flights in:
· Microlights
· Light Aircraft
· Aerobatic Aircraft
· Helicopters
· Vintage aircraft
- Large National and International Airshows (the Virginia airshow is the oldest continuous airshow in South Africa)
- Tandem Skydiving
- Accommodation to Full time students and Aviation tourists
- Restaurants, shops and related add-ons
- Maintenance and Manufacturing.
Ideally the surrounding land should be turned into a nature reserve, which will be an additional service to the entire community as well as preserve the Savannah species which have moved into this area, as this is now the last remaining area of grass-land near Durban. Tourist to our area come for nature, after-all, more than anything else.
This will have the following added advantages:
- residents will have a noise buffer between estates, homes and businesses, so that this GA airport will not suffer under the same volume of noise complaints received from Virginia airport at present,
- Accident risk will be easier to manage.
I sincerely believe that the cost to industry and communities of moving Durban International to La Mercy, (significantly the aviation industry of Durban), is not at all off-set by the potential gain. I therefore urge to you seriously consider opening negotiations around this site, for a sustainable alternative for the benefit of Ethekweni/Durban as a whole.
I look forward to your urgent reply.
Anette Kruger
CEO, La Mercy Flight Park
Obviously all GA is 100% behind you guys – your loss is our loss too.
