Grahamstown residents have been invited by the municipality to consider the application of a Port Elizabeth aviation company which wants to run a flying school from the Grahamstown Aerodrome.
Grahamstown residents have been invited by the municipality to consider the application of a Port Elizabeth aviation company which wants to run a flying school from the Grahamstown Aerodrome.
This is after the Makana council’s social services committee decided that community participation be sought after the application was taken through other committees so that the views of the wider community are solicited. The parks and recreation department received an enquiry in July from Aptrac Aviation about the possibility of negotiating a long term lease for the terminal building and municipal hangars at the Grahamstown Aerodrome.
Committee chairperson Julia Wells told Grocott’s Mail that in line with the municipality’s procurement laws, the use of the aerodrome will have to go to tender in which case the company will have to compete with other companies. The company presented its plans during a council committee meeting on Thursday and councillors were asked about job creation and training opportunities for locals.
The company assured the committee that jobs will be created as it plans to build a residence for its students. Responding to questions from the councillors, the company said it will also offer flights to other cities as it already offers such services in other towns.
According to Wells, having a company which can offer that service will a "big bonus" for our town. The municipality had previously explained to the aviation company explaining that the clubhouse and municipal hangars at the aerodrome are already on lease and that there are a number of privately owned hangars.
"The Grahamstown Flying Club currently holds the lease although it is up for renewal and council would most certainly welcome competition," reported Makana social services director Mandisi Planga during the meeting.
He added that Aptrac Aviation managing director Grant Soule gave the following reasons for wanting to move a "sizeable portion" of his business to Grahamstown: air traffic congestion at the Port Elizabeth airport has increased to a point where it is affecting their training in a big way; the company is charged at exorbitant rates for airport services and; Grahamstown is strategically placed and serves the company’s need for training in both inland and maritime conditions as the eastern coastline is within close proximity.
The company is expected to make a presentation at the next meeting of the council’s economic development, tourism and heritage portfolio committee scheduled to take place next month.
