Southern Air Ag owner and chief pilot Jason Law is one of five people who operate successful businesses at the Naracoorte Aerodrome.

With a combined annual turnover of more than $10 million, the businesses employ a total of 20 people – 15 fulltime and five part-time.

Mr Law said Naracoorte was now considered a busier general aviation aerodrome than Mount Gambier which serviced mainly passenger flights.

There are an estimated 3000 aircraft movements at Naracoorte aerodrome annually, including the Rescue 1 helicopter and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) which landed in 2022-23 more than twice a week.

Mr Law said the aerodrome takes up 46 ha of the 242 ha site which is all Crown Land, but under the control of the council.

In addition to the five main users and their aircraft hangars, there are a further 10 hangars housing 18 private aircraft, including Helifarm’s five helicopters.

A spotlight fell on aerodrome operations during council’s August 27 meeting when Mr Law delivered a presentation to councillors on behalf of users – at the request of mayor Patrick Ross.

Mr Law had first approached council staff almost a year ago, “but nothing happened”.

“It has become increasingly obvious that there is a need for a conduit to provide accurate and relevant information to the council, reflective of the needs of the aerodrome users,” Mr Law said.

He highlighted the need to have a group or committee with the council that involved all five aerodrome users, not just one.

“Not one of the five suggested participants is interested in drawing out the process one minute longer than required,” Mr Law said.

“We are all busy private sector operators. We have no desire or political aspirations to become engrossed in bureaucracy.

“We anticipate the vast majority of our concerns will be outlined and acknowledged within our own correspondence to then be formalised and accepted or declined at brief meetings.”

Mr Law also explained the need for 21 year plus 21 year leases to underpin business growth and development at the airport rather than the council’s current five year plus five year ones.

Expanding regional safety and airport operations, Brett and Tanya Wilson had previously brought retail Jet A1 fuel to the Naracoorte Aerodrome, and that business was now owned and operated by Mr Law.

“Prior to this facility, the Rescue 1 Helicopter did not have the (fuel) range to service our area,” Mr Law said.

“It is now possible for the inevitable broken legged dirt bike enthusiast in the sand dunes of Beachport to be airlifted, by helicopter, from the scene of his or her accident rather than a bumpy Ambulance ride to the waiting flying doctor at the Mount Gambier airport.”

“Ironically my own two year old daughter had to utilise this very service when no RFDS planes were available to get her to ICU in Adelaide.”

Mr Law said a Naracoorte Aerodrome Users group had formed in a bid to provide accurate and relevant information to the council that “reflects the needs of aerodrome users”.

The group were disappointed by the disconnect and lack of understanding regarding day-to-day operations and requirements of the aerodrome users, and council staff who were charged with its governance.

Mr Law said the group of aerodrome users included:-

• Charles Vine, owner and chief mechanic of Flightek Aviation, a maintenance facility that maintains around 150 aircraft annually from all over SA and inter-state.
• Joe Cory, a local flying instructor, and vice president of Naracoorte Aero Club which boasts 35 members and services the RFDS at its clubrooms.
• Digby Seymour, a local flying instructor and owner of Sportsflite Flying school.
• Andrew Bird, Operations manager of Helifarm which mainly serviced forestry and government contracts in SA and Victoria.
• Jason Law, owner and chief pilot of Southern Air Ag and Liason to CFS.  

“Our main objective is to ensure our voices are heard and our knowledge capitalised on to ensure that any funding or planning required for the aerodrome is utilised to its fullest, and in the simplest method possible,” Mr Law said.

Although Mr Law had been advised by some members to include the Lucindale aerodrome in a committee involving the council, he explained they were two completely different airports with different uses and needs.

“Essentially, the entire purpose of this discussion (is) to close the gap of knowledge between council and (Naracoorte) aerodrome users.”

It was also essential that “we move forward in a positive, united collaboration with the council,” Mr Law said.

At the end of the meeting, following a motion from Cr Peter Ireland and seconded by Cr Cameron Grundy, councillors unanimously decided to support a Naracoorte Aerodrome working group or committee.

Mr Law said he was pleased he went to the meeting and after watching various debates, he was surprised and impressed by several of the councillors.

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.