Topgun77 wrote:It encourages people to not follow the rules. I know you might look at it as funny but come on its an active airport.
Safety needs to come first.
"Active" for Tokoroa is a bit of a misnomer. On a busy day they may get 3 aircraft movements, Bruce always has his radio on listening out, if he misses an inbound and does not clear the field I would bet my left that it would be the pilots error in not announcing the arrival.
The airfield is also used by the local car club as a drag strip, the northern approach has a dirt bike track and the southern a gocart track. The eastern side of the strip is a designated model aircraft area on CASA maps. If a fullsize "incident" occurred I would bet my right it would not be caused by any of these users, unless of course it was a Jet SIG member, appears they are allowed to flout the rules with impunity.
The "control tower" controversy is blown out of all proportion. It is not and has never been a "control tower" in reality a forest fire tower. This particular event was put together by members of the SWMAC to retire a much loved model plane, the planning was over a few weeks. To miss read this event as a momentary stupid decision one would be totally devoid of all the facts. I don't know of any CASA rules that were broken in "The Great Control Tower Controversy"
The truth is finally emerging that the "event" that caused the "intervention" of CASA was not this or any other "event" caused by or involving Bruce.
Bruce's only failure is that he has pissed off the hierarchy of the MFNZ and called them to task.
MFNZ's AGM is this month, I wonder if the situation will be dealt with or buried like it was at the last year. MFNZ has 2000+ members, at the last AGM only 120 or so members caste a vote. Hardly a representative body.