RUNWAY rehabilitation works at the Cobden Airstrip were given a big ‘thumbs up’ by the pilot of a 20-seater Embraer aircraft, shortly after landing on the new surface last Friday morning.
A bitumen seal was completed just a day prior to the first official landing on the surface, with work crews taking a short break from line marking to allow for the arrival.
King Island Airlines pilot Leigh Faulkner, who flew a group of visiting British and American tourists from Moorabbin to Cobden, said he was extremely pleased with the new surface and was confident it would be appreciated by all those who landed at the strip.
“I’ve been landing here for several years now, bringing tourists to the area, but in the past I’ve been quite concerned about the possibility of
propeller damage because of the rough surface,” Mr Faulkner said.
“But this new bitumen seal is terrific and it has alleviated any concerns. Today’s landing was much smoother, the sealed areas are great and even the graded section in between is quite smooth.
“It certainly makes us (pilots) feel very comfortable in bringing an aircraft of this size to Cobden and I’m sure the RFD (Royal Flying Doctor) will also feel quite comfortable landing here.
“From a safety aspect, this is certainly money well spent.”
Mr Faulkner brought with him a group of visitors from the UK and US who were keen to spend a day along the Great Ocean Road, stopping at various tourist attractions along the way.
“The Cobden Airstrip, with this new surface, will no doubt be well utilised by both tourism operators and local pilots for years to come.”
The runway rehabilitation works included widening the first 200 metres from the northern end from 10 metres to 18 metres and creating a widened turning node at both ends.
The total cost of the project was anticipated to be around $100,000.
More than half of this amount (just over $55,000) has been raised by members of the Airstrip Fundraising Committee.
Committee member Phillip Robertson said he was thrilled with the response received from the community to the fundraising initiative and he thanked all those who had donated, large and small.
“This has been a great team effort by a small committee and we are justifiably proud,” he said.
“Last Friday was a very exciting day for both us and the Cobden community as a whole; to see the first plane touch down and to hear such positive comments from the pilot was fantastic.”
Local residents and recreational pilots, Garth McLennan and Lou Matthews said they were both excited to watch the Embraer land and were keen to use the new surface themselves.
“The original strip was built in 1983 primarily to accommodate the air ambulance, but over the years craft have gotten bigger and there was a dire need to widen the strip,” Mr McLennan said.
“This has certainly been a long time in the making. Pip Robertson and the fundraising committee have to be congratulated on a great effort. The committee, in conjunction with the shire, have worked long and hard to have these works completed. This strip is now something we can all be proud of.”