General News
7 January, 2020
Aviation industry’s future clouded
THE future of aviation in Australia is in decline, according to Cobden’s Warren Ponting.
THE future of aviation in Australia is in decline, according to Cobden’s Warren Ponting.
Mr Ponting, along with a number of Cobden Aerodrome representatives met with Member for Wannon and Minister for Education Dan Tehan in a bid to get federal attention, on what they see as a decline in the future of aviation.
He said the “state of flying is dying”.
“It’s (aviation) over regulated, we’re trying to make it easier and cheaper for kids to get their licence,” Mr Ponting said.
“We just want to promote aviation.
“We want kids to be able to learn to fly as part of their VCE if they want to.
“It’s not just in Cobden, it is industry wide.”
As well as being the airport reporting officer for Cobden, he is also currently attempting to complete his pilot licence.
However, Mr Ponting said the process had been difficult due to a lack of instructors in south west Victoria.
“There’s no instructors left in Warrnambool, Ballarat, Cobden or Portland,” he said.
“There’s virtually no flying schools left.
“We have got guys there that could be instructors, but there’s too many hoops to jump through.
“The state of aviation in Australia is in decline.”
Mr Ponting said without “young blood” coming through the industry there would be no pilots left.