FEARING further delays could impact a Cohuna Aerodrome upgrade, a rally initiated by the Cohuna Aviation Club was held yesterday to highlight the importance of a new facility in the town.
More than 100 community members banded together at Garden Park in a bid to show their support for a new aerodrome facility.
It comes after a $2.57 million election promise was announced in May as part of the federal government’s Regional Aviation Fund to improve the Cohuna Aerodrome facility to become an emergency air traffic hub — which would allow for lifesaving medical flights and heavy duty firefighting aircraft.
The funding would be used to develop the runway with an upgraded load bearing so it would be capable of taking “force and effect landings of a 717 in an emergency”, according to Cohuna Aviation Club president Andrew Gibbs.
However, delays in the process have caused angst and worry throughout the Cohuna Aviation Club and the wider community.
Mr Gibbs said any further delays could really impact the project.
“Delays run a real risk of the Federal Government grant being put in jeopardy, because the academy is quickly expanding across the Murray River, and if Cohuna doesn’t get a flying school up and running soon, we’ll miss out altogether and they’ll operate around us.”
Cohuna Aviation Club vice president John Smith urged the community to continue to ask questions and show their support for the proposed upgrade.
