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JOY flights in fighter aircraft will be able to continue in the region after Bathurst Regional Council approved a request from Fastjet Adventure Flights.
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The joy flight provider has been operating at Bathurst Aerodrome for a number of years, but its permit is due for reapplication in the next 12 months.
Under the Air Navigation (Aircraft Noise) Regulation, aircraft operators seeking to conduct adventure joy flights using either propeller aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 1500 kilograms, or jet aircraft, must apply to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport for an operating permit.
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To obtain a permit, aircraft operators are required to liaise with both the local council responsible for the aerodrome and the aerodrome owner (if owned separately) to obtain a letter in support of the permit application.
Fastjet contacted council recently with a request to continue its operations and, at its October 19 ordinary meeting, council resolved to support the request.
Adventure joy flights will be able to be conducted from the aerodrome for a period of five years, subject to a number of conditions.
These include that no circuits, aerobatics or over flights are permitted within the Bathurst area; jet operations are to be restricted to between the hours of 8am and 7pm; noise abatement procedures are to be practised during take-off and landing; and landing charges are to be paid in accordance with council's fees and charges.
Fastjet conducts its joy flights using two different aircraft, a L-39 Albatros jet aircraft and a CJ-6 Nanchang radial engine propellor aircraft.
The L-39 Albatros is a jet fighter / training aircraft developed by the former state of Czechoslovakia and dates from the 1970s. It is a small jet with a maximum take-off weight of 4700kg and has a top speed of 750km/h.
The CJ-6 Nanchang is a radially powered, propeller-driven 1950s Chinese trainer / fighter aircraft with a top speed of 300km/h. It has a maximum take-off weight of 1400kg.
Council's director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, said the joy flight arrangement is expected to cause minimal impact upon the overall noise footprint of the aerodrome, as has been the case since the arrangement began.
"Council has received no formal complaints on this matter to date," he said.
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