Spa airport about to close

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airazurxtror
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Spa airport about to close

Post by airazurxtror »

http://www.lameuse.be/663766/article/re ... 18-fevrier

Spa - La Sauvenière airport is about to be closed - its fate to be decided at a "meeting of the last chance" next monday.
It seems that the airport has no valid license, the Spa mineral water company is against it for fear of pollution, and the minister in charge is an Ecolo ...
IF IT AIN'T BOEING, I'M NOT GOING.

JAF737

Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by JAF737 »

Sadly, the airport is already closed down.
This has been done by Philippe Henry, the Walloon minister in charge and indeed an Ecolo...
This has also been done without any notice, leaving all the airport users without any backup plan.

Tens of employees work on the airport (Heli & Co, Skydive Center Spa - the biggest in Belgium with 25000 jumps a year, the Sunset bar/restaurant)...

That is totally crazy, and unacceptable. The city of SPA is clearly FOR the airfield. Only the water of Spa (Spadel) is complaining about a tiny risk of pollution in case of a crash near the airfield (which can still happen now anyway).

Of course nobody on the airfield will let this go that way...

jan_olieslagers
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

On a very cynical note: here's a new ground for Belgian unification. Up till this bit of bad news, I was thoroughly convinced that only Flemish politicians were able of this order of gross stupidity. Alas that I was wrong!

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earthman
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by earthman »

What makes you think that there are different kinds of politicians?

I think they all come from the same factory. Run by the people who thought it would be a great idea to outsource the development of the 787.

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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

They may all come from the same source, but Belgium, a major market of course, surely seems to get the most sparkling produce. "sparkling" is perhaps not the best word, but at least I avoided calling them "the brightest" ...

JAF737

Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by JAF737 »

Unfortunately, our journalists are far from being better than our politicians.
Oh well, they actually swim in the same poool anyway.

The real story is the following:

1) The airfield operating always had a valid permit. It had been renewed in September 2012.
2) After the permit renewal, Spadel (or Spa Monopole) introduced an appeal due to their ridiculous fear for pollution in the area.
3) All of a sudden, the Minister Philippe Henry noticed the person in charge of the Nature & Forests for the Walloon Region gave his "report" required for the permit renewal of Sept. 2012 too late.
4) This late advise actually allowed Henry to cancel the permit without any prior discussion. He also refused meetings with André Antoine in the past.

That is official.

An unbelievable story, as always in Belgium. Really sad but also quite worrying as real clowns take care of such matters (we have to remember that 40+ people are employed by various companies operating in EBSP).

JAF737

Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by JAF737 »

There is a petition for the airfield going on, please take one minute of your time to sign it!
You wouldn't want to scratch Spa on your VFR charts!

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Desert Rat
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by Desert Rat »

Done thanks

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Airbus330lover
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by Airbus330lover »

The question is : total amount paid to Henry by SPADEL ? (surely not official )

OO-PAL
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by OO-PAL »

Honestly, all of us who fly around Belgium know that EBSP is one of the nicest airports with its hard runway, beautiful surroundings and good & friendly staff. This closure is an attack against GA in the country. Is there anything GA pilots (and skydivers) could do against this decision besides the good petition which I have of course already signed ? I would certainly join in !...

Good landings to all,

OO-PAL

Flyuli
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by Flyuli »

Sowaer decided to close Spa airport tomorrow, another belgian story... We now waiting for the next chapter.

Yves

jan_olieslagers
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

And here's the sad official NOTAM confirmation:

B0578/13
From:21 FEB 13 16:48 Till:28 FEB 13 17:00 EST
Text:AD TEMPO CLOSED

Tomskii
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by Tomskii »

That's only a temporary close though Jan?

jan_olieslagers
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

This is not newspaper or television talk, this is an official communication. Reading official communications is an art in itself. I think in this case the proper interpretation is "the airfield is closed, but we have no idea whether this closure is temporary or permanent. You may however be sure it will not reopen before feb. 28th"
Most likely there will be more NOTAM's, extending the closure as new information becomes available.

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sn26567
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by sn26567 »

jan_olieslagers wrote:Most likely there will be more NOTAM's, extending the closure as new information becomes available.
The Walloon government might take a decision soon to reopen the aerodrome.
André
ex Sabena #26567

jan_olieslagers
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

They might.
Yes.
Perhaps.
Then again,
perhaps
they might not.


That's what's nice about official information: as little as it says, one may take it for fact. Well, in most civilised countries, at least.

JAF737

Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by JAF737 »

The Walloon Region simply has no valid reason to close the airfield.
Unfortunately, they have the power to close it down from day 1 to day 2 without any reason.

What Philippe Henry announced as a reason to suspend the permit of the airfield has been denied by the administration of the Walloon Region (he said that the required advice of the Forets & Nature division had been given too late, but it turned out to be false). Furthermore, ALL parties had given a POSITIVE advice and confirmed the airfield has NO negative impact on the nature, directly or indirectly.

Only Spadel (the water of Spa) is against the airfield and wants to close it down). Unfortunately, Henry is an ECOLO and is on their side. All his arguments are completely wrong and have been destroyed by various studies regarding the airfield. He also said the airfield costs a lot of public money - which is true - but what he "forgot" to mention is that it was supposed to become privately operated from 2013.

The problem is that no permit means no new operator...

It's sadly a political game, nothing more than that.

jan_olieslagers
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

To my sincere regret I expected correctly:

B0656/13
From:28 FEB 13 15:42 Till:07 MAR 13 17:00 EST
Text:AD TEMPO CLOSED

erikmoen
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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by erikmoen »

Gntlemen, we need to attack.
Mr. Henry, whilst in an official capacity, has been caught:
1. Misrepresenting facts (privatisation / new owner in 2013, position of the Municipality of Spa on the continuation of the airport)
2. Lying about a late report which was disputed by the Forest @ Nature Dep.
3. Callous disregard for the livelihood of 50 employees and their dependents
4. Pandering to the whims of a single company over the interests of so many constituents
5. Disgusting abuse of power in pursuit of his own agenda

Whilst politicians may have immunity in office, the immunity doesn't cover personal acts of misrepresentation, proven to have been lying to the constituents and abuse of power in pursuit of personal interests.

Governments do't wrong things, they don't do anything.
It's people who do things and hence People need to be addressed or attacked whatever the case may be.
Belgian ombudsman ?
EU ombudsman ?
Civil case to obtain a "stay of execution" / temporary injuction.

Give him a notice of intended prosecution at least ! It may give him and others reason to pause and maybe save the airport. Because that is what is about.

Any flying lawyers in the community willing to take up the glove and do battle?

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Re: Spa airport about to close

Post by jan_olieslagers »

and no end, as yet

FROM: 07 MAR 2013 16:09 TILL: 14 MAR 2013 17:00 EST
AD TEMPO CLOSED B0739/13

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