Cobar Shire Council is hoping to make the Cobar Regional Airport more inviting to aviators.
Council’s asset manger and manager of the airport Anil De Silva said council aims to obtain the maximum economic benefit from the airport in a sustainable manner.
“Boosting turnover of aviation fuel at Cobar is one of the strategic priorities for the airport management,” Mr De Silva said.
During the airport upgrade new self-service bowsers for aviation fuel were fitted.
Mr De Silva said until recently Cobar had been overlooked by many in the aviation industry as being an airport with high call out fees and high pricing.
He said with Cobar Avgas on average 16 cents per litre dearer than Bourke and 11 cents per litre dearer than Griffith, the general aviation community had shunned Cobar from their flight planning.
“We are working towards repairing this damaged reputation by various strategic actions and to promote Cobar as a low cost, reliable refuelling location for all aviators,” Mr De Silva said.
“Our direct competitors are Bourke and Griffith being on the same longitude as Cobar.
“Aircraft flying east to west (Sydney to Broken Hill and into SA) or aircraft flying from the Brisbane area to South Australia have a choice of sites for refuelling.
“Cobar is best positioned to take advantage of these routes as it is the least distance between Sydney and Broken Hill as an aircraft flies.”
Mr De Sliva said he now expects more aircraft to return on a regular basis as they can now expect a reliable service and price competitiveness.
He said this will also have favourable flow on benefits to the Cobar economy.
