Comment thread for Aldinga Airport, Australia

Hi - my name is David Megginson, founder and creator of OurAirports (which I run as a hobby site, as free time permits). I've been watching this discussion over the past few months, and thought I should kick in. As a private pilot and aircraft owner based in Ottawa, Canada, I have no experience with Aldinga Airport (good or bad), and no ability to verify the truth of any of the claims made here. I've chosen to let the discussion run on because I haven't seen anything that I'd classify as hate speech (such as racial slurs) or spam, and I generally try not to interfere with discussions under any other circumstances.

I am going to pitch in my $0.02 here, however, not as site owner, but as a regular user. My gut feeling is that people (whether right or wrong) are sincere on all sides of this discussion. I understand that things have been very emotional (as they would be for me if this were about my home airport), and I do hope that eventually you'll be able to work everything out. Both in Canada and Australia, we have too many battles to fight with the opponents of general aviation to waste time fighting among ourselves. In the meantime, please feel free to keep using OurAirports as a (civil) discussion forum. If I ever have the chance to visit Oz, I hope to visit many of your airports there. If any of you happens to be in central Canada, please feel free to send me a message at david dot megginson at gmail dot com, and I'll be happy to meet you in Ottawa (or, sometimes, Toronto or Montreal) for a coffee and an airport visit.

Reply to @david:

i think that anyone who studied the English language could quickly work out that all the negative posts regarding Aldinga have come from the one source. Aldinga is a great place to fly and visit. good people, great food and a great atmosphere.

sadly a few events that transpired some years ago have embittered one individual to the point where his vendetta against Adelaide BiPlanes and their owners, Martyn and Gaelene Smith, have clouded his judgement and his ability to act in a civilized manner.

this person has carried on a continual barrage of abuse and intimidation against the Smiths. you will only find his side of the argument in a public forum. the Smiths, on the other hand, have continued to ignore the torrent of bile this bigoted individual has continued to heap upon them, and remain silent.

Not long after taking over the flying school at Aldinga, Martyn and Gaylene lost their 19 year old son in an aircraft accident. unbeknown to anyone at the time, the pilot had lost his medical, and was disqualified from flying, let alone the low level aerobatics that he was carrying out when he drove his aircraft into the ground killing himself and their son instantly. Both his mother and sister witnessed this tragedy. i doubt that anyone could imagine the horrific images that must go through their minds, and how they have dealt with the grief of losing their son and brother. as a father also, Gaylene's comment to me one day remains firmly etched in my mind, "i smelled my son burning". put yourself in her shoes.

despite this, the individual concerned has continued his tirade of abuse and intimidation.

i know this person and he knows me. like the rest of the reasonable minded aviators at Aldinga i have lost my patience with him after finding this site and the things that he has continued to post. i am appalled at his malice and continued hounding of the Smiths and hope that this thread and all its posts will be removed to give the Smiths some respite.

my most fervent hope is that this bigoted individual goes back to South Africa and takes his toxic mind with him.

Well well well. So some spineless creature who does not have the testicular fortitude is maybe pointing a finger at me, Chris Wise.

I did identify myself on this site and had my say, but it seems like we now have someone who incorrectly assumes (Never assume as it makes a ASS out U and ME )'

Now put yourself in Gaylene's shoes who may have instigated this post.

Everyone, And I mean everyone gave Martyn and Gaylene and Bonnie all the support in the world. My wife and I felt for them in a big way.

We lost our son last year, but we are not taking this out on anybody else.

And here lies the nucleus of the problem.

Gaylene has engaged in a vendetta againts aviators in Australia who she thinks have done wrong. She has attempted to dob aviators in at events other than at Aldinga.

THe classic was when she, with her husband present, ran to CASA because she had heard stories about the antics of some pilots at a gathering at Mick and Di's Skypark at Port Lincoln.

When CASA advised her that it was a private show and that they could not attend these events unless invited, she asked why they could not hide in the tress and wach what was going on.

So, this had nothing to do with them. But this is only one inc incident of dobbing.

This is not the Australian way of doing things, one talks to the alleged offender first IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU.

Then Mr Smith tells me that the Australians have a terrible flying culture and when asked about it, He says that he is going to change it, This from a POM who had only recently arrived in Australia.

Look, at the end of the day, we all do sympathize with the Smiths, but they cannot take what happened to them out on the whole industry.

This is why, not just me, but many others in the flying fraternity have had enough of their dobbing arrogant attitude.

Read the posts, quite obviously the author of the last post has a fixation that I am the author of then. WRONG

One must remember that the Smiths thru the first stones and naturally some people will throw a stone back and they should learn to take the return flack that they so happily dish out.

I did post an article asking that all of this be put to rest, but if this snake in the grass wishes to continue with the trash, then please, identify yourself if you have the courage and BRING IT ON.

So if you are referring to me and my accurate opinions and assumptions of the Smiths which is quite obviously shared by many others, then instead of making accusations without identifying yourself and stand up and be accounted for, or are you also going to be another anonymous gutless dobber.

Now, If you are indeed referring to me, I am not bigoted and nor do I have a toxic mind. Only towards those who see fit to unjustifiably harm me or my mates, then it becomes more that toxic, it becomes very angry.

So what now Ms anonymous.

Oh by the way, I did respect the views on this site and did in my posting some time back ask that any issues relating to any problems etc in regard to the tenant of Aldinga Aviation, Adelaide Biplanes, should address these problems with our new progressive board.

I did ask that we should all put this to rest as the subject had been flogged to death. I wonder what inspired an individual with such a obvious poisoned twisted mind to incorrect assume and post such a mentally unbalanced tirade? Whether it be against me or not.