Last year Council agreed to a request from Glen Innes Regional Airport Pty Ltd (GIRA) to extend the construction commencement date. 

The Council resolved to vary the terms of the call option deed by extending the commencement date of the call option period to May 31 2016.

That deadline has passed and Director of Development, Planning and Regulatory Services Graham Price said the call option deed gives Council the right to claim the land back from Glen Innes Regional Airport.

“The three Directors of Australia Asia Flight Training (AAFT) comprising Kingsley Mundey, Phil Sweeney and Neil Hansford have requested time for a presentation to Councillors at the July 2016 meeting,” he said.

“The presentation will give the Council an overview of the progress to date in respect of the capital raising for the Flight Training Academy. 

“Council is again in a difficult position because if we do not extend the call option deed it would possibly kill off all chance of the development occurring as it is unsure who else would have the capacity to deliver such a project. 

Mr Price said locals have been patient in regards to construction starting on the flight school but that it may take a while longer to come to fruition.

“The funding of such a large scale capital project in Australia continues to provide difficulties for the proponents,” he said.

“As an example, it has taken the construction of Wind Farms in the area close to ten years for construction to commence from the first site meetings in 2006.”

Director of Australia Asia Flight Training Neil Hansford said funding is now at an advanced stage of due diligence which will allow the project to move forward to the legal requirements of all party’s involved.

“The complexity of the airport and training operations requires lawyers to go over things carefully,” he said.