Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia - RFACA

25/05/2026

Aviation workers, pilots and operators across Australia are facing a sharp increase in the cost of mandatory security identification cards from late June

25/05/2026

Another mandatory cost increase for aviation workers ✈️⚠️

New reporting from Australian Flying confirms Aviation Security Identification Card costs are set to double from late June, rising from around $240 to around $480.

RFACA President Lachlan Hyde said the sector understands the need for appropriate security measures, but the way this increase has been introduced is unacceptable.

“Doubling the practical cost of an ASIC with limited consultation and short lead time is another direct hit to the people who keep aviation moving in Australia,” Mr Hyde said.

The ASIC increase comes on top of fuel, insurance, maintenance, airport charges, proposed annual VH aircraft registration fees and broader cost pressures already affecting general aviation.

RFACA is calling for proper consultation and a serious assessment of the cumulative cost impact on small operators, regional aviation workers, flight training organisations and the future aviation workforce pipeline.

Security matters. But national security measures should be transparent, proportionate and implemented with genuine industry consultation.

Read the full story here: https://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/asic-costs-set-to-double-as-industry-demands-consultation

21/05/2026

The Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week reported on a proposal to build 30,000 homes on the airport site and extend the metro line at least one more stop, but both AMG and its owner Aware Super have told Australian Aviation that those plans are not on the cards.

21/05/2026

Bankstown Airport is not surplus land ✈️🛑

New reporting from confirms Aeria Management Group and Aware Super have ruled out residential redevelopment of Bankstown Airport following media reports of a possible 30,000-home “mini-city” proposal.

That reassurance is welcome.

But the broader issue remains: Bankstown Airport must remain aviation-first.

Bankstown is Sydney’s primary general aviation airport, a major flight training hub, and a critical part of the Sydney Basin aviation network. It supports emergency and aeromedical operations, aircraft maintenance, charter, aviation small businesses and Australia’s future aviation workforce.

RFACA supports investment that strengthens the airport’s role, including better hangars, maintenance capability, training infrastructure, emergency service facilities and improved public transport access.

But airport land should be protected first and foremost for aviation and aviation-supporting uses.

The test should not be whether development can be squeezed onto airport land. The test should be whether it strengthens the airport’s aviation role.

If it does not support aviation, it should not be on aviation land.

The next Bankstown Airport Master Plan will be critical.

Swipe through for a summary of the key points from the article and you can find the full feature here - https://australianaviation.com.au/2026/05/bankstown-airport-operator-scotches-redevelopment-rumours/

19/05/2026

The Budget this month pledged $66.5 million over four years from 2026–27 to “support [CASA] to continue its critical safety and regulatory functions”, and noted that “annual VH aircraft registrations [will] be introduced to improve regulatory compliance and safety outcomes”.

19/05/2026

Bankstown Airport is not surplus land.

The Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia is deeply concerned by today’s Sydney Morning Herald report regarding a possible large-scale residential redevelopment concept for Bankstown Airport.

Bankstown is nationally significant aviation infrastructure. It supports flight training, emergency services, aeromedical operations, maintenance, charter, business aviation and the wider Sydney Basin aviation network.

Sydney needs more housing, but housing supply must not come at the cost of Australia’s aviation workforce pipeline, emergency response capability and sovereign aviation infrastructure.

Western Sydney International Airport is not a like-for-like replacement for Bankstown’s general aviation, training, maintenance and emergency service functions. These operations have specific requirements and form part of an established aviation ecosystem that cannot simply be relocated.

RFACA welcomes the Federal Government’s reported recognition that Bankstown Airport continues to play an important role in light aircraft movements, air ambulance services and pilot training, and that the current airport master plan does not permit residential redevelopment.

We have commenced urgent enquiries with relevant stakeholders and will be seeking clarity from the airport lessee, the Commonwealth Government and NSW representatives.

Any proposal affecting Bankstown Airport’s aviation function must involve full consultation with airport users, flight training organisations, emergency service operators, maintenance providers, charter operators and the broader aviation industry.

Bankstown Airport’s future cannot be determined through property-led planning without the aviation sector at the table.

Some senior figures in the NSW government are aware of and actively supporting the idea, as the government looks for options for more housing density after its plan to convert the Rosehill Racecourse to a mini-city of 25,000 homes was scuttled by Australian Turf Club members last year.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/mr2cyxn8

14/05/2026

Another annual cost for VH aircraft owners? ✈️⚠️

New reporting from Australian Flying confirms the Australian Government has decided to introduce an annual VH aircraft registration scheme from 1 July 2027.

RFACA President Lachlan Hyde said a recurring charge on every VH aircraft would be a significant policy shift and should not first come to industry’s attention through a brief line in a Budget paper.

RFACA has not endorsed an annual VH registration charge.

We are seeking urgent clarification on the safety rationale, cost-recovery model, proposed fee structure, administrative cost, consequences of non-renewal, and any concessions or exemptions for aero clubs, flying schools, heritage aircraft, restoration projects and low-utilisation private aircraft.

If this is genuinely about data integrity, the system must be simple, digital, low-cost and proportionate; not another unnecessary impost on aircraft owners, aero clubs, and flying schools.

Swipe through for a summary of the key points from the article and you can read the full story here: https://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/annual-vh-aircraft-registration-confirmed-for-2027

14/05/2026

The Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia has called for urgent clarification from CASA and the federal government over a Budget measure that could introduce an annual registration charge for ev...

24/04/2026

We’re staying in the air ✈️✅

Huge news for Sydney aviation community. Following our intense industry advocacy and the submission of our Position Paper, the formal response is in: The proposed 3-minute traffic-levelling mandate for the Sydney Basin and booking system for Bankstown Airport have been officially withdrawn.

As the letter from the Minister’s office confirms, Airservices Australia will now maintain "tactical management” which is the flexible, professional approach our industry needs to keep pilots moving.

This is what happens when the industry stands together. A huge thank you to the coalition of flight schools, Aeria Management Group, and every pilot who supported this campaign. Bankstown remains the engine room of Australian aviation 🛫

Aeria Management Group Basair Aviation College UNSW Aviation SFC Australia Bankstown Flying School Flight Academy Bankstown Royal Aero Club of New South Wales Sydney Flying Academy Sydney Flight Training P/L Australian Flying