Virginia Airport has been around for more than 50 years, and has become almost a monument to the residents Durban North, Virginia and Umhlanga, the coming and going of light aircraft a constant reminder of the industry at this busy little airport. Pilots and business owners of Virginia airport breathed a sigh of relief recently when the airport’s lease was extended for another 10 years.
There had been talk that the airport may close, with lease agreements being due next year, but to everyone’s surprise the eThekwini Municipality announced that leases at the city’s only general aviation facility would be extended, with no fuss at all.
The Virginia Airport is managed by Indiza, which is contracted by eThekwini Municipality to run the airport.
Deputy Mayor, Nomvuso Shabalala, visited the airport a few weeks ago and confirmed that the lease had indeed been extended. A tour was led by Vaughan Peacock, a representative of the operators at the airport, and councillor Dean Macpherson, to give the deputy mayor and head of the eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development Unit, Shunnon Tulsiram, an up-close and personal take on life at the airport.
Tulsiram said the airport ran at a loss, and ways had to be found to make it more financially viable.
The airport boasts several small businesses, with charter companies and flight schools being based at the airport. Training pilots from all over the world use Virginia airport as a base to develop skills, further their studies and get flying hours under their belts. In part, this is due to the reasonable pricing structure offered by local schools, which make training far more feasible. The airport has had a tough economic time, however, with flights down and training schools closing.
“Virginia is the only general aviation field that exists in the Durban area. It is looking a little shabby and people do not want to invest as its future is uncertain. With the extended 10-year lease, people will start fixing up their businesses” said Peacock.
Manager of the airport, Glen Bryce admitted, “business was slow and the council needed a lot of money to make the airport more viable to attract more clientele”.
The airport is beneficial to the local economy and the city as it is, providing many employment opportunities. Now the lease has been extended, the appearance and maintenance of the little airport is expected to improve dramatically, with their being no more uncertainty for the future of the tenants at the airfield.
And so the news of Virginia’s lease extension has been met with smiles all around by most of the operators at the airport. – By Danielle Sheedy