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Inishbofin Airport

  • 04-06-2008 11:12pm
    #1
    de breeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39 ✭


    Latest west of Ireland O'Cuiv re-election stunt takes the art of the taxpayer fleece to a whole new level. To provide airlift capacity to the not very remote Galway island he is writing cheques to the tune of (gasp) €7million on our account. That's a gift of €35k for each of the island's inhabitants.

    The money will deliver serious 'infrastructure' in the form of airstrips in Clifden and on Bofin.

    His colleague Noel Dempsey is fond of telling us that the Govt will spend €35 billion on transport over 10 years. But that's only 8 grand each for those of us not privileged to live in Paradiso O'Cuiv.

    I might have dropped a zero or two but quick mental arithmetic suggests if O'Cuiv style 'investment' were extended nationally he'd get through €140Bn.

    The man's a legend and I just can't understand why he hasn't made Minister for Finance or even Taoiseach


Comments

  • #2
    invincibleirish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭invincibleirish


    Is it correct that this 10 minute flight will be in competition with a 40min ferry?


  • #3
    de breeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39 ✭de breeze


    It gets worse according to todays IT there's already an airstrip near Rossaveal - the french wing man 'flew' into it yesterday (though not literally!).

    But then again why have a 20 min airlift when O'Cuiv gifts you 10 mins with someone else's money


  • #4
    crushproof
    Registered Users Posts: 2,710 ✭✭✭crushproof


    As a regular visitor to the island, I can tell you that most locals didn't want this airstrip to be build and it was business interests that pushed it. It makes little difference to local people and tourists alike, you can fly to Clifden but still have to spend an hour or so getting to Galway city by bus or car!
    And there's already a helipad on the island in case of severe weather and supplies cant be shipped in.
    Absolute waste of money if you ask me, could have been spent on providing every island with an adequate fire service which is badly needed


  • #5
    Pgibson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 406 ✭✭Pgibson


    The airstrip is a dead cert to make a HUGE profit,even in the short term.

    The spectacular scenery (some of the most beautiful in Northern Europe)
    assures that.

    See: http://www.goconnemara.com/

    That whole area cries out for up-to-date transport links.

    Those modern links will also make it one of the wealthiest places in Europe,or I'll eat my hat.

    Paul.


  • #6
    alcockandbrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭alcockandbrown


    I will be one of the pilots operating the new service between Clifden & West Connemara Airport and Inishbofin Airstrip.
    Flight duration from take off to Landing will be 4 minutes on average. Flights with Headwinds will take 5-6 minutes, flights with tail winds 3 minutes. So it will be a fast service when compared to the sea transport service currently provided.

    Both Airports will create many Jobs. Ie, Terminal staff, ground handling staff, flight crew, Fire cover staff etc.
    Also, Connemara is beautiful place. And one way to really appreciate its true beauty is to look at from a birds eye angle!

    Hopefully general aviation will also take place here so other local people can learn to fly aircraft and visiting aircraft will be very welcome.

    Flying would be the cheapest form of transport if almost everybody used it on daily basis. Just think how much it costs to build roads! The air is a medium in which we can travel for free with no tax to fill in pot holes etc and much more room to move about it meaning less traffic collisions!!

    Its been proven, the most popular helicopter in the world, The Robinson R44 is actually less complicated to build than a Nissan Micra. That is fact and these helicopters would be the same price as a nissan micra if built in the right numbers. The Helicopter today is where the car was around the year 1910 so in about 50-60 years time everyone will be flying around in some sort of a flying machine, flying car if you want to call it that biggrin.gif
    As a flight instructor, any person who can take 84 away from 100 and read their star sign in the back of the papers is smart enough to get a licence. Its really not that hard and much more fun and safer than a car..


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  • #7
    CrowdedHouse
    Registered Users Posts: 6,800 ✭✭✭CrowdedHouse


    What kind of aircraft and what will the fare be to Inishbofin ?

    We visit Inishbofin a few times a year and even though I don't like boats I find the voyage pleasant enough...and we can take our dogs. I don't think I'd be prepared to pay a similar premium to the Aran Islands flights

    Just my 2 cents

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/crowdedhouse/sets/72157594174165693/

    Seven Worlds will Collide



  • #8
    crushproof
    Registered Users Posts: 2,710 ✭✭✭crushproof


    alcockandbrown wrote: »
    I will be one of the pilots operating the new service between Clifden & West Connemara Airport and Inishbofin Airstrip.
    Flight duration from take off to Landing will be 4 minutes on average. Flights with Headwinds will take 5-6 minutes, flights with tail winds 3 minutes. So it will be a fast service when compared to the sea transport service currently provided.

    Both Airports will create many Jobs. Ie, Terminal staff, ground handling staff, flight crew, Fire cover staff etc.
    Also, Connemara is beautiful place. And one way to really appreciate its true beauty is to look at from a birds eye angle!

    Hopefully general aviation will also take place here so other local people can learn to fly aircraft and visiting aircraft will be very welcome.

    Flying would be the cheapest form of transport if almost everybody used it on daily basis. Just think how much it costs to build roads! The air is a medium in which we can travel for free with no tax to fill in pot holes etc and much more room to move about it meaning less traffic collisions!!

    Its been proven, the most popular helicopter in the world, The Robinson R44 is actually less complicated to build than a Nissan Micra. That is fact and these helicopters would be the same price as a nissan micra if built in the right numbers. The Helicopter today is where the car was around the year 1910 so in about 50-60 years time everyone will be flying around in some sort of a flying machine, flying car if you want to call it that biggrin.gif
    As a flight instructor, any person who can take 84 away from 100 and read their star sign in the back of the papers is smart enough to get a licence. Its really not that hard and much more fun and safer than a car..


    Whens the airstrip opening? 5 minutes over to Bofin from Clifden, that's amazing! Do you know how regular the daily service will be? Hope the planes won't be too loud, don't want them disturbing my lie in's in Murrays :D


  • #9
    CrowdedHouse
    Registered Users Posts: 6,800 ✭✭✭CrowdedHouse


    crushproof wrote: »
    don't want them disturbing my lie in's in Murrays :D

    Been There Done That and very pleasant too :D

    Seven Worlds will Collide



  • #10
    Poster King
    Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭Poster King


    Any update on if/when the airstrip will open for business? Will it be possible to fly direct from airports other than Clifden?


  • #11
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,235 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Poster King wrote: »
    Any update on if/when the airstrip will open for business?
    Nobody is willing to pay for it.
    Poster King wrote: »
    Will it be possible to fly direct from airports other than Clifden?
    If you have a small enough aircraft and big enough demand.

    The airfields are here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,453738,765515,6,10 and here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,461903,756614,6,3


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  • #12
    fullgas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭fullgas


    I can't believe they built this - what a waste of money.


  • #13
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    I drove out to the clifden airfield the last day and boy is it remote. I can't see an awful lot of people using this when it's open. Would it not have made more sense to route traffic into Inverin at the very least, instead of building a €6 million stretch of tarmac on a bog ages away from anything.


  • #14
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    yer man! wrote: »
    I drove out to the clifden airfield the last day and boy is it remote. I can't see an awful lot of people using this when it's open. Would it not have made more sense to route traffic into Inverin at the very least, instead of building a €6 million stretch of tarmac on a bog ages away from anything.

    Any airlink should be to Carnmore - Galway City, where people actually want to go. Clifden getting the strip is the same as the riduclous parochialism that had the flights to the Aran Islands moved to Inverin in the first place.


  • #15
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    MYOB wrote: »
    Any airlink should be to Carnmore - Galway City, where people actually want to go. Clifden getting the strip is the same as the riduclous parochialism that had the flights to the Aran Islands moved to Inverin in the first place.

    I agree with you there, but wasn't there an issue years ago with aer arann not being allowed to fly aran island traffic through carnmore? I remember someone mentioning it on this a while back, traffic was too great to carnmore or something and it wasn't cost effective to run flights out of it at the time.


  • #16
    rainbowdash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 878 ✭✭✭rainbowdash


    Can anybody explain why there have never been flights from Shannon to the Aran Islands?

    Its not that far flying distance and obviously tourists flying into Shannon could do a tour of Clare and / or Galway, head to the Aran Islands then fly straight back to Shannon from the Aran Islands and then connect back home to wherever they came from.

    It would seem to be logical for me.

    It would also suit residents of the Aran Islands who have emigrated.


  • #17
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,235 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    rainbowdash wrote: »
    Can anybody explain why there have never been flights from Shannon to the Aran Islands?
    Much of the Aran Islands business is price sensitive and operating from Shannon wouldn't be economic.


  • #18
    jenningso
    Registered Users Posts: 131 ✭✭jenningso


    http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0129/676421-island-airstrips-pac/

    It's an old story and an old post, I know, but I think this needs stating:

    €9m spent / 160 population = €56,250 per head on air services that never even took off. I'm lost for words..........


  • #19
    Bray Head
    Registered Users Posts: 892 ✭✭✭Bray Head


    Did a single Galway TD every oppose this boondoggle and/or suggest better ways to spend it on the island?
    I haven't been there in 20 years but I remember watching the loading of livestock on the island's pier which was pretty hazardous.


  • #20
    Grandeeod
    Registered Users Posts: 12,064 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    The issue really needs to be looked at in the context of crazy spending during a particular era. However, the fact that the infrastructure is idle is a really poor indictment.


  • #21
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    jenningso wrote: »
    http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0129/676421-island-airstrips-pac/

    It's an old story and an old post, I know, but I think this needs stating:

    €9m spent / 160 population = €56,250 per head on air services that never even took off. I'm lost for words..........

    The west really needs Airports and trains it will never use :mad::mad:


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  • #22
    jenningso
    Registered Users Posts: 131 ✭✭jenningso


    Bray Head wrote: »
    Did a single Galway TD every oppose this boondoggle and/or suggest better ways to spend it on the island?
    I haven't been there in 20 years but I remember watching the loading of livestock on the island's pier which was pretty hazardous.

    A beautiful Island I have to say and the islanders do deserve appropriate infrastructure. But the spend on this is disgusting; to see the strips lie idle with probably grass growing on them is frustrating for islanders and mainlanders alike I'm sure. When you see this kind of money spent on crap like this when they are new schools needed up and down the country, beggars belief. And when you ask about TDs opposing, I can only reply by saying Eamonn O'Cuiv was fully supportive of this project................


  • #23
    Paddico
    Registered Users Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭Paddico


    jenningso wrote: »
    http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0129/676421-island-airstrips-pac/

    It's an old story and an old post, I know, but I think this needs stating:

    9m spent / 160 population = 56,250 per head on air services that never even took off. I'm lost for words..........
    That story is incredible. Eamon O Cuiv ..... what a total spanner!!


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