GRAND CENTRAL REVIEW
November 2020
141
GRAND CENTRAL REVIEW
GRAND
CENTRAL AIRPORT Grand Central was once one of the busiest General aviation airports in South Africa. Unfortunately, bad management in the past few years has meant that many of its tenants are leaving. One of the more recent departures has been the key tenant Safomar who moved to the more accommodating Rand Airport, and other helicopter operators who have moved to the nearby Ultimate Heliport. The large terminal building – which was once famously described as having the architecture of Lenin’s tomb – is now looking worryingly deserted.
A combination of high rents and poor management has pushed many of the larger tenants out of 142 November 2020 Grand Central.
The terminal building - architecture reminiscent of Lenin's tomb.
FOR an ideally located general aviation airport,
currently park in the open. However, this idea
the potential should be huge. Recognising this the
will only see fruition once there is a recognised
owners made a significant investment in August
demand from enough charter companies to
2014 when the runway was redone. But unlike
support a complete large scale building plan in
Rand Airport, in terms of future development,
order to prevent having to redo work at a later
Grand Central can’t expand because the
stage. The plan also has to be approved by
surrounding land is owned by Old Mutual.
the shareholders of the airport, a consortium
The running down of the airport plays into the
of companies mainly with a property and
hands of Old Mutual Properties which is reportedly
investment background. In the current constrained
looking quite seriously at using the land for the
environment this has to be considered unlikely.
development of their multi-billion Rand Zonk’izizwe project. Pre-Covid-19 they were however, still in serious discussions with airport management to
INTERNATIONAL STATUS Grand Central has long hoped to regain its
find out how best to use the land for offices, taking
international status, which its lost in 1998, but
into consideration the aircraft movements.
the security requirements are too considered too
Like all other GA facilities Grand Central has
cumbersome for the diminished airport.
been hard it by Covid-19. Part of the 2020 ‘master plan’ was to build hangars and do renovations on the southern end of the airport where aircraft
TENANT RELATIONS A challenge for any airport is balancing November 2020
143
relationships with tenants while remembering that an airport is ultimately a business. One of the biggest issues for the tenants has been the rentals that Grand Central charges. But for the convenience of having a 1850 m tarred runway, air traffic control, fuel available seven days a week and maintenance staff on hand five days a week, the airport maintains that the rates are market related.
ABOVE: Under Covid-19 pressures and the loss of tenants the main building is worringly empty.
Grand Central currently has a generator that powers the runway lights and control tower in the
there are now signs warning people who park their
event of a power failure, but is looking at getting
cars on the side of Grand Central Boulevard of
enough generators to power the entire airport.
the risk. This is largely due to the open land being
Security is another challenge. The airport is
used as a thoroughfare and the police refusing to
guarded 24/7 – but there is a crime problem right
enter into any joint venture patrols. Old Mutual has
outside the gates. There have been a number of
erected fences around some of the open land, and
incidents where cars parked outside the premises
the airport has engaged with them about putting
have been broken into or stolen, to the extent that
up more fencing.
Central Aerospace Medicine
D
r KA Ingham is a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner with rooms situated in the immediate vicinity of OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg and Grand Central, Midrand.Dr Ingham is an experience Aviation Medical Examiner with a career beginning in 1969 as a Flight Surgeon at Langebaan Air Force Base. As a registered Senior SACAA Aviation Medical Examiner, Dr Ingham’s practice (Central Aerospace Medicine) is suitably equipped to carry out the full range of medical examinations necessary for aviation relevant to pilots, operating under licences issued in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and all European States (EASA).
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November 2020
He is in possession of a CertiďŹ cate in Travel Medicine, a Diploma in Public Health and BSc (Hons) Aerospace Medicine. He is a Diving Medical Examiner and is registered with the Department of Labour for professional divers. He is registered with the Department of Transport (Maritime Safety Authority) for medical examinations of Seafarers. For more information contact Dr Ingham on:Tel: (011) 315-5817 Email: kaingham@hotmail.com Website: www.aerospace-medicine-sa.co.za
SA Flyer 2020|11
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November 2020
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November 2020
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