Merimbula Aircraft Maintenance (MAM) is the only aircraft maintenance facility between Gippsland and Moruya for pilots travelling or operating on the eastern coast of Victoria or south coast of New South Wales. A family owned and operated business for 30 years, it is now under threat by Bega Valley Shire Council's draft master plan for the airport. The new master plan shows the MAM hangar as repurposed as either a car rental business, or removed entirely for the purpose of car parking. If it proceeds, this plan would force the closure of this vital business and introduce a stretch of around 600km of coastline without an aviation maintenance facility.
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Recently an aircraft was stranded on the Merimbula runway with an undercarriage problem. This incident required two GA aircraft in the vicinity to hold for around half an hour while the aircraft was removed. Given that Merimbula services around 10 RPT movements per day, this could have been highly impactful to those flights if services were not available to promptly recover the damaged aircraft.If you've travelled via Merimbula airport, or have been in the unfortunate situation of requiring assistance with your aircraft, you've very likely met Rex Koerbin and his family.
When PAC was under threat a few years ago, the aviation community rallied around us in support. If you can spare a minute, sign the petition to indicate your support for Merimbula Aircraft Maintenance and do your bit to help keep this important business operating at Merimbula airport.
This petition is only available until the 17th of March (next Sunday), so ACT NOW
So go tohttps://www.change.org/p/save-aircraft-maintenance-services-at-merimbula-airportand sign. Petition closes this Sunday. It takes only a couple of minutes at most.