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byron bay
Aero Club
Trouble in Paradise!
Byron Bay Aero Club members know we are lucky to fly in one of Australia's most beautiful scenic environments. But from time-to-time nature can make life hard for residents and creatures in our region. Tyagarah airfield is fortunately positioned and available as a critical emergency response operations base for small to medium sized aircraft, our community airstrip has provided a safe location to manage these types of flights for decades. Here are some examples of when an aeroplane can do jobs that cannot be completed with the speed nor efficiency of any other type of machine:
FIRE FIGHTING MISSIONS operated from Tyagarah with great success, reducing immediate response times, during major bush fire seasons of 2019-20, and more recently 2023 utilising the airfield for both Air and Ground mission critical operations.
WESTPAC EMERGENCY HELICOPTERS can land almost anywhere in dire emergency, But if time permits a landing area away from built up areas but with good road access makes the whole operation run much more smoothly and safely.
MAJOR FLOODING IN 2021-22 Supply and rescue missions were undertaken daily from Tyagarah during the extensive flooding in this period. Crews delivered everything from emergency medical equipment to farm and animal supplies to neighbouring Northern Rivers communities cut off by severe flooding for days on end. Link to FULL STORY here. Of all the Northern Rivers airfields Tyagarah along with Casino are the only two airfields remaining usable during catastrophic flood conditions.
ANGEL FLIGHT is a volunteer charity that provides non-emergency medical flights for country people to access medical treatment that would otherwise be unavailable to them because of vast distances or travel costs. Pilots contribute their time and aircraft free of charge and Tyagarah airfield has been a base for many Angel Flights over the years.