Photographing Planes at Bankstown PROHIBITED

[damian f]

All,

If you have read Thread 1 about YSSY - I also sent a letter to Bankstown Airport about taking pictures of planes and got worse news...

According to BAL, taking photos of any plane from any place at or around the airport is now PROHIBITED following BAL receiving a memo from the 'Office of Transport Security' to discourage and halt such practices.

Even if you take a punt and remain behind the fence, and you are seen and reported to BAL, you will be asked to leave. Further action with State Police may even proceed.

There goes my wonderful afternoon of spotting at Bankstown!!! Doh

Again, interested to hear opinion about this...

Damian

[Nigel C]

I'm not going to say the Office of Transport Security ruling is right or wrong, but I will say that there is a proportion of those who have airside access who use their ASIC for purposes beyond its legal use. It is not BAL's choice to enforce that ruling, so any grieveances one might have should not be directed at their staff.


However in light of the official memo, perhaps if it is enforced then those who do abuse the ASIC's conditions of issue might find themselves missing a lot more than just photography...


Personally don't see there being a problem with photographing from outside of the fence as long as no damage to airport property occurs and that all security clearances are met with regards to the existing fence line.

Regards

[Craig Murray]

Damian, don't read too much into the letter. I would still most certainly pay a visit to Bankstown, there is generally always something of interest there to photograph. Sounds like you got the "Standard Response Document 552" from the Bankstown Airport intranet that is issued whenever someone does the right thing and asks for information before visiting an airport.

Write and enquire about building a hardware onsite, perhaps the response will be more favourable :D

[Mick M]

I mean if they're relying on the terrorism angle, what's with the school of an unmentioned faith and a bus refuelling facility at one end near the approach, combined with constant commercial development of lands previously used for aviation around the rest of the field. Double standards methinks if hobby snappers are such a grave risk! .....

[damian f]

So I was wondering if anyone will be around Bankstown next Monday afternoon (7 April) to meet up and do some photography... Drop me a line!

Damian

[David Knudsen]

Double standards methinks if hobby snappers are such a grave risk! .....

I'm not so sure, has anyone thrown a camera at a Cessna? I'd be interested to see what sort of damage it could cause. Sounds like we need to contact MythBusters.

[Stefan Drury]

I'm not so sure, has anyone thrown a camera at a Cessna? I'd be interested to see what sort of damage it could cause.
Next time I'm in the circuit and I see a Canon coming towards me I'll know who to blame David...!