TEFC: MKT Airfield - Back in Black

Yesterday marked a special day in the history of MKT. The airstrip that has been here serving light aircraft needs (and military, customs, coastwatch, firefighting aviation needs) is now a bitumen strip. This is a very significant event made possible by the contributions of the people who use MKT and the Meyering family who own the airstrip. It is fair to say that the cost of creating that one kilometre of black ribbon was not cheap, but it was paid for by the people, not through a government grant.

Want to see what it looks like/ read on...

MKT has been operating independently for thirty years and recently the facilities have had major facelifts with two large hangars being reskinned, fuel facilities installed and new instructor's office and training rooms to replace the rooms eaten by termites.

This demonstrates the power of community that in face of continuing government uncertainty over the use of the land that the airstrip sits, we have continued to slowly develop what has been known as Darwin's second airport for many years into a facility that is professional, friendly and welcoming to pilots who acknowledge the value of this airfield to the Top End and are happy to work with the aviation community here to provide a safe and friendly supporting alternative to Darwin airport.

Enough of these words... Yesterday, when Sam rang me to say that the final rollers were being packed away and that I should come down for a look, I headed down, admired it and then pulled the Drifter out to test it out. Dave, our club president had the same idea and he was the first recreational aircraft to taxi onto and take off from the newly bitumised surface. Preflight complete, Sam and I followed and were impressed that no stones stuck to the tyres.

Just some more brief words on the process before the pictures, and yes movie... The way the process took place was that the earthworks were carried out to even out the strip, fill in depressions in the strip and compact it. Some 16 truckloads of dirt were used to even everything out and I really noticed the evenness of the runway as we taxied down to 07.

The next four steps were to drive down a truck width strip with a water truck wtting the surface. This was followed closely by the ashphalt truck that laid a licorice line of bitumen. This wetting and applying of ashphalt straight after allowed the bitument to soak into the soil and form a bond. Then, bitumen coated stones were applied to that surface and rolled in with the multiwheel roller. Voila! One bitumised strip. This task took exactly one day to complete after the earthworks were complete.

Kath drove out in her little green morris and after 30 minutes of circuits in the drifter, Sam and I landed as one of Kath's granddaughters came out for an evening stroll with her husband and their daughter, Kath's great granddaughter. That's family, that's community. Whether the beurocracts like it or not, we have an aviation family here at MKT that puts family first and makes MKT feel like a village rather than a cold take off point for planes.

Speaking of community, this sunday we are conducting the flying competition that was postponed due to the airstrip bitumisation and we will be holding a ribbon cutting event. The competition starts at 8am on Sunday and the ribbon cutting will be conducted at 10am after the last of the ultralights compete and before the heavier aircraft start.