Stoddy's shack

Minardus

Guess who's opening a shop?
From f1racing.net:

Stoddart to set up shop in Adelaide



F1 team owner Paul Stoddart's new 'Ozjet' airline will likely be based in the South Australian city. It is expected that an Adelaide Airport HQ, mooted after failed negotiations with a similar Melbourne site, might even see Formula One cars - perhaps a two-seater Minardi or two - back again on the old F1 street circuit.

Stoddart, mogul of 'European Aviation', advertised 'Ozjet' - to fly business passengers to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane - on the Minardi cars' rear wing throughout 2004.

''It will be Adelaide's airline,'' said Ozjet chief executive Peter Schott. Formula One last raced in Adelaide, before moving to the Victorian capital, in 1995.

Lease

This thing gets weirder and weirder.

If the news so far is right, Ozjet will be based in Adelaide; over 1,000 klms from Sydney, and 600 klms from Melbourne; the two centres that have half of the national traffic.

You do it with those horrible BAe 146s which only shine on very short routes from small city airports. Otherwise, they cost as much to run as a 737-300 which will cart 40 more people, further and faster; and with a far better dispatch rate.

Admittedly, there are lots of these things laying around doing nothing in Oz after Ansett failed (no-one wants to buy them). Also, Qantas subsidiary, Eastern Australian A/L will shortly be off-loading theirs. But that's the only bright spot.

After that, there is terminal space and a massive discount war to be considered. My flight to Canberra from Melbourne tommorrow night will cost the grand total of $87 ($70US). Why walk into a mine field like that when the two main players have the resources of Qantas and Virgin??

By the by, as part of Stoddie's plans I have heard that he is hooking up with Backpacker international to form Backpacker Airlines, using the old EA 747s. Don't know how true it is but a no-frills airline doing the kangaroo route from London with say, stops at Paris, Frankfurt, and Singapore, on to Sydney at around 2/3 of the current price would likely attract a strong patronage amongst the unwashed brigade.

Hell, even Quig could afford it!

[Edited on 25/11/2004 by Lease]

Clown

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11483264%255E26462,00.html

F1 cars and new airline for SA
By Bryan Littlely
November 24, 2004

A NEW Australian airline is likely to base its headquarters in Adelaide – and it could lead to Formula 1 cars returning to the Adelaide street circuit during the Clipsal 500 race.

Formula 1 team owner Paul Stoddart is tipped to establish his new airline Ausjet in Adelaide and hopes to fly out of Adelaide Airport.

The airline, which will focus on business passengers, has opted to be based in Adelaide after a bid to use Melbourne's Moorabbin airport fell through.

Initially, Ausjet aims to fly between Melbourne and Adelaide at a cost of about $200, with destinations such as Sydney and Brisbane to be added.

The Minardi Grand Prix team owner has had discussions with the State Government about basing his airline here and Ausjet chief executive officer Peter Schott said there was a possibility two-seater Formula 1 cars could be used at next year's Clipsal 500 to promote the airline. "It will be Adelaide's airline," Mr Schott said, adding, however, it was premature to release details of exactly how the airline would operate.

"There are negotiations that we haven't finalised but Adelaide attracts us," he said. "Adelaide is set to be the national headquarters of a new airline. It will be more of a traditional carrier than a low cost carrier."

Boeing 737 and BAe-146 jets are being considered.

He said Ausjet would "treat Adelaide well" by offering a frequent schedule. "We believe the airline will be well used by Adelaide. The city is not as well serviced by our competitors as we believe it should be," he said.

"We are looking to offer a value-based product."

Mr Schott said speculation out of Melbourne Ausjet would be launched at the Melbourne Grand Prix was premature but suggested Formula 1 cars could return to "the world's best street circuit" in Adelaide for a promotion. "We'd look at bringing two seater Formula 1 cars to the Adelaide street circuit during the Clipsal 500 as a way to promote Ausjet," he said.

The airline, however, still faces major hurdles, including finalising deals on aircraft and airport access and obtaining an air operator's certificate.

Moorabbin airport general manager Phil McConnell said it would cost about $20 million to upgrade infrastructure there for Ausjet arrival. He said the airport was not prepared to accept the airline without certain financial guarantees.

StoddieBasher

Peter Schott said there was a possibility two-seater Formula 1 cars could be used at next year's Clipsal 500 to promote the airline

:rolleyes: Not again......

Scrap the bloody things

Minardus

Ausjet ?!?! :hehe:

Brooksey

I know of a nice little racing car they could use downunder for advertising and publicity stunts :D

There's a sales pitch I could put to Paul - I could do up the Aurora in OzJet moniker in exchange for say, a return trip to Melbourne around March next year...?

MCSF

What did I say about getting your PR package together and quick?

Play your cards right and who knows what could happen for you.

Brooksey

Before I can get one together I need the new livery sorted out. The vinyl has been ordered and the colour scheme designed, but it's yet to be cut and applied to the car. Once that's happened i'll need alot of nice high res photo's, then I can make something up and start distributing it.

So far i've got a few places in mind. Firstly i'd like to find an oil supplier, then possibly a major sponsor. It's no big deal if we dont have one, but it's always nice to have something on the car.

My main concern is finding a personal sponsor. Formula Vee is ok as I can pay for everything myself, but after 2 years or so here I want to move up to something else and have a go at making a career out of this. (you only live once!) To do that i'll need a backer of my own.

MCSF

It's no big deal if we dont have one, but it's always nice to have something on the car.

It is very important to have sponsors on the car - I tried to make my car look like I had sponsors by putting contingency stickers on it - miserable failure.

Land somebody and work 'em - auto parts store, electronics a friends dad's company....don't try and muscle it all through by yourself or you'll end up broke.

My main concern is finding a personal sponsor. Formula Vee is ok as I can pay for everything myself, but after 2 years or so here I want to move up to something else and have a go at making a career out of this. (you only live once!) To do that i'll need a backer of my own.

Good plan - but one must learn to walk(and take care of sponosrs etc) before you can run. You'll have to win and contend for the championship or resign yourself to just racing for fun...and pay for it yourself.

Brooksey

That's possibly the best advice i've heard so far! :D Thanks.

I'm off uni for the next 4 months so i've got plenty of spare time to make up proposals, send them out etc. I'm more inclined to actually go to places direct and give it to them personally. I always figure if you approach them and they see that you're well spoken and professional then there's more of a chance they'll consider you over someone who's simply sent them an e-mail and a photo.

[Edited on 25/11/2004 by Brooksey]