Smith Did Not Analyze New Airspace Plans

ANN first reported Wednesday about the growing debate in Australia over airspace changes that affect a variety of general aviation operations. Now, the government agency responsible for the airborne switcheroo has accepted fault for the growing confusion.
 
The head of Australia's national air traffic control agency admitted last night that the agency had not done a full analysis of the controversial new airspace system before its introduction last year. Bernie Smith, chief executive of Airservices Australia, said the agency had relied on information provided by other groups about the new system, potentially leaving itself open to legal action in the event of an aviation incident.

Appearing before a Senate Estimates Committee hearing, Smith said that, with the benefit of legal hindsight, it had been inappropriate to rely on assessments by others such as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). "We should have done full analysis ourselves."

But Smith admitted he still supported the changed system. "The fact that we didn't follow the processes that we were legally required to certainly is something that poses a potential risk to the organization... not the national airspace," he said.

Mr. Smith's statement came a day after Airservices announced some immediate changes to the new system following criticism by pilots and air traffic controllers.  The system, which came into effect in November, removed surveillance on some airspace, such as over Launceston, Hobart and Alice Springs, where air traffic controllers had previously separated commercial aircraft from light planes. Under the new system, the onus was put on pilots to look out for other planes.

A review of the system was ordered after an Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into a near-miss between a Virgin Blue airliner and a light plane over Launceston on Christmas Eve found the incident occurred because of the new rules.

While the findings of the review are due to be presented to Transport Minister John Anderson tomorrow, Airservices said experts had identified "safety enhancements for immediate implementation".

An Airservices spokesman said one change would involve a transportable radar system being set up at a yet-to-be-determined location to cover airspace from which surveillance had been removed. In another change, new charts identifying air traffic control frequencies would be distributed to pilots whose planes were not equipped with radar.

Mr Anderson again defended the new air traffic system yesterday. "I stand completely by the view expressed to me by people who are expert in this area, and I stand by my own conviction," he told Parliament.

Transport Department secretary Ken Matthews told the committee that the ordering of a review did not mean preliminary safety assessments into the new system were wrong. Mr Matthews said the Transport Safety Bureau's report would call for "sensible improvements" to the system, not "wholesale change".

Opposition transport spokesman Martin Ferguson said the changes proved the new system was not safer, more efficient and cheaper, as had been promised by the Government.

The changes were welcomed by groups representing commercial and private pilots. Allan Pickering, vice-president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, which covers Qantas pilots, said the changes were a sensible response to a number of incidents caused by pilots who have to rely on visual detection of other aircraft not being on the correct radio frequencies.

FMI: www.airservices.gov.au