Well, Not under threat any more - DEAD The BASTARDS have won. This is a sad day for Australian aviation and the way is now open for any restriction to be imposed for any specious reason without any real case being made. Just yell "safety" long and loud enough like some of the idiots on this group.
If you have an air traffic controller in your club you might like to express your displeasure to him or her. Better still, throw the bastards out. News item belw. Mike Hi mborgelt : http://www.aimoo.com/forum/postview.cfm?id=421403&CategoryID=145649&startcat =1&ThreadID=1649457 Air board ditches Anderson reforms By Aviation writer Steve Creedy August 28, 2004 AIRSERVICES Australia's board yesterday voted to wind back the Howard Government's contentious airspace reforms, rejecting an intense lobbying effort to stop the move. The regulator's decision is an embarrassing blow to Transport Minister John Anderson and a serious setback to airspace campaigner Dick Smith, who originally proposed the US-style system with Mr Anderson's backing. Mr Smith had spearheaded a campaign to discredit a study that found the changes increased the risk of a mid-air collision at regional airports. The study also revealed instances at some airports where the risk exceeded tolerable limits. Airservices Australia commissioned the risk studies earlier this year after an embarrassing admission that the new system was introduced last November without an adequate assessment of the possible danger to the travelling public. Chairman Les Fisher said last night the decision to scrap the changes was focused on safety. "The board's most important consideration in this difficult decision-making process has always been the safety and interests of the travelling public," he said. Noting that the board had dealt with submissions from "interested parties", Air Marshal Fisher said the risk and safety analysis would be made available on the corporation's website. The board signalled last month that its preferred option included reversing some of the airspace changes over regional airports and extending the controlled airspace over others. The changes significantly widened the use of "Class E" airspace, in which flight instrument aircraft were separated from each other by air traffic control, but the onus was put on pilots to look out for smaller planes. Commercial pilots and air traffic controllers warned that the new system increased the risk of mid-air collisions for airliners approaching regional airports. But private and sports pilots argued the new system was safe and that the Airservices studies were flawed. Last night's decision means Class E airspace between destinations will be retained. But Class E airspace over regional airports with towers will be returned to Class C, where all planes are separated from each other by air traffic control. The decision also expands Class C airspace above capital city airports and reintroduces it to airspace between Sydney and Melbourne. "The decision involves changes to about 10 per cent of the current national airspace system airspace, but introduces significant enhancements to airspace above towered aerodromes, protecting airliners," Air Marshal Fisher said. He said the decision could involve some inconvenience to small plane pilots but promised they would not be hit with additional charges. He left the way open for future airspace changes driven by new technology, and promised Airservices Australia would push on with airspace reform. Australian Federation of Air Pilots executive director Terry O'Connell welcomed the decision as a victory for commonsense. Check out all other news @ www.agacf.org Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments phone Int'l + 61 746 355784 fax Int'l + 61 746 358796 cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784 Int'l + 61 429 355784 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.borgeltinstruments.com _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
