View Full Version : Rockets fired into CTA??
Piston_Broke
15th Apr 2011, 07:02
Noticed this buried away in MEL FIR notams:
HIGH POWER ROCKET FIRING WILL TAKE PLACE
WI 1500M RADIUS OF PSN S35 06 E140 00.5 (KAROONDA, SA)
ROCKET OPS DURATION 3MIN, FOR INFO TEL: 0418 842 074
SFC TO FL140
FROM 04 152040 TO 04 170840
HJ
This place is just east of Tailem Bend SA, and the lower limit of CTA there is 8500.
CASA approved? How do ATC intend to deal with this, and why no restricted area or danger area?
Green gorilla
15th Apr 2011, 07:47
Think the notam will go in and they will have a slot time for it Im a member of a perth high powered rocket club that gets rockets to 17000ft near Perth.
CaptainMidnight
16th Apr 2011, 00:52
That's a rather long slot time - around 12 hours of rocket activity into CTA.
Each CASA region has different view on things as we well know. In most they declare restricted areas for this high powered rocket activity, presumably because at least some of them feel rockets and aircraft don't mix. In Victoria one club has had two permanent restricted areas for some years, activated by NOTAM.
In this TBD instance I understand for some reason CASA's office of airspace regulation would not declare a restricted area, unlike in the past for other locations. The safety case would be interesting reading.
Lasiorhinus
16th Apr 2011, 12:36
I dont know whether or not this is a regular occurence at Tailem Bend, but on the assumption that it is not - there would be no need to promulgate a danger area or anything of the sort.
The NOTAM is sufficient to warn people of the temporary danger.
Having said that, perhaps this is a timely reminder to check the FIR notams as well as Head Office and your destination.
CaptainMidnight
17th Apr 2011, 08:26
It doesn't matter if a hazardous activity is temporary or permanent.
If an activity presents a hazard to aircraft to the extent that it fits the definition of what a Danger Area or Restricted Area are intended for, then one should be declared unless means of control are in place so the hazard is eliminated. Them's the regs.
NOTAMs are supposed to be used for safety-related information of a general nature. Declaration of airspace is the next step up, depending on the degree of hazard an activity presents.
That said, what NOTAMs are being used for these days sometimes is questionable.