Airservices (ARFFS) apparently believe that it is more important for the fireman to be able to watch the planes take off and land
Well, it was why the fire station was built, and it is what the fire station watch tower is for, and it is Airservices who built and own and staff the building, and their priority comes first, not the airport operator's, who I would say has done a deal with Airservices to get the CA/GRO located somewhere, but without having to actually provide any infrastructure for the service.
I don't see them as a watering down of the view requirements, they read to me like an extra requirement, more than likely to cover most RPT's (coz that's what the CA/GRO is there for) who are doing straight in approaches, and don't actually "use" the circuit area.
CASA remembers the remote AFIS where the FSO could only see their cardboard flight information strips
That wasn't just remote AFIZ's, it was some of the manned ones as well.
As an aside, to what rules are CA/GRO's held accountable? I mean for example, where are the traffic criteria they are assessing against listed? Who checks them for ongoing competancy? All I can find is an Advisory Circular with a general description of the job and duties, but nothing concrete. Where is it listed what the actual training for the job is and whether someone has been deemed competent. I mean, you are certified, but certified to what standard. There is no mention in the application that you have completed or passed X course (apart from once having held the one of the appropriate licenses) but it seems no testing or checking or meeting of actual competancy. I last used my FS license nearly 30 years ago. How do they know if all I ever did was Flight Data and never held a FIS rating? How does the Aerodrome Operator employing a CA/GRO know what they are getting, or even if they are doing what they are paying them for? They are after all, assuming the risk. A CA/GRS is all about the traffic, but the traffic to be passed is just "relevant". Relevant is subjective, so if traffic is missed (although missed based on what criteria?) is the get out of jail card that "I didn't think it was relevant"? What happens if they do f*ck up? Do they have their certification taken off them? Assessed against what? How can you break rules, if there are no rules?