The real plan! - If we were to project forward to an assumed outcome then the plan may be revealed.
Assuming Airservices gets minimum push-back on lowering the base of Class E to something below 8500AMSL then they will have achieved a couple of things:
- Any suggestion from ATSB that Class E may have avoided the outcome at MNG will have been spiked by giving the industry the option of the US-based Class E to 1500AGL, and having it knocked back;
- The cost of providing sufficient staff and equipment to provide approach control down to 1500 AGL at regional airports will have been avoided
That is, the status quo, with a small adjustment to sector workload, will have been maintained.
Note that the option to adopt the US Class E system which does not require a transponder for VFR aircraft below 10,000feet AMSL is not being proposed. (I am aware that transponder veils exist around Class B airspace airports)
Perhaps CASA should step-in here and present industry with ALL the options instead of just the Airservices version