Fri "The Australian"
Air traffic chief quits after reform bungle
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
February 13, 2004
AIRSERVICES Australia chairman John Forsyth has fallen on his sword in the wake of the air traffic control organisation's bungling of airspace reforms.
Transport Minister John Anderson announced the long-serving Airservices chairman's resignation yesterday after a week of controversy sparked by a proposal to wind back the reforms.
Mr Forsyth will be replaced by his deputy, Air Marshal Les Fisher, as the board meets today to decide whether to significantly reverse the airspace changes or make less dramatic modifications.
The resignation comes after a fiery meeting on Monday between Mr Anderson and the Airspace Reform Group charged with guiding the airspace changes. Mr Anderson has personally backed the reforms and is angry public confidence has been undermined by controversy about the proposal to reverse the changes.
Airservices admitted this week that it had botched the introduction of the airspace reforms by failing to meet "certain governance obligations".
It is understood Mr Anderson did not ask for Mr Forsyth's resignation.
"Given Mr Forysth's decision to resign, Mr Anderson felt it was appropriate that he accept that," a spokesman for the minister said. "The board and the (NAS) process needed immediate certainty and strong leadership which we believe Air Marshal Fisher will most certainly provide."
Mr Forsyth had been chairman since 1996 and presided over significant advances at Airservices.
"Airservices is vastly improved and more efficient organisation than when Mr Forsyth was first appointed," Mr Anderson said yesterday.
"The organisation is held in high regard both in Australia and internationally."
Airservices has refused to elaborate on the nature of its bungle but The Australian understands it relates to requirements that a decrease in safety standards be offset by a corresponding benefit. Industry sources believe the oversight left Airservices exposed legally.
The November 27 airspace reforms replaced some class-C airspace, where air traffic controllers separate commercial aircraft from light aircraft, with class-E airspace, in which the onus is on pilots to look out for other planes. Unions say the changes increase the risk of a mid-air collision but Airservices maintains the reforms are safe and says the recent problems have not changed that assessment.
At a hazard identification meeting last week, however, Airservices stunned industry representatives with a proposal to change significant sections of the new E-class airspace back to C-class.
That proposal remains the only one taken to industry, although Airservices earlier this week said it was still reviewing other options.
Canberra sources believe today's decision will involve some winding back of the November changes but not necessarily the dramatic reversal suggested to industry.
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Fri "Melbourne Age"
Air space chief quits after review
By Mark Russell
February 13, 2004
The head of Airservices Australia has quit only two days after the organisation admitted to failings in its introduction of controversial new rules governing air safety.
The resignation of Airservices chairman John Forsyth was announced by Federal Transport Minister John Anderson. No reason was given.
On Tuesday, Airservices Australia chief executive Bernie Smith admitted that "certain governance obligations may not have been met" in moving over to the new system.
The new airspace rules, which allow light planes into areas used by commercial airliners largely based on "see and avoid" principles, have been widely criticised by pilots and the air traffic controllers' union, Civil Air.
The Federal Government ordered a review of the new system after the findings of an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into a near miss between an airliner and a light plane over Launceston airport on Christmas Eve.
The bureau found the near miss occurred because of the new air space rules.
The Airservices Australia board is due to report back to Mr Anderson next Thursday on its review of the air space system.
A spokesman for Mr Anderson said the Government did not demand Mr Forsyth's resignation.
"John felt he should accept it because the board (of Airservices Australia) needs certainty and they're working through this process and they need strong leadership," the spokesman said.
Airservices deputy chairman, retired air marshal Les Fisher, will be acting chairman until a permanent replacement is named.
Federal Opposition transport spokesman Martin Ferguson said a full explanation was needed about the reasons behind Mr Forsyth's resignation.
"There are significant concerns about the new air space system that the minister must address immediately," Mr Ferguson said. "If Mr Forsyth's resignation is anything to do with the air space system, then those reasons need to be made public sooner rather than later."
Captain Richard Woodward, Australian International Pilots Association's technical and safety director, said he had heard rumours that heads were going to roll over the air space system and Mr Forsyth appeared to be the first victim.
"I suspect a few more heads will roll," Captain Woodward said.
Civil Air president Ted Lang said there was a lot of speculation over Mr Forsyth's resignation but he was reluctant to comment. "You're probably able to put two and two together but it's not for me to comment on that," he said.
Mr Anderson, in a statement last night, praised Mr Forsyth's contribution since he began the job in 1996. "Airservices Australia is a vastly improved and more efficient organisation than when Mr Forsyth was first appointed," he said.
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