ABC "PM" transcript
Qantas endorses air traffic control system PM - Thursday, 19 February , 2004 18:38:00
Reporter: Alison Caldwell
MARK COLVIN: But what does Australia's leading airline think about the airspace reforms introduced in November last year?
Qantas' Chief Pilot is Captain Chris Manning. He says the airline has recorded no incidents as a result of the changes, and apart from a few minor concerns, Qantas is happy with the system as it stands.
Captain Chris Manning spoke to Alison Caldwell.
CHRIS MANNING: As we currently know it we have issues, they are small, they're called fine-tuning. But we consider the air space system safe, otherwise we wouldn't be flying in it.
ALISON CALDWELL: What are your issues?
CHRIS MANNING: The issues we have are a couple of issues around charting, that is, how the charts are presented. Those issues have been accepted by the NAS (National Air Services) implementation group, and a couple of issues of airspace, and they are being accepted. So we have no problem with the way it's being conducted at the moment.
ALISON CALDWELL: What's your view of the call from some pilots to immediately introduced controlled airspace to cover all regular public transport areas near major airports in Australia?
CHRIS MANNING: You'd have to ask pilots who said that why they want it. Our issue is we would not allow the aircraft, Qantas aircraft to fly in airspace that wasn't safe. The current system is safe.
We have had no incidents involving a breakdown of separation attributable to the National Airspace System. I will say that there will always be errors when human beings are involved – they occurred under the old system, they will occur under the new system. What we have to do is mitigate those errors and they are mitigated.
ALISON CALDWELL: So you don't agree that it's an inherently flawed system?
CHRIS MANNING: We are very happy to fly within the current airspace system.
ALISON CALDWELL: What did you make though, the other day, of the Minister for Transport, John Anderson, expressing complete confidence in the system, yet on the other hand within a few hours, the Chief of Airservices Australia announced a full and comprehensive review into this system and a complete risk analysis of the system, and admitted that it had acted illegally in its implementation of the system?
CHRIS MANNING: I think you'd probably have to talk to those two gentlemen who would doubtless explain, or, as I said before, we are happy to fly within the current airspace system.
We have not been told of any review formally, we've only read about it like you've read about it. But as I said before we are happy with the current airspace system, we were happy with the previous one, we'll probably be happy with the next one.
All I can say is we've now been operating for the best part of three months with not an incident of breakdown of separation. When our pilots have sighted other aircraft the National Airspace System has worked as planned.
ALISON CALDWELL: But yet it's under review now.
CHRIS MANNING: Well, you'll have to ask the regulator why it's under review. I'm sure they'll tell you.
ALISON CALDWELL: If we could interview them we would, believe me. Look, air traffic controllers also don't like this, their union says that change is needed; do you think that they're just crying wolf?
CHRIS MANNING: No, I don't. I mean, you would have to see their union, and I'm sure they'll be very happy to explain why it's wrong, and what's wrong, what incidents have occurred.
But I just speak for the airline and we have had no incidents. And we are very happy, we do risk analysis on these changes, we are very happy that we have continue to operate very safely.
MARK COLVIN: Qantas' Chief Pilot, Captain Chris Manning, speaking to Alison Caldwell.
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