Lifted in entirety from
http://www.dicksmithflyer.com.au The breathtaking arrogance of this man whilst an investigation into the Benalla accident is underway is absolutely shameful...............
Direct link here:
http://www.dicksmithflyer.com.au/Con...?ContentID=311
Benalla airspace upgrade delayed
MEDIA RELEASE MONDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2004
BENALLA AIRSPACE UPGRADE DELAYED
DICK SMITH TAKES AIRSERVICES AUSTRALIA TO COURT
Aviation reformer and former Civil Aviation Safety Authority Chairman Dick Smith will be in the Federal Court at 10.15am on the morning of Tuesday 21 September (at the Law Courts Building, Queens Square, Sydney) in a legal action aimed at preventing Airservices Australia from reversing Government policy on airspace reform.
Dick Smith says, “The Airservices Board intends to reverse the NAS (National Airspace System) reforms on 25 November 2004 and return to a 1930s system where air traffic controllers operate as if blindfolded without radar.
Dick Smith says, “If ever there has been an example of the conflict between a profit making body also regulating air safety, this is it.
“This reversal of the NAS policy will delay for many years the introduction of the airspace upgrades at smaller airports. Under the NAS system, airports with instrument approaches, such as Benalla, will be upgraded from Class G airspace to Class E controlled airspace.
“This is the safer US based NAS system, however because of a lack of leadership its introduction has been resisted and frustrated,” Dick Smith says.
“The pilot at Benalla was forced to operate in “do it yourself”, “dirt road” Class G uncontrolled airspace, whereas with the Government policy, NAS, the pilot would have operated in higher safety Class E airspace and would be “cleared” and “directed” by air traffic control instructions using radar to the instrument approach point.
“Even if the pilot had keyed the incorrect approach point into the navigation system, the air traffic controller would be required by law to advise the pilot and direct the aircraft by radar to the correct location,” Dick Smith says.
“If the Class E upgrade had gone ahead at the original planned date (June 1993) air safety would be clearly improved,” Dick Smith says.
Dick Smith says, “I understand the present attitude by Airservices management is that if an aircraft is in Class G airspace, it is not their responsibility. In effect, “If radar shows the pilot is off course it’s his problem, not ours.” This is supported by the fact that Airservices do not even have all of the Class G approach waypoints installed in their $350 million advanced air traffic control system.
Dick Smith says, “This is extraordinarily slack and irresponsible. A current Jeppesen database for the whole of Australia would cost less than $300.
“The mentality with Airservices management is still back in the 1950s when Flight Service Officers operated Class G airspace without radar.
Dick Smith says, “In the USA with the NAS, radar is used to the maximum extent. Wherever Instrument Flight Rules aircraft fly approaches they have controlled airspace and pilots follow air traffic control instructions.
“Our controllers are as good as any in the world,” Dick Smith says, “it is the training and procedures that are 50 years out of date. If the NAS reforms are reversed on the 25th November, more lives will undoubtedly be lost.