For our overseas readers, I will try to clarify this "calling in the blind" smokescreen.
In Australia the class of airspace and thus service provided in the vicinity of an aerodrome is dictated by the level of traffic movements.
- Light traffic = class G airspace, may or may not have a UNICOM staffed part-time by possibly a baggie or refueller.
- higher traffic = class G & Certified Air Ground Radio Service (full traffic information and WX service provided by a trained officer; a significantly higher service than UNICOM)
- higher again = class D airspace and ATC Tower
- highest = class C airspace and ATC Tower
The much-quoted Proserpine has 4 RPT movements/day (normally the same aircraft going in & out), and few if any locally based traffic. Therefore it and a number of other similar locations do not justify an ATC tower or a higher class of airspace, and if they were unsafe the airlines concerned would not operate in there.
It is also interesting to note that Mr. Smith was Chairman of the Board of the then Civil Aviation Authority, when a review of ATC Towers was ordered, and as a result closed Proserpine tower. Mention is also made in the presentation of the tower cab secretly hidden from view in the bush. The fact is that sometime after the tower closed in the early 1990's, it was dismantled and donated to the local motorcross club for their use - so that is why it is away in the bush
Also in enroute class G airspace IFR are given a traffic service by ATC, separated within overlying class E airspace, and given traffic on observed VFR. Thus the calling in the blind and being left to their own devices is a furphy.
The impracticality of ATC closely monitoring flight path adherance of all aircraft in their airspace conducting instrument approaches to remote aerodromes while continuing to provide a service to the rest of their aircraft is lost on the gent, unfortunately.