Jamit,
As I am sure you are aware, those planning these projects in Canberra have an altered sense of reality. Exactly where the shiny bum silk tie types get their information from on actual resources on the ground and what these people actually do... I really shake my head in wonder.
Airservices Management finally, and quietly, shelved another of their ill fated projects this year after about 6 years in the making / not-making. The concentration of Terminal Control Units from Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Cairns to Brisbane and Melbourne Centres has been canned. How many $M were spent on coming to the same conclusion that Civil Air and it's members gave years back? We will never know. Commerical-in-confidence of course. More like Embarassment-in-confidence. Remember - these are YOUR dollars people.
So what will happen with this new toy project as well as the other myriad on the boil? Well the track record to date suggests some re-thinking. Probably in a few years from now the realisation that ther is no spare capacity to move these responsibilities to the already stretched ATC system is possible.
Every day in Australia it is only due to the goodwill (yes there is some left) and professionalism of the ATC's who work the system that stops it being closed - practically every day large sections of airspace come within hours of being shut down because there are not the people to cover the gaps.
Amongst this environment is one of the largest projects to restruture the airspace yet again, whilst introducing new technologies and a myriad of other projects. All of these require training - but to train people they have to have time away from the roster which can not be covered as it is.
On top of this comes a rumour that management wish to reduce controller numbers by another 10%.
So forgive many of us for being a bit cynical when we see yet another scheme to make more money for the government by reducing service to the industry. Let me tell you right now - Sectors do not have time to provide a Flightwatch function.
Always ask yourself the question when a proposal comes along like this - Who proposed it and why?