Howabout, the issue with the MOA (Military Operation Area) is what is happening in it at the time. I have friends in the USA who will fly VFR in an MOA if it has been activated, say, for helicopter winch practice. However if it had been activated for fighter training, they would not.
We presently have our fighters screaming through Class G airspace at low levels. Mostly they are not following pre-organised routes (as per the USA) and the safety is obtained from the fact that the probability of hitting one in most parts of Australia is extremely small.
In the UK, due to its limited airspace, the fighter jocks share the Class G airspace with GA. There has been an occasional midair – but at very low levels, mostly with helicopters.
In the USA their MOAs and restricted areas are generally in the “triangles” that are created between air routes, and most are out over Arizona or Nevada where the traffic density is lower and therefore the number of diversions is less.
To everyone with ideas in relation to Williamtown, the answer is very simple. If the rules were updated to those of other modern aviation countries, there would rarely be any holding in the lane. More importantly, VFR aircraft would fly over the top with a clearance in Class C airspace, or through Class E airspace without a clearance as they do in North America.
I once met an American couple who were flying around the world. They got to the Williamtown control zone at 5,500 feet and requested a clearance across the top. They said it was like Oliver asking for more. The controller was horrified that they would be so audacious and told them to immediately descend to 500 feet – which put them in the salt laden air – and to fly along the beach via the lane. They monitored the approach and tower frequencies and said that the only traffic operating was a commuter aircraft.
I say again, once we can get the military people in Canberra to go ahead with the change that they have said they will do, the whole system will work extremely safely but without the extra risk and costs of unnecessary holding.