Can anyone explain to me what the reason could be that people would not want to talk to Dick Smith directly? I really don't understand why!
Lack of credibility, maybe????
As far as costs are concerned for allowing the centre controller to give radar separation to low levels (like the do in the US), I cannot answer that Scurvy, I dont have that information.
What does it cost the industry to have expensive enroute radar sitting idle below 8,500ft, despite offering fantastic coverage?
What would it cost the industry to have tower controllers being radar rated and the industry not being able to use it after the tower closes? Again, the radar is sitting idle for the lower levels, where it is most useful.
Many years ago EVERYTHING used to be positively separated by radar, until some clown came in and changed all that, with introduction of airspace where aircraft could go in and did not need to talk to controllers in radar or even file a flightplan...regional towers like Bowen, etc were closed and the segregation of GA and RPT began