Have just spoken to Mr Smith and would have to say on this point, I would have to agree.
Up and down the east coast, say between Melbourne and Cairns, there is relatively good RADAR coverage in place right now.
If you are flying on an IFR flight plan in this area (radar coverage) be it any class of airspace, say "G" (OCTA), and you descend below the LSALT, MSA or MVA, wouldn't it be great if the RADAR system recognised you were below this safe altitude, alerted the Flight Watch, Centre operator that your were doing so.
Prompting them to check that "ABC, Mel Centre, do you know you are below safe altitude, please confirm you are visual ".
Well apparently the software for this function already exists but is not turned on / installed, whilst this would not obsolve the Pilot from his/her responsibilities for the safe conduct of flight it would certainly be helpfull.
Nett cost would be pretty much zero, it certainly can not hurt.
The point Dick was making regarding Benalla was that this aircraft was ~1000 below the LSALT ( and off track as well ) in RADAR coverage, this automated function could have set off an alarm and perhaps the controller could have alerted the PIC to this increased danger from being below LSALT and not visual............
Last edited by Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower; 24th Sep 2008 at 08:41.