By our estimation, there is NO JUSTIFICATION for the large amount of Class C airspace presently designated in Australia, and subject to the appropriate change management processes we have previously described, you should introduce Class E airspace wherever possible.
How does that sit with your argument about upgrading airspace?
Folks,
Airservices has long since completed a risk analysis, comparing like for like, between (as I recall -- somebody correct me on the actual upper levels) 10,000' and FL200, for Class C service versus Class E service.
In both cases, the assessed collision risk probability level was several orders of magnitude below the ICAO design level.
In fact, both D and E collision risk probabilities were "vanishingly small", as assessed by Airservices, the statistical equivalent of zero,
off the bottom of the ALARP scale,(bring the lower level down to 4500', and it's still on the bottom of the ALARP scale) and far less than, say;
----the collision risk probability when PARM approaches are in progress.
----or a loss of an aircraft due to multiple failures whilst conducting an Autocoupled Approach/ Autoland in Cat II or Cat III conditions;
----or the loss of an aircraft due to multiple failures during an ETOPS flight.
----or, sadly, the loss rate of small piston and turboprop twins in day to day operations.
VOR is quite correct, and replacing the unnecessary C with E produces a level of flexibility we are now denied as IFR flights, for absolutely no safety dividend. "Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face" does come to mind.
"safety" simply is not an issue, despite all the arm waving and teeth gnashing that goes on, as soon as E over D is mentioned, or replacing C with E.
As for all the claims of "no talk, no squawk", VOR is again quite correct, the ridiculous levels of resistance to change is the problem, not "radar coverage" or "weekend warriors".
With all the other probabilities of "something to ruin your whole day" that we take in our stride, the probability of it being a collision with another aircraft is vanishingly small.
Tootle pip!!
PS: If the JCP forecast Australian traffic levels out to 2025 are actually achieved, they will still only be between
one fifth and one tenth of US traffic levels pre. the present downturn.