Williamtown Class E Stuff-Up?

[Dick Smith]

Jet_A_Knight

In relation to my suggestion that you climb in E in VMC receiving an identical traffic information service to what you would in G,you state:

No, we'd say we can't enter it until we have a clearance

Even though we make VMC departures, we fly under the IFR - and we are EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN to depart VFR and get an 'IFR Pickup'.

Now, let’s analyse this.

Presently there is G airspace at Ballina. Are you EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN from departing in the G IFR and receiving a traffic information service and looking out for the other traffic?

No, you are not.

However, if we upgrade the airspace to E, suddenly your mind shuts down and says, “E means a clearance for IFR and means danger for IFR climbing in VMC without a clearance”

I think others will see the problem here. We are simply changing the name of an airspace so we can use it as controlled airspace when IMC exists and as uncontrolled airspace when VMC exists, ie. we wish to keep the advantages of Class G at Ballina when VMC exists PLUS extra advantages of Class A when IMC exists.

Peuce, you say you are expressly forbidden from climbing in Class E in VMC without a clearance, however if we make the airspace Class G, you are allowed to do exactly that.

The reason you are expressly forbidden from climbing in G without a clearance in VMC is because unbelievably stubborn, concrete-minded people – including Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers and some within the regulatory system – have decided that you cannot use the advantages of E airspace in Australia. I once heard from Mick Toller that the reason we are different is that once you taxi in Australia and give a taxi call under IFR you are then considered IFR and you cannot enter E without a clearance.

In other countries, you can even be given your IFR transponder code, but you are not considered IFR until you actually have the clearance. This means you can climb without a clearance to the safest possible level – exactly what you do today at Ballina in Class G.