Yup - nothing much has changed then - nature of the beast I am afraid Waghi Warrior.
Its getting on for 12 years since I left PNG and 26 since I went there - God I am feeling old - anyway, it has never been different since ATC was localised.
Twice, once at Mt Hagen in a Twotter and once at Port Moresby in an F28, ATC put me within a heart beat of midair collision. Both times were on frequency changeovers. The first time in the Twotter I am actually not sure how we missed, I had a windscreen FULL of the other aircraft as we both took violent evasive action - I was still shaking with released adrenaline LONG after landing. The second time as we changed over from approach to tower at POM I heard the tail end of a transmission to a MBA Dornier and without really knowing why I eased back on the control column a smidge and reduced my ROD slightly - a few seconds later the Dornier flew a few hundred feet DIRECTLY under us (in IMC).
On another occasion at Nadzab on a beautiful morning with about 4 aircraft all arriving at the same time the Tower controller managed to vector us all AT one another before he decided he'd said enough and fell mute - it was actually funny. I was on right base for 27 and a mate was on left base. "Marty I will just do an orbit here and you go in" "Thanks Chuck". As soon as WE had resolved the situation the 'controller' piped up and said "Yes yes - RDB hold on right base, RDN cleared to land"
I firmly believe PNG aviation would be MUCH better off with NO ATC...NONE...NADA. Shut it down and send the staff back to the willage. On the few occasions when they went on strike it all worked wonderfully - companies kept track of us via our internal HF network.
Stay safe up there
