Clinton, I'm honestly a bit confused now between the pair of you as to whom was in which Bonanza and obviously the story isn't quite straight but nonetheless the situation described isn't really what has me worried anywho, it's one I described where you have no radar coverage and now have Pilots splitting their attention between more frequencies leaving an increased chance of 2 aircraft not hearing each other.
As I said there are more than a few areas out there with a fair amount of traffic that don't have radar coverage and will now possible have up to a dozen different aerodromes within close proximity operating on either 126.7 or Area Frequency, the situation becomes worse if you happen to be on the boundary of 2 Area Frequencies as well, I just don't see what was wrong with the old system of using 126.7 unless otherwise specified.
Mitigating factors to remember as well is that often there will be Aircraft operating on Company Frequencies as well. VHF Comms break, if you're in a remote area it probably won't be fixed till next 100hrly which could leave a lot of flight hours where you maybe only have 1 but would have to most likely be monitoring multiple frequencies now to maintain your SA.
I don't particularly agree with Dicks assertion of the congestion of Area Frequency causing a Mid-Air due to missed ATC instructions but I do foresee the issue I've raised where Pilots are now having to monitor too many frequencies and it may not always be clear as to whom is meant to be monitoring what especially outside Radar range where you don't have ATC to back you up. I'm sure a lot of us have been in the situation where a busy Aerodrome has been allocated its own discrete frequency and we all know that causes problems for a few months afterwards where everyone has to be extra vigilant of people possibly using the wrong frequency, imagine that happening on a much larger scale at multiple Aerodromes and strips which is what I imagine happening with this new rule.
I think CASA in this situation would be better doing an educational/awareness campaign to get people to make sure they have at least 2 VHFs and remain vigilant on both 126.7, Area Frequency plus any other nearby relevant frequencies AND that they are making mandatory calls as required rather than this new rule.
Yeah, I thought about that Captain Midnight, but now you'll have either:
A. An aerodrome with a discrete frequency which you use
B. An aerodrome which is marked which doesn't have a discrete frequency so you use 126.7
C. An aerodrome which isn't marked so you use Area Frequency
D. An aerodrome which isn't marked but is within an area prescribed as one you always use 126.7
And this all relies on areas being first identified as being a hazard (Which usually requires time, effort or an accident) Maps being updated and such which can take time not to mention then you need people to all have those correct maps (Which I know we should all have but we are all well aware this isn't always the case) as opposed to the current system where it's either a Discrete Frequency or 126.7, I just don't see what was so difficult or wrong with the current system that this new convoluted one has to be put in place?