Not too sure what you you mean by "class B"? Surely you don't mean airspace?
They do however have the option of maintaining "VFR Flight Following" from whoever the nearest ARTCC (Center) frequency happens to be. This is due to the widespread coverage of radar in the USA.
This is not available in oz (any more). We sacked all of our Flight Service Officers, to save money. You can get a RAS if in a small circle around the largest cities. The non-revenue generating VFR pilot is actively discouraged from contacting centre.
The NACO publishes a booklet called the Airport/Facilities Directory and it is updated every 56 days. It will tell you what the frequency to contact is in your area.
There is no such thing in oz.
What is the coverage of Class E airspace down there?
There is proposed to be a lot of E, of which very little will be in radar coverage.
There is not too much class G left except in remote parts of the country like the Western Mountain ranges.
There will still be HUGE amounts of class G, with no service available.
Are you starting to see where the "bitching" is coming from? Oz is not the US, so trying to transplant half the US system here is folly.
We have to deal with reports by 'consultants' making ludicrous claims about how much money will be saved by going to this hybrid system. The cost of infrastructure, even if it is only used 10% of the time, cannot be accounted like that. Radio repeater stations, VOR maintenance, wages etc have to be paid constantly, not just 'per use'. It all has to be there, ready to go, for those days when the weather is crappy. $70mil??? What a joke. Who has to face the music when NAS turns out to save not
one cent ? Not the consultant. Even the CEO of AsA is trying to distance himself from that one.
Every time politicians and bean counters meddle with the system, the professional pilots (and others) murmur "we like DTI, we want it" "we like flight following, we want it" over and over until the day before the changes are due to happen. Then they quietly say "we are not flying in the new airspace" and the pollies and bean counters wander away, wondering what went wrong. The cycle then repeats 10 years later. They have been a bit smarter this time, and are dismantling it slowly, piece by piece. I wonder if it will work?
Skin Codes.
TAAAATS not capable. People would be shocked if they realised how much tail-wagging-dog goes on reference TAAATS. How many work-arounds are there now, boys? Wouldn't it be great if VFRs did call up all the time asking for RAD-TAGs? More controllers, but safer (where have I heard that before???)
Solutions.
I am still available for consultation (as Mr Smith has still not taken up the opportunity). Please email for a pricelist. I guarantee to be as least as credible and expensive as Wes.