mary meagher: If New Zealand is so very tightly regulated, do they permit gliders to fly in cloud? Perhaps I shall pose this question on the antipodean forum!
I don't fly gliders, but my understanding is gliders (providing they have a transponder) can enter cloud in controlled airspace with a clearance from ATC. One other way they do it during an organised event is to have a temporary restricted airspace promulgated where gliders operate to their hearts content IMC or VMC maintaining their own separation. IFR aircraft stay clear of this area.
Gertrude the Wombat: They don't here - they might (or might not) be able to see traffic OCAS on a radar screen, but they'd have no way of knowing its flight rules.
In NZ it's also quite likely ATC cannot see the traffic outside of controlled airspace either, BUT, since any IFR flight will be on a plan ATC will know it's ETD or ETA and routing to be able to pass on expected IFR traffic to other affected IFR traffic. Those IFR flights will then provide their own separation out side of controlled airspace.
stevelup: Over here, we don't have any kind of unified ATC.
There are vast tracts of the country where you cannot get any kind of service at all. Crazy eh?
So when you're flying IFR OCAS, it's quite likely that you're not speaking to anyone at all.
I'd agree it seems crazy, especially in a first world country.
Flying IFR outside of controlled airspace not knowing who else might be there make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I guess you guys are used to it.