Airservices’ Western Australian ADS-B Mandate
Do I read the mandate correctly which CASA has introduced – at the pushing of Airservices Australia – for ADS-B in the Perth area as follows? i.e. from 4 February 2016 any aircraft that flies IFR – even in Class G airspace – within the arc that starts 500 nautical miles true north from Perth Aerodrome and finishes 500 nautical miles true east from Perth Airport – must carry serviceable ADS-B transmitting equipment.
Am I correct in surmising that if you have ADS-B equipment in Class G airspace you will still fly in the Airservices 1930s airspace system where the controller will just give traffic information and pilots will have to use a Marconi-like system of calling each other in cloud and self-separating? Is it true that Airservices have put this cost onto the industry but haven’t bothered to put in any Class E controlled airspace so they actually provide a control service to the aircraft that have expended the extra money?
I understand this is because they don’t want to spend a few dollars in training the controllers on how to do approach work at these airports. The higher risk is clearly in the terminal area where no control service will be provided.
Isn’t it amazing that in the USA every single instrument approach is in a minimum of Class E controlled airspace and you get a superb separation service in IMC. However, in Australia it’s not possible to do this - even if ADS-B is fitted to the aircraft. Crazy! And not even at one airport in the whole country. Are we that inferior?
Then again, Capn Bloggs will be delighted because we are still keeping a 1930s system. He will no doubt be in raptures!