Williamtown VFR Flight Planning
Friends of mine who fly up and down the Williamtown coastal lane were informed by the Williamtown people that if they put in a VFR full position flight plan, they would get less delays. In fact, the en route supplement states, “VFR aircraft should submit flight a plan to reduce delays in aircraft process”.
I also note it all so ominously says, “Aircraft require low level transit of Williamtown control and restricted areas, including coastal route may expect delays, restrictions and holding due to traffic management”.
In 1991 under the AMATs changes, I removed the flight planning requirement for VFR aircraft. I noticed it is now coming in again everywhere. In fact, another friend who is heading into Canberra called up for clearance to come inbound and land VFR and it was clear the controllers were not happy that a flight plan had not been filed.
This of course employs more people – and more time in relation to flight planning. Can someone advise how filing a flight plan to fly up the coastal route can reduce delays when normally the delays come from the fact that an IFR aircraft operating into Williamtown may have to do a missed approach and therefore impinge on the 500 foot lane? How could a VFR flight plan change this situation?
By the way, this seems to all be part of a one way ratchet by the Military and CASA to remove the cost saving Reforms that I introduced when we copied the U.S. system and to go back to the system we had in the old days. The mandatory full position system for VFR aircraft costs tens of millions of dollars per year.