VFR calls at unmarked aerodromes and the Benalla accident are tightly linked.
They were both caused because CASA has wound back the Government policy to go ahead with NAS.
Under NAS Benalla would be class E and 6 valuable people would most likely be alive today. That's because the ATC would know that responsibility remained until after the IAF especially considering the ATSB report showed this was still within radar coverage.
Under NAS there would be no requirement for aircraft operating at aerodromes not marked on maps to give calls on ATC area frequencies. In fact they are very likely to have prosecution action if they did so.
Car Ramrod. I agree the present problem would not exist if I had not initiated the AMATS decision that allowed all pilots to directly access ATC and radar where available. This is the NAS.
This has had definite safety advantages and may have even prevented an MDX type accident where one of the reasons was that the radar controller did not inform the pilot that he was flying for 20 minutes at near right angles to the correct flight path to Singleton. Five died.
Of course. Just as with the Benalla fatalities it wasn't the controllers responsibility because un controlled airspace was involved and only in Australia are controllers trained to act in this way. Under NAS controllers " control " IFR aircraft whenever it is necessary for safety. But we don't copy the best and the leadership insists the 1950s procedures be kept no matter how many die.
Most importantly the present problems would not exist if the NAS implementation was not stopped and half wound back.
And you can't blame me for that. That was sheer ignorance and a total lack of leadership in Canberra.
And I can assure you I will win on this. Hopefully before more lives are lost.
By win I mean- achieve a full wind back with 700 FSOs being re employed allowing CTAFs to be abolished and all aircraft to go back onto area or AFIS frequencies for calls at non tower aerodromes - or completion of the NAS.
Want to lay a bet on it?
Last edited by Dick Smith; 2nd Apr 2016 at 22:29.