The Military Look After Their Own - Don't Require ADSB
I flew over to Cunderdin to help my friend, Fedor Konyukhov take off in his solo around the world balloon attempt. I had to remain at FL 280 from Ceduna on and wasn’t even allowed above FL 180 near Northam to fly around the balloon, because I was not ADSB equipped. This is despite the fact the aircraft is fitted with the latest MODE S transponder and I had been radar identified and in perfect radar coverage.
I was then told, the military PC9s were all flying in the ADSB mandatory airspace but without ADSB. They were conducting training practice in these small aircraft but of course, the ex military people in charge of CASA and Airservices have ensured the military have a full exemption against ADSB fitment in mandatory ADSB airspace.
The reason that was given, “It would cost the military too much to fit ADSB.” So here you have the mates of a multi-billion dollar outfit protecting their own, whilst small commercial businesses have to fit the ADSB and generally go broke.
Remember, John McCormick wrote to an operator at Armidale saying exemptions would be given regarding non-ADSB fitment in a similar way RVSM exemptions were given. This was then stopped by John McCormick because Airservices Australia said that operations would not be safe.
Work that one out. It’s quite safe to have lots of PC9 training aircraft as well as dozens of other military aircraft flying in mandatory ADSB airspace with complete safety, but one small GA aircraft is going to make the whole thing unsafe.
Yes, it’s a total dishonest con. How these people can sleep at night amazes me.
By the way, I’m not complaining personally in any way, I have absolutely no problems in affording the extra cost of the equipment. I’m very concerned about the destruction of a GA industry and all of the things I will do in future will be to draw the attention of the media and the politicians to this, so hopefully I can get some changes before total destruction takes place.