Heathrow changed to Class D to save the industry money,Williamtown what's happening?
Not many know but Heathrow Airport – one of the airports with the highest traffic levels in the world has now changed its low level terminal airspace to Class D.
I spoke to one of the air traffic controllers and he told me, “Dick, it’s all about empowering air traffic controllers so we can get VFR traffic – mostly helicopters through the area without unnecessary delays.”
I explained how in Australia, the military controllers at Williamtown were totally opposed to a CASA proposal that Williamtown be Class D because the controllers thought they were being down-graded. He said, “That’s pathetically childish. With Class D a controller can still hold a VFR aircraft outside the zone if required for safety reasons however the most controllers realise this is going to cost money so they don’t hold VFR aircraft unless necessary for safety”
Now I wonder, if they can do it at Heathrow wouldn’t you think they could do it at Williamtown? Instead of having to hold aircraft for up to 30 minutes holding out over the ocean, quite often with young families on board, knowing if there is an engine failure it’s most likely everyone will drown.
Wouldn’t you think they would be happy to follow Heathrow and put in some modern airspace so the good controllers could simply give traffic information when it was safe to do so and allow VFR aircraft to fly along the beach at 500’?