VFR Flight Above FL200 Illegal?

[Capn Bloggs]

So, CAR 1988 Reg 173 says VFR flight above FL200 requires that pilot to have CASA approval. What then, is the point of having E airspace above FL200? Or has CASA issued a blanket exemption to VFR provided they have IFR altimeters?

[tobzalp]

VFR flight in Class A not allowed. Therefore east of J curve that is abv F180 west of J curve above F245. As this NAS was supposed to increase access to the airspace for VFR it has actuually greatly reduced the amount of places as a whole that a VFR aircraft can operate.

[SM4 Pirate]

My understanding is that there have been many exemptions handed out for VFR above FL200. Who police's it?

Also, the supposed point about E above FL180 is to allow the IFRs to use the class E procedures, not necessarily to cater for the VFRs as such... IFR pick-up, VFR on TOP, but mostly VFR climb and descent; where you have 10 miles and you need 15 for a go through etc; you could make the call to do it visually rather than get held up/slow down find another radial... That type of thing.

Some of the intentions of the NAS are good; the problem is it is balanced with a hole lot of stuff that isn't much chop.

If there are about 3 aircraft flying VFR per day in E above FL145, a stat I was told yesterday, why have it up there at all? Who does it advantage, a whole system desinged for 0.005% of those that use the system... Sounds lovely...

Bottle of Rum

[Fission]

It advantages those whom can afford to buy the jets to fly up that high, but are too tight to pay the charges like the airlines.

Why bend the rules to suit you if you can change them ??

[Richo]

Yes Bloggs you are quite right VFR flight rules aircraft (planned VFR) are not alowed above F200. I believe, though not sure there is only one approved operator for VFR above FL200.

But, VFR procedures used by an IFR Flight Rules aircraft are allowed. Ie VFR Climb and Descent as per NAS.
This means an IFR aircraft can use a VFR procedure when in visual conditions and in Class E airspace above or below FL200.

Now I don't like lots of NAS but I do like the VFR Climb and Descent where mutual aggrement is reached with the two ACFT and ATC. I supose that means above FL200 you only have to look out for known IFR traffic doing VFR C&D and on the appropriate freq. But below FL200 there could be anybody out there, and not on any freq known to you??????????.

This realy does bring up another point, why are we finding these things out NOW, where was the comprehensive education program. I understand that CASA was required to conduct this training/Education. But I never saw anything from them about it. I did get the glossy brocures from the ARG and a letter from some RAAF officer explaning some limited info.

In my opinion the EDUCATION was VERY POOR.

I attended a brief by ATC controllers from Melbourne Cent, in Perth week or so after the implementation of NAS 2b. I learnt more from that hour with them, than from any of the booklets or bull**** from CASA or the ARG.

WHY WHY WHY, the biggest change in Australian airspace and we still don't have all the relevant info.

No wonder people resist the change when it has been handeld so POORLY.