Airspace Policy - Where is the new plan?

[SM4 Pirate]

I note with interest the airspace policy located here (http://www.dotars.gov.au/aviation/airspace_reform/pdf/AirspacePolicyStatement-Signed28June.pdf).

Of particular interest to me is The Government remains committed to the National Airspace System reform objectives, particularly greater flexibility and the allocation of air traffic management services on the basis of risk.

The Government has determined a number of NAS airspace reform priorities that it wishes CASA to pursue over the period 1 July 2007 to 31 December 2008. In line with the Statement of Expectations issued to CASA on 12 March 2007, CASA is to develop a detailed implementation programme for these reform priorities for submission to the Minister by 30 September 2007. CASA’s implementation programme is also to have regard to industry expectations and to the ability of CASA to adequately resource both the policy review and implementation phases.

Well did CASA produce said "detailed implementation programme"? Did they consult with anyone to make it; or was this simply another example of "YES MINISTER", then do nothing? Perhaps the date was changed?

[crisper]

SM4 CASA are working on this detailed submission at the moment but obviously the date has been delayed. It is no small task and I doubt if we will see any recommendations before the election is held. And, the way things are going, we will probably have Martin Furguson as the new minister anyway. Even after the recommendations are made, will we have more surveys, NPRM'S etc. before anything is in concrete. If they are going to get it right this time, once and for all hopefully, I would rather see it done properly and not rushed just to meet some unrealistic timeframe.

[SM4 Pirate]

I would rather see it done properly and not rushed just to meet some unrealistic timeframe. Well yes I think everyone would agree to that; time lines have been unrealistic since we first started airspace reforms, 1991 etc.

My point is, the policy should be changed to be more realistic in terms of time lines; that may have even been mentioned in one or two of the "published" responses to the draft policy that I have just trawled through.

Lack of an on time plan leads to lack of 2008 progress/change (not necessarily a bad thing), thus the policy should be withdrawn (or at least amended) and go back to draft perhaps if not amended?

[Chimbu chuckles]

We don't need airspace reform we need tarmac reform...as in more of.

We'll not see any real improvement until that is recognised and addressed...perhaps privatisation wasn't such a great idea after all:rolleyes::ugh:

[peuce]

As far as I can see, Airspace Reform has been completed.
15 years of "innovation" has got us back to where we started from! Consider the new ASA Service Delivery environment(a lot of generalisation here):


Upper Airspace & East Coast Services = Controlled Airspace
Regional Services = predominantly DTI in G Airspace = OCTA
Enhanced Unicoms = AFIZs


Does this look familiar to any of the old timers?

[SM4 Pirate]

Well anything yet?

I note the ACF meeting is coming up in early Feb. But, is there a plan?

yar!

[Justin Grogan]

From the Senate Hansard of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee hearings of 14 Feb 05, pages 124/5, at: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S8083.pdf Quote:
Senator MARK BISHOP—Now that the Regulatory Reform Program has been refocused away from a timely conclusion, what is the new completion date and how is it proposed to stop it drifting along forever?

Mr Byron—We do not have a firm completion date at this stage, but we should be able to generate that fairly soon. Mr Gemmell mentioned the refocus, I suppose, that I imposed on the organisation in late 2003-04 on getting the rules right and getting the quality. I found it necessary late last year to articulate in a bit more detail some guiding principles about how I wanted that done and who I wanted to be involved in the process.

I have issued some guiding principles on the formulation of new regulations and, if necessary, manuals of standards that accompany them. I have, I suppose, imposed on the system an additional layer of consultation, to assure me that the final draft rules that I send to the minister for consideration by the parliament are the right ones and that they address very carefully risks that are real and necessary issues that must be picked up by regulations. I felt it was necessary to do that to make sure that I have the right rules. I am not going to put my signature to anything that I do not think adequately addresses safety issues.

Senator MARK BISHOP—When do you think those regulations will go to the minister?

Mr Byron—I anticipate we would start sending some of them from about the middle of this year. I do not see this delaying the overall program excessively. We have an action item to develop a plan to forward to the minister about when we plan to have them to the minister, and I assume that plan would be done in the next couple of months. I would be hopeful that it would not be long after early 2006 that most of the draft rules are delivered to the minister.
[my bolding]

Given Byron's demonstrated form with the Regulatory Reform Program (drifting along forever)you will likely be informed of a CASA action item to develop a plan for a plan at the ACF.:hmm: