Alice Springs Airport - Tower closing due staffing levels.

[Clare Prop]

Originally Posted by TCAS FAN

Strewth, sounds as if you have the same problem as we do up here, they don't make controllers as they used to!

They laid off a lot of the best ones back in the early 2000s, that's when they decided to reduce the tower hours and have a former controller as a CA/GRO instead, so people who can't read the ERSA were so used to his voice they thought he was still a controller...it took one to land on top of another one before someone realised that the operators were right when they said it wasn't safe.

I suppose the next step will be to close it altogether and as most pilots operating out of Jandakot still can't read the ERSA, you will often find yourself face to face with someone on base.

At least if they close the tower you wouldn't have to send all your students home on the first sunny day for a week because of their ridiculous "operational restrictions". Gone are the days when a packet of TimTams would help you get a place in a busy circuit!

(Little red PA28 is still going strong

[MagnumPI]

Originally Posted by Gne

Virgin Australia confirmed the airline had experienced disruption on some services to Ballina due to workforce issues at Airservices Australia.

In response, Virgin undertook risk assessments before going ahead with flights to ensure the airspace was completely safe.

I'd love to see a copy of these risk assessments. After all, the SFIS didn't help when a VA 737 had a 'separation occurrence' with a C208. So even the most optimistic of risk assessors couldn't say that BNA is completely safe for RPT ops, let alone when there is no controller.

Not to mention the SFIS controller is in Brisbane! It's not like it is a CAGRO who is on-field by themself and might go to the dunny or off sick, I'd hope that if a SFIS controller in BN Centre can't man their post there is someone else there that can...evidently not.

[10JQKA]

Isn't there some sort of casa directive to have BNA APP there by Dec 2023 and also a TWR by June 2024 ?

Yeah here it is casa bna airspace review Dec 22

Recommendation 7
As an interim action pending the completion of Recommendation 8, CASA should make a
determination to establish a control area around Ballina Byron Gateway Airport with a base which
is as low as possible, and direct AA to provide services within the control area. The services should
be provided during all periods of scheduled Air Transport Operations and include an Approach
Control Service to aircraft operating under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), separation between
IFR aircraft, VFR traffic information to all aircraft, and sequencing of all aircraft to and from the
runway. CASA and AA should jointly explore opportunities to detect non-cooperative aircraft or
vehicles in the immediate vicinity of the runway. The services should be established as soon as
practicable but no later than 30 November 2023.

Recommendation 8
CASA should make a determination that Ballina Byron Gateway Airport will become a controlled
aerodrome with an associated control zone and control area, and direct Airservices Australia (AA)
to provide an Aerodrome Control Service1
to the aerodrome. That service should be established as
soon as practicable but no later than 13 June 2024.

Recommendation 9
CASA should prepare and finalise an Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) for a control zone and
control area steps in preparation for the implementation of Recommendations 7 and 8.

[Lead Balloon]

I thought that what happened to those recommendations, once they were leaked and CASA realised how stupid it looked for CASA to be making recommendations to CASA, is that they were amended. Is my recollection inaccurate?

[Icarus2001]

I am planning to write to the minister about this. A waste of time probably but she needs to know that she may be the minister left holding the baby when there is a coming together of aircraft in Australian airspace. If it prompts her to ask some difficult questions of CASA and AsA that will be an achievement.

[10JQKA]

Originally Posted by Lead Balloon

I thought that what happened to those recommendations, once they were leaked and CASA realised how stupid it looked for CASA to be making recommendations to CASA, is that they were amended. Is my recollection inaccurate?

initially it came out with dates that were 6 months earlier than those above.
kinda weird how its written it would appear that AsA can't do 7 or 8 until casa has done 9 ? Go figure !

[Lead Balloon]

If you go to this thread, you will see that Australian Flying quoted the original CASA OAR report’s nine recommendations, including this one:

7. As an interim action pending the completion of Recommendation 8, CASA should demand CTA around Ballina with a base which is as low as possible. …

The words “should demand CTA” were subsequently airbrushed and replaced with “make a determination to establish a control area”.

It appears that even the geniuses involved in what’s laughably called airspace ‘management’ in Australia realised that it looked pretty stupid for CASA to recommend that CASA demand that CASA do something.

[Chronic Snoozer]

Yes, minister.

[Maggie Island]

High School Services

Is there a party on this weekend that we’re not invited to or is it just me…

B0040/23 NOTAMN
A) YMAV
B) 2306232100
C) 2306251200
D) DAILY 2100/2300 0200/0300 0800/1200
E) TWR ATS NOT AVBLDUE TO OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSPROCEDURES IN ENROUTE SUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA (ERSA), FAC, AVALONOPERATIONS OUTSIDE TWR HR APPLY

B0409/23 NOTAMN
Q)YMMM/QSTXX/IV/BO/E/000/025/3802S14428E012
A) YMMM
B) 2306232100
C) 2306251200
D) DAILY 2100/2300 0200/0300 0800/1200
E) AVALON TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSAVALON CLASS D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G FROM SFC TO 700FT AND CLASS E FROM 700FT TO 2500FT AS PER EN ROUTE SUP AUSTRALIA (ERSA)AVALON - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HRFIS AVBL MELBOURNE CENTRE 135.70COMMON TFC ADVISORY FREQ (CTAF) 120.
F) SFC
G) 2500FT AMSL

B0045/23 NOTAMN
A) YBAS
B) 2306232230
C) 2306250830
D) DAILY 2230/0830
E) YBAS TWR ATS NOT AVBLDUE TO OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSALICE SPRINGS CLASS C AND CLASS D AIRSPACE BELOW FL125 BECOMES CLASSG AIRSPACE - CLASS C AIRSPACE FL125 TO FL245 BECOMES CLASS E AIRSPACEAS PER EN ROUTE SUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA ALICE SPRINGS - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TOWER HRCOMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY 118.3

B0410/23 NOTAMN
A) YMMM
B) 2306232230
C) 2306250830
D) DAILY 2230/0830
E) ALICE SPRINGS (YBAS) TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS ALICE SPRINGS CLASS C AND CLASS D AIRSPACE BELOW FL125 BECOMES CLASSG AIRSPACE - CLASS C AIRSPACE FL125 TO FL245 BECOMES CLASS E AIRSPACE - AS PER EN ROUTE SUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA ALICE SPRINGS - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HR.FIS AVBL MELBOURNE CENTRE 119.8COMMON TFC ADVISORY FREQ (CTAF) 118.3
F) SFC
G) FL125

B0072/23 NOTAMN
A) YMAY
B) 2306232300
C) 2306251030
D) 2306232300 TO 2306240700 2306242300 TO 2306251030
E) TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSALBURY CLASS C AND D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G AS PER EN ROUTESUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA ALBURY - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HRCOMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY FREQ 123.25

B0411/23 NOTAMN
A) YMMM
B) 2306232300
C) 2306251030
D) 2306232300 TO 2306240700 2306242300 TO 2306251030
E) ALBURY TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSALBURY CLASS C AND D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G AS PER EN ROUTESUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA ALBURY - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HRFIS AVBL MELBOURNE CENTRE 125.2COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY 123.25
F) SFC
G) 8500FT AMSL

B0015/23 NOTAMN
A) YPKA
B) 2306240615
C) 2306250345
D) 2306240615 TO 2306240645 2306250000 TO 2306250345
E) TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSKARRATHA CLASS D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G SFC TO 5500FT AMSL AS PEREN ROUTE SUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA YPKA - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HRCOMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY FREQ 127.35

B0412/23 NOTAMN
A) YMMM
B) 2306240615
C) 2306250345
D) 2306240615 TO 2306240645 2306250000 TO 2306250345
E) KARRATHA (YPKA) TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONSKARRATHA CLASS D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G SFC TO 5500FT AMSL AS PEREN ROUTE SUPPLEMENT AUSTRALIA YPKA - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HRFIS AVBL MELBOURNE CENTRE 122.4COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY 127.35
F) SFC
G) 5500FT AMSL

[Icarus2001]

An absolute bloody disgrace.

[West_Koios]

But the workforce plan says that everything is ok!




At some stage, surely, they have to accept thet their workforce plan isn't worth the paper it's printed on. If only they'd look outside their own office.

[A320 Flyer]

What an absolute disgrace this country has become…. Probably all somewhere for an inclusivity and diversity conference…. Possibly a presentation on “the voice to parliament and it’s importance to air traffic services”

[10JQKA]

"we're there, like air"

[sunnySA]

Originally Posted by 10JQKA

Isn't there some sort of casa directive to have BNA APP there by Dec 2023 and also a TWR by June 2024 ?

Yeah here it is casa bna airspace review Dec 22

Recommendation 7
As an interim action pending the completion of Recommendation 8, CASA should make a
determination to establish a control area around Ballina Byron Gateway Airport with a base which
is as low as possible, and direct AA to provide services within the control area. The services should
be provided during all periods of scheduled Air Transport Operations and include an Approach
Control Service to aircraft operating under the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), separation between
IFR aircraft, VFR traffic information to all aircraft, and sequencing of all aircraft to and from the
runway. CASA and AA should jointly explore opportunities to detect non-cooperative aircraft or
vehicles in the immediate vicinity of the runway. The services should be established as soon as
practicable but no later than 30 November 2023.

Recommendation 8
CASA should make a determination that Ballina Byron Gateway Airport will become a controlled
aerodrome with an associated control zone and control area, and direct Airservices Australia (AA)
to provide an Aerodrome Control Service1
to the aerodrome. That service should be established as
soon as practicable but no later than 13 June 2024.

Recommendation 9
CASA should prepare and finalise an Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) for a control zone and
control area steps in preparation for the implementation of Recommendations 7 and 8.

Yep, and perhaps throw in the Ministerial directive from August 2004 "Provision of approach radar services at specific airports".

[jj232]

Originally Posted by A320 Flyer

What an absolute disgrace this country has become…. Probably all somewhere for an inclusivity and diversity conference…. Possibly a presentation on “the voice to parliament and it’s importance to air traffic services”

Its all purely because ASA management has always believed the job can be done with less people, Covid was the green light to take risks they never would’ve any other time. Obviously this was never the case and what your seeing now is the result of the decision to make large numbers of ATCs redundant. They have now gone on a large training and hiring drive but it will take 10 years to get numbers to where they need to be.
Unfortunately we have a transport minister who seems uninterested in actually doing anything. She recently received a letter from a local Federal member in her own party in Sydney telling her he believes they are some big problems in ASA and could see meet with certain union members. Her response was she has spoken to ASA and they have assured her they are fixing it. Wouldn’t even allocate 30mins to hear from them. I feel sorry for industry but nothings going to get better for a long time.

[10JQKA]

With WSI,1SKY and SY TCU move to ML all by 2026 one wonders how much worse this will get ?

[jj232]

Originally Posted by 10JQKA

With WSI,1SKY and SY TCU move to ML all by 2026 one wonders how much worse this will get ?

Much much worse! They only just acknowledged there will be a requirement for more controllers at SYD TCU with the opening of WSA! This is all supposed to happen in the same year it’s meant to be moved!

[sunnySA]

Originally Posted by 10JQKA

With WSI,1SKY and SY TCU move to ML all by 2026 one wonders how much worse this will get ?

My money is on WSI being the only thing that will happen in 2026.

WSI will be like the 3rd runway at Sydney. SACL built the runway on-time (or early) and AsA won't be ready for it (Sydney Tower operated the 3rd runway from the Old Tower because the shiny new slippery dip Tower wasn't ready).

With BN's parallel runway, AsA worked to their schedule and told BACL not to open early. I think with WSI there is too much a stake for there to be an operational delay.

[sunnySA]

Originally Posted by jj232

Its all purely because ASA management has always believed the job can be done with less people, Covid was the green light to take risks they never would’ve any other time. Obviously this was never the case and what you're seeing now is the result of the decision to make large numbers of ATCs redundant. They have now gone on a large training and hiring drive but it will take 10 years to get numbers to where they need to be.

It's all based on numbers. It's a bit like a flying organisation that operates 6 different aircraft types, and one or 2 of the pilots can fly all 6 types. One of these multi endorsed pilots with 1000's of hours resigns or retires and is replaced by a low hours pilot with a single endorsement. Pilot numbers are unchanged.

Same, same with ATC. Towers and TCUs have ATC's with multiple endorsements and they are being replaced with ATCs with just a single traffic endorsement. And the experience that went out the door with RIS (redundancies) was staggeringly high - most ATCs had 30+ years experience. Experience in complex weather and traffic patterns, experience in saying "NO" as appropriate and experience being able to safely regulate traffic when required.

[Global Aviator]

After doing some jet flying around the states to many different airports the level of service amazes me.

Straya………..