Wollongong name change
 

Refer AIP SUP H28/19

".. reduce the likelihood of confusion amongst aircraft operators, pilots and data providers .."

lol so they are giving this airport two names to reduce confusion! One of the names is the name of the airport already. Who is the genius that gets paid to come up with these ideas?

What are we supposed to say on CTAF? Shellharbour or Wollongong Gateway? Or are we supposed to say "Traffic Shellharbour Wollongong Gateway"? The AIP SUP doesn't specify.

This is adding many more words to a CTAF that is already very congested. It's already hard to get basic traffic broadcasts in time while in the circuit at YWOL.

Seriously please whoever came up with this can you please take it back. Giving an airport two names to avoid confusion!? This is a total joke and whoever is responsible for it has no idea what they're doing and needs to be fired!

"The 'Gong traffic..."

Worthy of Norman Gunston

Gold Coast is still Cooly.
Sunshine Coast is still Maroochy.
Sydney Metro is still Bankstown.
...and is anyone planning on calling for clearance at from "Nancy Bird Approach"?

...oh and I called inbound at 2FC the other day, just to fkn show 'em.

From the AIC:

Prior to the exodus of the "back room" experienced people in Airservices, proposals to change aerodrome names used to be referred to the regional RAPAC & CASA before progressing, to gauge opinions and potential impact. Some got knocked back due to potentially causing confusion and a safety issue. In some cases NAVAID idents would be involved.

I don't see any mention in recent NSW/ACT RAPAC minutes, so this one may have just been the AD OPR direct to Airservices AIS who just processed it without thinking about wider consultation and the impact.

It is usually the AD OPR who originates such changes, following a PR-type's thought bubble.

Folks,
Just to add a bit of precision could we perhaps settle on the name: Shellharbour Wollongong Gateway Albion Park International Airport --- that should cover all the bases.
Tootle pip!!

I don't see a problem in that Lead.

ATC: XYZ track direct to Shellharbour, Wollongong, Gateway Albion Park

XYZ: Say again.

ATC: Track direct to Shellharbour, Wollongong, Gateway Albion Park

XYZ: err say again

ATC: (Exasperated voice) Track direct to Wollongong

XYZ: (thinks) why didn't he say so in the first place

ATC: ( thinks) Deaf prick.

Why not just called it "Sydney South"?......

I wonder if the NDB ident will change from WOL to SHL. If so, there would be a bit of work involved, with all the air routes tracking via WOL needing to be changed, charts & DAPs changed, and the resulting dataset changes including Jepp etc.

There is no mention of aeronautical data changes in the AIC.

Perhaps someone didn't think of that aspect ....

I recall something similar involving Kingscote on Kangaroo Island about 4-5 years ago . The local council filed a change of name with AIS which did get redirected to the SA RAPAC & local ATC & CASA, who pointed out the work involved (who was going to pay?), the potential confusion and the fundamental lack of a need for a name change aviation-wise, and I recall the proposal was withdrawn.

That is OK, and must have come later.

Initially they wanted to rename it to something related to a tourism aspect, a name no-one would have a clue about where it was ....

Thorn Bird,
Just trying to be helpful, given that the aerodrome in question is NOT in Wollongong or at Shellharbour.
How about "Albion Park Dogs" --- the doggie track is a well known local landmark --- even Sydneysiders know where that is!!
Tootle pip!!

Leadsled,
Albion Park Greyhounds is actually in Brisbane; I think you are referring to the Dapto greyhounds, universally know as the "Dapto Dogs". The airport isn't in Dapto, either. The nearest suburb is Albion Park Rail.

On a more serious note, think of the total cost of all the upgrades to GPS databases, IATA publications, Airservices charts and so forth which such a change automatically requires. Apparently the mayor of Shellharbour wanted the change, and I'm not aware of any consulation with airport operators or businesses. As for making an already congested CTAF just a little harder to work with, I couldn't agree more.

Shellharbour mayor's dislike for all things Wollongong is well known. In this case, how dare their airport be called Wollongong Airport, so they changed it. It's got nothing to do with aviation and everything to do with ego.

Interestingly, it's generally only aviators who call it Wollongong Airport. Locals on the ground call it Illawarra Regional Airport, a region of which Shellharbour and Wollongong both belong. So if any name change were to happen, it probably should have been changed to Illawarra airport.

I'm guessing the mayor wants the CTAF calls to be changed to Shellharbour Traffic....

Unbelievable.

How about the "First Nation's" name for the area??