❓ WA Minister for Planning and Infrastructure expresses serious concerns regarding the federal government's National Airspace System, particularly its potential safety risks at regional airports due to the removal of mandatory radio communication for aircraft.
AnsweredQoN 781Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Does the minister have concerns about the changes being implemented by the federal Government under the National Airspace System and its effects on Western Australia? Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I know the member is aware of the concerns expressed by the operators of Broome International Airport about this absolutely extraordinary proposal by the federal Government. This proposal will lead to very real safety risks in Western Australia. I will take some time to explain how the system currently works. In regional airports that are not controlled by air traffic control towers - that basically includes all of our regional airports: Albany; Kalgoorlie; Geraldton; Karratha in your electorate, Mr Speaker; and Broome - the procedure is that when an aircraft comes within a specified distance of the airport, the pilot is required to radio all other aircraft in the vicinity to explain where he or she is and what his intentions are. The other aircraft then organise themselves into an agreed order depending on their speed and flight route. The other aircraft are also aware of other aircraft in their vicinity, so obviously they are able to keep a close lookout until they can positively identify those aircraft. The federal Government is proposing to bring in a system that will remove the need for aircraft to carry radios; and, even if they do, they will not be required to use those radios outside of controlled areas such as Perth Airport. This is part of the grand plan called the National Airspace System, which is the brainchild of Dick Smith and it is aimed at reducing the cost of aviation by reducing the charges levied on aircraft. This scheme may work in air spaces that are controlled by air traffic control towers and at altitudes in which the most sophisticated aircraft fly on set routes and have anti-collision devices etc. However, in our regional airports this will be a disaster. We can just imagine the chaos that we will get. We may have the situation in the member’s electorate in which a fully laden Virgin Blue flight from Adelaide, a Qantas flight from Perth, a regional flight from Darwin and a local scenic flight are all approaching to land at Broome Airport and they come across a rogue aircraft that, quite within its rights, is not carrying a radio and is not broadcasting its intentions. That situation could easily be replicated in any of the other major regional airports in Western Australia. Imagine for one minute what the effect of such a collision would be. This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I know the member is aware of the concerns expressed by the operators of Broome International Airport about this absolutely extraordinary proposal by the federal Government. This proposal will lead to very real safety risks in Western Australia. I will take some time to explain how the system currently works. In regional airports that are not controlled by air traffic control towers - that basically includes all of our regional airports: Albany; Kalgoorlie; Geraldton; Karratha in your electorate, Mr Speaker; and Broome - the procedure is that when an aircraft comes within a specified distance of the airport, the pilot is required to radio all other aircraft in the vicinity to explain where he or she is and what his intentions are. The other aircraft then organise themselves into an agreed order depending on their speed and flight route. The other aircraft are also aware of other aircraft in their vicinity, so obviously they are able to keep a close lookout until they can positively identify those aircraft. The federal Government is proposing to bring in a system that will remove the need for aircraft to carry radios; and, even if they do, they will not be required to use those radios outside of controlled areas such as Perth Airport. This is part of the grand plan called the National Airspace System, which is the brainchild of Dick Smith and it is aimed at reducing the cost of aviation by reducing the charges levied on aircraft. This scheme may work in air spaces that are controlled by air traffic control towers and at altitudes in which the most sophisticated aircraft fly on set routes and have anti-collision devices etc. However, in our regional airports this will be a disaster. We can just imagine the chaos that we will get. We may have the situation in the member’s electorate in which a fully laden Virgin Blue flight from Adelaide, a Qantas flight from Perth, a regional flight from Darwin and a local scenic flight are all approaching to land at Broome Airport and they come across a rogue aircraft that, quite within its rights, is not carrying a radio and is not broadcasting its intentions. That situation could easily be replicated in any of the other major regional airports in Western Australia. Imagine for one minute what the effect of such a collision would be. This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
I thank the member for the question. I know the member is aware of the concerns expressed by the operators of Broome International Airport about this absolutely extraordinary proposal by the federal Government. This proposal will lead to very real safety risks in Western Australia. I will take some time to explain how the system currently works. In regional airports that are not controlled by air traffic control towers - that basically includes all of our regional airports: Albany; Kalgoorlie; Geraldton; Karratha in your electorate, Mr Speaker; and Broome - the procedure is that when an aircraft comes within a specified distance of the airport, the pilot is required to radio all other aircraft in the vicinity to explain where he or she is and what his intentions are. The other aircraft then organise themselves into an agreed order depending on their speed and flight route. The other aircraft are also aware of other aircraft in their vicinity, so obviously they are able to keep a close lookout until they can positively identify those aircraft. The federal Government is proposing to bring in a system that will remove the need for aircraft to carry radios; and, even if they do, they will not be required to use those radios outside of controlled areas such as Perth Airport. This is part of the grand plan called the National Airspace System, which is the brainchild of Dick Smith and it is aimed at reducing the cost of aviation by reducing the charges levied on aircraft. This scheme may work in air spaces that are controlled by air traffic control towers and at altitudes in which the most sophisticated aircraft fly on set routes and have anti-collision devices etc. However, in our regional airports this will be a disaster. We can just imagine the chaos that we will get. We may have the situation in the member’s electorate in which a fully laden Virgin Blue flight from Adelaide, a Qantas flight from Perth, a regional flight from Darwin and a local scenic flight are all approaching to land at Broome Airport and they come across a rogue aircraft that, quite within its rights, is not carrying a radio and is not broadcasting its intentions. That situation could easily be replicated in any of the other major regional airports in Western Australia. Imagine for one minute what the effect of such a collision would be. This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I know the member is aware of the concerns expressed by the operators of Broome International Airport about this absolutely extraordinary proposal by the federal Government. This proposal will lead to very real safety risks in Western Australia. I will take some time to explain how the system currently works. In regional airports that are not controlled by air traffic control towers - that basically includes all of our regional airports: Albany; Kalgoorlie; Geraldton; Karratha in your electorate, Mr Speaker; and Broome - the procedure is that when an aircraft comes within a specified distance of the airport, the pilot is required to radio all other aircraft in the vicinity to explain where he or she is and what his intentions are. The other aircraft then organise themselves into an agreed order depending on their speed and flight route. The other aircraft are also aware of other aircraft in their vicinity, so obviously they are able to keep a close lookout until they can positively identify those aircraft. The federal Government is proposing to bring in a system that will remove the need for aircraft to carry radios; and, even if they do, they will not be required to use those radios outside of controlled areas such as Perth Airport. This is part of the grand plan called the National Airspace System, which is the brainchild of Dick Smith and it is aimed at reducing the cost of aviation by reducing the charges levied on aircraft. This scheme may work in air spaces that are controlled by air traffic control towers and at altitudes in which the most sophisticated aircraft fly on set routes and have anti-collision devices etc. However, in our regional airports this will be a disaster. We can just imagine the chaos that we will get. We may have the situation in the member’s electorate in which a fully laden Virgin Blue flight from Adelaide, a Qantas flight from Perth, a regional flight from Darwin and a local scenic flight are all approaching to land at Broome Airport and they come across a rogue aircraft that, quite within its rights, is not carrying a radio and is not broadcasting its intentions. That situation could easily be replicated in any of the other major regional airports in Western Australia. Imagine for one minute what the effect of such a collision would be. This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
I thank the member for the question. I know the member is aware of the concerns expressed by the operators of Broome International Airport about this absolutely extraordinary proposal by the federal Government. This proposal will lead to very real safety risks in Western Australia. I will take some time to explain how the system currently works. In regional airports that are not controlled by air traffic control towers - that basically includes all of our regional airports: Albany; Kalgoorlie; Geraldton; Karratha in your electorate, Mr Speaker; and Broome - the procedure is that when an aircraft comes within a specified distance of the airport, the pilot is required to radio all other aircraft in the vicinity to explain where he or she is and what his intentions are. The other aircraft then organise themselves into an agreed order depending on their speed and flight route. The other aircraft are also aware of other aircraft in their vicinity, so obviously they are able to keep a close lookout until they can positively identify those aircraft. The federal Government is proposing to bring in a system that will remove the need for aircraft to carry radios; and, even if they do, they will not be required to use those radios outside of controlled areas such as Perth Airport. This is part of the grand plan called the National Airspace System, which is the brainchild of Dick Smith and it is aimed at reducing the cost of aviation by reducing the charges levied on aircraft. This scheme may work in air spaces that are controlled by air traffic control towers and at altitudes in which the most sophisticated aircraft fly on set routes and have anti-collision devices etc. However, in our regional airports this will be a disaster. We can just imagine the chaos that we will get. We may have the situation in the member’s electorate in which a fully laden Virgin Blue flight from Adelaide, a Qantas flight from Perth, a regional flight from Darwin and a local scenic flight are all approaching to land at Broome Airport and they come across a rogue aircraft that, quite within its rights, is not carrying a radio and is not broadcasting its intentions. That situation could easily be replicated in any of the other major regional airports in Western Australia. Imagine for one minute what the effect of such a collision would be. This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
This system has been transplanted from the United States to avoid a full risk analysis of the situation. The United States has a completely different infrastructure set-up. It has far more extensive air traffic control towers and radar stations than has Western Australia. This is not just a hypothetical situation. There is an incentive for many of these small craft to not use a radio. In many instances, staff at the regional airports learn of these aircraft arriving by the use of the radio, which allows them to go out and collect the landing charges. Under this system, operators will have an incentive to not radio their intentions so that they can avoid the fee. That is of the gravest concern. I ask members to familiarise themselves with what is proposed. We are organising a meeting to be held tomorrow with the National Airspace System team and our local airport operators. It is my intention to take up this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. The system provides the potential for complete chaos to occur in our regional airports.
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