CASA Consultation Hub

In May 2019, we asked people to answer some questions regarding an airspace change proposal (ACP) to trial the lowering of Class E airspace to 5,500 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) over Ayers Rock Aerodrome. Notification of the consultation process included:

• an email sent to all pilots at the start of the consultation period and a reminder email was sent prior to the consultation period closing (approx. 40,000 pilots)
• CASA Briefing newsletter (May 2019) – reached approx. 7,000 subscribers
• being promoted via a link on the CASA home page (www.casa.gov.au) during the consultation period
• an email to advise all RAPAC members (641 individuals and organisations) that consultation had opened, and the proposal was placed on the agenda at RAPAC meetings held during the consultation period
• being promoted via CASA’s social media channels.

Consultation through CASA’s website was open for 30 days and was also available to all members of the public. Respondents included aircraft operators and airspace users, air traffic controllers and other interested persons. The process sought responses to questions which related to the background of the respondent, the nature of their operations, the impact of the change on them and their opinions on cost and safety impacts of the change.

A total of 27 respondents provided feedback to this proposal through CASA’s Consultation Hub. One written submission was received by email and not via the Consultation Hub.

Of the responses received 10 supported the proposal; 11 did not support the proposal, six were supportive but with changes (in design or altitude); one did not answer.

Feedback from the consultation hub was considered and assessed as part of the ACP process.

The proposal was submitted in response to the Minister for Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIRD) - Statement of Expectations 2018-2019, which stated that ‘Airservices will work with DIRD, Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Defence to provide options for enhancing the level of safety and efficiency of Australian controlled airspace including at major regional airports’. Non towered locations such as Ayers Rock have surveillance capability to the ground. An enhanced level of service along with segregated departure and arrival tracks could be provided to IFR aircraft, commensurate with the level of electronic surveillance.

In response to public comments, the final airspace design was reduced to lessen the impact on visual flight rules pilots and still be beneficial to instrument flight rules aircraft. The trial of Class E airspace in the vicinity of Ayers Rock Aerodrome will commence on 20 May 2020.

In May 2019, we asked people to answer some questions regarding an airspace change proposal (ACP) lower Class E airspace to Flight Level (FL) 125 where the current base is FL180. Notification of the consultation process included:

• an email sent to all pilots at the start of the consultation period and a reminder email was sent prior to the consultation period closing (approx. 40,000 pilots)
• CASA Briefing newsletter (May 2019) – reached approx. 7,000 subscribers
• being promoted via a link on the CASA home page (www.casa.gov.au) during the consultation period
• an email to advise all RAPAC members (641 individuals and organisations) that consultation had opened, and the proposal was placed on the agenda at RAPAC meetings held during the consultation period
• being promoted via CASA’s social media channels.

Consultation through CASA’s website was open for 30 days and was also available to all members of the public. Respondents included aircraft operators and airspace users, air traffic controllers and other interested persons. The process sought responses to questions which related to the background of the respondent, the nature of their operations, the impact of the change on them and their opinions on cost and safety impacts of the change.

A total of 77 respondents provided feedback to this proposal through the Consultation Hub. The majority of the responses received were airspace users (41), followed by other (17) with six air traffic controllers responding. One additional written submission was received by email and not via the Consultation Hub. Overall, 39 supported the change; 29 did not support the proposal and nine were supportive but with changes.

Two respondents provided a written response in addition to their submission through the Consultation Hub. One additional written submission was received by email and not via the Consultation Hub.

Feedback from the consultation hub was considered and assessed as part of the ACP process.

An improvement in surveillance capability due to the installation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers nation-wide will provide benefits to airspace users. To realise these benefits, Airservices proposed to lower the base of Class E airspace over low density continental areas to F125 where it is currently FL180.

The lowering of Class E airspace to FL125 will commence on 20 May 2020.

The 2017 aeronautical study of Hobart made three recommendations that included the monitoring of passenger and aircraft movements at Hobart for two years. We asked various stakeholders from aviation, aerodrome and community sectors to provide feedback regarding the Hobart airspace via our Consultation Hub and through face-to-face meetings. A draft report of this feedback was made available to the public for comment. This was closed in November 2019.

A total of 14 respondents provided feedback through our Consultation Hub. There were eight separate face-to-face meetings and one additional written submission received by email, not via the Consultation Hub.

The responses raised various topics including:

• the consultation process undertaken during the implementation of new instrument flight procedures at Hobart
• the increase in recorded occurrences involving aircraft flying the new procedures
• the suitability of the airspace classification at Hobart with continued growth in aircraft and passenger movements
• support for air traffic control at Hobart Tower and the work they do regarding efficient aircraft movement
• the notable benefit to airspace users operating in Class G airspace from an additional step introduced after the aeronautical study
• an opportunity to further enhance the airspace by introducing a Class C tower service supported by Class C terminal airspace by Airservices Australia. This was generally supported however further information would be required, noting that procedural separation in Class C airspace would cause delays to aircraft operating at Cambridge.

These comments are included in the final report on the Airspace reviews webpage. A change to the wording of the recommendation was made as a result of that feedback to provide consistency with the context of its purpose.

We considered and assessed feedback as part of the airspace review process.

The Hobart airspace review 2019 found:

• that three recommendations made in the 2017 Hobart aeronautical study are finalised
• combined data at Hobart and Cambridge aerodromes recorded yearly average increases in total aircraft movements (6.6%), air transport movements (5.4%) and passenger movements (6.1%)
• new flight routes, SIDs, STARs and terminal instrument flight procedures have been completed and were introduced in November 2019
• the airspace classification is fit for purpose however there is an opportunity for Airservices Australia to enhance the level of service provided and the efficiency of controlled airspace – this opportunity should be examined
• a recommendation that Airservices Australia submit an airspace change proposal for the introduction of a Class C tower service supported by Class C terminal airspace within 12 months from published the report.