The Virgin Independent Pilots Association represents pilots from the Virgin Australia Group, including Virgin Australia Airlines, Tiger Airways and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines.
The VIPA Flight Safety Group acknowledges and supports AirServices Australia's use of GNSS based aircraft routing for the newly implemented Standard Instrument Departures and Standard Terminal Arrivals into Hobart (SIDS/STARS). Using the latest surveillance technology for air traffic control and aircraft navigation is consistent with the safety mandate of Australia's aeronautical agencies, including CASA, AirServices Australia and Virgin Australia.
We also recognise that the safest flight path for an airliner is not always strictly limited to a predetermined route, often due to weather avoidance or for traffic separation purposes. Therefore, we continue to advocate that using the latest surveillance and navigation capabilities to its greatest safety potential, arrival and departure routing into Hobart must be accompanied by modern separation procedures by Air Traffic Control. To this end we do not support the current practice of limiting ATC separation services to pre-WWII "procedural separation".
Tasmania has the latest Multilateration and ADSB supported radar capabilities. We call upon AirServices Australia and CASA to adopt other leading aviation countries' policy of giving full radar separation services to low level on the new arrival routes into Hobart.
This initiative would also go a long way to resolve some complaints highlighted in the Airservices review. Specifically, increased flexibility for Air Traffic Controllers and the ability to provide more direct routing away from noise sensitive neighbourhoods in periods of favourable weather.
VIPA President, retired Captain John Lyons said today that: "VIPA welcomes AirServices Australia's trial project to reclassify airspace above Hobart and Launceston to Class E and supports their Airspace Change Proposal to add Class E airspace to lower levels along the eastern seaboard."
The VIPA Flight Safety Group see this initiative as recognition by AirSevices Australia that low level airspace near airports is high risk and requires higher levels of surveillance and control. We encourage AirServices and CASA to adopt the world’s best safety and efficiency practice by providing radar separation to low level on Hobart arrival and departure routes. This will enhance safety and facilitate Air Traffic Controllers ability to provide noise relief to the local community as often as possible.
VIPA Flight Safety Group
Contact – VIPA President: John Lyons 0405 323 000 ---
