'Foreign jets flout safety rules in unsupervised Aus airspace'
Pilots of foreign jets flying through unsupervised zones across Australia are reportedly unable to comprehend correct collision-avoidance procedures.
By PTI |
MELBOURNE: Pilots of foreign jets flying through unsupervised zones across Australia are reportedly unable to comprehend correct collision-avoidance procedures, with experts terming the situation as "incredibly unsafe".
Air traffic controllers revealed that they often have to brief foreign pilots in mid-flight about the measures they must follow to avoid mid-air collisions in unsupervised Australian airspace, a media report said on Tuesday.
The situation, described by former Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) chairman Dick Smith as "incredibly unsafe", has arisen because a critical shortage of air traffic controllers is leaving large chunks of Australian airspace unsupervised.
Australia is one of the few countries in the world that allows passenger jets to fly through unsupervised airspace. CASA claims it is safe but Qantas instructs its pilots to avoid unsupervised airspace where possible.
Chilling private conversations between air traffic controllers in online industry forums reveal serious safety concerns about the NOTAMS, or Notice to Airmen instructions, given to foreign pilots to avoid collisions while flying through unsupervised Australian airspace.
"It quickly became apparent that none of the international crews -- Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines -- understood the procedures," a source was quoted as saying.
"There is a serious deficiency in what advice/briefing these crews are receiving. I don't think the NOTAMS spell out exactly what they are getting themselves, and the 300 trusting souls down the back of each of these flights, into," he said.
Air traffic controllers revealed that they often have to brief foreign pilots in mid-flight about the measures they must follow to avoid mid-air collisions in unsupervised Australian airspace, a media report said on Tuesday.
The situation, described by former Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) chairman Dick Smith as "incredibly unsafe", has arisen because a critical shortage of air traffic controllers is leaving large chunks of Australian airspace unsupervised.
Australia is one of the few countries in the world that allows passenger jets to fly through unsupervised airspace. CASA claims it is safe but Qantas instructs its pilots to avoid unsupervised airspace where possible.
Chilling private conversations between air traffic controllers in online industry forums reveal serious safety concerns about the NOTAMS, or Notice to Airmen instructions, given to foreign pilots to avoid collisions while flying through unsupervised Australian airspace.
"It quickly became apparent that none of the international crews -- Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines -- understood the procedures," a source was quoted as saying.
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"There is a serious deficiency in what advice/briefing these crews are receiving. I don't think the NOTAMS spell out exactly what they are getting themselves, and the 300 trusting souls down the back of each of these flights, into," he said.
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