The United Kingdom’s main air traffic service provider NATS (formerly National Air Traffic Services Ltd) is now using wide area multilateration (WAM) in the North Sea off the Scottish coast for helicopter flight following. The system’s us is now also spreading in Australia

Boeing has confirmed it will close its Milperra aerospace engineering site at Bankstown in Sydney’s south-west. The company said today that it would consolidate its Australian aerospace component manufacturing on its Fishermans Bend plant in Melbourne, closing the Bankstown factory in 2012.

With the Sunshine Coast’s high aviator population, the region’s aviation fraternity is determined not to lose their airport without a fight.  They’ll be showing their strength at an upcoming public meeting, and we’re urging that as many aviation people as possible take part.  For that purpose here’s the full text of a letter that’s been circulated to interested parties. READ MORE

A Christmas present from John McCormick!

CASA has raised the controversial cap on aeroplane circuit movements at the six GAAP airfields, introduced in mid 2009, from six to eight under the control of one controller.

The higher limit outlined in CASA Instrument 597/09, which revokes instrument 329/09, applies at all six GAAP airports – Archerfield, Bankstown, Camden, Moorabbin, Parafield and Jandakot.

Regional airport managers from all over Australia will share their experience, knowledge and ideas during a two-day conference in Sydney on February 10-11th, 2010.  With the future of several Australian regional airports now threatened by pressure from real estate developers, the conference…

Sydney Airport has bounced the ball back to the Daily Telegraph, whose reporter John Rolfe blasted the airport today over parking fees charged to Customs staff working at the international terminal.

The Telegraph report said 600 customs officers were now forced to pay $2,000 a year for parking – the equivalent of a $3,000 salary cut, following their move to a building owned by Sydney Airports Corporation.

Pressure is now mounting from all GAAP airport users for a case by case review of  CASA CEO John McCormick’s “Directive 329/09”,  which applies uniform restrictions on all GAAPs regardless of major differences in airspace layout, traffic movements and other key issues.  In the most recent move Jandakot airport users have written to the Director claiming his decision was based on now-discredited advice, without an impact statement or appropriate consultation, battering their businesses and damaging the training industry’s international credibility.  Several independent experts have also criticised the language and the risk analysis methodology and assumptions of the “Ambidji Report” on which the decision was based. Jandakot users say they are now being locked out of…

Following airspace studies by CASA’s Office of Airspace Regulation, airspace classifications in the Newcastle region have been changed  to class E airspace within 25 nautical miles of Williamtown when the local military air traffic control services are not being provided.  At those times class E airspace will apply from 4500 feet up to the base of the existing class E at 8500 feet.

This means that in the new class E airspace aircraft operating to instrument flight rules (IFR) will be provided with separation by en route air traffic controllers from the Airservices Australia Brisbane air traffic centre. Aircraft in the class E airspace must carry and use a transponder.

In our article on July 13 titled War chest for Bankstown airport battlers we made the following statement:

“….the premises of the Boy Scouts Association at Archerfield Airport were bulldozed by the new owners without explanation or consultation”

We have now found that the information provided to us and published in the article  was incorrect.

Qantas has defined its plans to overhaul its domestic airport check-in, which it says will halve check-in times for its customers at Australian CityFlyer ports.

Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce told the National Aviation Press Club yesterday the Airport of the Future initiative would begin next year with the introduction of “next generation check-in.”

Mr Max Moore-Wilton AC, the Chairman of Sydney Airport, has been elected the new chairman of Airports Council International (ACI).  ACI is a global aviation organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, that provides leadership and support to 1,670 airports in 177 countries and territories around the world. Its member airports together handled 4.9 billion passengers last year representing 96% of the world’s air passengers. Mr Moore-Wilton was appointed Chairman of Sydney Airport Corporation Limited in April 2006 having been Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman since December 2002.

A new “aeropark” development at Goulburn NSW has won local government approval, and will be offering general aviation businesses a secure and affordable relocation within two hours of Sydney. Its developers now plan for construction to commence early next February for completion in March 2011.

Bankstown flight school operators Ray Clamback and Aminta Hennessy are “overwhelmed” by a surge of financial support for their David-and-Goliath legal battle with the airport owners, Bankstown Airport Limited (BAL).  BAL now wants their business to pay new rental rates it has set that are 100% higher than their previous rental. BAL says it has not only assumed control of the site as the head-lease holder, but also now owns the $1m hangar the partners had built on the site at their own cost – and wants to rent it back to them.

Released this week was news that a 33.3% equity stake in the 76 hectares of lease hold land surrounding Bankstown Airport would be put on the market, represented by commercial property group, Colliers International.  News of the equity sale comes as no surprise to those following the Bankstown Airport saga and raises…

If you’re in the area, Whitsunday Airport is well worth a visit especially next Sunday (May 3) when a mini-airshow will celebrate the launch of airport owner Jeffrey Ruddell’s Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate (Yes, WAVE.) The RAAF’s Roulettes will stage two formation aerobatic events, supported by displays by local operators…

Why is it that the only aviation-responsible minister ever to have faced-off greed-driven airport operators and their local government mates has been former Minister Mark Vaile?  The newest battlefront is at Evans Head on NSW’s north coast, where local government seems ready to sidestep its public consultation obligations by supporting a retirement village and nursing home subdivision that would all but shut down the town’s historic airport.

Frustrated Bankstown flying schools probably thought things had got as bad as they could get. An …

As many of you are aware, back in November 2008, I forwarded a letter to the Department of Transport, asking Minister Albanese for answers. Imagine my surprise when I received the anticipated yellow Australian Government envelope in the mail this week!  As we know, Ministers do not write these letters personally, they rely on departmental officials (or in some cases political advisors) to draft them. My letter was apparently handed down…