15 Jun 2018 The Australian, Australia Author: Matthew Denholm • Section: Aviation • Article type : News Item Classification : National • Audience : 94,448 • Page: 28 • Printed Size: 399.00cm² Market: National • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 8,063 • Words: 603 Item ID: 969331741 Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.
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Antarctic flights frozen out of plans MATTHEW DENHOLM
TASMANIA CORRESPONDENT
Airservices failed to cater for Antarctic flights when it introduced new flight paths for Hobart Airport, forcing aircraft to waste time and fuel needlessly flying well north of the city. The airspace regulator’s failure to provide for aircraft arriving from or departing for Hobart’s south when new flight paths were introduced in September last year created headaches for Antarctic Airbus A319 operator Skytraders. Company executive director Terry Vickers said the initial decision to force departing and arriving Antarctic flights to head well north of Hobart to comply with new fixed flight paths wasted time and fuel. “It’s just crazy stuff — it adds 10 to 15 minutes to a flight — $3000 to $4000,” Mr Vickers said. “There was never any real logic to it. “We had to go up to the north just to come back to the airport, even though we could do a visual approach coming from the south and not have to worry about any of the flight paths.” Airservices initially failed to make provision for the Antarctic flights — used to ferry supplies and personnel to and from Australia’s Wilkins ice runway, near Casey Station — despite the service operating for more than a decade. Mr Vickers said after discussions with Airservices, a meeting had been held and alternatives agreed, and he did not expect any further problems ahead of the next Antarctic flight season. Airservices confirmed “alternative options” were now available for Antarctic flights, which are expected to increase with plans for a new paved runway near Davis Station and interest from tourist flight operators. However, the initial failure to consider the issue is seen by critics as further evidence of bungled
implementation of the controversial flight paths. The Weekend Australian recently revealed a dramatic spike in safety breaches in the skies north of Hobart directly linked to the new flight paths, known as Standard Instrument Departure and Standard Arrival Route. This included at least two “loss of separation” incidents, in which Airbus A320 and A321 passenger jets came closer to one another than permitted under safety rules, typically 305m. An Airservices map shows these incidents are focused on an area where the SID and STAR intersect near Richmond, north of Hobart. Airservices says the new standardised flight paths improve safety and efficiency, but in an internal report it conceded these benefits had been undermined by implementation failings. Virgin pilots were the latest to call for changes to the Hobart flight paths. The Virgin Independent Pilots Association said making better use of radar-type surveillance to guide planes to low levels at Hobart airport would address many of the concerns. “Specifically (it would allow), 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 said in a statement. The new flight paths, currently under review, have outraged residents of once-quiet rural towns suddenly bearing the brunt of aircraft noise from 60 flights a day. Airlines have complained about the extra fuel required, while internal reports reveal some aircraft lack the equipment or speed required to comply with the new flight paths. Airservices has promised to consider changes to provide “short term” noise relief to impacted communities, such as Dunal-
ley, Murdunna and Boomer Bay. Residents questioned why their rural lifestyles had been shattered for what appeared to be a less safe and less efficient system. “We want to regain our peace and quiet — that’s why we live here,” said Murdunna resident Rachel Dean.