CASA Media Release - 22 November 1999
No danger at Ayers Rock Airport
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority today dismissed claims that Ayers Rock Airport is unsafe.
CASA's Director of Aviation Safety, Mick Toller, says travellers have no reason to be concerned about flying into or out of Ayers Rock Airport.
Mr Toller says standard procedures are used at Ayers Rock Airport to ensure aircraft maintain safe operations both in the air and on the ground.
He says this involves pilots making radio broadcasts to alert all air traffic of their intended operations.
"The operational procedures at Ayers Rock are the same as those used at many other regional aerodromes across Australia," Mr Toller says.
"Commercial and private pilots are well versed in the actions they must take at these Mandatory Broadcast Zone aerodromes to ensure aircraft maintain separation to operate safely.
"However, CASA and the aviation community have recognised that Ayers Rock and a number of other regional aerodromes are becoming increasingly busy and may in the future require a service to assist pilots.
"For this reason CASA recently approved a six week trial of an air-ground radio operator at Ayers Rock. The service was provided by the airport operator and had the full support of both Qantas and Ansett.
"The operator provided pilots with information on other air traffic in the area of the airport as well as weather conditions.
"The trial was generally well received by pilots and a similar service is now about to be trialed at the Jandakot general aviation airport in Western Australia.
"CASA believes it is important to carefully conduct trials of this air-ground radio service before making final decisions on whether it should be introduced permanently.
"Initial results are encouraging but CASA, the airlines and pilots are learning valuable lessons about how the air-ground radio service should operate and where it could be introduced.
"CASA is analysing the results of the trial. It will then decide on appropriate standards and procedures to govern the provision of an air-ground radio service at appropriate airports next year."
Media contact
Peter Gibson
ph 02 6217 1015
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: ME9952PR