About the OAR
On 14 September 2006, the Australian Government announced a number of key reforms to the governance and management of Australian airspace. Among the reforms was the transfer of responsibility for airspace regulation from Airservices Australia to CASA. The transfer took place on 1 July 2007.
Prior to this, the Airservices Australia unit responsible for airspace management was the Airspace and Environment Regulatory Unit (AERU).
Now the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR), a small but distinct unit within CASA, is responsible for regulating Australian airspace. There are embedded members of the Australian Defence Force within the OAR.
The General Manager of the OAR reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (Director of Safety) of CASA.
Role of the OAR
The role of the OAR is to regulate Australian airspace in accordance with the Airspace Regulations 2007 and to meet the Australian Government commitment expressed in the Australian Airspace Policy Statement (2007), to:
- ensure that Australian airspace is administered and used safely;
- ensure that Australian airspace is used efficiently and that, where possible, there is equitable access to our airspace for all users of that airspace;
- meet Australia's obligations as a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
- be recognised as world's best practice; and
- best meet Australia's needs.
The key principles for the administration of airspace as a national resource are:
- safety of Passenger Transport operations is the most important consideration;
- efficient use of airspace is a benefit to the aviation sector and the Australian economy;
- protection of the environment is of concern to all Australians;
- access to airspace will be open to all users unless there are justifiable reasons to deny access in terms of safety, efficiency, environmental protection or national security; and
- airspace administration will take account of national security.
To meet the requirements and guidance, the OAR undertakes the following activities:
- assessing and managing airspace change proposals,
- consulting with industry on airspace matters,
- periodic reviews of the airspace structure to ensure that the airspace is fit for purpose, and
- participating in future strategic airspace planning.