Ten years of aviation safety neglect

The Metroliner would have “seen” the mountain ridge it struck while flying in thick cloud in time to climb over it, where the downward looking system could not.

We have to ask why other countries would have such requirements for aircraft with six passengers or more, but Australia has not even started the process of making it a proposed rule for discussion by all parties.

Why have we dropped the ball compared to the many years when we were a world leader in air safety innovation and reform?

Part of the answer lies in the consequences of the policy of selling off airports together with a policy of full cost recovery for all aviation activities.

As Minister for Aviation, John Anderson, took the easy path of screwing the customers and the already marginalised rural carriers but not reforming the cost side of air traffic control, regulation and compliance. He knew that if he imposed even minor safety improvement costs on the small regional operators even more country towns would lose their air services under his stewardship.

But he wasn’t strong enough to alter or even recognise the policy settings that led to this dismal outcome, and he was no match for the cost cutting fanaticism by Qantas, which felt threatened by the few dollars (or less) it would cost per passenger for Jetstar’s 177-seat Airbuses to have the services of a control tower at the Avalon base in Victoria.

Anderson also “deskilled” aviation safety regulation. An example is his appointment of Nick Burton Taylor, businessman and National Party supporter, as the Chairman of Airservices Australia - the person who is ultimately responsible for airspace regulation in Australia. Burton Taylor has no expertise in aviation safety regulation and is almost invisible. There will be serious consequences for the neglect that has seen Australia move from the front bench to back bench of aviation safety innovation.

Even when John Anderson was right, he was too weak to deliver his policy outcomes. Government policy was to adopt world’s best practice where high density airspace (known as Class C) is used and install an approach radar facility: because without one, it is impossible to know with certainty the position of all aircraft in the vicinity.

Yet when Anderson issued a legal direction for Airservices Australia to install approach radars he was ignored. Two years have now passed and there hasn’t even been an order placed for approach radars. Airservices Australia is defying the government on the grounds they aren’t necessary because there has never been a collision in this type of air space in this country.

How many dead people does Airservices Australia require before they reconsider such a capricious and dangerous stance?

We have more aircraft and more people flying regularly than ever before, yet we ignore or reject the improved safety standards adopted in America and Europe.

In the US, airliners are not permitted to use any airport without being in controlled air space. In Australia there is no such requirement, something ordinary travellers are unaware of when they fly in large jets into Avalon, Ballina, Proserpine, Ayers Rock and Broome.