Reporter's deidentified concern
The reporter, an operator of high-performance (jet) business charter aircraft, has raised operational and safety concerns stemming from the redesign of airspace around Bankstown aerodrome (YSBK).
They state that the airspace changes have significantly increased the workload for their single-pilot IFR jet operations to Bankstown, with a line pilot recently highlighting the risks across several aspects of the approach, that is:
- Early descent to a low altitude OCTA (outside controlled airspace) creating issues in descent planning to remain OCTA with very little ATC assistance. The pilot is required to locate the multiple [lower levels] of CTA steps, program the Flight Management System VNAV (vertical navigation) and ensure the aircraft remains clear.
- Traffic awareness and situational awareness has to be at a maximum, especially if being vectored and then brought back to the 'STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) you have when you don't have a STAR'. There is a high concentration of traffic of highly variable skill levels in a tight corridor of airspace. There is very little room to manoeuvre at 2,000 ft AGL for traffic, as CTA is just above and the minimum altitude is calculated for the pseudo STAR at RNP1 (Required Navigation Performance) tolerances.
- Traffic alerts (TA) are common.
Ultimately, the operator believes that, 'IFR Bankstown traffic should use the Kingsford Smith or Nancy Bird airport STARs and be dropped into Bankstown from them either visually or on the RNP approach' and is concerned that the airspace changes have introduced considerable risk to the safety of their operations.
Named party's response
Airservices acknowledges the feedback on tracking via Z88 from the north at an altitude of 2,000 ft AMSL.
The constraints of the airspace require vertical separation from the Sydney Airport (YSSY) RWY16 sequence which may see YSSY arriving aircraft as low as 3,000 ft AMSL in the areas between Bankstown and Hornsby prior to a base turn and intercept final for RWY16R, hence a descent to 2,000 ft on Z88 is necessary to ensure safety. Additionally, YSSY departures off RWY34L require separation assurance in the same area.
The introduction of a large airport West of Bankstown, plus the redesign of R481 north west of Richmond (YSRI) have removed the previous options into Bankstown via “Q155 RIC V11 BK” (previous FPR for BK arrivals from the North).
The transit via Z88 is a transit inside Controlled Airspace from waypoint OMUVU and does not restrict altitude requests or requests for deviations off track which are assessed and accommodated by the controller depending on surrounding traffic to/from YSBK, YSRI, YSSY, YXWS, YSCN and of course YSWS. We would also like to note IFR aircraft are provided with a Controlled Airspace service by Bankstown approach as per Class D airspace requirements south of OMUVU.
Airservices is currently working on additional options for high-performance aircraft into YSBK taking into consideration:
- YSBK and YSCN VFR traffic,
- Defence priorities,
- Separation with YSSY SIDs and STARS,
- YXWS procedures,
- YSWS SIDs, STARS, Approaches and missed approaches.
Once testing and safety reviews are complete, we expect to be able to publish additional options via the appropriate channels.
Regulator's response
CASA has reviewed this REPCON and responds:
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts, and Airservices undertook a program of industry consultation during the design phases and in the lead up to the implementation of the airspace change.
Following the implementation of the changes, industry have provided feedback about several concerns about the airspace changes in the Sydney Basin including the issue raised in the ATSB REPCON RA2026-00118 [not yet finalised].
Ahead of Post Implementation Review actions, CASA has requested Airservices to develop and implement an interim flight planning solution for high-performance aircraft, particularly pressurised turbine-powered IFR operations, arriving at Bankstown Airport from the north, and to ensure that the interim solution permits such aircraft to remain within controlled airspace for longer during the arrival phase than provided for under the current flight planning requirements.
ATSB comment
The ATSB REPCON confidential reporting scheme has received a number of submissions detailing safety concerns relating to the operation of high-performance turbine powered aircraft conducting IFR arrivals into Bankstown Airport from the north.
These submissions relate to the airspace design changes introduced on 9 July 2026 and generally centre upon the tightened vertical and lateral constraints imposed for separation from controlled airspace and VFR operations.
The concerns convey the common perception that these tightened navigational constraints and requirements create significant additional safety risk, through the increased likelihood of:
- unintended airspace infringements
- separation issues with other aircraft
- separation issues with terrain and obstacles
Ahead of the post-implementation review, the ATSB encourages all parties responsible for the safety of aircraft operations within this airspace to consider the concerns raised within this and all related REPCONs in the context of their areas of control.
REPCON details
| Date reported | 02/09/2026 |
|---|---|
| Published date | 09/10/2026 |
| Affected operation/industry | Flight Operations |
| Concern subject type | Operating Procedures |
| Transport mode | Aviation |