Safety issue

Safety issue description

The absence of an altitude deviation alert within the Australian Defence Air Traffic System increases the risk of undetected altitude variation and contributed to the significant loss of altitude.

Issue number AO-2009-004-SI-03
Issue owner Department of Defence
Transport function Airspace
Date issue released 05/10/2010
Issue status justification

expected that the introduction of a common system will probably include functionality similar to the existing TAAATS CLAM.

Safety action

Action type Proactive action
Action number AO-2009-004-NSA-059
Organisation Australian Government
Action date 05/10/2010
Action description In May 2010, the Australian Government announced that the replacement Air Traffic Services (ATS) system for the Australian Defence Air Traffic System and the Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) would be via a joint acquisition project that would result in a common ATS system throughout Australia. It could be expected that the system would included common alert functions, such as the existing cleared level adherence monitoring (CLAM) alert in TAAATS.
ATSB response The ATSB is satisfied that, on the basis that the replacement common ATS services system will retain some form of CLAM-like alert, the action taken by the Australian Government will, once in place, adequately address this safety issue.
Action status Closed