MTAF procedures were introduced in Australia with the AMATS changes of 12 December 1991. The MTAF procedure applies at specified aerodromes. It depends on pilots making mandatory radio calls, hearing calls from other aircraft, assessing this traffic information for potential conflict, and responding appropriately with radio communication and avoiding action if necessary. The MTAF procedure is designed to alert aircraft to all other air traffic in a designated area surrounding a particular aerodrome. The procedure mandates certain radio broadcasts and responses in these areas, and the pilots…

The Bureau of Air Safety Investigation recently conducted research into the rates of G onset and G levels experienced by a light aircraft pilot during normal aerobatics. The objective was to relate data obtained from the research to other data available from military authorities, in order to evaluate the possibility or otherwise of a light aircraft pilot sustaining G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) during aerobatics.

The status of commercial passenger operations in turbine powered single engine aeroplanes is presently under review by the civil aviation regulatory authorities of several nations. In this information paper BASI offers no argument for or against the introduction of such operations. Present regulations on commercial passenger carriage were developed prior to the availability of the turboprop engines which are now in operation.

In 1992 a study (RP/92/10) was performed to examine VCA occurrences. The report found that VCAs had increased sharply following the introduction of the AMATS system in late 1991. The aim of this report is to provide updated information on the VCA situation. As an update on the 1992 VCA report, the most recent six-month period, January to June 1994, will be examined.

In late 1992 the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) noted a large increase in violations of controlled airspace (VCAs). Whereas in most of 1991, there had been around 25 such incidents per month, in December 1991 there were 42 of these incidents and throughout 1992 BASI received an increasing number of VCA notifications. The increase in VCAs was of particular concern as it may have reflected difficulties with the implementation of the Airspace Management and Air Traffic Services ( AMATS ) changes to Australian airspace. A VCA is a serious incident because of the risk of a collision…

Maintenance constitutes a significant and rising cost to the airline industry. In the USA, maintenance costs are increasing as a proportion of airline operating costs. In 1989 maintenance constituted 11 -8% of US airline operating costs or greater than US$S billion per year (Shepherd 1991). The annual cost to the Australian airline industry is likely to be in the order of A$500 million per year.

During 1992 and 1993 there was an increase in the frequency of reported occurrences involving co-ordination between Australian and Indonesian ATS. Although some involved aircraft travelling from Australia to Indonesia, the majority (92%) involved aircraft travelling from Indonesian airspace into the Australian FIR. The CAA Australia and the Indonesia Directorate General of Air Communications are signatories on a LOA between the two countries. This LOA supplements ICAO documents in respect to separation standards and co-ordination procedures and is - updated periodically. The latest update was…

The regional airline industry is an integral part of the Australian air transport system, and is particularly important in rural and remote areas. The industry has a major role in supplementing the high capacity airlines and providing feeder services into the capital cities. The accident rate for regional airlines has remained relatively stable since 1990, although it is higher than the rate for high capacity air transport. Partly as a result of a small number of highly publicised fatal accidents involving regional airlines, there has been considerable debate about safety standards within…

On 24 December 1995 an Australian ibis was ingested into the engine of an Airbus A300 on takeoff from Coolangatta Airport. The damage to the engine was extensive. Bird strikes are a continual hazard for aircraft operations, particularly during the take-off and landing phases. The Bureau's database contains the birdstrike reports shown in appendix 1, tables IA, 1 B and 1 C for the years 1993, 1994 and 1995. It should be noted that the requirement for reporting birdstrike occurrences which did not involve aircraft damage was terminated in 1991. Prior to 1991 all bird-strike occurrences were…

The carriage of traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) equipment is not mandatory in Australian aircraft. However, many Australian and foreign registered aircraft operating in Australian controlled airspace are equipped with TCAS because of their compliance with a US requirement when operating in American airspace. A total of 157 TCAS-related air safety occurrences were reported in Australian airspace during 1993 and 1994. The circumstances of these events, and the views of the pilots and air traffic controllers involved in the occurrences, were examined in detail. Early versions of TCAS…