Safety in the vicinity of non-towered aerodromes - Australian ...

The aim at all times is to achieve radio-alerted see-and-avoid to be aware of other
traffic and position your aircraft appropriately to prevent conflicts with that traffic.
Observing these simple points will help to keep you and your fellow pilots safe at
non-towered aerodromes (Department of Transport and Regional Services, 2005):
• Maintain a lookout for other
aircraft at all times.
• Achieve radio alerted see-andavoid
by making all of the
standard broadcasts within 10 NM
of a non-towered aerodrome.
• Be aware that any radio-equipped
aircraft can conduct straight-in
approaches at non-towered
aerodromes
• Get a radio, and always make the
standard broadcasts – even when
you think there is no nearby traffic.
• Use the same procedures at all nontowered
aerodromes, unless
otherwise stated in the En Route
Supplement Australia (ERSA).
• Avoid overflying aerodromes where
possible, and take note of
instrument flight rules (IFR) inbound
and outbound routes.
There is really no reason to fly without a radio. Even the smallest ultralight can have
an aircraft band hand-held radio with a headset. While the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) airspace classifications state that a radio is not required for
visual flight rules (VFR) aircraft in Class E or G airspace, this does not mean that a
radio is unnecessary. Without a radio, see-and-avoid is a pilot’s only defence against a
mid-air collision (Department of Transport and Regional Services, 2002).
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) reminds pilots that they need to be
aware of current non-towered aerodrome procedures in the ERSA, as well as any
changes to circuit procedures at the aerodromes they use. The CAAPs and notices to
airmen (NOTAMs) are useful sources of this information and you should be familiar
with them (CASA, 2010a).
If you have a safety concern that you think endangers, or may endanger the safety of
an aircraft, we encourage you to report it confidentially to the ATSB via the REPCON
scheme. Reporting can be done online at http://www.atsb.gov.au/voluntary/repconaviation.aspx.
Issues such as frequency congestion or interference at a particular aerodrome should,
in the first instance, be raised to your local RAPAC or to Airservices Australia so that
they may be reviewed.
10.5 Further research required
Throughout this study, a number of areas were identified that would benefit from
further research to assist in improving safety at non-towered aerodromes:
• Conducting an in-depth study (line-oriented safety audit (LOSA) style) to look at
operational threats at individual non-towered aerodromes (as opposed to the
approach historically taken by aeronautical studies conducted by the CASA Office
of Airspace Regulation and consultant groups).
• The effectiveness and reach of pilot education material and CASA workshops on
pilot awareness related to the revised CAR 166 non-towered aerodrome
procedures.
• Ascertain the effectiveness of the new 3 June 2010 changes to non-towered
aerodrome procedures in reducing the frequency and types of occurrences that
were most prevalent at these aerodromes between 2003 and 2008. At the time of
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