The Australian government has released a draft of the first Australian Airspace Policy Statement for industry comment.
Release of the draft policy, which is intended to be the blueprint for the future administration of Australian airspace, comes as the government plans to remove airspace regulation from air traffic services provider Airservices Australia and hand it over to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority from 1 July.
The draft policy highlights the country's commitment to new aviation technology, including automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B), which Australia is already implementing in upper airspace.
Australia will examine and implement global navigation satellite system technologies, including an appropriate augmentation system for the country, the document says.
In addition, the government is planning further integration of civil and military airspace functions. The process, under Project Genesis, has already been implemented at a number of locations in the country as part of an integrated operating concept designed to lead to a single national air traffic management system.
The government says it remains committed to the country's airspace reorganisation under the National Airspace System programme, which has caused controversy in the past.
Future NAS stages will be implemented subject to the results of an enhanced analytical process, including cost-benefit and a single common risk management framework, while closer consultation with stakeholders will be conducted, it says.
A new Office of Airspace Regulation will be created within CASA to take on the airspace regulatory function in an effort to address any perceived conflict of interest between Airservice's service delivery functions and its role as the airspace regulator.
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Source: FlightGlobal.com