Radar Coverage for Launceston Airport

Radar Coverage for Launceston Airport 
Tasmania Examiner, Australia

Tuesday, 2 March 2004 
  

Airservices Australia is to install a $10 million,
25m-high transportable radar system at Launceston
Airport in April following concerns about the
airport's safety under the new National Airspace
System. 

The announcement was made by Airservices Australia
chief Bernie Smith in Canberra last night.

The move follows a review of the new airspace system
after a near- collision over Launceston on Christmas
Eve.

Airservices Australia chose to install a radar system
in Launceston ahead of other regional airports that
face similar safety concerns.

Under new regulations introduced in late November,
light aircraft can operate below 3000m without radio
or radar contact, meaning that they can remain
unnoticed by commercial aircraft, creating the risk of
collision.

The installation of the radar will alleviate safety
concerns at Launceston, and airports in Burnie,
Devonport and Hobart will also experience some radar
coverage. Australian Air Traffic Controllers
Association president Ted Lang said that while the
radar was a positive for Launceston and the State, it
was a band-aid measure on a situation that could have
been avoided by better planning.

"My guess is that the travelling public should have
been afforded that (radar) protection a long time
ago," he said. "It could well be that it's a knee-jerk
reaction to the issue prior to Christmas and now
(Airservices Australia) are seen to be doing
something.

"My main concern is that in other places throughout
Australia, including Hobart, the same airspace
provisions prior to December 27 still exist and it is
still a less than perfect situation."

Liberal Senator Guy Barnett said that Airservices
Australia project manager Peter Evans would hold a
public forum in Launceston on Friday at 12.30pm at
Doherty Launceston International Hotel to discuss the
new safety measures.

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