RE: Proposal to lower Class E airspace on the east coast of Australia.
The Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association [ opposes the change to Class E airspace proposed by Airservices Australia because it will decrease the safety for our members while adding substantial compliance costs. In addition, our legal advice is that the proposed change where the Class E base is referenced to ground level is a legal absurdity and likely to be unenforceable if challenged in court.
ASRA was disappointed to have learnt about this proposal through social media and would have expected Airservices to have engaged in discussion with the various sport aviation bodies around the country much earlier than the current timeframe for comment allows. Every sport aviation body in Australia is heavily represented on the east coast of Australia and will be significantly impacted should this proposal proceed. The short deadline for responses from the aviation sector also clearly demonstrates that Airservices Australia is not serious about meaningful consultation.
After reading the Airservices proposal document it appears the “CHANGE PRINCIPLES and “SERVICE OUTCOMES are framed to suit the needs of commercial aviation and “leverage the implementation of Air Traffic Management [ technologies is clearly aimed at recreational aviation. Our reaction to this proposal is based on the impact it will have on ASRA members, particularly those flying in the proposed Class E corridor.