Increased Surveillance Services (ISS) at Regional Class D Aerodromes

Airservices continues to enhance safety and efficiency of Australian controlled airspace including at major regional airports through the Airspace Modernisation Program (AMP). The AMP is initiating a change by leveraging current and emerging surveillance capabilities to enhance service provision at four regional Class D aerodromes, Launceston (YMLT), Hobart (YMHB), Rockhampton (YBRK), and Mackay (YBMK). This will be achieved by transferring responsibility of procedural approach from a Class D aerodrome service (tower) to surveillance approach airspace service from Brisbane and Melbourne Air Traffic Control Centre (ATSC).

Airservices Increased Surveillance Services (ISS) at Regional Class D aerodromes implementation date has been changed from the originally advised 24 March to 16 June 2022. The revised cutover date aligns with a major AIRAC cycle and provides additional time to complete the required change activities to ensure successful implementation of Increased Surveillance Services at Regional Class D aerodromes during tower hours of operation.

This change will deliver Increased Surveillance Services (ISS) at regional Class D aerodromes, providing a surveillance approach control service in Class D Control Area (CTA) and the overlying Class C CTA, enhancing service delivery and future proofing these aerodromes for growth of current airspace users and new entrants. This proposal accelerates transformation, by delivering a surveillance approach service into Tasmania.

Snapshot:

• This project will deliver benefits to airspace users by transferring airspace management of the Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA) from procedural approach control at the control tower to surveillance approach control from the Melbourne ATSC (YMLT/YMHB approach) and the Brisbane ATSC (YBRK/YBMK approach). Some of the Service Outcomes (SO) include:
  • SO1 - efficiencies associated with reduced separation standards between IFR-to-IFR aircraft in the TMA
  • SO2 – use of surveillance, Air Traffic Management (ATM) system maps, charts and conflict alerts by the approach controller to enhance safety for all airspace users equipped with transponders or ADS-B
  • SO3 – rationalising the low-level Class E airspace at YBRK/YBMK and low-level Class D and Class C airspace at YMLT/YMHB outside tower hours to enable IFR aircraft to become airborne without a clearance
  • SO4 – reallocating resources from a surveillance approach service outside tower hours to during tower hours to better align with the risk picture associated with traffic mix and density at these locations
  • SO5 – allowing the tower controller to focus on critical stages of flight, circuit area, take-off and landing
• There will be no change to airspace classification during published tower hours – Current Class C and Class D airspace will remain unchanged.
• Outside published tower hours, Brisbane and Melbourne ATSC will provide airspace services in Class C and Class G (enroute) to these locations.
• The tower will provide aerodrome services for the manoeuvring areas and surrounding Control Zone (CTR). (Surface (SFC) to Lower Limit (LL) 1000 at YBRK/YBMK and SFC to LL 1500 at YMLT/YMHB).
• Airservices is submitting an Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) to achieve SO3 and SO4.
• Outside tower hours at YBRK/YBMK the Class D CTR and Class D CTA steps will de-activate to Class C LL 4500. Enroute (area control) will provide separation in CTA and Directed Traffic Information/Flight Information Services (DTI/FIS) in Class G airspace.
• Outside tower hours at YMLT/YMHB the Class D CTR, Class D and Class C CTA will deactivate to Class C LL 8500. Enroute (area control) will provide separation in CTA and DTI/FIS in Class G airspace.

Presentation:

To support education, Airservices hosted a number of briefings for local operators over October - November 2021. If you are unable to attend a session, please find the briefing PowerPoint presentation to the left of this page under 'Presentations'.