[Peetwo]

“It is safe but, according to the Australian Transport Safety ­Bur­eau report, there are more incidents per (flight) movement in military airspace,” he told The Australian. “There should be no difference in the level of safety at all towered aerodromes that civil aircraft use.”

Two points worth raising here Chris now that you have traded 4 bars for full beard and joined the ATsB; a) You are now in a position where you can act on this concern Chris. Have you yet? And if not, will you? And point b) it seems that a very obvious risk has, or should I say was raised concerning the 3 RAAF controlled towers having a greater number of separation incidents. Wouldn't/shouldn't this be considered more than a coincidence? Why isn't/hasn't this been investigated to find out the root cause?

I don't know Mr Truss, it's not a good look to have a risk identified, particular a risk involving infrastructure/services provided by Government departments/employees, as was raised by Capt Manning, and then do nothing about it! Naughty naughty. Could be somewhat uncomfortable for you and your Government Mr Truss you silly old buffoon should a mid-air occur???? The risk is well known, has been for some time, and you plonkers are obviously happy to own that risk by the looks of things. Tsk tsk, hardly 'safe skies for all Minister', would you not agree Warren?

TICK TOCK

TICK TOCK indeed Gobbles...   Although not similar in airspace management etc. the recently release prelim report from the NTSB - into the fatal mid-air collision between a F-16 & Cessna 150 - makes for very sobering reading. From Avweb online magazine:

NTSB Prelim Released On F-16 Collision


By Russ Niles | July 19, 2015



The NTSB's preliminary report into the July 7 collision between an Air Force F-16 and a Cessna 150 in South Carolina says an air traffic controller was in contact with the fighter right up to the moment of impact and advised the fighter pilot that he expected the Cessna to pass almost directly below the F-16 with only 100 feet of vertical separation. Instead the two aircraft slammed into each other, killing pilot Joseph Johnson and his father Michael aboard the Cessna and scattering debris over a wide area. The F-16 pilot, Maj. Aaron Johnson, ejected three minutes later and wasn't hurt. According to the report, both the fighter pilot and controller were aware of the potential conflict with the Cessna and trying to resolve it but the two targets moved inexorably on a collision course in the 30 seconds or so in which the situation unfolded.

"At 1100:49, the radar target of the F-16 was located 1/2 nautical mile northeast of the Cessna, at an indicated altitude of 1,500 feet, and was on an approximate track of 215 degrees," the report says. "At that time, the Cessna reported an indicated altitude of 1,400 feet, and was established on an approximate track of 110 degrees. At 1100:52 the controller advised the F-16 pilot, 'traffic passing below you 1,400 feet.' At 1100:54, the radar reported altitude of the F-16 remained at 1,500 feet and no valid altitude information was returned for the radar target associated with the Cessna. At that point the targets were laterally separated by about 1,000 feet." The F-16 had a data recorder in the seat and it's being analyzed by the NTSB.

This tragic accident perfectly highlights the inherent risks of mixing GA & Military aircraft movements in close proximity airspace, & even with active ATC control.

MTF..P2