Eye-in-the sky drones that venture near mainland capital city airports are themselves being scrutinised by a Civil Aviation Safety Authority project underway at the moment. The authority is keen to know how many drones, or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), are operated near airports ahead of rule changes later this year that will require all drones above 250 grams be registered. The project was launched before the recent drone problems at London’s ...
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The aircraft is on fire, there are a number of vehicles around it and suddenly something resembling a missile streaks from the wreckage. The sobering video clip aired at this year’s Australian Airport Association national conference by Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Greg Hood showed the unexpected hazards first responders can face at serious crashes. The 15 May 2018 accident involved an aircraft that had been conducting night circuits at Orange ...
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The Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s hard-fought campaign to convince the growing number of drone users to stay away from airports and aircraft appears to be paying off. While the number of drones continues to increase, CASA chief executive Shane Carmody told the Australian Airports Association national conference in Brisbane that the volume of safety reports about conflicts between drones and aircraft appeared to have plateaued. Carmody said drones, regulatory reform and improved ...
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When talking about aviation safety, most passengers only think about the safety brief delivered by the cabin crew as we are pushed back from the gate. But there is a whole different side to aviation safety that most travellers never see,.
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When Evan Collins wanted to find a new way to monitor Perth Airport’s airside perimeter fence, he looked to the skies for inspiration. The airport’s new approach to its perimeter patrols was developed in an Australian airport first after seeing the effectiveness of videos used on police helicopters. Inspiration struck as Collins’ team sought to improve aviation protection officers’ ability to more accurately monitor the airport’s expansive fence line.
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Gary McGivern says the myriad organisations working side by side at an airport is one of the great things about the industry – and also one of its challenges. As chair of the AAA Airport Operations Safety Network Group, he has seen firsthand how safety outcomes can be enhanced through good collaboration and a shared understanding of airport safety. So when deciding on the theme for this October’s Airport Safety Week, ...
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It’s hard for anyone who has never visited a remote outback community to understand the vital importance of the local airstrip. Air services are a crucial connection for these communities, not just to the rest of the world but to the essential services many Australians take for granted. Northern Territory transport officials Sue Hakala and Louise McCormick have good reason to understand all too well the problems facing remote airstrips: ...
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Changes are coming to security screening at Australia’s airports and Melbourne Airport is ensuring it will be ready when they do. A redevelopment of the airport’s international screening area to boost capacity from seven lanes to 10 will also allow it to drop in computed tomography (CT) cabin baggage screening and advanced body scanners when they become available. The airport is already trialling the technology and was recently able to showcase ...
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The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is working with Google parent company Alphabet to “road test” ways of assessing the risks involved with using drones to deliver packages and other items. The move comes as CASA is working its way through more than 900 responses to its review into drone safety and estimates of the number recreational and professional drone users in Australia may have topped the 100,000 mark.
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The Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program may operate under the auspices of Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester, but Royal Flying Doctor Service chief Martin Laverty sees it as an essential health service for rural Australians. His argument is straight forward: if RFDS flights can’t land in an emergency or if they can’t ferry in GPs, dentists and psychologists for vital preventative health services, it means rural people do not have access ...
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