Airservices Australia will permanently shift responsibility for traffic over 4500 feet at regional Class D airports from the local towers to Air Traffic Service Centre controllers from next week.
AIC H25/19 (AIRAC) released on 15 May states that the changes will commence at 2.00 am on the morning of Tuesday 23 May 2019.
"The first initiative of the Airspace Modernisation Program (AMP) to be implemented is the increase of en route surveillance services at the regional Class D aerodromes of Tamworth, Alice Springs, Albury, Launceston and Hobart," the AIRAC states.
"Aircraft operating at these aerodromes may receive a service from both the local air traffic control tower and from en route controllers in either the Melbourne or Brisbane Air Traffic Services Centres (ATSC).
"During tower hours of operation, the local tower will administer the airspace from the surface to A045 while an en route controller will administer the airspace above A045. The expanded service will use existing surveillance capability and is the next step towards a consistent airspace design at regional towered aerodromes across the country."
Currently, tower controllers are responsible for the Class C airspace above their Class D steps, but Airservices Australia these changes won't cause a change to the services offered.
VFR flights planning to overfly a Class D airport above 4500 feet are being directed to contact Melbourne or Brisbane Centre for clearance through the airspace rather than the local tower.
The AMP proposed establishing Class E airspace over these airports, which would also be under the control of the centres rather than the local towers.
More information is in AIC H25/19