Aviation identity Dick Smith has written to Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Services, Warren Truss, urging him to delay the OneSKY program.
In a letter sent to Truss dated 14 July, Smith said the new civil-military airspace management system should be delayed until the airspace in Australia is reformed.
"I believe it is absolutely imperative that the OneSky project be put on hold until the airspace is actually upgraded in a way to enable the OneSky system to be used effectively," Smith said in the letter.
"For example, at the present time all our non-tower instrument approaches are in non-controlled airspace. This means that even if aircraft all have ADS-B equipment and the OneSky receives ADS-B equipment, pilots still have to use a 1930s 'calling in the blind' systems to remain separated when in IMC. This is utterly ridiculous."
Smith reinforced his position today, saying the government should adopt the 2007 policy of previous minister Mark Vaile.
"The OneSKY project should be put on hold until the airspace policy moves ahead as per the plans approved by Minister Vaile," he said. "For example, there are now plans to increase the amount of controlled airspace at airports such as Ballina and Gladstone and it is very likely that the low level approach airspace for Launceston and Hobart Airports will be updated to give full surveillance.
“Surely these airspace changes should take place so that the OneSKY system is designed to work with the improved airspace.”
In 2007, then minister Mark Vaile released an airspace policy statement committing Australia to adopting a National Airspace System (NAS) based on the US system. The current airspace policy statement, released on 8 July, expects CASA's Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR) to "adopt international best practice".
In his letter to the minister, Smith concluded by saying that he felt to implement OneSKY without adopting the Vaile reforms would be "verging on criminal negligence."