Airservices Australia is encouraging GA pilots to gain a better understanding of air traffic control (ATC) operations through their Pilots’ Information Nights.
Originally commencing in Melbourne five years ago, the Pilots’ Information Nights are aimed at increasing pilots’ awareness of the air traffic system and how pilot activities, decisions and operations can impact on it. In 2009 Airservices started running the monthly evenings in Brisbane and Sydney as well.
Specifically targeting GA pilots, the evenings are a low-key, informal, face-to-face occasion for pilots and air traffic services employees to engage and communicate with each other to debunk myths and promote safer flying. Running for two and a half hours, the evenings kick off with an introductory briefing before moving to a tour of the various ATC facilities and concluding with a Q&A session.
The main topics discussed include runway incursions, violations of controlled airspace, flight planning, and SARTIME management. Airservices’ Safety Programs and Promotions Manager Fiona Lawton said these issues have been identified as a substantial risk and that Airservices needs to improve GA pilots’ knowledge and understanding of these.
“The whole theme of the nights is: if in doubt, talk to ATC,” Lawton explained. “If you’re in doubt of your position, if you think you’re going to violate controlled airspace, if you’re not sure about the clearance across the runway, if you’re in flight and you think you’re subject
to an emergency, if you’ve got any issue, the first port of call – not the last port of call – should be to talk to ATC.
“We spend a lot of time looking at in-flight emergency response and how a number of GA operators wait far too long before they advise ATC. If you’re experiencing any kind of disorientation or anything that you would need assistance with, ATC is safe on the ground and here to help.”
The Pilots’ Information Nights also offer pilots the opportunity to gain some perspective from the other side of the radio, which can help in personalising the pilot-controller relationship and make it less hostile than it might seem at times.
“There can be a tendency to perhaps only associate ATC with a gruff voice at the end of the radio,” Lawton said. “We look to debunk a lot of those myths that ATC get annoyed by pilots, or ATC are only interested in service provision to airlines. The pilot of a 172 declaring a mayday will get the same gold class treatment as would the pilot in command of a 747-400. Our job is to get everybody safely home.”
Feedback to date suggests the Pilots’ Information Nights have proved both popular and beneficial, with many pilots taking some major positives away from the evenings.
“At the end of every night before I come back into the office there’ll be emails from people when they get home saying, ‘what a fantastic night’; ‘we can’t wait to tell everyone to come’; or ‘now I feel comfortable talking to ATC’,” Lawton attests.
While the Pilots’ Information Nights currently only run in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, Lawton hopes to also start them in Adelaide and Perth. For more information email pilotinfonight@airservicesaustralia.com.
Justin Grey