Flight Path Changes – A Pilot’s Perspective

 

I am a retired airline pilot with worldwide experience and spent the last seven years of my career operating from Perth International Airport.

I am unable to understand why AirServices Australia has made these changes. They talk vaguely about ‘safety’ aspects and also about RAAF Pearce having increased their training area but have not produced any specific information to support their statements.

The greatest concern is with the changes made to the arrival procedure from the North, and  the departure procedure to the East when Runways 03 and 06 (the Northerly runways) are in use.

Previously, arrivals from the North were routed to the West of the airport and therefore had unrestricted descent to landing. With the new change, this traffic is  now routed to the East of the airport, passing over Glen Forest, Paulls Valley, Bickley and Roleystone before turning right to land. This traffic crosses Easterly outbound and traffic has to be separated from it.

Before the changes, Eastbound departures from Runway 03 climbed ahead for four miles before turning right onto a North-easterly track which routed them over Redhill and North of the Toodyay Road. This traffic is now routed via Hovea, Parkerville, Stoneville, Mt Helena and Chidlow. I can see no reason for this change, as there have been no new airspace restrictions imposed on the area previously used.

I feel that these changes are a retrograde step and we should campaign to have them annulled and then if AirServices Australia feel that they need to make changes then there should be full and transparent public consultation before and future changes are agreed.

Tony Anderson

27^th July 2009