Guest JRMobile Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 This today from CASA: **Ballina airspace gets a tick** A review of the airspace around Ballina aerodrome has found support for the current airspace architecture. Ballina is a certified aerodrome in Class G airspace, with a common traffic advisory frequency. The aerodrome is used by a mix of traffic, from B737s and A320s to general aviation aircraft. More than 335,000 passengers use Ballina aerodrome each year and this number is projected to grow by more than seven per cent a year. People using Ballina airspace told the review that radio frequency congestion occurs because Ballina, Lismore and Casino aerodromes share the same common traffic advisory frequency. This cannot be avoided due to the close proximity and runway configurations of the aerodromes. There are also concerns that some recreational aircraft are not making radio broadcasts or are broadcasting incorrect information. CASA's Office of Airspace Regulation will maintain a watch on Ballina airspace activity and if aircraft movements increase significantly a further review may be conducted. It has been recommended that the aerodrome operator form a local users group to identify issues and collate feedback. "There are also concerns that some recreational aircraft are not making radio broadcasts" Where is this coming from???? In today's local newspaper Howard Hughes has a response. http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2011/01/22/aviator-pans-flying-under-radar-claims-rejected/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spin Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'm a bit puzzled about the comment regarding the confusion with Lismore and Casino being unavoidable - surely they could (should?) be assigned their own frequency or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XP503 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Yes I always find flying into Ballina/Lismore/Casino somewhat frustrating due to the 3 being on the same frequency. Same with Caboolture, Redcliffe and Caloundra. I guess there are reasons for doing this because they are so close to each other but I don't know what the solution would be..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 With 3 aerodromes on the same frequency it does get busy at times. This means you have to listen well. Transmissions should always begin with "(aerodrome name) Traffic" and finish with "(aerodrome name)". If you are at Caloundra you can immediately discount the broadcast as soon as you hear Caboolture Traffic & if you are not sure the end of the broadcast should be Caboolture. The odd person will forget but you should ask for the message to be repeated (say again) if they don't identify the aerodrome. Personally I don't have a problem with it but I am sure for pilots new to the situation or students when there are umpteen other things you are trying to concentrate on, it could be confusing. Also when it is very busy the likelihood of a broadcast being lost due to an overbroadcast is higher so its important to keep brief and to the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JRMobile Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Just a thought from left field - If you are one of the big commercial operators flying into Ballina and wanted to close off the air space to recreational flying would you make a comment like "There are also concerns that some recreational aircraft are not making radio broadcasts or are broadcasting incorrect information" "With 3 aerodromes on the same frequency it does get busy at times" - KG this is true but as you know after a short time you get accustomed to sorting the calls out. This is also assisted by the fact that all the runways in the area have a different designator. So when you hear 2 calls, with say "short finals 26" followed by "base 28" you know one is Ballina the other Casino. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XP503 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Yea I don't have a problem with it, like those guys have said you just have to listen to the broadcasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEON Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I fly into Ballina and Lismore a lot and have never had a problem with the frequency. All you have to do is to keep an ear open for calls. Due to the three fields being quite close, and RPT going into two of them, they SHOULD be on the same frequency to help your situational awareness. Yes, Evans Head also but it rearly has not much traffic. Regarding Casino, the land and terminal building was sold by the Richmond Council. While this Council is not "airfield friendly" I can see that future RPT service to Casino is very unlikely due to the closeness to Lismore. The land was purchased by the Campervan and Motorhome Club...I personally think that it was lucky that they did not want more space as with the Council's record there probably be no airfield at Casino! I have found no problem with RPT traffic. If you fly with an appreciation of their speed and talk to them, I have found them very polite and helpful. In fact once a bit after I had given a 10 nm call to Ballina, a JetStar came back to me and said they would hold until I landed, recommending a fast straight in approach as there was the mother of all rain storms approaching from the east...I did, and there was! Only problem I have ever had at Ballina was with a GA school based a bit further north of Ballina, in that one of their aircraft tried to hit me head on in the circuit. After an approperate radio responce drawing their attention to ERSA (and to be honest probably their parentage), their instructor admitted (only after the CFI of local flying school who was in another aircraft, backed me up) they did not have a ERSA with them...and I assume had never read it anyway! At the time, being on the dead side of the field, my attention was more directed to seeing the wing sock to work out whither to turn right or left after joining cross wind instead of looking out for illiterate GA instructors! I can only think someone is "manufacturing" stories to fit into their own agenda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying dog Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Cessnock, Maitland and LUSKINTYRE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ozzie Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Cessnock, Maitland and LUSKINTYRE! May as well add Elderslie to the list where pretty busy now. Singleton would also be in the group but not much happens there these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 What distance would you Fella's reckon would be far enough away to not be a problem. Cessnock seems far enough away from Rutherford (West Maitland) to not be a conflict for me. Not saying that I am right, mind you.Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andys@coffs Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Interesting that you raise that Nev, I must admit to thinking the lismore/casino/ballina/Evans Head are other than Casino / Lismore all quit a few Nm apart, however I guess when the requirement to give a 10 Nm call is taken into account for all of these the distance apart from at least that one to at least 1 other is less than 20Nm (2 x 10Nm) hence the need for coverage of all 4 I presume. So as to the question of how far apart? I guess theoretically 20Nm practically probably 25Nm to allow for time to switch from one to the other while still aviating first Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Where I fly we use 126.7 for radio, but we are 15nm from YGLA so it becomes a problem. Where is it best to change to Gladstone 118.8 radio to find out where overhead traffic is. Luckily there is not a lot of traffic at Rodds Bay and some of it may be Norad. anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andys@coffs Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Yenn I must say given the issue of 4 on a unique frequency or just using 126.7 I think I'd almost prefer the former. There are so many times on 126.7 you hear something but not sure what or where or even if there in the same state as you... When you add overseas students, for whom English is an imposition then life gets challenging. I suspect that the 4 metioned above dont have too much of that where 126.7 has lots.... Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 When you are on the standard 126.7 you can pick up people from all over the place. You get a lot of uncertainty. Aircraft radio's don't have Hi fidelity. I find that just about everytime I ask anyone who has just transmitted, ( except ATC ) "say again" or repeat details, they don't respond. Some get their position wrong. Just cannot decide whether they are North of, east of, anyplace. With radio becoming more a required thing, we must lift the game. Most aircraft that I pass in the sky going the other way, I never heard any calls from, although I would always be on the area frequency except when passing in the vicinity of aerodromes. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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