On 31/10/2008:
Mike Borgelt wrote:
There is no requirement that all CTAFs be on 126.7 . Many are not.
If your gliding site has a problem due to frequency congestion on
126.7 apply for a different frequency. Just don't make it a gliding frequency.
Peter S wrote:
CASA are very mean with their frequencies; they are even against
Kingaroy getting their own CTAF and gave them 126.7 instead of
another one! They are still fighting to get one instead of 126.7.
If you have a look at the relevant public documents you will find at
http://www.casa.gov.au/manuals/regulate/acm/061a0201.pdf that the
allocation of frequencies is not something that CASA Office of
Airspace Regulation does. It determines the need for a particular
class of airspace,but then the frequency allocation is an airspace
management function that still belongs to Airservices. There are a
number of major gliding sites that DO have the gliding frequency as
the CTAF - not a problem where the main users are gliders.
Also, in the "old days" pre 1991, uncontrolled airspace above 5000 ft
was Class F airspace with a Flight Service traffic information
function to all known aircraft, and all controlled airspace was Class
C - procedural outside radar coverage - apart from the GAAP
aerodromes to which Class D is still the closest ICAO classification.
Just last week I was flying a VFR aeroplane and monitoring the Class
G frequency on which ATC monitors IFR traffic to provide traffic
information (more like a class F service but IFR only) and I heard
one of the aircraft give a departure report that had it climbing to
an adjacent level to mine, so I called him (a flight training light
twin known to me) to let him know I was very close as I would cross
his track within a minute or two of straight over him with minimum
separation. Not only did he acknowledge, but the ATC operator also
passed me as traffic to another IFR light twin whom I had identified
as being about 80 NM away, as we were both inbound to the same
aerodrome. In fact he arrived there 2 minutes before I did, so a good
call by ATC. They correctly provided traffic information to IFR about
other IFR and known VFR.
On occasions there is benefit in glider pilots listening out on the
Class G /Class E frequencies which are usually paired, and if there
is significant organised glider traffic, advising of the activity by
route and level. Adam's suggestion to also advise the glider
frequency being monitored for glider to glider awareness (which is
the greatest threat) is a good one, and might encourage better
lookout when workload permits. Often when flying IFR near gliding
sites and below cloudbase or dry convection height, I would announce
myself on the gliding frequency - but unless there were a lot of
gliders in the area there was rarely any response. Most who did
respond were also aeroplane pilots. [The Class G frequencies are the
ones marked in green 'biscuit boxes' on the ERC(L) and they are often
the same as the brown Class E frequency for the same area.]
Good stuff Adam - keep educating your new colleagues about gliders
and GA - I've heard a lot recently of regional airlines guys on the
wrong frequency and some good bush flying experience is needed to
feed into their culture so they get it right more often. The concept
of everybody, everywhere, having to use 126.7 below 3000 ft when no
other frequency is promulgated as the CTAF is not helpful and anybody
who wants to feed some reality into the melting pot has until 1
December to comment to the review before the next lot of rules are
finalised. What I have seen proposed so far is an improvement on what
we have had these past 25 years (at least, the most recent intention
announced is - the proposal put out earlier this year was easily the
worst and has rightly been knocked on the head), but we must all be
vigilant to get a workable system for all of us airspace users and
then make sure we all know how to use it properly to avoid clogging
the channels or flying around oblivious of who else is there.
However, the suggestion of being on a CTAF 10 NM or 8 minutes prior
to arrival will always be 8 minutes if you are going more than 75 kt,
so many aeroplanes will be 20 or 25 miles out when they expect other
(maybe crossing) traffic to be on the same frequency as they are. Too
many discrete frequencies makes it hard to know which aerodrome's
CTAF to monitor!
Wombat
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