EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
CIVIL AVIATION ACT 1988
CIVIL AVIATION REGULATIONS 1988
DIRECTION UNDER SUBREGULATION 99AA (5) RELATING TO PARALLEL RUNWAY OPERATIONS AT SYDNEY (KINGSFORD SMITH) AIRPORT
Section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act) empowers the Governor-General to make regulations.
Under subregulation 99AA (5) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, CASA may, among other things, give directions about the use of a controlled aerodrome. Under subregulation 99AA (6A), such a direction is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of section 46A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
Parallel runway operations at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport (KSA) (which is a controlled aerodrome), using the Precision Runway Monitor (PRM), allow for a significant increase in runway capacity in poor weather conditions. The PRM is very accurate and allows aircraft to fly side by side down the instrument approaches to the parallel runways separated by a no-transgression zone of 2,000 feet. Special procedures apply when these operations are in progress and pilots are required to satisfactorily complete additional training for safety purposes.
The direction revokes an earlier, less comprehensive, direction in order to include reference to foreign operators and improve safety requirements for Australian operators. The direction requires that pilots in command of Australian registered aircraft must complete ILS PRM approach procedures training either in a CASA approved flight simulator or synthetic trainer, or on a training course approved by CASA. The requirements of the course and examination are set out in the direction.
Pilots in command of foreign registered aircraft must complete ILS PRM approach procedures training either in the flight simulator or synthetic trainer that supports the foreign operator’s operations, or on a training course conducted by the training facility approved by the authority (the issuing authority) which issued the foreign operator’s Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). CASA must receive and accept in writing a range of corroborative documentation from the foreign operator and the issuing authority.
Pilots in command who have not successfully completed the required training must report this fact to Air Traffic Control (ATC) so that alternative landing arrangements can be made. Previously, such reports were required prior to top of descent or when first making contact with ATC in controlled airspace within 100 nautical miles of KSA. To ensure that ATC has adequate time in which to assess the impact of non-participation in the parallel runway operations, the requirement to report to ATC has been extended to controlled airspace and aerodromes within 120 nautical miles of KSA. A notice to aviators (NOTAMS), coinciding with gazettal, will inform pilots of this change.
The direction comes into effect on gazettal and remains in force until the end of March 2009.
The instrument has been signed by the Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, a delegate of CASA.
[Instrument Number: CASA 218/04]