The concern related to a failure of a controller to alert the flight crew to a Hazard Alert which had been issued after the flight had departed.
The reporter expressed a safety concern regarding the procedure used by Airservices Australia to alert flight crews when a Hazard Alert is issued after the flight has departed.
The crew advised that recently they departed on a Melbourne to Sydney commercial high capacity flight at 0653 UTC (due to land at 0756 UTC). During the cruise, the controller advised that their expected landing time was now 0830 UTC.
As this was well outside the NOTAM, which advised a holding time of up to 15 minutes, the crew questioned if a Hazard Alert had been issued. They were advised that one had been issued at 0655 UTC, but no advice had been passed to the crew.
As this is not the first time this has happened, the reporter advised that there appears to be a systemic failure of the system in the flow of information to flight crew of flights which have departed after the Hazard Alert has been issued.
Airservices Australia (Airservices) appreciates the opportunity to respond to the reported concern regarding the procedure used to inform flight crews of when Hazard Alerts are issued after the flight has departed.
Due to the de-identified nature of the report, Airservices is unable to comment on the specific circumstances of the reported concern and cannot verify the reporter's statement that similar incidents have previously occurred. However in order to address the reporter's concern Airservices has investigated the matter and can provide the following commentary.
Airservices notes that the provision of Hazard Alerts and flight information service (FIS) dissemination is not based on whether an aircraft has departed, but rather on whether the aircraft is within one hour flight time of the condition (see Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) Australia GEN 3.3 sections 2.1.1 and 2.5.4).
With specific reference to AIP GEN 3.3 section 2.1.1, aircraft within one hour flight time of the condition are required to be notified by air traffic control (ATC) of the existence of new operational information. Based on the information provided in the report, the aircraft should have been provided with the relevant information. If the information was not already described in a current meteorological (MET) product or Notice to Airmen (NOT AM) then ATC is required to communicate the information using the prefixed "HAZARD ALERT".
In response to the reporter's concern Airservices will remind controllers of their obligations regarding the provision of FIS to pilots.
The reporter’s concern was also sent to the aircraft operator and the following is their response:
Hazard Alerts are usually issued by the Tower and / or the Enroute controller.
These are not generally communicated to Flight Dispatch or other operational entities within the operator.
ATC relays these alerts directly to the aircraft when no formal NOTAM is released.
If a NOTAM reflecting changes is released (pertaining to standard traffic holding or any other operational issues) it appears in our dispatch systems and is appropriately disseminated by our Flight Following unit. With regard to aircraft in flight, this is affected by means of ACARS and / or HF, and for aircraft on the ground by contacting the crew.
This process is incorporated into our Operations Manual and is strictly adhered to.
CASA has reviewed the REPCON and notes Airservices response. CASA agrees that there appears to have been a lapse on the part of Air Traffic Control to provide a Hazard Alert. As the operator only has an obligation for flight following for Extended Diversion Time Operations and therefore, in this case were not required to monitor changes after a flight departs.
CASA also notes that the nature of confidential reporting makes it difficult for the air navigation service provider and the regulator to take specific action as there is insufficient detail provided to do so.
CASA will include this information as part of its risk assessment of the certificate holder.
The following further response was received from Airservices Australia:
Consistent with our response dated 28 March 2014, Airservices has published a National Information Circular (NIC 15/2014) to all controllers reminding them of their obligations regarding the provision of FIS to pilots including the provision of Hazard Alerts.