Although the air traffic services provider has been working on the issue for several years, there was still no automated air traffic conflict detection system available for conflictions involving aircraft that were not subject to radar or ADS-B surveillance services.
The ATSB is satisfied that this safety action will, when fully implemented, satisfactorily address the safety issue.
Airservices Australia (Airservices) advised that the first stage of a flight plan conflict function, called Flight Plan Safety Net Alert (FPSNA) had been deployed in Brisbane Upper Airspace, with further rollout planned in Melbourne for 2014. The FPSNA was an advisory safety net alerting tool for aircraft not subject to radar of Automatic Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) surveillance services. Airservices advised that ‘however controllers are still responsible for performing the tasks in relation to conflict detection and resolution and assuring aircraft separation without FPSNA’.
In addition, it was advised that:
Current procedural ATC operations are not considered limited or deficient. The rollout of the tool will support the controller in the conduct of their duties, but it is not required for the safety of air traffic operations.
