Airservices is proposing to introduce enhanced traffic services, in Class G airspace, through the provision of the Surveillance Flight Information Service (SFIS) at selected regional non-towered aerodromes across Australia. The SFIS is the provision of traffic information to IFR/IFR, IFR/VFR, and VFR/VFR aircraft operating within a CASA declared broadcast area using the aerodrome’s discrete CTAF. All aircraft operating in the aerodrome’s broadcast area will be required to comply with existing CTAF and Class G rules and recommendations. Aircraft will also be required to broadcast their…

ATSB sought clarification from the regulator following the Airservices response, the regulator’s comments below: The OAR has not approached Airservices for a discrete frequency for Ballina as a different frequency will not solve the underlying issues. The instrument approaches for Ballina and Lismore overlap and having both aerodromes on the same frequency enhances situational awareness. It is not appropriate for aircraft to operate in close proximity to each other and be on different radio frequencies. The main issue at Ballina relates to radio communication – aircraft not broadcasting on…

The reporter commented that they were displeased with the response from the Regulator