We have obligations to manage foreseeable risks, so far as is reasonably practicable. While our gliding operational practices in uncontrolled airspace and non-controlled aerodromes may be well understood within clubs, these need to be discoverable by other aviators, managed in mixed aviation environments so that separation and deconfliction can be safely achieved. We need to take reasonably practicable measures to inform and educate others, whether they are regular local operators or just passing through.
Think about your home club aerodrome or airfield, and other airfields where you operate. Now consider these questions:
AERODROME SAFETY FACTORS
Which have crossing runways?
Which have line of sight obstructions, trees, hills, structures impeding visibility between runway thresholds?
Which have multiple aircraft types regularly operating there or in the circuit vicinity?
Which have multiple aviation operators at that aerodrome?
Which are sited close to controlled airspace boundaries?
Which are sited close to VFR and IFR waypoints, VFR lanes, IFR routes, published IFR arrival and departure flight paths?
Which often have ‘unannounced’ aviation traffic?
Which have frequently changing weather conditions necessitating changes in runways?
Which have separate sealed and parallel grass gliding runways?
Which have circuit direction constraints?
Which allow multiple runway operations? In what circumstances?
Which have published circuit procedures or gliding operations advice in AIP ERSA? Which do not?
Which have gliding operations yet gliding symbols are not marked on charts?
Which have Aerodrome Operational Guides or Manuals, User Guides, ‘Club NOTAMs’, guidance documents? Which do not?
What special operational procedures are commonly applied but not well documented?
Gliding Australia supports freedom to fly, safely and responsibly, in accordance with laws, aviation safety regulations, published Aeronautical Information Packages. GAus also seeks to minimise the number and extent of mandated rules in MOSPs; we are not in the business of over-prescription.
Some high-visibility accidents and less visible near encounters, close calls, occurrences and reported conflicts have highlighted the need for us to revisit what we require of clubs operating in mixed aviation environments.
ATSB and Coronial findings, plus our SOAR analyses reinforce the need for gliding clubs and operators to provide discoverable guidance and procedures to assist in safe integrated operations, in particular deconfliction in the event of runway changes or multiple runway use.
In the past we have been non-prescriptive about how that is achieved. We have not previously required submission of Aerodrome Operations Guides or Manuals to GAus SM and EMO. Club Presidents, CFIs and Chief Pilots have responsibilities in MOSP2 Operations and MOSP5 SMS Section 8, for Club Risk Plans and Emergency Response Plans at Sections 9 and 10. Operations Safety Audits have included checks of these. Some clubs have shared their documents with us. Others have not been recently sighted, sometimes with Commercial-In-Confidence or Council-driven bureaucratic barriers stated.
Mid-2025, GAus Operations Panel and Executive have determined that changes are needed to meet our safety governance obligations.
Changes to MOSP5 SMS have been developed and are being reviewed for CASA notification and GAus publication in coming months. New requirements are for inclusion of aerodrome operations manual, AIP and ERSA, mixed aviation operations safety. New requirement for submission of Aerodrome Manuals Risk Action Plans to EMO and SM. Other changes include clarification of Emergency Response Plans and changes to Appendices Emergency Response Plan Templates.
What next? Think about the above questions and assess what operations conflict risks you need to manage. Strike up constructive dialogue between your club and other aerodrome operators, aviation groups in your circuit and local airspace. Assess your risk appetite and the adequacy of existing published guidance in ERSA, charts, AIP, aerodrome guides and manuals. Agree on changes to procedures required to better manage risks of traffic conflict, incursions, collisions, multi-runway operations. Update your plans and manuals, chats and websites. Ask your local RMOs and Airfields Airspace Avionics Officers (AAAOs) for help if needed. Consult EMO and SM if those issues cannot be resolved, or if ERSA changes are needed – note that you are the local experts. If councils or corporate owners block your access to these aerodrome documents, let SM know as we will raise the ante on aviation safety grounds.
Also note there are some excellent references and examples available. AAFC clubs have in depth aerodrome risk plans. Bacchus Marsh clubs have a great multi-user operations manual. Many clubs have thorough entries in ERSA. WA clubs are working on a common plan that can be applied by three clubs.
These changes are in our collective interests – not just in protecting our tail feathers but more importantly in facilitating better mixed operations integration and prevention of serious occurrences. Awareness and education, good procedures and discipline and easily discoverable references - all assist better safety outcomes.
See tinyurl.com/aero-ops
