Avoiding wirestrikes

The key program objective is to provide improved network mapping to aerial applicators and to get more markers onto powerlines in areas of known low level activity.

Essential Energy have been world leaders in aviation powerline safety, making full network mapping available some years ago and installing over a thousand markers in rural NSW to help application pilots identify and remember wires. They have a coherent marking ordering system on line, as well as safety advice for landholders. This is why AAAA recognised them with the Leland Snow Innovation Award at the recent Convention.

Balmoral Engineering – another safety partner AAAA is working closely with – have now developed a new marker that is 3D, highly visible, which rotates in a breeze and can be fitted live-line by powerline company technicians – thereby reducing the cost of marking from thousands of dollars to a few hundred dollars per marker.

This effective initiative grew from the previous use of older style ‘mudflap’ markers which had a number of drawbacks – but which are still vastly superior to no marking.

The true revolution rests in the ability to fit the marker ‘live-line’ using an insulated ‘stick’ – bringing costs down to a minimum, increasing productivity in terms of the number of markers that can be put up per hour and reducing logistical complexity to a linesman in a ute.

This has brought powerline aviation safety within reach of every landholder, powerline company and low-level operator.

Ergon Energy, covering much of Queensland, is close to launching an app to facilitate access to network mapping and they are working very closely with AAAA on developing a system for ordering marking of powerlines.

Standards Australia is also contributing, convening a review committee to rewrite the Australian Standard AS3891 Part 2 to be more outcome-focussed to facilitate innovation.

And even the Department of Infrastructure has taken rare interest in the subject through its Discussion Paper on the Modernisation of the Protection of Airspace, where it has proposed, amongst other things, making the relevant Australian Standard mandatory.

Wirestrikes account for approximately 57% of all aerial application accidents/incidents. While this is only a fraction of the total safety problem surrounding contact between all vehicles and farm implements with power infrastructure, it is a significant cost to the industry and a personal impact on pilots involved in wirestrikes.

Thanks to a strong culture of reporting, AAAA has sound statistics from the ATSB that indicate 30% of wirestrikes occur when the pilot did not know the wires were there—something that can be addressed directly by access to better mapping and improved planning.

However, 70% of wirestrikes happen even though the pilot was aware of the wire. From AAAA research, this is likely due to a combination of poor visual acuity, working memory failure, cognitive and physical distraction, inattentional blindness and forgetting.

The most obvious remedy, in addition to training to understand focus and attention which AAAA already conducts, is to provide network maps and to mark hazardous wires and improve their visual prominence.

The most obvious remedy is to provide network maps.

The AAAA Powerline Safety Program aims to encourage and facilitate power companies improving aviation safety and provide a path for both aviation businesses and rural landholders to engage in meaningful safety actions.

AAAA members signing on to the program commit to mark at least 10 wires in the first 12 months from sign on, and also agree to promote both on-farm electrical hazard assessments to clients, ensure staff attend AAAA-provided safety training, use available mapping in their job planning systems and implement a company powerline safety system. Participation in the program is free to members, who then receive recognition through Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum accreditation status as they mark more wires, as well as getting the chance to win free additional marking.

AAAA will continue to work with a range of stakeholders in the area, including our foundation safety partners as well as individual power companies, Energy Networks Australia, State energy regulators and the national and State fire agencies to get more powerlines marked and mapping available nationally.

For pilots operating in the challenging low-level environment, this is one safety program delivering meaningful and practical outcomes every day.