A coordinated approach

The monetary threshold for when Major Development Plans (MDPs) were required would also be increased, taking into account indexation and increases in construction costs.

These proposed changes are welcome progress, reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while keeping the focus on safety outcomes.

They recognise airports’ commitment to long-term planning which ensures the sustainable growth of our industry while also considering community wellbeing and future aviation needs.

However, the effective management of commercial development on airport land is only part of the story.

While airports complete master plans, major development plans and go through extensive consultation processes before embarking on new projects, the same doesn’t always apply for development just outside the airport boundary.

As we see increasing demand for land in our cities, we must ensure land use planning recognises the need to protect the airspace around airports to make sure they can continue to meet the needs of airlines and passengers for many years to come.

The AAA has advocated for state governments to amend their planning schemes to align with the National Airport Safeguarding Framework (NASF) to avoid land use planning outcomes that put aviation safety at risk or reduce community amenity.

The industry also supports the development of a new NASF Guideline for Public Safety Zones, with a consultation process on the guideline set to get underway soon.

We must ensure all levels of government work together with airports to make sure we plan for the growth of our airports and our cities in a coordinated way, and ensure the safety and enjoyment of the community remains at the forefront of any considerations over new developments.

The success of the process for developments on airport land proves this can be done well – but it takes a coordinated approach to make sure surrounding areas are not adversely impacted by poor development decisions in the future.

‘All levels of government work together with airports.’

If state and local government planning frameworks adopt these standards, we’ll be better able to ensure a safe and sustainable aviation industry that not only serves the community well, but better integrates with how people live, work and travel for years to come.

Managing fatigue
Relating fatigue science to real-world operations

As part of our efforts to enhance the real-world operations and fatigue management capabilities of our members, in 2017 the RAAA launched a program utilising FDA-approved, scientifically-validated actigraphy technology which has been developed by the US military over 25+ years and with a research investment of more than US$37 million. It

delivers sleep quantity, sleep quality, real-time and predictive alertness data to individuals on a smartphone app. The program included completion of Circadian Australia’s FRMS Standard Fatigue Training Online courses with the intent of enhancing participants’ knowledge and their ability to self-assess their real-time and predictive alertness data, their sleep quality, and sleep quantity and determine their fatigue risk and fitness for work when reviewing their alertness data on their smartphone app.

It is a CASA requirement that flightcrew should manage their personal time to ensure they are rested and fit for duty and inform the operator of factors that may mean they are not fit for duty.

The RAAA acknowledges the challenges of relating fatigue science research findings and scientific evidence to real-world operations, given the multiple combinations and permutations of factors that impact on sleep, fatigue and recovery in operational environments.

However, this approach is significantly more effective in identifying potential sleep quality and quantity issues that may negatively impact on an individual pilot’s alertness levels than any prescriptive ‘one size fits all pilots’ approach.

Still, it is understandable that the one size fits all approach is more palatable to regulators, who do not have the comprehensive or contemporary understanding of the application of this technology.

Importantly, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines the manner in which fatigue should be managed to be, “A data-driven means of continuously monitoring and managing fatigue-related risks, based on scientific principles and knowledge as well as operational experience that aims to ensure relevant personnel are performing at adequate levels of alertness”.

Therefore, in order for CASA to become ICAO-compliant, the RAAA encourages the regulator to more seriously investigate and embrace the increasing recognition of real-time and predictive alertness technology in civil aviation and the military and many other 24/7 shiftwork-based industry sectors, combined with fatigue education and training that delivers the ability for individuals to reliably self-assess their fatigue (impaired alertness) in real-time operating environments.

One size does not fit all.

‘This approach is significantly more effective.’