Airport Not Warned Of Military Traffic

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31975, 30 April 1969, Page 26

Airport Not Warned Of Military Traffic

'New Zealand Press Association*

WELLINGTON, April 29.

The procedure for advising Oiristchurch air traffic control of military air traffic coming into the Christchurch Airport traffic area was not fully observed on March 26. the director of the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport (Mr L. F. P. laylor) said this afternoon in a statement.

It was on this day that a formation of five Royal New Zealand Air Force Devon aircraft were on a course that could have conflicted with that of an N.A.C. Viscount aircraft approaching Christchurch Airport.

Mr Taylor issued his statement after a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the R.N.Z.A.F., the Airline Pilots’ Association and the airline operators.

He said the Viscount was being marshalled by Christchurch Airport radar for a visual approach to Christchurch. When the aircraft was nearing the final approach path the radar director observed a radar target which was on a track that could conflict with the Viscount.

As the identity of this radar target was unknown to the Christchurch controller and because of its position relative to the Viscount, the radar director immediately advised the Viscount of the bearing and distance of this unknown traffic.

The Viscount pilot then saw the traffic, which was in fact a formation of five Devon aircraft. The Devons were seen to be turning away.

No evasive action was taken by the Viscount. A very exhaustive investigation. which commenced immediately after the incident, had revealed that although it was the practice for Christchurch air traffic control to be advised of military traffic proceeding into the Christchurch Airport traffic area, and thus sequenced into traffic flows into Christchurch, this procedure was not fully observed on this occasion. The messages received by Wigram air traffic control from the Devon formation leader had clearly outlined the intention of the special exercise, but Christchurch air traffic control was not informed. If the information had been passed by Wigram air traffic control this would have en-

‘abled Christchurch air traffic control to effect the necessary traffic co-ordination. Immediate action had been taken to promulgate specific procedures to cover military aircraft operating into the Christchurch control zone under visual flight rules from the area reserved for their local operations. Further measures for improving the procedures for controlling all aircraft in the Christchurch control zone were being examined. The procedure observed by 'he Christchurch radar director in providing the Viscount with information concerning the other traffic was standard practice when unknown traffic which constitute a hazard was observed on the radar display.