AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Procedures Reviewed

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31976, 1 May 1969, Page 1

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Procedures Reviewed

There was no deliberatewithholding of information by the Wigram air traffic control regarding the incident on March 26, involving a National Airways

Corporation Viscount and five Air Force Devons, said the officer commanding the Training Group (Air Commodore A. S. Agar) at Wigram yesterday.

He said it was only because recognised practices were not fultv observed within the air traffic control system that advice on the movement of the Devons was not passed to the control centre at Christchurch Airport “This incident is an isolated one and the thorough investigation which has been made has resulted in a review of procedures which will ensure that there will not be sfn>'’roccurrences in th - - he said. «' In a s»X yesterdAgar 5

concerning the incident had tended to indicate that there was a division, possibly a conflict, between the military and civil air traffic control organisations. “In fact, there is only one air traffic control organisation which jointly controls all traffic—civil and military,” he said. “In the Christchurch area the control agencies at both Christchurch airport and Wigram are operated by members of this joint organisation. “Because of the proximity of Christchurch airport and Wigram special procedures and arrangements exist to ensure the safety of flight in the area.

"These procedures have over a very' long period proved to be entirely effective.” said Air Commodore Agar. “Routine flying training from Wigram is confine i. 4p from *

Air Commodore Agar said that Air Force flights out? side the Christchurch area were notified to other air traffic control agencies concerned.

The Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Trans--port is to tighten up on communications as a result of the incident, according to a Press Association message from. Wellington. This was announced by the division’s national bead of technical ground services (Mr ! T. R. Pike) who chaired a ’ meeting in Wellington where 1 the incident was discussed. The meeting was attended by representatives of the

National Airways Corporation, Safe Air, Ltd, Air New Zealand, the Air Line Pilots' Association, Mount Cook Airlines, the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Civil -•■nation Division. said the meeting 4_i «~.mattf‘ r ''V