Mangalore air traffic services (ATS) update

Airservices is seeking industry feedback on the current and planned provision of ATS for the airspace around Mangalore Aerodrome VIC.

The issue

• In February 2020, Airservices proposed to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) the introduction of a surveillance flight information service (SFIS) for the airspace around Mangalore Aerodrome.
• The SFIS proposal did not progress, pending the results of CASA’s Mangalore Aeronautical Study commissioned in 2021. 
• In the interim Airservices implemented a bespoke Safety Alerting Service (SAS) by NOTAM August 2021. 
• In the two years since the introduction of the SAS there has been a significant reduction in traffic levels at Mangalore. 
• CASA’s Mangalore Aeronautical Study was released in October 2022 and concluded that the airspace classification for airspace around Mangalore (i.e. Class G, non-controlled airspace) is appropriate.

Purpose

To provide industry with an update on the current and planned provision of ATS for the airspace around Mangalore Aerodrome VIC, and to seek feedback on the proposed suspension of Airservices' Mangalore Safety Alerting Service (SAS).

Proposal

In February 2020, Airservices proposed to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) the introduction of a surveillance flight information service (SFIS) that would utilise existing surveillance capability within a specified Broadcast Area (BA), to provide enhanced traffic information services from a dedicated air traffic control position in Melbourne Centre, to all aircraft operating in a 20 nautical mile (NM) radius of the aerodrome. 

Whilst the SFIS proposal did not progress pending the results of CASA’s Mangalore Aeronautical Study commissioned in 2021, in the interim Airservices implemented a Safety Alerting Service (SAS) by NOTAM on 12 August 2021, in order to mitigate Airservices assessment of airspace risk to operations in the area, based on known traffic levels at the time. 

The Mangalore SAS is a bespoke service, involving a dedicated air traffic control position from Melbourne Centre monitoring the Mangalore CTAF between the hours of 0800 to 1800 local, with a responsibility to broadcast a Safety Alert on the CTAF when they become aware of an aircraft in unsafe proximity to terrain, obstruction, restricted areas, or other aircraft. 

In the two years since the introduction of the SAS: 

• there has been a significant reduction in traffic levels (refer image) 
• a total of twelve (12) Safety Alerts have been issued, all due to an aircraft's proximity to Restricted Areas R350 and R351 (noting that this service is already provided on the area frequency); and 
• nil (0) Safety Alerts have been issued due to an aircraft's proximity to another aircraft. 

Furthermore, CASA’s Mangalore Aeronautical Study was released in October 2022, and concluded that: the airspace classification for airspace around Mangalore (i.e. Class G, non-controlled airspace) is appropriate Mangalore encounters similar risks to most non-controlled aerodromes where flight training is being conducted; and The introduction of a BA/SFIS for Mangalore may increase the risk of frequency congestion. 

An Airservices safety assessment conducted in September 2023 similarly concluded that on the basis of significantly reduced traffic numbers and low utilisation of the SAS, regular Class G ATS provided by Melbourne Centre is sufficient to mitigate our current assessment of the airspace risk. As such Airservices is: 

• no longer proposing to introduce an SFIS for Mangalore; and 
• considering suspending the Mangalore SAS until further notice. 

Before any decision is made, Airservices would like to consider any feedback that industry may have in relation to our provision of ATS for the airspace around Mangalore, kindly requested by Thursday 7 December, 2023.

Relevant documentation