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Department of Defence
The Department of Defence requests feedback on a proposal to amend the lateral limits of Danger Area D216 at Robertson Barracks Training Area.
The issue
- D216 no longer fully encompasses the area in which existing live-fire rifle-range activity may be hazardous to aircraft.
- Defence proposes a targeted eastward extension of the D216 lateral boundary. The change is limited to the area requiring hazard notification.
- The vertical limits, hours of activity and airspace contact remain unchanged.
- No additional published air traffic services or visual flight rules routes are located within the expanded area.
- The amendment does not reduce separation from Darwin Airport or associated flight paths and does not increase interaction with the Darwin Instrument Landing System approach environment or Darwin Control Zone.
Purpose
The purpose of this consultation is to inform aviation stakeholders of the proposed D216 boundary amendment and seek feedback on any operational or safety effects that should be considered before the Airspace Change Proposal is finalised. D216 is Danger Airspace for firing activity. The proposal is intended to improve the accuracy of hazard information available to general aviation and other non-participating airspace users; it does not convert D216 to restricted or prohibited airspace.
Proposal
Background
Robertson Barracks Training Area supports Defence training, including small-arms and rifle-range live firing. Danger Area D216 is published to notify pilots that firing activity hazardous to aircraft may occur within the defined airspace. Development and changes to activity within the training area have resulted in the current D216 lateral boundary no longer encompassing the complete area requiring hazard notification.
Proposed change
Defence proposes to extend the eastern lateral boundary of D216. The amendment changes only the lateral limits. D216 will remain a Danger Area with activity described as “RIFLE RANGE”, vertical limits of surface to 1,400 ft above mean sea level, hours of activity of H24 or as amended by NOTAM, and DOTAM RCO Robertson Barracks as the contact.
The proposed amendment extends D216 only to the extent required to encompass the area requiring hazard notification. The change remains clear of the Darwin Instrument Landing System localiser approach corridor shown south of D216 in Figure 2 and does not affect the Darwin Control Zone.
Impact on aviation users
The proposed amendment expands D216 east of the existing boundary. The expanded area does not contain any additional published air traffic services or visual flight rules routes. The amendment does not reduce separation from Darwin Airport or associated flight paths and does not increase interaction with the Darwin Instrument Landing System approach environment or Darwin Control Zone.
As D216 is a Danger Area, the amendment does not establish an airspace-entry clearance requirement. Pilots remain responsible for considering published Danger Area information when planning and conducting flights. The practical change is that the published boundary will more accurately depict the area in which hazardous firing activity may occur.
Proposed Designated Airspace Handbook entry
| Designation | YBBB/D2XX ROBERTSON BARRACKS |
| Activity | RIFLE RANGE |
| Lateral limits | 122201S 1305855E - 122145S 1305924E 122155S 1310003E - 122322S 1310105E 122341S 1310105E - 122341S 1310045E 122507S 1310045E - 122507S 1305938E 122508S 1305821E - 122338S 1305821E 122201S 1305855E |
| Vertical limits | SFC - 1400 |
| Hours of activity | H24 or as amended by NOTAM |
| Contact | DOTAM RCO Robertson Barracks |