Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

Airservices Australia

Airservices Australia is an Australian Government Commonwealth authority, responsible for providing safe and environmentally sound air traffic control management and related airside services to the aviation industry (ie: air traffic control, airways navigation and communication facilities, and airport rescue and fire-fighting services) within the Australian Flight Information Region (FIR). Airservices Australia is a full member of CANSO

Responsibilities

The Australian FIR covers 11 percent of the earth’s surface of not only Australian airspace but also international airspace over the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Airservices Australia also manages upper-level airspace (above 30,000 ft) under contract to the neighbouring Pacific Island Flight Information Regions of the Solomon Islands and Nauru, and lower–level airspace in the Pacific Ocean region at five airports for the United States Federal Aviation Administration.

Each year, Airservices Australia manages air traffic operations for more than three million domestic and international flights carrying some 47 million passengers. The aviation industry also relies on Airservices Australia for aeronautical data, telecommunications and navigation services. Airservices Australia also provide Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting services at 20 of the nation’s busiest airports where there are more than 350,000 passenger movements a year.

The authority has 600 sites and about 3000 employees, including 1000 air traffic controllers working from two major centres at Melbourne and Brisbane Airports, and 26 air traffic control towers at international and regional airports. In 1999 the authority commenced using The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS), a computerised air traffic control system covering all sectors of Australian air space.

Organisation

The authority's headquarters are located in the Alan Woods Building in central Canberra. The building was named in recognition of Mr. Alan Woods (deceased), former Chairman of the authority's predecessor organisation, the Civil Aviation Authority.

The authority is controlled by a Board of Directors, accountable to the Australian Parliament, through the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP . The Chairman of the authority's Board is Mr. David Forsyth. The Chief Executive Officer of Airservices Australia is Mr. Greg Russell.

Air Traffic Control centres

Airservices Australia has two Air Traffic Control Centres based in Brisbane and Melbourne. Australia has two Flight Information Regions, separated by a boundary, which are managed by these centres. All airspace to the north of the boundary is controlled by Brisbane Centre and all airspace to the south of the boundary is controlled by Melbourne Centre. These centres cover the whole of Australia except for the Terminal Control Units and Towers at major cities.

Aerodrome controllers are airport tower controllers, airport approach controllers, airport departure controllers and ground controllers.

Awards

1999 - Eagle Award - IATA named Airservices Australia "Best air traffic services provider in the world"
2005 - Eagle Award - again. Same month Greg Russell was appointed CEO.