CASA said yesterday that it would not necessarily conduct further consultation on changes to Sydney airspace, but would consider the adequacy of the Airservices Australia consultation before implementing the proposal.
Last month, Airservices Australia conducted industry engagement sessions at Bankstown Airport that revealed a lower overlying Class C level than that included in the original Airspace Change Proposal (ACP), further restricting Class G in the Sydney basin.
Airservices opened consultation on the ACP via their Western Sydney International Airport engagement webpage on 20 June.
A spokesperson for Airservices said the ACP would be presented to CASA by the end of this month, and detailed efforts to engage with the general aviation community.
"Airservices Australia intends to submit an Airspace Change Proposal to CASA on 25 July 2025," the spokesperson said.
"Following the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government’s authorisation of the preliminary airspace and flight paths for Western Sydney International (WSI) on 4 June 2025, Airservices commenced industry engagement."
As well as the Bankstown engagement sessions in June, Airservices has also published an industry briefing paper, draft Western Sydney VTC and a draft industry engagement report for the 2023 Aviation State Engagement Forum (AvSEF); opened feedback surveys and continued to meet with Sydney operators, airports and airlines.
"Airservices Australia will continue to lead industry engagement throughout the detailed design and implementation phases," the spokesperson explained. "Further engagement activities are planned in the lead-up to WSI’s opening and operational commencement."
A CASA spokesperson said that after Airservices submitted the ACP, the regulator would need to see that consultation had been done properly before deciding to consult the industry further.
"Airservices is the airspace change proponent of the airspace changes for Western Sydney International Airport, [and] will propose the changes to CASA through the Office of Airspace Regulation [OAR]," the spokesperson said.
"When considering their proposal, we will consider the adequacy of their consultation (which may also include previous consultation conducted by the Department), feedback to that consultation as well as the safety implications of the changes.
"CASA has been providing advice to Airservices and the department to ensure adequate and appropriate consultation with general aviation operators in Sydney.
"Whilst CASA may consult further, CASA does not intend to conduct a separate or further consultation on airspace design or flight paths for WSIA given the consultation underway. We encourage operators to provide input into the Airservices consultation.
"If CASA considers further consultation is required, the proposal will be returned to Airservices to conduct that consultation."
The Sydney aviation community has consistently expressed concerns about the impact of proposed changes to the Sydney basin airspace, fearing decreases in safety for students and VFR pilots, and a loss of practical and safe training grounds for Bankstown flying schools.
Feedback to the Airservices consultation can be submitted to the Western Sydney International Airport engagement webpage, which requires user to register their details to provide feedback.
The collector will stay open until 18 July 2025.