Airservices Australia looks set to start charging recreational aircraft for using Class D controlled air space.
Under the current charging contract, RA-Aus registered aircraft are exempt from Airservices charges at Class D towered aerodromes that are normally paid by general aviation aircraft.
However, an increase in CASA exemptions for RA-Aus aircraft using Class D airports has prompted Airservices to review the policy.
An Airservices spokesperson told Australian Flying "The volume of RA-Aus registered aircraft being granted an exemption by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to operate at controlled aerodromes has grown over time and there is an increasing number of RA-Aus registered aircraft that are exceeding the first $500 charging threshold.
"We are currently discussing this issue with a range of stakeholders including CASA to understand whether this practice will continue.
"To the extent that it does we will seek to ensure our pricing agreement does not not unfairly discriminate between any aircraft operators and will take this up as part of the development of our next Long Term Pricing Agreement in the new year.
"Airservices is committed to ensuring that all airspace users are treated equally and any inequity is addressed."
The move has pleased general aviation operators at Class D airports who have not been happy with the "unlevel playing field" caused by the charging regime.
Andrew Johnson of Moorabbin Flying Services believes it is time for a change.
"As GA operators we believe that the RAA operators should be subjected to the same charges as we are. Essentially when the ATC calls 'Cleared to Land', which is the basis of the TNC [Terminal Navigation Charge], he/she is using the same facility, with the same phraseology for the same outcome so why shouldn’t the RAA aircraft pay!
"This won’t affect the rotary guys, however when the fixed wing operators want to organize a session of circuits for a student we are required to obtain prior approval from ATC. The circuit number at YMMB is capped at six, and if there happen to be one or two RAA aircraft out in the circuit at the same time, which has happened, we are forced to wait for a slot.
"If there are six GA aircraft in the pattern then that’s life and we just have to wait, however if there are non-paying operators using the service then we are being commercially disadvantaged, so again why shouldn’t they pay!
"It would appear that AsA is happy to inflict the cost of servicing the RAA aircraft on to the GA community."
Aminta Hennessy of Clamback and Hennessy at Bankstown summed up the feelings of most GA operators when she said "If we have to pay, everyone should pay."
The $500 no-pay threshold occurs when an operator elects to pay via the General Aviation Option in the Airservices contract and Airservices estimates the operator will not accrue over $500 in charges for the coming year.
Comment has been sought from Recreational Aviation Australia.