The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has opened a fresh round of consultation on proposed changes to The Oaks aerodrome information on the Sydney visual terminal chart (VTC), along with associated changes near Camden Airport.
The changes aim to reduce the likelihood of aircraft operating close to each other while on different frequencies in the vicinity of Camden Airport and The Oaks aerodrome. Local pilots and training organisations are invited to provide feedback via the CASA Consultation Hub by 3 September 2026.
The proposed changes include:
- updating the overfly height for The Oaks aerodrome to 3,000ft, along with the corresponding information box on the VTC
- removing the existing visual approach point (VAP) and VFR route into Camden Airport, and replacing it with a new location further north
CASA said the proposal incorporates feedback received on an earlier option, following a consultation period that ran from 24 February to 20 March 2026.
Background
The earlier consultation sought feedback on relocating the visual approach point known as The Oaks (THK), situated adjacent to The Oaks (YAOS) aerodrome, to address the same underlying risk of aircraft flying near each other on different frequencies around Camden and The Oaks. That proposal was required to support broader airspace changes in the Sydney Basin ahead of the opening of Western Sydney International Airport.
CASA received 69 responses to that earlier consultation, the majority from recreational and private pilots, with training organisations, emergency services providers, safety managers and chief pilots also represented.
Most respondents supported the proposal, citing a more predictable operating environment, reduced mid-air collision risk and lower pilot workload as key benefits. However, feedback also raised concerns about the suitability of the proposed replacement route near Hayters Mill, with several stakeholders flagging airspace incursion risk tied to the Western Sydney controlled airspace vertical boundary and rising terrain, and some suggesting it would be operationally challenging for less experienced pilots in training.
Other feedback themes included calls to improve VTC and AIP text to better articulate recommended pilot behaviour, mandate altitude requirements and radio broadcasts near The Oaks, and consider the impact on gliding operations in the area.
In its response, CASA said it was clear from submissions that relocating the VAP was a safety enhancement worth progressing, but that the location of any replacement needed careful consideration and a full risk assessment. The new proposal, seeking feedback on an updated overfly height and a new VAP location further north, reflects that further work.
Feedback on the current proposal can be submitted via the CASA Consultation Hub before the 3 September 2026 deadline.