It turns out the air isn’t free. I remember the old cynical joke about one day they will tax air. Well, they mightn’t have taxed it yet, but they are well on their way to controlling it.
As commercial air traffic builds, calls will continue to come for more and more areas to become controlled airspace. That’s not good for RAAus pilots right now, because we’re precluded from using controlled airspace. When I’m in my GA aircraft though, we can transit controlled airspace – with the right endorsements.
I find ATC to be helpful (mostly) and willing to assist. The biggest issues for a newbie are the speeds they work at. When you are sitting waiting at the holding point and the call comes from ATC along the lines of “Uniform Foxtrot Sierra fly heading two three zero, runway two seven left, cleared for take-off” it all comes in a 3-second burst. You’ve got to realise it’s you they’re talking to, respond back with the call confirming the details, get your plane on the runway and take off. Ok, so that was me and I’m to take off on 27 left and hold course of 230. Now let’s fly the plane.
At first, that’s daunting. Eventually it becomes a habit. Remember when you first flew, how just getting the aircraft off the ground seemed like a big job? Same here. If there’s two of you it’s a lot easier, because one can handle the radio while the other does the aviating. The point is, if I can do it, anyone can. Which means there’s nothing stopping suitably endorsed RAAus pilots from accessing controlled airspace areas – other than the rules right now, and that needs to change.
As more and more air gets locked up, we are going to need access just to get from point to point. Have you looked at a map of the east coast recently? Not a lot of gaps left. I think after we sort out Group G (aircraft up to 760kg MTOW) that access to controlled airspace has to be the next priority. Like everything, it won’t be easy and it will take time. But that’s not a reason to avoid it. RAAus have been doing a pretty good job on Group G, I’m sure they have controlled airspace in their sights.
