Australian airports ready to implement new CASA safety requirements, says AAA

The Australian Airports Association (AAA) has announced that airports across the country are ready to implement the new Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) safety requirements, which come into effect on 13 August 2020.

AAA’s Chief Executive, James Goodwin, said: “Australian airports are considered among the safest in the world and these new protocols will only enhance their safety record.”

Despite COVID-19 placing a significant strain on the sector, the AAA and the aviation industry have spent more than four years working collaboratively with CASA to provide input into the review and drafting processes for the updated Manual of Standards Part 139, as well as keeping members actively informed and supported during the transition phase.

Goodwin continued: “The updates reflect changes in technology and operations and will ensure that Australia is more aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.”

The AAA and its members have shown outstanding leadership to create and facilitate working groups to inform CASA’s key decision makers, hosted a joint Safety Forum with CASA and successfully advocated for an extension to support its members through the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“Australian airports were hit first and will be the last to recover from the coronavirus crisis. They’re doing it tough at the moment with very few passengers walking through the doors, but it is important the sector has best practice standards, particularly when we reach the other side of the pandemic,” Goodwin added.

The changes that need to be made under the new safety requirements include:

• An additional colour for runway markings and markers to make it easier for pilots to navigate
• Additional colour options for runway lighting to meet the current Australian Standards
• New line marking which makes it clearer when an airfield is unserviceable
• New risk-based CASA inspection and reporting requirements.