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An aviation industry consultant has labelled a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) review into the airspace where two helicopters collided on the Gold Coast, killing four people, as "window dressing".
Key points:
- CASA is reviewing "airspace design" in an area where four people died in a helicopter collision
- An aviation consultant says CASA was "responsible for the safe operations in the air"
- An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation is due to be released next year
CASA announced on Thursday it will seek feedback from pilots regarding the airspace around Southport separate to an investigation being conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
On January 2, two Sea World helicopters collided over the broadwater and crashed killing four people and injuring nine others.
The ATSB released a preliminary report in March, noting the pilot of the helicopter coming in to land did not hear a call over the radio by the pilot taking off.
The ATSB previously said that it did not mean the taxi call was not made and it would undertake a detailed analysis of the radio calls.
In announcing its review, CASA said in a statement "we want all pilots and operators that fly in this area to let us know about their experiences".
"While there's no indication at this stage that airspace design played a part in this devastating accident, we want to make sure we've given all pilots and airspace users the opportunity to provide their views on airspace arrangements," he said.
But aviation industry consultant Neil Hansford said CASA "are responsible for the safe operations in the air".
"I think they are preparing themselves from what the ATSB may bring down in their investigations," he said.
"They're doing some window dressing in case the findings of the ATSB are critical of CASA having agreed to the two operations so close together in the sort of operation of intensity as it is."
Joseph Wheeler, the principal of International Aerospace Law and Policy Group, said "the timing of a CASA review into the airspace implicated in the Sea World helicopter crash couldn't be more inappropriate, even though it is well intentioned".
"The regulator [CASA] ought to fully understand the actual factors which the ATSB have identified as contributory to the accident, including those that touch on airspace aspects, before commencing a wholesale review and improvement of the system based on the views of current airspace users," he said.
"The better, and equally proactive approach, in my view, would be to direct airspace users with concerns about the airspace to share their opinions with the ATSB investigators.
"The approach CASA is seeking takes away the predominant focus of the ATSB investigation — which is to do its work in the hopes of preventing such occurrences in the future.
"An airspace review may second guess or fail to appreciate nuances of the ultimate ATSB investigation report and risks resources being devoted to refocus or direct that review after the ATSB report is published."
A CASA spokesperson declined to comment further.
'Very intense operation'
Multiple helicopter tours operate from the broader area where the collision took place.
Mr Hansford said the helicopter tours operating in the area represent "a very intense operation".
"It doesn't exist in Sydney or over Melbourne, over Adelaide," he said.
"You're talking 15 to 20-minute joy rides non-stop for the whole period that they are operating.
In response, a Sea World Helicopters spokesperson said "it has been, and will continue to cooperate with CASA".
In its statement, CASA said it will collect data to analyse aircraft operations, landings areas, and surrounding airspace.
"We will be cooperating with the ATSB as it continues its investigation," it said.
An ATSB spokesperson said it was "an independent Commonwealth statutory agency separate from regulators such as CASA".
"While CASA may choose to make a submission to the ATSB’s investigation team detailing the results of its Southport airspace review, the ATSB’s investigation is a separate and independent process," it said.