Airservices Australia

Airservices Australia is responsible for the provision of safe and environmentally responsible air navigation services (ANS) and aviation rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) services to aircraft operators and other airspace users in Australian-administered airspace, which represents approximately 11 per cent of the world’s airspace.

With a substantial fixed asset base maintained at over 600 sites around Australia, Airservices manages over four million aircraft movements annually, and provides ARFF capability at 19 of Australia’s busiest international and domestic Regular Passenger Transport (RPT) airports.

Managed out of two major centres in Melbourne and Brisbane the Australian Flight Information Region (FIR) includes Australia’s sovereign airspace as well as International airspace over the Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans as shown in Figure 1.

Airservices Australia provides upper airspace air traffic services under contract to the Nauru Government and Solomon Islands Government in their respective FIRs. Airservices Australia also provides air traffic control tower services to a number of Pacific island airports under contract to the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Figure 1 : Airservices Australia controlled airspace

Commitment to the environment

The impacts of aviation emissions on the environment is an important issue for industry and the global community. Sound environmental management is an integral part of the provision of an efficient, effective and sustainable air transport system. Airservices is committed to becoming a visible leader of environment management within the domestic and international community.

Airservices commitment to the environment is a fundamental corporate policy with a simple and clear vision:

“Airservices Australia will reduce the impact on the environment of its operations and the services it provides the aviation industry”

Airservices corporate environment policy : C-POL: AA 000 6 Ver: 4

Airservices has always been committed to the aviation industry’s drive to reduce its impact on the environment and will continue to make significant contributions in this area well into the future. However, Airservices has implemented an internal program that reinforces our commitment to being a leader in environment friendly practices at an organisational as well as industry level. Our environmental strategies support Regional, Government, Industry, and ICAO expectations and our Aviation Community program is a critical part of this strategy.

The three components of Airservices environment strategy are:

1. Aviation Community Program – which focuses on reducing the aviation industry’s environmental footprint through integrated emissions reduction and noise minimisation strategies.  This includes the promotion and use of new air traffic management (ATM) technologies, systems, capabilities and procedures.  Some key programs that are already underway include User Preferred Routes (UPR), Tailored Arrivals, Continuous Descent Approaches, Flextracks, ATM Long-range Optimal Flow Tool (ALOFT) and precision navigation such as Required Navigation Performance (RNP).
2. E-Change Program – is Airservices’ corporate program which encompasses all activities that contribute directly to reducing and neutralising our own direct environmental footprint.  An assessment of the current environmental footprint has been undertaken and a range of initiatives are being implemented.
3. The Airservices Compliance Plus Program – ensures we go beyond a minimalist compliance and regulatory adherence. As part of demonstrating Airservices leadership in environment management we aim to implement best practise. Airservices will define and work towards ambitious, yet achievable emission targets.

Airservices Vision

To be a focused provider of air navigation and aviation services, with our competitive edge built on safety and the application of leading-edge technology.

This means:

• Our first priority is to maintain world-leading safety performance and improve the safety, efficiency and environment of the Australian air transport system.
• We will pursue the creation of value for our owner, our customers, our people and other key stakeholders.
• Our core service lines are air navigation services and ARFF services.
• Market and product development opportunities in our core businesses and related diversification will be pursued on a risk return basis.
• Our vision supports the ICAO Global ATM Target Operational Concept 2025 for harmonised, safe and efficient air navigation services, with seamless airspace and interoperable systems.