Good day and thank you for choosing to fly in Australia! We hope you enjoy the picturesque coastlines and vast outback we have to offer. This guide is intended to help set you up for success in flying VFR across our region, covering all aspects of flight from phraseology to planning.
Flight Planning in Australia is fairly standard. Like other countries we use the standard ICAO format. If you need help filing flight plans, we strongly recommend SimBrief to give you valid routes up to date with the latest AIRAC data. During events, keep an eye out for standard published routes to keep our Centre controllers happy!
All VFR Aircraft shall refer to Air services Australia Esera.
Australian registrations on Flights can be abbreviated to the last 3 letters, eg VH-XHE becomes XHE
Foreign registrations can be abbreviated to the first 1, and last 2 letters, only after initiated by ATC.
As always, briefing is a critical part of flight! You can find official aerodrome charts in the Australian AIP DAP (Departure & Approach Procedure). As for weather, our major airport's publish METARs & TAFs. METARs are published on the hour & half hour. Remember If a weather forecast or report is not available, you may depart, provided you reasonably consider that the weather conditions at the departure aerodrome will allow you to return and land safely within one hour after take-off; however, you must return to the departure aerodrome if you do not obtain a weather forecast within 30 minutes after take-off. NOTAMs relevant to IVAO Operations will be visible on Webeye, and likewise a live map of our Danger & Restricted Areas is available on Webeye.
You may see 'RFxx.x/xxx.x' at the end of our METARs. This is a measurement of rainfall
in mm at the airfield, the first set of numbers referring to the past 10 minutes, and the
last set of numbers referring to since 9am local time. Eg 'RF00.0/013.3' would mean no
rainfall in the past 10 minutes, and 13.3mm since 9am local time.
For more information click HERE.
In Australia VFR aircraft do not require a clearance out of class D Airdromes. E.g.
If you do decide to fly out of Class C airports. E.g
In Class C, Clearances are Composulary to VFR aircraft as you are in a very busy airdrome environment. Clearances may be tricky and difficult like other countries but we're the opposite. Just tell us your callsign, Aircraft type & where you're requesting
clearance to, and we will come back to you with the VFR clearance. We don't need to know your stand number or QNH at this stage.
Pilot: "Sydney Delivery g'day Cherokee XHE, VFR to Bankstown (YSBK) direct request clearance.”
Instead of mentioning your full aircraft type you can mention the model of Aircraft you're flying. E.g Archer or Cherokee.
You can expect to receive the following components in your clearance
You must read back the complete clearance!
ATC: XHE Sydney Delivery g'day cleared to Bankstown Direct, runway 34L. Climb 3000ft, Squawk 1234. Departures on 123.0.
In your readback, we'll then need your bay number.
Pilot: Cleared to Bankstown Direct, runway 34L. Climb 3000ft, Squawk 1234. Departures on 129.7. Bay Domestic 119,XHE.
All VFR pilots in Australia Flying in Class C, must request a Start Up. On the other hand VFR pilots Flying in class D airspace do not need to request start-up Unless Flying Circuits.
Pilot: Bankstown Ground G’day, XHE Request Start Up For Circuits.
ATC: XHE, Start Up is approved, Cleared to operate Bankstown circuit area not above 1000 ft.
For all other VFR aircraft flying in class D, do not need an Engine start. But will contact the Ground controller when in the Manoeuvring area. (https://www.casa.gov.au/search-centre/aerodrome-manoeuvring-maps)
We issue taxi instruction in order, starting with the taxiways, then the clearance limit, then the runway (if applicable). There may also be a cross runway instruction thrown in there if needed.
ATC: XHE, taxi via A to A runup bays, report when ready.
Australian registered aircraft can switch from Ground to Tower without an explicit instruction when reaching the holding point. Foreign registered aircraft will always be handed off from Ground to Tower.
When you're fully ready, report ready for departure to our Tower controller. They will then come back to you with an instruction.
In addition (Only in class C), you may sometimes receive the instruction 'contact departures when airborne'. In this case, your work with Tower is now done, and you can switch to the departure frequency once you leave the ground. If this instruction isn't given, you must wait for instruction to contact departures. Not in class D, there is no explicit transfer to the the next frequency by the controller, pilots must switch to the area frequency upon leaving the zone with no transfer.
When you check in with Departure, report your level passing (to the nearest 100ft). This is so our controller can verify your radar tag matches reality, and 'identify' you. It's also important to remember to do this when the departure controller is controlling Tower top down.
When you first check in with Tower, they may just acknowledge your callsign.
Pilot: Bankstown Tower, Cherokee XGN is at prospect reservoir 1500ft with Golf inbound.
ATC: XGN Bankstown tower G’day, join right downwind runway 29R maintain 1500ft.
In this case, just continue your approach on the downwind leg at 1500ft, (do not leave 1500ft, or join base unless tower has cleared you for the visual approach.) the controller will contact you when they're ready to issue your visual approach (typically when clear of departing traffic).
Similar to Australian registered aircraft reaching the holding point for departure, Australian registered aircraft do not need explicit instruction to change from Tower to Ground when vacating the runway, and can do this by themselves. You must stay on the Tower frequency until you are clear of the runway. Foreign registered aircraft require a handoff.
You will be issued taxi instructions to the bay in the same manner as on departure. This should be your last contact with ATC. If we're quiet, feel free to say good bye when you get on stand!
Authors: Josh Ryals 726590, Nico Reimann 601292