How Air Traffic Control Works

How Airpsace is Managed

In Australia, there are two major types of airspace: controlled, and uncontrolled.

Controlled airspace is monitored and most traffic is directed, to varying extents, by ground-based Air Traffic Controllers.

The air routes are designated by ground based radio navigational aids. Although with the many advances in Air Traffic Control technologies such as ADS-B, traditional air routes are being replaced by Flextracks in the less busy controlled airspaces.

Much of the Australian airspace below 18,000 feet (5472 m) outside the Eastern seaboard is classified as Uncontrolled Airspace. It is in this airspace where most recreational aircraft generally operate.  In Uncontrolled airspace, pilots are often not visible to Air Traffic Control but must still follow Visual Flight Rules or Instrument Flight Rules.

As well as being broken into controlled or uncontrolled airspace, Australian airspace is further divided into different classes, where internationally agreed rules for visual flight and instrument flying apply.

In Uncontrolled airspace Air Traffic controllers do not provide separation but provide a Flight Information Service and Traffic Information Service to aircraft flying on Instrument Flight Rules and on request to aircraft flying on Visual Fight Rules.