Part 11A of the Defence Regulations, 2016 provides a legal framework for controlling activities which may be dangerous to aviation around thirteen declared Defence Aviation Areas (DAA). The Defence Regulations can be downloaded at legislation.gov.au.
The DAA replace the Defence (Areas Control) Regulations 1989 (DACR) which were repealed on 25 March 2018 but closely replicate the controls available to Defence under the DACR.
The regulations apply to permanent structures such as buildings and communication towers, and temporary structures such as cranes within approximately 15 kilometres radius of the aerodrome, which is the subject of the DAA. Vegetation, including trees and plants used for landscaping, and gas plumes emanating from an exhaust stack are also covered. The regulations also apply to those airports where the DAA extends off the coast over an area of sea and relate to permanent structures such as wind turbines, wind monitoring masts and the temporary mooring structures, such as oil rigs and vessels.
The regulations also apply to any object hazardous to the safety of aircraft operations or aviation-related communications, navigation or surveillance facilities such as radars regardless of whether the DAA height controls are triggered. Some examples are: (a) the buildings associated with a Shooting Range located within the approach flight path into the airport may not infringe the DAA height controls, however, the use of firearms at the facility maybe a hazard to the safety of aircraft operations. (b) A transmitting antenna, regardless of its height may cause interference with other radiofrequency equipment such as Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications, microwave link paths, navigation aids, and ATC radars.
Maps attached to each DAA declaration for each declared Defence Aviation Area show the heights at which proposed structures need to be referred to Defence for approval. The table, below, contains links to a high resolution map and the DAA declarations for thirteen Defence establishments.
Developers and statutory planning authorities should review the relevant DAA plan to determine whether a property is affected by DAA regulations. If the height of a planned structure exceeds the trigger height for the area or the proposed development will bring into or use a hazardous object within a DAA, the project must be referred to Defence for approval before construction commences.
Once an application is received, Defence conducts an assessment that includes consideration of safety criteria, consultation with Army, Navy and Air Force, Airservices Australia, flight path planners and other airport users, amongst others. An application normally takes up to two months to assess, as consultation needs to occur with a wide range of civilian and military stakeholders.
A DAA application needs to be accompanied by sufficient information to allow Defence and stakeholders to understand the possible impact on aviation safety. This includes:
For a DAA application involving only the proposed construction of a crane the proponent is to contact the Air Base Command Post (ABCP) or Base Aviation Safety Officer (BASO) for the relevant Defence aerodrome, who are the contact point for the provision of the Crane Operation Notification Form and the assessment of such application.
Applications should be emailed to land.planning@defence.gov.au