Safety checks at Wentworth Airport

Civil Aviation Safety Authorrity

Residents near Wentworth Airport on the New South Wales-Victoria border may see an aircraft flying unusually low next Tuesday as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) carries out important flight path safety checks.

The checks are being conducted by CASA on 1 October to validate newly designed instrument approach procedures.

A twin-engine Aero Commander will be used to carry out the safety checks within an area up to 40 kilometres from the airport that could include low flying over built up areas in Mildura.

Low-level flying is an essential part of the safety exercise, with the aircraft down as low as several hundred feet at times.

Local residents may notice an uncommon flying pattern, but this is to make sure obstacles are accurately marked on charts and no new obstacles exist. Obstacles can be towers, trees, masts or buildings that can be a danger to aircraft.

If poor weather or other factors do not allow the safety checks to go ahead on the planned days, they will be carried out as soon as possible.

/Public Release.