7NEWS Spotlight investigates hidden dangers in Australian skies on Channel 7 – Passenger jets are coming dangerously close, air traffic controllers are under pressure and a series of near-misses has placed Australia’s aviation safety system under scrutiny.
Liz Hayes leads a special 7NEWS Spotlight investigation into the country’s vast areas of uncontrolled airspace. The programme asks whether attention on airport safety has overlooked a potentially greater risk above Australia.
The timing gives the investigation broader public importance. Air travel is expected to double, control towers are managing busier skies and Western Sydney International Airport will add another major piece to an already complex national network.
Dick Smith warns about Australia’s airspace system
Veteran Australian aviator Dick Smith tells Hayes that the system has not kept pace with modern aviation. He warns that Australia risks a catastrophic mid-air collision unless changes are made.
“It’s a 1930s system and we’ve kept that.”
Smith’s warning directs the investigation beyond individual incidents. It raises questions about whether the rules, technology and structure governing the airspace are capable of handling current traffic, let alone the growth forecast in coming years.
Pressure inside Australian control towers
Hayes also speaks with people working inside Australia’s control towers. They describe the high-stakes responsibility of keeping thousands of passengers safe every day.
The programme examines how staff shortages are adding pressure as the number of flights increases. Controllers must maintain safe separation between aircraft, respond to changing conditions and coordinate traffic moving through controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
Those pressures form part of a wider question for the investigation. If the system is already being tested, will it be ready for the next major increase in passenger numbers?
Western Sydney Airport adds a new challenge
Western Sydney International Airport is expected to reshape air travel around Australia’s largest city. Its arrival will create new routes, traffic patterns and coordination demands.
7NEWS Spotlight considers whether the national system has planned adequately for that change. The investigation connects the new airport with existing concerns about near-misses, uncontrolled airspace and staffing inside control towers.
Watch the 7NEWS Spotlight preview
The preview shows Hayes questioning whether Australians understand the risks created by the current system. It also places Smith’s warning at the centre of the programme’s case for urgent scrutiny.
7NEWS Spotlight Investigates: Danger in our skies airs Sunday at 9.00pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
For more TV Central Channel 7 news, head here. Watch 7NEWS Spotlight on 7plus.