Tonight | 7NEWS Spotlight on Channel 7: Danger in Australia’s skies investigated – 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, raising questions about whether the rules, technology and structure governing the airspace are capable of handling current traffic and future growth.
Why 7NEWS Spotlight matters tonight
With passenger numbers rising and Western Sydney International Airport approaching, the investigation connects near-misses, uncontrolled airspace and staffing inside control towers to a national safety question.
7NEWS Spotlight Investigates: Danger in our skies airs at 9.00pm Sunday, 27 September on Channel 7 and 7plus.
For more TV Central Channel 7 news, head here. Watch 7NEWS Spotlight on 7plus.
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