Flight Inspection Service gets passengers home in 2010

Checking the functional accuracy of the equipment is critical to the safety of Australias flying public. The Brisbane-based service checks the 500 plus navigational aids installed by Airservices for flight safety at regional and major airports, aerodromes and airstrips on a three-year rotational basis. The service will undertake 33 separate routine or special flight inspections on equipment at: QLD Brisbane, Amberley, Barcaldine, Mount Isa, Oakey, Bymaroo, Roma NT Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Simpsons Gap, Wallaby WA Perth, Albany, Pingelly, Parkerville, Caversham, Warburton, Giles. Equipment being tested includes instrument landing systems (ILS), distance measuring equipment (DME), non-directional beacons (NDB) and VHF Omni Range (VOR) navigational aids. Positional and navigational information is relayed from these aids to aircraft and assists pilots in landing safely. The inspections will be performed by specialist aircrew who operate twin-engine Beechcraft King Air aircraft and equipment to collect precision data while airborne. Data gathered is assessed and analysed by Airservices maintenance and engineering specialists to ensure each navigation aid is operating accurately.