Sydney has been an incredibly lucky city. Since the start of air transport Kingsford Smith airport in the heart of the city has had an unblemished safety record.
Unlike some overseas airports, there has not been an event where a huge passenger jet has crashed and ploughed through suburbia, killing and maiming hundreds.
This can probably be attributed to rigid safety regulations, well maintained modern aircraft, superbly skilled crews - and luck !
The pressure to create a second Sydney airport seems to have faded. Badgery's Creek has been ruled out and there is no immediate contender in sight - and hence the big jets continue to fly into the heart of Sydney - and will do so for many decades to come, even if a second airport decision was made right now.
What is surprising is that there is a second airport operating right in this city - and it is the primary training ground for aspiring pilots - and yesterday the worst fears of those living nearby was realised when two light planes collided - and one crashed into a home, killing the two pilots.
This raises the question. Should Bankstown be the site for pilot training schools, given that all approaches are over a built-up area of residential suburbs ?
The answer is clearly - no !
Bankstown also has a role as a freight airport and at least this traffic is operated by pilots with long flying experience. It is also slowly emerging as the base for regional passenger services on the basis that overseas jet traffic leaves little room for regional operations at Kingsford Smith.
It seems almost unbelievable that Bankstown must also share air space with large numbers of light training aircraft flown by trainee pilots. This is a certain recipe for disaster - as yesterday's events illustrated.
The government would be wise to immediately consider moving pilot training to a regional airport well outside the Sydney basin. There would probably be opposition on the base of time and distance involved, but the advantages of safety and the removal of stress in trying to manage trainee pilots and commercial traffic over a densely built-up area is overwhelming.
The other advantage is - unlike a duplicate of Sydney's main airport - a training facility would not be a costly airport to establish - and it could be sited at any of a number of existing regional facilities.
Such a move would benefit all concerned !
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