And last Sunday, a Jetstar pilot was forced to apply the brakes suddenly to avoid crashing into a Qatar Airways Boeing 777.<\/p>\n
Also that day, a Virgin Australia 737 had been cleared for takeoff when crew saw a Qantas 737 crossing the runway ahead of them.<\/p>\n
Airservices yesterday said it would work with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) on investigations into the recent ground incidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach of the incidents currently under investigation involves a different set of circumstances and stakeholders, and we are unable to comment further before the ATSB releases its final assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n
It outlined details on the most recent incident, which happened about 10am local time last Sunday.<\/p>\n
It said Virgin Australia flight VA555 to Perth was cleared to take off, but that clearance was cancelled immediately by a controller.<\/p>\n
So the Virgin aircraft stayed at the starting end of the runway, about 1.3km from a Qantas aircraft crossing from a taxiway.<\/p>\n
The Qantas 737 was planning to go to Ayers Rock Airport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe staff member who issued the initial takeoff clearance was an experienced controller undertaking a regular endorsement check supervised by another qualified controller, who immediately directed the cancellation to be issued.\u201d<\/p>\n
Takeoff clearance was then re-issued and VA555 successfully took off from the end of the runway.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur initial review determined the supervising controller immediately identified the potential for conflict and directed the controller to cancel the takeoff clearance prior to the pilot commencing takeoff,\u201d Airservices added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not believe that the occurrence met the reporting threshold in this case. However, we will work with the ATSB to clarify all data points regarding this incident.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ATSB said it was investigating the runway incursion and rejected takeoff involving the two 737s.<\/p>\n
As the Virgin Australia crew applied thrust for takeoff, they observed the Qantas 737 begin to cross the runway ahead of them from a taxiway.<\/p>\n
The Qantas crew reported having clearance to cross the runway.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Virgin Australia crew reduced thrust and the aircraft came to a stop on the runway,\u201d the ATSB said.<\/p>\n
At the same time, air traffic control broadcast a cancellation of the takeoff clearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce the Qantas 737 was clear of the runway, the Virgin Australia 737 was re-cleared by air traffic control to commence takeoff,\u201d the ATSB said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we do know is three incidents occurred that shouldn\u2019t have occurred. We need to understand why,\u201d ATSB chief commissioner and chief executive Angus Mitchell reportedly said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Mitchell had also queried a four-day delay in reporting one of the safety incidents.<\/p>\n
Mitchell said investigators would consider any organisational or systemic issues possibly linked to the incidents.<\/p>\n
An aircraft approaching Sydney Airport during a sunset earlier this month. The airport had dozens of commercial flights delayed on August 7, and three runway safety incidents. Photo \/ Saeed Khan, AFP<\/p>\n
\u201cWe look at all the evidence, how busy the airport was, what was the manning in the tower at the time,\u201d he told media yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do know … this is a significant, I guess, ramping up period for air services in terms of recruiting, training, and qualifying air traffic controllers,\u201d Mitchell said in comments AFP reported.<\/p>\n
Earlier last week, Mitchell told ABC the actions of pilots on board prevented what could have been far more serious.<\/p>\n
On August 7, delays were experienced<\/a> when Airservices said air traffic flow management (ATFM) measures were enacted for almost three hours because of \u201coperational restrictions\u201d.<\/p>\n ATFM in this context meant holding departing aircraft on the ground rather than having levels of air traffic exceeding capacity.<\/p>\n Last month, Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ) chief executive Stephen Beckett said Airservices had \u201cpersistent operational issues due to its inability to adequately staff critical air traffic control functions\u201d.<\/p>\n Beckett said some recent delays were understood to be because of rostering challenges Airservices had for years committed to addressing.<\/p>\n