Former Qantas pilot calls for change at Sydney Airport after string of near-misses

A former Qantas pilot has called for changes to radio frequencies at Sydney airport after a string of near-misses, but has insisted passengers remain safe.

Six near-misses between passenger aircraft were recorded on the tarmac in just one month, with a further two incidents now under investigation.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Sydney Airport faces six near-misses in one month

The cluster has placed the airport’s safety record under scrutiny as Australia’s skies are set to become even busier, with Western Sydney International Airport scheduled to open in October, and the Christmas travel rush only months away.

Former Qantas pilot Richard de Crespigny told Sunrise on Thursday the number of incidents was about 50 per cent higher than at Brisbane Airport, but stressed their reporting was evidence of a strong safety culture.

“All these incidents are low-threat. In other words, yes, there are errors being made, but the pilots and ground crew are picking up the errors, and they’re preventing it from escalating.”

De Crespigny said no equipment had been damaged and no passengers injured in the recent incidents, although an airline staff member was hurt when an aircraft braked heavily on the tarmac several weeks ago.

“These are things that happen all the time in aviation that are caught and prevented. Accidents are prevented,” he said.

“There are simple errors that are being made ... safety has not been affected; we have to remind the passengers you are safe, the system’s working.”

Despite reassuring passengers, de Crespigny said the incidents highlighted procedures that could be strengthened.

He called for all aircraft and vehicles operating on or crossing an active runway to use the same radio frequency, allowing everyone involved to hear instructions and understand what is happening around them.

“At the moment, you’ve got taxiing aircraft on one frequency, crossing an active runway where the pilots are on another. And that has to stop,” he said.

“This is what happens overseas, so everyone can get a situational awareness of what’s going on around them, and all those groups can take part in maintaining safety.”

De Crespigny also suggested artificial intelligence could be used to monitor airport operations in the background and alert pilots, controllers and ground crews when a potential conflict emerged