Jetstar and US Learjet 'seconds' from collision

THE Civil Aviation Safety Authority is investigating an air traffic control report that a US Learjet came within 60 seconds of a possible collision with a Jetstar Airbus because of confusion about uncontrolled airspace.
Robert Mason, the head of the air traffic control union Civil Air, last night described the incident as "very concerning" and an example of the havoc that uncontrolled airspace is causing, The Australian reports.
However, a spokesman for the Government's air traffic control manager, Airservices Australia, played it down, saying there was "no safety occurrence and no breakdown of air traffic control safety standards".
An Electronic Safety Incident Report of the incident, written by the air traffic controller on duty and obtained by The Australian, states the incident occurred last Saturday after a section of airspace on the Melbourne to Sydney route suddenly became unmonitored at 7.30am (AEST) due to an air traffic control staff shortage.
A shortage of controllers has increasingly forced large chunks of Australian skies to be left unmonitored in recent months, forcing pilots to rely on themselves and other pilots to avoid collisions.
The ESIR indicated the declaring of uncontrolled airspace on Saturday caused confusion among pilots of several aircraft.
The worst of these was when the pilot an American-registered Learjet flying from Wollongong in NSW to Melbourne baulked at climbing up into uncontrolled airspace despite being cleared to do so.