Heads-up for low-flying planes

Residents near Avalon Airport are being assured there’s nothing to worry about if they spot low-flying aircraft later this week.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) will conduct the flights on Friday using a twin-engine Cessna Conquest, which will operate at low altitudes within a radius of up to 40 kilometres from the arport.

The operation, which is conducted every five years, is designed to ensure obstacles such as trees, buildings and towers are clearly and accurately marked on charts, and that no new obstacles have emerged since the previous checks.

CASA said low-level flying was an essential component of the safety exercise, and that the Cessna would operate as low as a few hundred feet at times.

The authority said the checks may be deferred if poor weather prevents them from proceeding as scheduled.

Image: Cessna Conquest (airstreamjets.com)