ABSTRACT
Anecdotal evidence regarding the reasons behind Australia's apparently good safety record often targets three categories, namely those of good weather, low traffic density and terrain. When flight crews of large-jet aircraft in Australia were asked 'How do you think that Australia has managed to achieve the record of zero hull losses for jet RPT operations?', the top factor, mentioned by approximately 58% of respondents was the weather with low traffic density in 3rd place (33%) and terrain in 6th place. (2&%)
Figure 4.1 What has kept Australian aviation safe? (Answers from Australian large-jet transport pilots)
The next two chapters examine the influence of the natural environment upon aviation safety in Australian. The first examines the subject of physical geography and the second, the effect of distance on the development of the aviation system.
