LOCAL aviators fear closing Wagga’s fully manned weather station and replacing it with an automated service is the first step in cutting operations altogether.
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Pilot John Smith believes the federal government’s decision to close Forest Hill’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) station and sack three employees will have dire impacts on the aviation industry
“Long-term forecasting is one thing they provide us with,” Mr Smith said.
“They’re saying they will replace it with an automated service, but automated services are all closing around the traps so that concerns us.
“An automated service can effectively do weather on the spot, but without people on the ground (long-term forecasting isn’t as accurate).”
The pilot of more than 40 years and former Wagga City Aero Club president said forecasters could look outside and see a thunderstorm rolling in to help shape the forecast.
“An automated service can’t do that,” Mr Smith said.
“If you were flying from Brisbane to here, forecasting is the biggest thing. Even if I wanted to go to Cobar, I’d really rely on that service. It’s all cost-cutting. If you let this go, it’s only a matter of time before they take automated systems away too.”
Wagga’s Rodney Cecchini agreed closing the station would impact on the aviation industry.
“Having a professional on the ground gives pilots and airline operations people the ability to talk direct to someone who can see and knows well the local weather,” Mr Cecchini said.
“The weatherman increases safety through better information for the pilots decision-making around weather. The safety of a very busy regional airport, that also lacks air traffic controllers on the ground, can only be reduced by removing these people from the airport.”
Mr Smith said outlying towns like Temora, Cobar and West Wyalong already had automated services.
But Murray Thomas told the Advertiser the West Wyalong weather station located at the airport was reading zero rainfall for months despite him frequently reporting rain to Sydney BOM office.
“Everything needs maintenance, especially rain guages which are potentially vulnerable to blockages or sticking mechanism,” he said.
There will also be dire effects on Riverina farmers, who depend on 24-hour updates for operations. Wagga is one of 24 weather stations across Australia to become automated.
