Larry Dighera wrote:

U.S.-LIKE SYSTEM BRINGS AIRSPACE ANGST TO OZ
Today might not be the best for traveling in Australia. The nation's
airline pilots were threatening to throttle back near airports,
ostensibly to prevent colliding with light aircraft they claim have
been thrown into their airspace by new airspace designations and
regulations, which, incidentally, are modeled after the U.S. system.
"People who are probably the least experienced operators of aircraft
are being allowed unfettered access to commercial airspace," Ted Lang,
president of the air controllers union, said in a statement. The
slowdown was expected to throw airline schedules into chaos, and
further indignities awaited passengers unlucky enough to be on board
the pokey airliners. Increased cabin checks were planned and
passengers were to be buckled up below 10,000 feet in case the crew
had to take "evasive action."
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#186164

As a basic summary of the changes, much of the Class C airspace is
changing to class E. For example the class C airspace steps associated
with Melbourne used to extend out to 90nm and FL125 (Yes, 180nm from
one side to the other.) The steps from 40nm-90nm with lower levels of
7500, 8500 and FL125 have been replaced with class E based at 8500.

There was also C airspace at FL125 all the way from Melbourne to
Sydney (380nm). This has also been replaced with class E based at
8500.

My understanding is that our class C is basically equivalent to US
class B.

We have had very little class E up until now, and ATC and airline
pilots are very negative about it - they don't like the idea of
uncontrolled VFR in "their" airspace.