Myth #1: There is controlled airspace at Dubbo.

Fact: http://www.dubbo.nsw.gov.au/public/content/default.asp?xcid=1587

The airspace in the Dubbo area is non-controlled and is available for use by aircraft under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).

Check the international airspace database as displayed in SeeYou: http://www.naviter.si/download/airspace/index.php?Itemid=27. This has been updated as of 2006 for Australia (later for European countries).

Myth #2: There is controlled airspace at Cowra.

Fact: There is no controlled airspace at Cowra other than the continent wide standard 18,000', Class E airspace, the Melbourne, 18,000', Class A airspace, and the East COA 8497' Class E airspace (more on this later). See airspace database at the URL above.

Myth #3: There is controlled airspace at Parkes.

Fact: There is small (1.8 km radius) cylindrical restricted airspace over the Parkes radio telemetry observatory 18 kilometers to the north east of Parks: http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/events/opendays/2007/parkes.html.

Myth #4: There is a universal airspace restriction on hang gliders at 10,000' in Australia. From the 2008 Bogong Cup rules: "Airspace Restriction: The Pines have a ceiling of 4500ft amsl at launch, and the height limit around the whole Bogong area is 10,000ft amsl. The Competition does not condone pilots flying outside these limits."

Also check out the HGFA Operations Manual , section 6, page 24: http://hgfa.asn.au/Ops Man/Ops Manual Files/Section 6 Operations.pdf. The full manual is here: http://hgfa.asn.au/Ops Man/opsman.htm

Fact: There is no 10,000' airspace restriction for hang gliders in Australia. There is a requirement that oxygen be used above 10,000' in Australia. From: http://www.ddsc.org.au/documents/freq_asked_questions.asp:

How high can a glider go?

Thermals can go as high as 10,000 ft or more. Above 10,000 ft it is compulsory to use oxygen.

I don't know about you, but I always carry a small bottle of oxygen with me where ever I go.

A reader provides feedback, that there is indeed a rule (not an airspace retsriction) against flying a hang glider at greater than 10,000 feet in Australia. See here: http://www.casa.gov.au/download/orders/cao95/9508.pdf.

There are additional myths about Australian airspace, some extremely interesting ones, which I will get into in my next article. Have I created any more myths with my facts? Write in and tell me.