Any new or upgrades to unsealed airstrips for outback stations need to be increased to 1200 metres in length to meet Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) safety requirements.
While the RFDS has indicated 900m is still suitable in most situations, an airstrip at 1200m in length and 18m wide would ensure safe evacuations when temperatures soared to 45 degrees Celsius.
It comes after Pastoralists Association of West Darling (PAWD) president Matt Jackson raised the issue at the group's annual general meeting last week after an RFDS evacuation by aircraft was not possible for one of its members due to airstrip length.
"A member had an accident and called on the RFDS for a retrieval in a remote area, but they had issues over the length of the airstrip," Mr Jackson said.
"Questions were raised as to why the RFDS had landed there several times before and there had been no issues, but on this day, the temperature was too hot and it was too short."
In a letter sent to PAWD in December last year, by RFDS south eastern section aviation general manager Justin Marr, the RFDS stated there were many factors to consider in runway length and the ability of an aircraft to meet safety and regulatory requirements.
The letter said these factors included environmental conditions, surface wind, runway surface/slope, obstacles in the approach and departure area, the credibility of the airfield information, day versus night, the availability of fuel and temperature.
The RFDS' guide for airstrip suitability at various temperatures is:
- 900m is required when temp 25 degrees C
- 1100m is required when temp 35 degrees C
- 1200m is required up to 45 degrees C.
"We have 80 pastoralists as members and most have airstrips 900m in length or shorter," Mr Jackson said.
"The health and safety of our members is paramount and I encourage anyone with a private strip that may have been used by the RFDS in the past to contact them and provide updated airstrip information."
Mr Marr said if there were already local plans to upgrade existing unsealed airstrips in the next few years, the RFDS recommend they are constructed to 1200m long and 18m wide to better suit modern aircraft.
He said a 900m airstrip was still suitable for the majority of conditions.
"Aircraft engines become less efficient in the very hot conditions often found in far western NSW, so 1200m is an optimum length," he said.
"The RFDS will always reach everyone and anyone who needs us, delivering the finest care to the furthest corner."
Meanwhile, Mr Jackson said other issues raised at the AGM were roads, conflict over mineral exploration and telecommunications.
He said the association continued to advocate for more reliable and robust telecommunications services at a standard that was similar to their "city cousins" and was calling for tower upgrades or add extras in the area.
"The towers can't handle the extra demand especially with no international travel as interstate travellers hook up to the caravan and head off," Mr Jackson said.
"The towers can't handle the data or telephone calls and we are having trouble running our businesses with the internet and calls dropping out.
He added the association had continued to work with government departments on drought policy and assistance that could be provided, including waived Western Lands Lease, Local Land Services and dog fence rates.
"Following decent rainfall across large areas of the Western Division this time last year, pastoralists were confident the season was beginning to turn in their favour after the drought that was the worst since records began," he said.
"Unfortunately, not all areas received sufficient rainfall to declare that the drought was on its way out.
"Some pastoralists were fortunate enough to return stock to their properties, while others were still forced to hand feed core breeding stock.
"With the unusually warm weather we have had and the very late start to the cropping season in the south, we are all hoping this isn't an ominous warning for what may lay ahead."
