[Gobbledock]

Smart man that Mr Buckley, very astute. It is nonetheless unfortunate to see someone pushed so deeply into the corner that one has to consider consolidation of services so as to survive. Remember, he isn't pushing this particular line so that he can become rich like Malcolm Turnbull, he is trying to find an innovative way to stay afloat. Convincing CAsA will take some doing as they are filled with geriatrics so entrenched in the 'old way' that I would imagine they would shit themselves at this scary new concept and way of doing business being proposed by Mr Buckley!

Buckley said;

I’m tired of the bureaucracy associated with simply proving that I am already doing the right thing.

There's your money shot, right there! Tim Tam cupboard priveleges have been awarded to Glen for a solid 24 hours! Enjoy it mate
And ain't that the truth? We spend hour after hour, day after fu#king day and dollar after dollar in having to prove to CAsA and the red tape loving arsewipes that we are not non-compliant, not unsafe, not morons, not unskilled and not all serial rapists. The system is a joke.

P_666

[Kharon]

Why? FDS why?

Second the Tim Tam motion GD; in fact I support all of it. Buckley makes a succinct argument and a novel suggestion indeed.  But why does he have to?  Australian flight schools have a good reputation, world wide; always have, mostly because competent, dedicated professional people like, Buckley run them.

What have the CASA ‘experts’ achieved except make this section of industry so complex and expensive that the fine training available in Australia will be so expensive that no one will be able to afford it.  Not only have they buggered an essential industry service and had a negative impact on foreign student numbers and that revenue stream, but through piss poor regulation have deprived students of affording first class instruction – which could translate into a safety issue.

Skidmore wants industry help – well read Buckley - there’s some free advice from a real, fair dinkum, true blue, died in the wool professional Australian pilot instructor.

Just remove the stupidity from the regulation and there is no need for this advice. Like that’s going to happen; the fools who wrote the regulation could not create, manage and operate Buckley’s business – so why are they writing the regulations governing it?

I’m tired of the bureaucracy associated with simply proving that I am already doing the right thing.

Ain't we all mate, ain't we all.

Toot - bollocks – toot.

[Peetwo]

Hitch's weekly wrap -  This is becoming a regular occurrence because for mine Hitch absolutely nails it 

more news»

• TAAAF releases 2016 Aviation Policy
  
• Innovative Idea aims to save Flying School Costs
  
• Frequency Discussion Paper to be issued
  
• Skidmore urges Patience with Pace of Change
  

The Last Minute Hitch: 29 April 2016
29 Apr 2016

The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) released their policy paper yesterday as the country charges headlong toward a very contentious federal election. To sum it up, it's 66 pages of common bloody sense, and a copy-and-paste policy for a government that finds itself devoid of any out-right winners. Aviation will be on a more stable footing if the Minister for Transport Darren Chester gives it a good read and comes up with the same conclusions. Similar to AOPA's Project Eureka, the TAAAF paper hinges on the government selling Airservices Australia, something that was under serious consideration not that many years ago. TAAAF and AOPA both advocate using funds from the sale to revitalise aviation in Australia, a fair point given that the industry has largely funded Airservices so far. However, the TAAAF solution suggests setting up a not-for-profit privatised substitute along the Canadian lines. To get the TAAAF suggestion up, there would need to be a massive change in nature from the kings of privatisation: the Coalition. Over here we sell government things on the back of promises of high returns on investment for the buyer. Not-for-profit doesn't gel with the current paradigm and will need a bulldozer to get it into the heads House of Reps. The great strength in the TAAAF paper lines in the black ink: the projected $0.608 billion windfall for the government might just be the motive Turnbull/Shorten will need to give this serious consideration.

The TAAAF paper also a picture of a future aviation community that is a genuine partnership between the government and the industry; a co-operative that stands to increase safety, lower costs, increase efficiency and bring a lot smiles to business operating in aviation. This paper is a blueprint to aviation Nirvana, but there's a long way for the country to go even if the government accepts and implements the plan. The clock is ticking for most general aviation companies, so if the Federal Government is not going to adopt the TAAAF way of things, they need to come up with something else just as good ... now.

One bloke who's not waiting around is Melbourne Flight Training boss Glen Buckley. His idea for Australian Integrated Pilot Training (AIPT) is born out of frustration at the reams of red tape and astronomical costs attached to getting CASR Part 142 approval. But whereas most other schools under this yoke are taking a strategy of vociferous complaint, Buckley is trying to do something about it himself. Whether or not AIPT works remains to be seen, but the power behind this is that he is doing something different. One of my great mantras of life is that if what you're doing is not working, you need to change what you're doing. CASA should get on board this as well; the AIPT concept is characteristic of the future general aviation needs, and helping rather than hindering will send a message that they are serious about culture change.

Meanwhile, CASA DAS Mark Skidmore is pleading for patience as CASA goes through change. Feedback tells me that the pleas are bouncing straight back without getting through to the intended recipients. The industry wants change now, and there's not a lot of sympathy left for CASA. But, in reality, there has been a lot of change at CASA since the ASRR came out. Some former CASA stonewalls have gone, there's been a complete restructure put in place and Skidmore has been out canvassing the industry for himself, rather than taking filtered feedback from foot soldiers intent on covering their own backs. The problem is that the intended change of culture and new regulatory philosophy hasn't cascaded down to the streets, where the frustration is being felt the most.

To that end, my spies lurking in the shadows of Black Mountain tell me that former Qantas General Manager Graeme Crawford is set to be announced as the new Aviation Group Manager. This completes the triumverate of people to head up the three groups under the new structure. But all things are not necessarily equal. This position is the critical one that will drive change through aviation; it will have a greater impact than the other two groups. Culture change only works if it is believed and driven from the top. If there's no genuine belief at the top of the tower, "culture change" just becomes a buzzword on posters on the walls of the coffee room alongside the signs that say "please clean up your own mess." People take about the same amount of notice of both.

The whole issue of which frequency to use at unmarked ALAs is one of the most perplexing in aviation: perplexing in what is the best solution, and perplexing that is has gone so far as to have a discussion paper in the wind. CASA is becoming very entrenched in its position that the VHF area should be used; industry seems to be similarly fortifying its stance that Multicom 126.7 is the way to go. Dick Smith has even threatened legal action! OK, everyone please go to their corners. We have groups called Regional Airspace and Procedures Advisory Committees (RAPAC) that were created, I believe, to solve issues just like this. It seems pointless to have advisory committees then ignore them. Put them to work, listen to what they say, and take action based on that.
It's been a pretty breathless week in aviation politics, and I for one and overdue for some aviation R&R. I'm off to Wings over Illawarra at Albion Park for the weekend, and expect to replenish my enthusiasm and passion by just watching aeroplanes do aeroplane stuff. WOI is becoming a major fixture on the Australian aviation calendar, and is rapidly qualifying itself to be put into the "unmissable" category. See you down there!

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

 
Steve you know where the keys are for the Tim Tam cupboard, help yourself & have fun at WOI 

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Off the other side of the Yaffa -

Today the new BizAv editor Phil Smart had this to say about the Tamworth rally tomorrow..

Gathering in Tamworth


Tomorrow (Friday) will see what may turn out to be a watershed moment in Australia’s general aviation industry, when the industry’s associations and personalities rally at Tamworth Regional Airport to urge the Federal Government to take immediate measures to end the “regulatory nightmare that is destroying Australia’s general aviation flight training, charter and maintenance businesses.”


Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester and Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Jeff Boyd will all be on hand to hear industry’s view that moving to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) style regulatory systems has introduced irrelevant regulation while increasing compliance costs to unaffordable levels.


The day’s official program will begin with a closed door meeting between the Government representatives and leaders of various Australian industry associations, followed by a public question and answer session.


In his monthly newsletter CASA CEO Mark Skidmore appealed for patience from the industry in waiting for change.


“The pace of change may not be as fast as some would prefer, but real change is underway,” he said. “Like any worthwhile task everything cannot be achieved at once and foundations must be laid before the structure can be constructed.”


Mark Skidmore has been around the block, so he will know that the industry’s response to that comment will probably be a retort to the effect that CASA could have paid more attention to laying the foundations of regulatory reform before imposing new regulation.

In an ideal world industry and regulator will sit down and discuss the issues in a calm and rational atmosphere (which indeed has been happening through various industry groups such as the Australian Helicopter Industry Association) and find practical solutions that work for both parties.


But regardless of Skidmore’s intention to solve the problems industry will present again tomorrow, CASA and the Ministers at Tamworth are going to have to be ready for some coal-face frustration from people for whom new and often illogical regulation has had an adverse and immediate impact on their own ability to make a living (and provide one for others) without any measurable safety benefit.

Hmm...could there be a Choc Frog in the offing for the new BizAv editor -
MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Skid'Mark;

“The pace of change may not be as fast as some would prefer, but real change is underway,” he said. “Like any worthwhile task everything cannot be achieved at once and foundations must be laid before the structure can be constructed.”

Horsehit mate. 28 years + $300 million dollars, hundreds of lives lost, businesses going broke, billions of potential economic dollars lost over the decades, G.A dead and the future of potential aviation apprentices lost forever! We've been more than fuc#king patient mate.

Off with their heads

[Peetwo]

Skid'Mark;

“The pace of change may not be as fast as some would prefer, but real change is underway,” he said. “Like any worthwhile task everything cannot be achieved at once and foundations must be laid before the structure can be constructed.”

Horsehit mate. 28 years + $300 million dollars, hundreds of lives lost, businesses going broke, billions of potential economic dollars lost over the decades, G.A dead and the future of potential aviation apprentices lost forever! We've been more than fuc#king patient mate.

Off with their heads

The Sunfish protocol.

I will be working hard in Federal parliament to ensure that general aviation again thrives and prospers across Australia. I will not stand by and see general aviation destroyed in Australia as a result of unfair regulation.

Tony Windsor.

Talking of Sunfish of UP fame, here is his response to the latest Ben Morgan correspondence & his take on the Jeff Boyd remarks at Tamworth:

Excellent letter! Keep the momentum going!

Now is the time to pile it on!

If Mr. Boyds alleged comments at the Tamworth rally are accurately reported, then either Mr. Boyd or AVM. Skidmore is going to have to resign in my opinion. Because AVM. Skidmore, by resigning from AOPA and allegedly being intransigent on ADS-B, has hitched his wagon to the CASA status quo and Boyd appears to have said that CASA has a case to answer. They both can't be right.

My guess is that Mrdak and his minion Carmody are going to have to decide very shortly if CASA is worth supporting in its current form because the last thing politicians need is an angry pressure group of GA aviators approaching an election and if we do things right they will blame CASA for their electoral problems. What we need to do is promising to make the temperature hotter right up till election day! - We're working on it Sunny

   

To follow on from the Sunny posted observations, here is an interview by Kelly Fuller - ABC New England radio breakfast show - of a very fatigued sounding Jeff Boyd:

The aviation industry says it's going to the wall because of over regulations by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Around 300 pilots and members of the industry met with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and the Minister for Transport Darren Chester on Friday afternoon to raise their concerns.

---

 Geoff Boyd CASA

"K" this AM made this observation of the JB interview on ADSB & 'commercial' issues:

WTF are the CASA DAS and CASA Chairman suddenly all concerned over ‘commercial’ matters.

Skidmore trotted it out as a weasel worded platitude at estimates – concerned that it was unfair, so unfair to those who had spent their money fitting ADSB that he couldn’t possibly consider delaying full implementation...

...Then I listened carefully to the Boyd interview on ABC radio: and bugger me, there it was again.  CASA getting all concerned about ‘commercial’ matters, fairness of competition and costs, from Boyd.  Rewind, listen again – click.

Hitch yesterday in Oz Flying regurgitated some of the more significant statements made from BJ, DC, JB & Dick Smith - Inside Tamworth: What they said. From that here is part of what Jeff Boyd said on the ADSB issue in regards to Skidmore's comments at Estimates (note the word CAN'T ):

"..I know Mark [Skidmore] copped a hard time for holding the company line last night in Senate Estimates. I think he was a bit set-up there, which was unfortunate, because we had a conversation as recently as yesterday about what we can do to alleviate the problems of ADS-B being brought in. When I was chairman of the RAAA [Regional Aviation Association of Australia], I was one of the biggest protester of ADS-B. I think it's a stupid idea to bring it in three to four years ahead of the country that manufactures this kit. But, I came in afterwards and now I'm trying to unpick it. Things have happened; things are moving. Just rolling it [the February 2017 mandate] back doesn't work; it's impossible, it can't work.


There are people who are co-operative in the organisation [CASA]. You bring the case [for ADS-B exemption] to us, we'll look at the case, and providing we can make it work, we'll make it work. We're not in the business of putting people out of business ... I want to see this industry prosper.." 

Skidmore ambushed by Xenophon? - BOLLOCKS Jeff  If you or "Mark" had done your homework and considered the previous Estimates & QON, you would have noted that NX has fielded many questions on behalf of Dick Smith & industry on the subject of the ADSB rollout.

Now I can understand the Skidmore attitude for he has shown nothing but contempt for industry concerns, ever since he said that the Forsyth review was "just another person's opinion..", that was despite the massive uptake by industry (269 submissions representing 1000's of stakeholders) on providing input to the Reverend's 'opinion'.

However coming from the industry - "Great White Hope" - for a true industry advocate finally at the helm of the CASA board, I'd expect much..much better -

It is worth reflecting on the Hitch quote statement from Dick Smith:

Dick Smith - Aviation identity and former Chairman of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Jeff [Boyd], you've made the same error that I made when I was Chairman, and that is you've been told that this mandate is some requirement from Airservices, and in fact, the predecessor of Mark Skidmore, John McCormick, told the industry that in fact the particular mandate would not come in; he'd make sure it didn't come in because there was no safety reason for it. And Airservices wouldn't budge. Now, I've really studied this, I've really looked into it, I have a lot of inquiries with Airservices ... I've spent a lot of time with them and I really believe the only reason they're doing it is so some of their boffins can win an international award for being the first country to introduce ADS-B.

If it does come in in February, it will completely destroy the general aviation industry. 

  
Before:




The new chairman of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Jeff Boyd. Picture: Ray Strange Source: News Corp Australia

After: 

CASA Chairman Jeff Boyd addresses the GA gathering in Tamworth. (Steve Hitchen)

Nearly 30 years the CASA Iron Ring has grown and imbedded itself within the halls of Aviation House, slowly strangling all new comers with its' toxic culture . Nearly 3 decades this behemoth has stood up to & ignored political & industry scrutiny and criticism.  

Ten months is not a long time but the profound effects on Boyd are very visible, not only in appearances but in the words now being prattled out by this once proud staunch industry advocate. The man has been smashed up, beaten and now captured by the Iron Ring.

Question is can he escape? - Maybe but it will be a big ask, personally I think he is a done Duck & in the interest of the industry probably needs to walk the Green Mile. 

Back to the conundrum: This segment from the ABC Radio program gives an excellent insight into how ordinary people on the coalface are being adversely effected by CASA the big "R" regulator & bureaucratic red tape: Tamworth Aviation Protest 

Sunfish quote:

My guess is that Mrdak and his minion Carmody are going to have to decide very shortly if CASA is worth supporting in its current form because the last thing politicians need is an angry pressure group of GA aviators approaching an election and if we do things right they will blame CASA for their electoral problems. What we need to do is promising to make the temperature hotter right up till election day!

The roadblock to real & proactive reform is the lack of political & public interest. If there was real political pressure the government (of either colour) & bureaucracy would have to accede to the terms and conditions of the industry.

PAIN OP: The solution to saving the industry starts with developing the political will through the Sunfish protocol, which provides the means to develop the political will. The TAAAF policy, combined with parts of AOPA Project Eureka, provide the blueprint for effective regulatory reform. And AMROBA's Ken Cannane provides a realistic, doable timeline for proactive government action - Dear Jeff Boyd there is no such thing as CAN'T  

4. Simplified Process to Finish Regulatory Reform in 2 years

The Morris Report changed the Civil Aviation Act in 1995, the Act provided a simplified process to provide a ‘rule of law’ with a three tier system under the Civil Aviation Act. No Manual of Standards under the Regulations are required, they should all be repealed once the FARs are adopted as Aviation Safety Standards under the Act.

We are basically at a stage where we need to save aviation – saving more sectors than just GA. A more simplified system is also needed for the major airlines to reduce costs.

GA also covers the engineering aspects (design, manufacture and maintenance). Adoption of the FARs as Aviation Safety Standards would also save the engineering sectors.

This simplified regulatory reform process, compliant with the current Civil Aviation Act, should have been implemented from 1995. If it had been used since 1995, GA would not have to be saved and would be in better shape today. The 5 stage three tier process:

1. Create Aviation Safety Standards (ASS)

a. Take each FAR Part associated with GA and promulgate as an ASS.

i. Act 9(1)© provides for the third tier – ASRR recommendation.

ii. No change to the converted FAR unless supported by industry.

iii. Harmonise totally US GA aviation system.

iv. FARs meets ICAO Standards, even with minor difference.

v. Minimum differences with NZ.

vi. Outcome be cost effective as well as clear and concise.

Timeline: Complete by December 2016

2. Consultation of proposed Aviation Safety Standards(ASS)

a. As each FAR is converted into ASS, it is promulgated on the CASA website.

i. Placing each ASS Part on the web enables each Part access for public consultation.

ii. At the completion of three months on the web, the applicable industry committee meets with CASA and agree or reject each submission and to document reasons.

iii. ASS will only be amended if it removes confusion and integration into the Australian legal framework.

iv. Promulgate finalised Aviation Safety Standards.

Timeline: Complete by mid 2017

3. Amend regulations to adopt Aviation Safety Standards

a. Starting at the end of the 1st quarter 2017, progressively amend the regulations.

i. Base the regulation on the Canadian regulatory style.

ii. The regulation would be the "head of power" for each ASS Part.

iii. Use Canadian regulations, minimal regulations referring to ASS to comply with ASRR recommendation.

iv. The regulation would be minimal – refer ASRR Report.

Timeline: Complete all regulatory changes by completion of 2017

4. Enforcement of ‘criminal’ offences

a. Proper criminal offences should be identified before applying an offence.

i. USA CFR Title 49 includes real aviation criminal offences:

1. Title 49 offences should be in the Civil Aviation Act or criminal code.

2. The criminal code covers offences like fraud, etc.

ii. Breaches of standards is not a criminal offence unless done deliberately.

iii. Breaches of standards can be controlled by administrative actions when refusal to comply with a standard.

Timeline: Complete by end of 2018

5. Transition post regulations being made

a. The most important process is not to lose one aviation participant.

i. When a regulation is made, it needs a 5 year transition period.

ii. The commencement date should be at least 6 months post making.

b. Conversion training by well-trained CASA staff

i. CASA staff must be well educated in the US system

ii. Field office staff should have assigned operators and organisations so they can work with them to understand the adopted US system.

c. Responsibility is on pilots, LAMEs and others in GA that current responsibilities are placed on operators and organisations.

i. US GA has an FBO system that must also be adopted.

ii. There may be differences re aircraft spraying.

1. USA utilises FBO system.

2. CASA has environment responsibilities under the Act.

3. May need to retain the AOC system.

d. Transition should totally remove the restrictions in the current system.

i. Higher personnel responsibilities.

ii. Performance standards.

iii. Safer industry – less regulations.

iv. Less CASA documentation to support

v. Cross reference to FAA support documentation.

Timeline: Complete transition by end of 2023

This 5 stage process should be seamless to the operation of aviation. It will provide reductions in overall costs.

The other important aspect is the regulatory saving provisions that must save all entities until at least 10 years post the completion of the transition period to enable CASA to pick up any that were left behind.

Anything less is simply not acceptable to industry and would indicate that Canberra has no interest in helping save a once vital GA industry that directly employs more than 50 thousand people (and indirectly 100s of thousands of people) across Australia.
MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Ben Morgan, Hero or Villain?

It is fact that many have turned their backs on Ben Morgan; Jeff Boyd and the Nanny Mummy lady from the CASA board for starters; Chester won’t play and BarmyBaby could, if he tried, care less.  Then there’s the ‘vested interest’ groups such as certain AOPA board members to whom the mere mention of change causes unpleasant rashes and strange noises in their nether regions.

Sure, Morgan overcooked it a bit at Tamworth; enthusiasm and passion combined with inexperience produced that; so what?   Nanny Mummy lady flounced her skirts and ended a conversation by turning her back to Morgan, storming off in high dudgeon back to Boyd when Ben would not be persuaded to ‘back off’ or be converted.  Boyd then stated that ‘he’ would not attend any meeting where Morgan was present, nor was Morgan welcome at any ‘government’ meeting.  A dangerous, petty and very telling response to someone telling it 'like it is' and challenging not only CASA, but it’s impotent board.  I think we may, for the purpose of this Sunday ramble (on Saturday) safely forget about the politicians involved; in reality they don’t signify, not today at least.

General opinion shades Boyd as a shot duck.  This truth is, daily, becoming more apparent.  It shows in his delivery on radio, in his actions and speech at Tamworth; it also shows in his increasingly obvious loss of condition, humour and good temper.  But mostly it shows in his response to the hard truths he was told, provoking a response which was both a conflicted denial and defence of CASA.  Then there is the noted converse position, rapidly taken to his original stance on the CASA antics and foolhardiness.  All there, freely available on the public record.  A man with a master cannot be his own man and Boyd must make a decision, for there is no middle road or fence to sit on. Support CASA or support industry.  Duplicity is easily spotted.

Dick Smith hit the nail on the head – Boyd has been ‘got at’.  If you tell a child he ‘can’t’ do a thing often enough, the child will eventually acquiesce and believe it.  That belief will affect all life decisions from there on.  Take sports, tell a kid he is crap at rugby and can’t do it, then patiently explain why, often enough and that kid will never touch a ball.  Boyd has been inculcated with the ‘Can’t’ edict; you can’t do this, you can’t do that; endlessly repeated, with well versed reasons why, on anything that does not suit the established norm.  Add a reality fix which demonstrates, clearly and often that being the boss of the board does not imply power of any description; then add the subtle influence of other board members singing the same hypnotic trance and Bingo; you have a confused angry, frustrated man.  Easy to beat.  For  mine, the first give away is where Boyd says “Mark was a bit set up”, which is a total bollocks of the first water.  The next is adopting a position contrary to the Act, ‘Commercial consideration’, which has been a CASA catchall No-no supporting all manner of aberration for generations.  It is a strange, contrary, confused stance, more typical of a victim of Stockholm syndrome than that the fire breathing, reformist Chairman of the CASA board.  This manipulation has been expertly applied by those skilled in the arcane arts, to the point where there is a clear call for resignation, disappointment being a prime motivator.

Ben Morgan challenged all of this and more; said that which must be said and is prepared to be damned for it – if it helps the industry.  Many will disown him, but use the leverage given to selfishly further their own cause; some will support him, privately while publicly denying it; others will slither out the firing line to protect their own rice bowls.  No matter, which ever way you slice it, there needed to be a shouting match, even if it’s only to express the industry frustration and anger. For that is very, very real; alive and dwelling in the hearts and minds of those involved in matters aeronautical.

Morgan is in the ring and the bell for round two is about to be struck, he’s ready to fight his corner.  Now Boyd either cannot, or will not face him; too conflicted and confused to even know which corner to stand in and in no condition for a heavyweight bout.  He and his board have figuratively and literally turned their backs to the challenge.

Boyd only has two options – step up to the mark and slug it out for CASA; or, hold the Morgan jacket while he leads the charge toward reforming the bloody dreadful apparition we call CASA.  Which leaves CASA a problem; who will step into the ring to fight their corner?  The short answer is no one.  None of the other side ‘hero’s’ will step into the ring to confront the wannabe champion.  Nope, they will simply let him stand there, isolated and alone until midnight, when the audience will go home.

Hero he may be, Villain he may be; but no man dare call him coward.

Selah.

Art thou afeard
To be the same in thine own act and valor
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that
Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would, ”
Like the poor cat i' th' adage?

Macbeth. Poignant, relevant and worth a brief moment or two. Listen to the contempt Lady M has for the hapless @ 00.20

[Peetwo]

Courtesy Oz Flying today - 09 June 2016 

Australia's aviation safety regulation reform program is actually older than the regulator itself

CASA puts 2020 Sunset Date on Regulation Reform
8 June 2016

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) released today a timeline that shows it intends to complete all regulation reform before 2020, which means the total process will have taken 32 years.


According to the timeline, there are still 20 CASR parts to be done, with the final suite, Part 139 - Aerodromes, to become effective in November 2020.

CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore said the new timetable takes into account the aviation community’s capacity to cope with regulatory changes.

“Our main aim is to avoid placing any unnecessary burdens on aviation organisations or individuals during the process of developing and implementing new and improved regulations,” he said.

“CASA has allowed plenty of time for consultation on the development of new regulations so we can listen to feedback and respond to the views of the aviation community.

“The timetable has realistic transition periods to give everyone adequate time to move across to the new regulations."

The regulation reform program has been underway since 1988, with several initiatives designed to bring the process to an end seemingly producing no results.

In September last year, Skidmore told CASA staff he would prefer to miss the government's deadline if it meant getting new regulations right first time.

Skidmore stated that the timeline to complete reforms reflects a new approach to implementing new regulations.

“CASA has learnt from past mistakes made during the development and introduction of regulatory changes such as the flight crew licensing suite.

“Consultation processes are being improved, regulations will be tested with the aviation community before introduction and information will be presented clearly and provided consistently.

“Our new approach to regulatory reform is consistent with the Federal Government’s response to the Aviation Safety Regulation Review, which stated time was needed for the aviation community and CASA to adjust to and successfully implement regulatory changes.”

The whole timeline can be read on the CASA website.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...sSUxwPO.99

Here is a link for the timeline: https://www.casa.gov.au/files/new-regula...ne-2016jpg

Notice how it starts from 2015 not 1988 and note also there is no indication of cost to date nor projected future cost. Personally I would like to see a comparison to US, NZ etc. equivalent rules and their total page count. 

Here is the 19th century - rule by an iron fist - Skidmore endorsed spin for this bollocks timeline: https://www.casa.gov.au/rules-and-regula...-timetable

No comment except to say Skidmore simply has to go if there is any remote chance for GA industry survival in this country beyond February 2017 - RIP GA if Oliver remains

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Courtesy Oz Flying today - 09 June 2016 

Australia's aviation safety regulation reform program is actually older than the regulator itself

CASA puts 2020 Sunset Date on Regulation Reform
8 June 2016

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) released today a timeline that shows it intends to complete all regulation reform before 2020, which means the total process will have taken 32 years.


According to the timeline, there are still 20 CASR parts to be done, with the final suite, Part 139 - Aerodromes, to become effective in November 2020.

CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore said the new timetable takes into account the aviation community’s capacity to cope with regulatory changes.

“Our main aim is to avoid placing any unnecessary burdens on aviation organisations or individuals during the process of developing and implementing new and improved regulations,” he said.

“CASA has allowed plenty of time for consultation on the development of new regulations so we can listen to feedback and respond to the views of the aviation community.

“The timetable has realistic transition periods to give everyone adequate time to move across to the new regulations."

The regulation reform program has been underway since 1988, with several initiatives designed to bring the process to an end seemingly producing no results.

In September last year, Skidmore told CASA staff he would prefer to miss the government's deadline if it meant getting new regulations right first time.

Skidmore stated that the timeline to complete reforms reflects a new approach to implementing new regulations.

“CASA has learnt from past mistakes made during the development and introduction of regulatory changes such as the flight crew licensing suite.

“Consultation processes are being improved, regulations will be tested with the aviation community before introduction and information will be presented clearly and provided consistently.

“Our new approach to regulatory reform is consistent with the Federal Government’s response to the Aviation Safety Regulation Review, which stated time was needed for the aviation community and CASA to adjust to and successfully implement regulatory changes.”

The whole timeline can be read on the CASA website.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...sSUxwPO.99

Here is a link for the timeline: https://www.casa.gov.au/files/new-regula...ne-2016jpg

Notice how it starts from 2015 not 1988 and note also there is no indication of cost to date nor projected future cost. Personally I would like to see a comparison to US, NZ etc. equivalent rules and their total page count. 

Here is the 19th century - rule by an iron fist - Skidmore endorsed spin for this bollocks timeline: https://www.casa.gov.au/rules-and-regula...-timetable

No comment except to say Skidmore simply has to go if there is any remote chance for GA industry survival in this country beyond February 2017 - RIP GA if Oliver remains

MTF...P2

More Leopards & more spots: More (Oliver endorsed) 'Iron Ring' bollocks & propaganda today beating a punch drunk, cowering, bunch of professional aviators, LAME/AMEs, operators & private pilot/aircraft owners into submission (via Oz Flying): 

Strict Liability to stay in CASRs
10 June 2016
Comments 0 Comments
    2
image: http://res.cloudinary.com/yaffa-publishi...486F3B.jpg
GA pilots will still be subject to the concept of strict liability when they go flying. (Steve Hitchen

Strict Liability will stay in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations despite aviation community feedback that found the concept offensive.

Strict Liability laws remove the need for prosecutors to prove intent, knowledge, recklessness or negligence when prosecuting; they need only to prove the person commited the act.

In a recent release of responses to aviation community feedback, CASA stated "... the strict liability clauses remain. CASA uses just culture principles during investigation and enforcement. On the rare occasions when penalty provisions are used they are proportionate to the offence committed."

When Australian Flying asked CASA to elaborate, a spokesperson said "It is common for public health, safety and welfare regulations to be strict liability offences. Most motor traffic rules in Australia are cast as strict liability offences, as are contraventions of virtually every New Zealand Civil Aviation Rule.

"The statement indicating a breach of a particular regulation is a strict liability offence has been required in Australian legislation since the mid-1990s as a transparency measure. In the past, the courts simply inferred that such offences were strict liability offences.

"CASA adopts a ‘just culture’ approach when considering the enforcement of any regulatory requirement. This means in most cases it is not likely that a matter will be referred for criminal prosecution.

"It is important to understand that an honest mistake of fact is, and has always been, a complete defence to a strict liability offence."

Strict liability was applied to aviation in the early 2000s, and has proven very unpopular because it meant CASA could now take operators and pilots to court based only on the evidence that the act was committed, which many believed provided the regulator with opportunities to abuse power.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...yUimZy1.99

     
Skidmore: "All aviators are proven criminals, especially those dangerous bloody CVD Pilots" 


MTF...P2

[P7_TOM]

Proudly sponsored by the CASA ‘tiger team’ ; the Sydney Theater Company is proud to present:- a new production of Hamlet.  Click the advertisement for the

Trailer:


As you’ve never seen it before, complete with Ninja’s and Zombies.

Your 15 minutes - starts now.

[thorn bird]

Well for the love of the Bard, Skidmark, a tragedy or a comedy? probably both.

[Peetwo]

Proudly sponsored by the CASA ‘tiger team’ ; the Sydney Theater Company is proud to present:- a new production of Hamlet.  Click the advertisement for the

Trailer:




As you’ve never seen it before, complete with Ninja’s and Zombies.

Your 15 minutes - starts now.

Well for the love of the Bard, Skidmark, a tragedy or a comedy? probably both.

 P2

[Peetwo]

Bizav editor's weekly wrap:

Aviation Business editor Philip Smart

Editor's Insights
23 Jun 2016

For the General Aviation associations hoping for government involvement in change at CASA, the result of next week's Federal election may be a moot point.

If the incumbent government returns it will have an imperative to say everything is on track, leave it alone to run its course. Should Labor be running the country on July 3 the industry will face another protracted period of a ministerial selection, induction and briefings before they even start trying to get their heads around the issues.

Land a complicated, protracted subject such as the state of Australia's regulatory reform on the desk of a new minister with no background in the field, and they are likely to call for a report or enquiry to buy themselves some time and separate their own government's approach politically from that of the previous incumbent.

In either case, the general aviation industry will be well down the list of Things To Do First when expending resources on promises made in education, health and immigration are much more likely to give a new government an immediate lift on the scoreboard with the general public.

Since the May Tamworth rally the heads of some of Australia's aviation associations have held what were generally agreed to be cordial and productive meetings with CASA and with the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Attendees have indicated to Aviation Business that it now appears CASA is listening.

CASA CEO Mark Skidmore has added people to his team with an industry reputation for good communication. He has also said he knows that change communication is needed throughout his organisation to ensure the attitudes and approach of CASA personnel interacting directly with industry at the coal face are in line with the goals set in the executive suite. It takes time for a ship as complicated as a government department to change course.

But many general aviation businesses, struggling under the weight and cost of regulation that sometimes seems to have no point or connection to safety, will wholeheartedly agree with Aerial Application Association of Australia's Phil Hurst, who just in the past few days has characterised CASA's change "too little and too slow".

Tru dat...


MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Gods spare me.

The piece by Philip Smart (above) is nicely crafted and balanced, it also points out the stark realities of how ‘government’ works in relation to ‘policy’ etc. which is in fact nice to know but totally irrelevant.  No matter which party wins the election the reality of life is that CASA has been, is and is likely to remain totally independent of whichever clown gets to sit in the big chair when the music stops.  Take a short journey back to when Truss was in charge. CASA was in deep do-do; Pel-Air was the vehicle which should have had the whole place shut down.

This was not a first.  CASA have been there many, many times before and every time they simply ignore or duck shove whatever is thrown at them.  Truss had two big guns, (i) the Senate Standing Committee report and 30 odd recommendations from that worthy committee  emanating from the Pel-Air inquiry; (ii) the Rev. Forsyth and two other independent, highly qualified experts provided a review which subtended the Senate recommendation with another 30 odd, equally serious and far reaching.  What changed? What impact did those 60 odd recommendations have?  Answer - in plain language – SFA.

To add insult to injury they foisted Skidmore and his ducking ‘tiger team’ on industry.  A professional, master of change, doyen of all things righteous and fair.   Bollocks.  Look at the miserable crew he has to ‘rely’ on; listen to the fairy tale that Forsyth was ‘an opinion’; watch as hopeful CVD pilots are knocked out of the game at hurdle one.  This organisation is pure malicious, two faced incompetence, embraced by the iron ring, cocooned in bull pooh and only interested in maintaining the CASA approach to any form of democratic pressure.  Just look at the sheer volume of ‘exemptions’ being generated.  Skidmore has been there a long, long while now; certainly long enough to order a redraft of part 61, certainly long enough to implement every recommendation issued.

The simple truth is that no matter which political party takes over; CASA will simply continue to do exactly as it pleases; when it pleases and as often as pleases.  Why, because it can and this industry allows it happen, through ‘cordial productive’ meetings.

The regulation are not the problem; the regulator is.  Every fool in the market place knows this, but simply dare not say it; not where it matters and not to who it may matter enough to change things; not out loud anyway.  Forget the politicians; it's time for ICAO and the FAA to step up; that or pray that  Nick X gets enough clout to sort out this endless farce we call Regulatory reform.

Selah.

[Peetwo]

Phil Smart from the Yaffa on regulation on the radar -

Courtesy Aviation Business:

Interesting read from page 14, nothing new with more bollocks from Oliver but it does capture the current stalemate with some typical 'divide & conquering' happening with the AHIA on the Part 61 monstrosity -   

July - August 2016
Regulation on the radar
As the Civil Aviation Safety Authority releases its three-year plan to essentially complete an overhaul of aviation regulation in Australia, Philip Smart talks to CASA and industry groups for their views on how it is working and what should happen next.

Business Aviation
Nigel Pittaway updates readers on the latest business aircraft developments and how support and maintenance companies are faring in the marketplace.

The Big End of Town
Philip Smart marks Boeing’s Centenary with a look at its history and Australian involvement, and reports on how Airbus’s John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers, thinks the airline market will evolve in future.

End Note: Are we looking in the wrong place for MH370?
Aviation expert Desmond Ross believes MH370 is not in the southern Indian Ocean. In End Note this issue he tells us why.

Read the digital edition online here »


Read more at http://www.aviationbusiness.com.au/lates...WW1b8rm.99

I wonder if the AHIA realise that technically they've sold their soul to the Devil on Part 61?? It is the age old Iron Ring strategy of 'divide & conquer' working a treat -

 In the Ferryman's post today PAIN asks the Q/ How much has Part 61 cost so far; & how long before someone with authority runs a CBA ruler through the ledger and says enough?? - Buying a Rolls Royce? - Anyone...



MTF...P2  

[Peetwo]

REX on the 'other' Aunty today - :

Federal air safety watchdog causing 'enormous damage' to regional aviation: Regional Express
ABC Broken Hill
By Sofie Wainwright and Cherie von Hörchner
Updated about an hour agoWed 27 Jul 2016, 6:06pm
Photo: Rex said it may close some services as a result of additional costs that CASA are set to impose. (Rex)

Map: Broken Hill 2880
The airline Regional Express says over-regulation by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has cost it millions of dollars and could eventually force the closure of some services.

Regional Express, also known as Rex, said CASA had caused "irreparable" damage to regional aviation because of safety rules introduced over about a decade.

The airline said the introduction of new regulations next year, relating to flight and duty times, would add further substantial cost to the company for no additional safety benefit.

The new regulations are aimed at reducing pilot fatigue by changing rostering requirements, which Rex said might require airlines to employ more staff.

"These additional costs imposed by CASA may result in several destinations that Rex currently serves becoming non-viable and consequently the closure of services to some communities," a Rex spokeswoman said.

"Some of the rule changes by CASA have resulted in additional staff in several areas. [The new regulations] will require increased pilot numbers and add costs to the business.

"CASA has totally ignored the industry's plea to produce evidence to justify these unnecessary new rules."

CASA declined to comment.

Regional Express was born in 2002 from a merger of Kendall and Hazelton Airlines after the collapse of Ansett.

The airline said the closure of 17 regional airlines in the past 12 years alone shows that regional aviation was "threatened" in Australia.

"CASA has caused enormous damage to the industry with expensive and over-complex regulation that is seldom based on any safety evidence," the spokeswoman said.

Rex will not exist in a decade: Dick Smith

The comments by Rex come after aviator and entrepreneur Dick Smith slammed CASA, saying it imposes too great a financial burden on small airlines.

Mr Smith, a former CASA chairman, said it had increased costs across the general aviation sector in areas like training, licensing and aircraft maintenance.

He said the regulatory system in Australia was the costliest in the world, and that he did not believe Rex would be in business in 10 years' time.

"I am amazed that Rex is still in business," Mr Smith said.

"You have a regulator which is hostile to small companies like Rex, and they just have this one-way ratchet of increasing costs and red tape," Mr Smith said.

"Eventually a company like Rex will be driven out of business.

"[CASA] is going to end up with an incredibly safe system but most country towns, places like Broken Hill, they simply won't have an air service.

"You'll find that it will be so expensive that small operators won't be able to operate there."

Union supports changes

The Australian Federation of Air Pilots said the new regulations around fatigue may impose additional costs on the airlines but would be worth it.

"There may well be additional costs but the benefit that flows from that is a much safer industry," spokesman James Lauchland said.

"In our view, CASA isn't perfect and there are a number of problems, however we think the moves they're making to replace the outdated, one-size-fits-all fatigue rules are positive and should be supported by airlines.

"The new fatigue rules are backed by extensive international scientific evidence on sleep and alertness and replace a system that is well and truly outdated," he said.

P2 comment: AFAP - WTF? "..In our view, CASA isn't perfect and there are a number of problems, however we think the moves they're making to replace the outdated, one-size-fits-all fatigue rules are positive and should be supported by airlines.

The new fatigue rules are backed by extensive international scientific evidence on sleep and alertness and replace a system that is well and truly outdated,..."
But hang on a sec wasn't it the AFAP who less than a year ago were being extremely vocal in their criticism of CAO 48.1?? Oh but that's right I seem to recall they had a certain division amongst their ranks: AFAP - Strange dichotomy on CAO48.1??

..Ok from those links there was two that the subject matter was CAO48.1. The 1st was correspondence from Captain Gardiner (above) to CASA (SMS & HF, standards division) and was addressing perceived issues that the EMS/MT sector saw with appendix 3 & 4 (in particular 4B) - Submission on CAO 48.1 Appendix 4B.

...Our submission is based on feedback from members working in the emergency medical services field and the views of the Federation’s Technical Committee, made up of working airline and commercial pilots under the direction of the AFAP’s Technical Director.

As a professional association, the members and staff of the Federation are active in promoting flight safety and improving Australian and global aviation standards. The Federation’s diverse pilot membership base places it in a strong position to comment on the proposed changes to Flight Time Limitations.

Owing to the short timeline, our submission should not be regarded as comprehensive. We would welcome the opportunity to further explain and supplement our submission via discussion with all interested parties...

Hmm (tin foil hat donned ) ..okay so maybe (AFAP) Peter G, just maybe CASA SMS & HF, standards division have taken your advice/suggestion (the part in bold) - along with other industry submissions - on-board and have simply decided to delay the rollout of CAO48.1...   

The other (CAsA) PG: ...“In making these adjustments CASA has taken into account the need to give CASA and the aviation community adequate time to transition to the new rules, while ensuring appropriate safety standards are maintained,’’..

I can thoroughly understand (AFAP) PG's cynicism, because quite frankly we've all seen similar delaying/obfuscation tactics before. However it is perhaps a bit rich (in this case) to expect CAsA to react quite so quickly, when less than a week ago DAS Skidmore would have received this correspondence from the AFAP Prez, Capt Booth:

..I am writing to express our concern about the proposed Medical Transport & Emergency
Service Operations Appendix to CAO 48.1, 2013.

The Federation was not involved in the original working group to develop the proposal & it was only through our members that we were made aware of the draft. Following representation to CASA we were invited to attend the most recent working group. As we made clear at the meeting, we have no concern about operators conducting emergency retrieval services, search & rescue, rig & range safety or the myriad other low rate operations, where Crew Members are on standby for extended periods, under the proposed Appendix 4b. These crew members would be rarely if ever subject to cumulative fatigue however, we are very concerned about the crew members who are involved primarily in patient transfer services...

 MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Catching up off the Yaffa: Last minute Hitch.

My apologies to Hitch for I'd forgotten that with the new Oz Flying website format, that he'd put his weekly wrap on its own devoted page...

Anyway here is the pertinent segments starting from the week after the world's most boring bollocks election campaign:

July 07 2016:
..Is there more to be read into CASA's decision to delay implementing CASR Part 66 on small aircraft maintenance licensing? Ken Cannane and his team at AMROBA have been trying to get the regulator to understand how damaging this suite could be for years. Now CASA has acknowledged issues in the face of persistent evidence and is going back to look at it again. Contrast that with the implementation of Part 61, where CASA created unworkable regulation, delayed it whilst simultaneously blaming the aviation community, then signed it into legislation without any of the concerns being addressed. Part 61 is now nothing short of meaningless legislation, necessarily bolstered with a litany of exemptions just so the industry can continue to operate. It seems to me that CASA is determined not to repeat that with Part 66, which would mean that someone in Canberra is listening to the industry. We also need to throw bouquets in the direction of Ken Cannane and AMROBA for not giving up.


Neither major political party did aviation any favours in the lead-up to the federal election. The Coalition didn't release an aviation policy, and the Labor Party released their's only three days before the big vote. Does that put the ALP in the box seat for our affections? On face value, yes; surely some policy is better than no policy, so the white hat goes to the ALP. Not so fast, McFly! It takes but a quick scan of the ALP policy to see that they have simply micro-waved the hideous Aviation White Paper and served it up to us again. It tasted terrible the first time around! On the other hand, the Coalition was involved in the Tamworth rally and the TAAAF and Project Eureka meetings in Canberra, where both sides came away with some homework. According to my sources, responses had been formulated, but couldn't get to the status of approved policy in time, so were not sent out. We can but guess what the Coalition papers contain, but if it's anything above the level of the ALP document we can count ourselves on the plus side of the register...

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...XXU2Xf1.99

---

July 15 2016:

AOPA has unashamedly chased youth with the appointments of Ben Morgan as CEO and Baz Scheffers as a board member. Both these men are enthusiastic flyers and aircraft owners; exemplars of both the base membership and the group of aviators most suffering in the current regulatory climate. Morgan is the man handed the sword to take the fight to Canberra, but for him the challenge is to learn how to get politicians to listen and temper the "match bearings and shoot" approach displayed in Tamworth last May. Certainly what AOPA has needed for some time is board members who will be a part of the general aviation community for many years to come, rather than those for whom the larger part of their flying careers are now behind them.


It would appear that the Regional Airspace Procedures Advisory Committees (RAPACs) have circled their wagons and dug in for a long battle with CASA over the frequency issues. Regular readers of Australian Flying will remember that CASA issued an advisory stating that if an airstrip is not marked on a chart, pilots should use the area VHF frequency rather than Multicom 126.7. Not only was this done without the RAPACs involvement, but also CASA subsequently told the RAPACs it had nothing to do with them. The issue of the right frequency has become quite emotional, even drawing threats of legal action from Dick Smith, who supports the Multicom. The RAPACs also support Multicom, and their arguments are quite potent, as has been laid out in a new website. Most interesting is that the RAPACs are CASA institutions, so does this mean a state of civil war?

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...C1bQROE.99

---

22 July 2016:

Dick Smith farewelled his Citation yesterday with a "wake" at Bankstown Airport. The aircraft is off to the USA where it can operate in skies more conducive to the cost of the upgrades and maintenance it requires. One problem it seems is that general aviation in Australia is losing more and more momentum, enticing specialist maintenance companies to close local branches. A case in point: Dick had to send his life raft to Singapore for servicing because the local agent shut down. The cost of doing that exceeded $6000. To be fair, Dick did try to sell the Citation in Australia, but in the end had no option but to dispatch it to the States where costs are lower, regulatory hurdles are easier to climb over (or just plain absent) and the industry has a greater energy. This is not only a rich person's problem; the lower end of GA is also at risk of losing the support of overseas companies that no longer consider it viable to operate in Australia. The biggest threat, of course, is fuel. Will the energy in the local industry decline to the point that it's not worth the fuel companies shipping avgas here anymore? We talk a lot about how regulation is strangling the industry, but I believe a lack of support for GA is just as big a threat.


Dick's other issue was the requirement to go to ADS-B; the Citation simply couldn't do it. Avionics manufacturer Rockwell Collins has apparently gone home to the USA and at least one local company declined to do the work because they considered the aircraft couldn't be made compliant no matter what they did. Although many in the industry have been prepared to simply declare Dick wrong about that, the company that declined has more expertise in avionics than most in Australia. If they say it can't be done, I am prepared to accept their word for it.

So, with that in mind, VFR pilots around Australia are probably getting nervous over the news that CASA has started a project to entice owners to equip with ADS-B voluntarily. May I say, in the style of Corporal Jones, "Don't panic!" Firstly, CASA has the power to mandate ADS-B for VFR, but has not done so, electing instead to recognise the cost of doing so and explore low-cost non-TSO options. Has anyone noticed that this is almost a completely new approach from CASA? When was the last time a project started with the words (paraphrased of course) "This could be expensive, so we're going to see if we can change regulations to make it cheaper"? This is more significant that most people realise, because it is the industry that showed CASA how this could be done, and CASA has followed the path they were shown. You may call this "consultation"; I call it "participation", which is what the general aviation industry really needs and really wants. If the industry had been allowed to participate in Part 61, you wouldn't have had the regulatory mayhem that we have today.

I spent an hour yesterday morning talking aviation over a large mug of Cappuccino (I'm sorry, I just won't call it a "mugguccino") with CASA's new Stakeholder Engagement Manager Rob Walker. His job is piivotal if there is to be reform in CASA's relationship with industry. Let's get real: we distrust CASA so completely that we disengaged from them and are now very wary about going back! Walker has to build trust where not only did none exist, but there was quite a stockpile of distrust ... there still is a stockpile of distrust. Graeme Crawford in charge of the Aviation Group and Tracey Frey at the head of the Sustainability Group also have massive jobs, but all is for naught if Walker can't get the industry to engage. If that's the case, the status quo will remain, which is that CASA will have no idea what they are trying to regulate. Sorry about the pressure, Rob.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...rwhPWb6.99

---

29 July 2016:

Two weeks or so ago the first meeting of the Director's Advisory Panel took place in Canberra, and already there are worried looks coming from several sectors of general aviation. The DAP is a panel of representatives from all over aviation that brings knowledge and expertise together and puts it at the disposal of the Director of Aviation Safety. It's modeled after a similar panel used by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which anecdotal evidence indicates works well. The DAP consists of just about every aviation stakeholder you could think of, and as such falls within the bailiwick of Rob Walker, manager of CASA's Stakeholder Engagement Group. At the first meeting, RAAus CEO Michael Linke took on the Chairman's job and AMROBA's tireless Ken Cannane became Deputy Chair. It all sounds great, so why the furrowed brows? Well, there is no compulsion for DAS Mark Skidmore to take the advice given, and some groups don't like the sounds he's making, particularly his stubborn stance over the ADS-B mandate in February. Some see an advisory panel as worthless when the DAS has the absolute power to ignore anything but his own opinion.


Or you could see it this way: Skidmore has acknowledged in the past that CASA is lacking expertise in many areas, and the DAP could be used to put Spakfilla in those gaps. Such an advisory panel is something that GA in particular has lobbied for in the past, and now we've got it, there doesn't seem to be much point in eroding it before it gets a chance to be effective. For every furrowed brow, there is also a satisfied grin, depending on who you're talking to and what their own experiences dealing with CASA have been in the past.

How can you tell it's Oshkosh week? 1) everyone's in the USA but you, and 2) the aviation manufacturers that have been dormant for so long are suddenly out in the streets with their megaphones. The result is a litany of announcements about new products, aeroplanes and services to bring people into their stands at Wittman Regional Airport. Hence, this week Textron finally revealed the brand and name of their new SETP, ONE Aviation revealed plans for an upgraded light jet, Garmin announced the G5 STC and Cessna detailed the MTOW increase for the T206H.
Although not directly related to Oshkosh, it was a handy week for Tecnam to celebrate the first flight of the P2012 Traveller. This really is a huge step forward for Tecnam; they're introducing the first dedicated charter twin for many years, and doing at time when charter thinking is leaning towards single-engine turbo-props like the PC12, TBM 900/930, or the ubiquitous King Air series. But in many cases, for one reason or another, the new aeroplanes aren't options for some operators, so they've kept the old twin pistons going years after they should have been given their gold watches. Tecnam has come up with another option, to replace the old twin pistons with a new twin piston, and they're getting a lot of interest.

The SAAA has a very strong case in their petition to CASA for an exemption to medical requirements for pilots flying with a take-off weight below 600 kg. They argue, in different terms, that it is basically discrimination for RAAus pilots to be exempt from Class 2 medicals when pilots who take their administration from the SAAA are not. It's very compelling; how does the source of admin effect the medical safety of the pilot and the operation? All things being equal, there's no difference and the SAAA is not asking for anything not already the privilege of RAAus pilots. CASA, by delegating admin responsibility based on a magic weight limit, has set the mark, and if pilots are operating below that mark it's hard to see how they can justify continuing to discriminate. If the exemption is given, there might be a few pilots in the general GA stream putting their hands out for an exemption as well.

Uni student Ben Reddall is seeking input from pilots on how they use synthetic flight training devices (flight sims). The information he gathers is going into a minor thesis to be submitted to the University of South Australia. If you've got the time, he'd appreciate you going in and completing the survey he needs to get the thesis done. The survey is on SurveyMonkey here.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...zXITXmg.99

   
MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Somewhere - over the rainbow? Perhaps.

Hitch – “Most interesting is that the RAPACs are CASA institutions, so does this mean a state of civil war?”

That is a good question, in fact it is an excellent question; worthy of some serious consideration by all concerned with climbing the mountain of reform, which must happen – if there is to be any other form of aviation outside the major carriers and the military.  Even the ‘heavy’ end of town are showing concern, particularly in the areas which must impact on their cost structures; the big ticket items such as maintenance, training, flight and duty limitations; there is also the consideration of ‘union’ objection to solutions which affect their membership.  

There has always, in broad terms, been two indistinct groups within all the ‘watchdog’ agencies.  For wont of better, there are the white hats (goodies) and the black hats (badies) and; depending on who was in charge, one of the groups kept it’s head down and it’s mouth firmly shut – job at risk is a serious consideration.  You can see this throughout all the ‘agencies’.  So the question of ‘civil war’ takes on a new connotation – the battle within.

One could be forgiven for thinking that the external civil war was the important one - for industry; also, that with some ‘white hat’ support things may change.  Its a fair assumption, but realistic? Don’t think so.  

This ‘Walker’ fellah for example; what can he possibly do – internally – even with ‘white hat’ support to affect the demanded changes? The short answer is Sweet Fanny Adams.

Why not?  Also a fair question.  There are several reasons; history is against it for one and there is no need to dust off the record of the past three decades; just look at the Skidmore track record and the fate of the Forsyth report. Look at what the new ‘board’ has achieved by way of influencing reform and change; look back at the CVD issue for a microcosm of the way things are. Now, we are expected to believe that Walker is the messiah and all will be well.  Bollocks.

Even if Walker can rally the ‘white hats’ and is allowed to make real suggestions, have opinions if you will, he still has to beat the ‘system’.  Even if he was given carte blanche, he still does not have the juice to ‘order’ and ‘enforce’ any changes for the better. So window dressing and whipping boy, rolled into one.  But, for the sake of discussion, let’s pretend he actually has some ‘influence’; what then.  In primus, he must sort the sheep from the goats; black hats from white and that is truly an impossible task.  You see children, one of the demanded skills for working in Sleepy Hollow is the ability to change hats, very quickly; it is an essential, basic survival technique.  I will digress here to provide what I consider a prime example of the base line problem.  There exists a truly dreadful FOI, so dreadful in fact that an outraged industry threatened serious ‘we mean it’ legal action if a removal was not affected – immediately. Well this happened as the industry was completely justified. Then McComic took over and he decided that this FOI was exactly the type of creature he wanted, so it was out of the pencil sharpening office and back on the front line for our villain.  It just so happened that this beauty was assigned to Wodger’s happy little crew and a symbiotic relationship, based on mutual understanding and worship of the McComic deity developed. An additional bonus was that they, together, enjoyed the lying, cheating, manipulation and unlimited power afforded while under total protection. They built a little network of the likeminded and set about their fell business, unchallenged, unrepentant and unconcerned.  Well, only Wodger and old Terry have left that little coven; the rest remain, some even promoted, by a purblind DAS; his kind of people no doubt.

The point, well this individual is now selling a sob story to those who will listen; not a willing accomplice at all; but under severe pressure to do the masters bidding.  Claims to really, underneath it all, be truly a ‘white hat’, dedicated to fostering and promoting industry; and, failing to understand why distrust and anger follow his disgusting, filthy footprints. Then, there’s his mate, one of the survivors, who sits unqualified, in a position of power and authority, quietly continuing to support the deceit and deception of the McComic generated, Wodger executed embuggerance of good men.

And so, back to Walker and, by default Skidmore, under the auspices of Chester.  The board is emasculated so Walker can’t go there for back up; anyway Skidmore will just tell ‘em to bugger off.  Chester? – what can I say – useless or disinterested, perhaps both; which leaves Walker with Hobson’s choice – Skidmore; and we have all listened to the rhetoric, platitudes and promises; watched the performances at Estimates and weighed that against real change, made in real time.  Results – well, Forsyth is merely an opinion, CVD is to be appealed and the blackest of hats thrive in easy comfort, untouched by the reality of a disappearing industry; or even a hint that their past bastardy will come back to haunt their sun filled days at the trough of plenty.

There will be no ‘civil war’: a good face will be put on the cosmetic changes; smiles will cover the snarls; gabfests will continue ad nauseum while the real work continues behind the closed doors; perpetrated by closed minds and stone deaf ears.

Best of luck Rob Walker; you may just need it.

Selah.

[thorn bird]

This Walker guy, any relation to the "Ghost who walks"?
Manager of "Stakeholder Engagement" what the hell is that?
The only stakeholders I know of in GA are the ones wandering around with a stake in one hand and a hammer in the other.
There are no "Stakeholders" in whats left of GA, just a few white headed old men wistfully looking across the Tasman and daydreaming of what could have been, knowing in their hearts its finished, worn down by 66 years of regulatory purgetory in all its guises, named and renamed but the same incompetence,the same unqualified halfwits, the same millstone around the neck of an industry champing at the bit to spread its wings and fly.
You hear more Aussie accents on the PA these days with foreign carriers now than you do on Quaintass, even their CEO looks and sounds like an Irish Leprecorn. He and his predecessor have worked very hard to hand it off to foreigners. "I still call Australia Home"?? hardly.

[P7_TOM]

TB – “The only stakeholders I know of in GA are the ones wandering around with a stake in one hand and a hammer in the other.”

Love it, luvit.   QoM CF award.

Poor sod; if ‘they’ don’t eat the silly deluded bugger alive; the lions in the Colosseum will.