Hear, Hear:
AOPA - "During the past 20 years of CASA’s management of our aviation industry we have all watched on as they have slowly divided us into competing interest groups, and today we now have multiple pilot training and licensing standards, multiple aircraft registration standards, multiple medical standards and a host of other dual-standards that have nothing to do with safety, but instead on how much money you are paying to whom."
AOPA - "No better example can be found than the issue of recreational and private pilot medicals, where CASA have entangled themselves in questionable approvals that benefit some self-administrations, permitting their pilots to fly powered aircraft in Australian airspace on a self-certification medical certificate.
AOPA - "Yet, in the same breath, CASA have outright refused to provide the same privileges to recreational and private pilots under their direct management and regulatory responsibility, citing safety concerns. A decision that CASA is thoroughly unable to justify or adequately explain to either government or industry.
Morgan only writes on the concerns of one small sector of the industry, which is fair enough and reasonable. It is good to see and read someone calling it out for what it is, with the support of the thinking part of his particular area of involvement. But where are the rest of the aviation ‘spokesmen ? Charter operators and flight schools are already groaning under the paper mountain which costs an extraordinary amount of money to support; money which could be better used to improve real safety standards. Things like that extra couple of flights which a HOTAC could slot in with a new start pilot instead of meeting the minimum standards and spending time making sure that safety from audit was met. Tick a box ain’t conducive to good operations; it costs time and money to train a line pilot, lots of: particularly when they have been pumped out of a sausage factory – qualified on paper – but little else. Minimum to meet the requirements; tick the box and job done. Not only grossly unfair to the pilot, but perhaps one day to the passengers. Money spent on great admin and paperwork may, to an auditor be heaven sent; but perhaps that money could have been better spent ensuring there is enough ‘fat’ and time in the system to provide the polish and finish on aircraft and pilot.
Morgan’s battle is but a small skirmish in a much bigger conflict – trouble is he’s standing alone while the rest all hide behind their redoubts in silence, hoping they don’t get spotted. Making sure their pants are clean lest CASA soils it’s boots during an arse kicking event. Gutless pandering I’d call it.
Toot – toot.
AOPA - "During the past 20 years of CASA’s management of our aviation industry we have all watched on as they have slowly divided us into competing interest groups, and today we now have multiple pilot training and licensing standards, multiple aircraft registration standards, multiple medical standards and a host of other dual-standards that have nothing to do with safety, but instead on how much money you are paying to whom."
AOPA - "No better example can be found than the issue of recreational and private pilot medicals, where CASA have entangled themselves in questionable approvals that benefit some self-administrations, permitting their pilots to fly powered aircraft in Australian airspace on a self-certification medical certificate.
AOPA - "Yet, in the same breath, CASA have outright refused to provide the same privileges to recreational and private pilots under their direct management and regulatory responsibility, citing safety concerns. A decision that CASA is thoroughly unable to justify or adequately explain to either government or industry.
Morgan only writes on the concerns of one small sector of the industry, which is fair enough and reasonable. It is good to see and read someone calling it out for what it is, with the support of the thinking part of his particular area of involvement. But where are the rest of the aviation ‘spokesmen ? Charter operators and flight schools are already groaning under the paper mountain which costs an extraordinary amount of money to support; money which could be better used to improve real safety standards. Things like that extra couple of flights which a HOTAC could slot in with a new start pilot instead of meeting the minimum standards and spending time making sure that safety from audit was met. Tick a box ain’t conducive to good operations; it costs time and money to train a line pilot, lots of: particularly when they have been pumped out of a sausage factory – qualified on paper – but little else. Minimum to meet the requirements; tick the box and job done. Not only grossly unfair to the pilot, but perhaps one day to the passengers. Money spent on great admin and paperwork may, to an auditor be heaven sent; but perhaps that money could have been better spent ensuring there is enough ‘fat’ and time in the system to provide the polish and finish on aircraft and pilot.
Morgan’s battle is but a small skirmish in a much bigger conflict – trouble is he’s standing alone while the rest all hide behind their redoubts in silence, hoping they don’t get spotted. Making sure their pants are clean lest CASA soils it’s boots during an arse kicking event. Gutless pandering I’d call it.
Toot – toot.