[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