[Peetwo]

23rd August 2016


The Hon Darren Chester MP
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia.

Mr Mark Skidmore
Director of Aviation Safety (CASA)
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
GPO Box 2005
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia

- Members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Users of the Aviation Advertiser – Australia network
- Government Ministers and Senators
- Industry media


AOPA Proposed Policy on Class 2 
Private Pilot Medical Certification.

The Hon Darren Chester MP,

Over the past year aviation regulators in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (US) and New Zealand (NZ) have all moved to reform their medical requirements for Private Pilots License holders, following extensive evidence based assessment and review.

These reforms (which have been previously communicated to your office) have been heralded by the global aviation community and are expected to breathe essential life back into the general aviation economies of each respective country.

AOPA Australia over the past five years has received thousands of telephone calls and emails from private pilots, all calling for broad reform of Australia’s Class 2 Private Pilot Medical Certification system.  Our membership have demonstrated that a high number of Australian private pilots are being subjected to unfair and unreasonable medical assessments by CASA AVMED which has removed fit and healthy pilots from Australia’s general aviation community and subjected thousands of pilots to unnecessary delays and expense regarding medical assessment.

In consideration of our membership feedback and moves by international regulators, AOPA Australia has produced a clear Proposed Policy position on Class 2 Private Pilot Medical Certification - to which we have attached to this email and included below.

The AOPA proposed policy on Class 2 Private Pilot Medical Certification is important to the future of Australia's general aviation industry and if implemented will serve to reconnect thousands of perfectly healthy pilots who have been unfairly discriminated by the existing CASA AVMED system.

This vital reform will dramatically reduce licensing costs to industry and will remove unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and red-tape that have contributed to the serious decline in general aviation pilots in Australia, which based on CASA’s own data amounts to some 8,000+ pilots exiting our industry (see chart below).




AOPA’s policy will help kick-start and re-invigorate private flying activity within the general aviation industry, which will result in increasing demand for the varying support services whilst creating valuable jobs and opportunities for small business across Australia.

In the recently published CASA Stakeholder Relationship Health Report (click here to download), the surveyed industry stakeholders made clear their sincere dissatisfaction with regard to both CASA’s decision making and performance.  Industry has sent a loud and clear message that we cannot continue with the current system.

Australia’s general aviation industry is calling on you as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport to direct CASA to adopt the AOPA proposed policy without delay, sending a clear message of support to our industry and the small businesses who rely on it.

AOPA is ready to meet with you and looks forward to the opportunity to discuss this vital policy in more detail.

Yours sincerely,

BENJAMIN MORGAN
Executive Director - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Mobile: 0415 577 724
Telephone: (02) 9791 9099
Email: ben.morgan@aopa.com.au

Courtesy Oz Flying today: 

CASA's Aviation Medicine Branch oversees DAMEs and medical checks.

AOPA pushes for Class 2 Medical Reform
24 August 2016

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has written to Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester urging him to consider removing the requirement for private pilots to hold a Class 2 Medical Certificate.

In the letter dated 23 August which included an alternative medical policy that calls for private pilots to need only an AustRoads Unrestricted Private Drivers Medical standard with no need for routine medical examinations unless the pilot has one of several known conditions.

AOPA Executive Director Ben Morgan pointed out that the National Aviation Authority in several other countries had already examined the potential for reform.

"Over the past year aviation regulators in the United Kingdom, United States of America and New Zealand have all moved to reform their medical requirements for Private Pilots License holders, following extensive evidence based assessment and review," Morgan said.

"These reforms ... have been heralded by the global aviation community and are expected to breathe essential life back into the general aviation economies of each respective country.

"private pilots are being subjected to unfair and unreasonable medical assessments by CASA AVMED"

"AOPA’s policy will help kick-start and re-invigorate private flying activity within the general aviation industry, which will result in increasing demand for the varying support services whilst creating valuable jobs and opportunities for small business across Australia.

"Australia’s general aviation industry is calling on you as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport to direct CASA to adopt the AOPA proposed policy without delay, sending a clear message of support to our industry and the small businesses who rely on it."
Other particulars of the AOPA policy include:

• the medical would not apply to flights in aircraft with an MTOW over 2500 kg
  
• no more than five passengers could be carried
  
• pilots would have to make a statutory declaration of medical standard once up until the age of 70 and every three years after 70
  
• pilots who fail to meet the standard could apply for a medical certificate via a DAME
  
• IFR pilots would need to see a DAME every four years under the age of 40 and every two years after that
  
• NVFR pilots would be included under the proposed medical standard.
  

Morgan stated in the letter that the current practices of the Aviation Medical Branch (AVMED) have damaged general aviation, which the AOPA policy seeks to correct.

"Our membership have demonstrated that a high number of Australian private pilots are being subjected to unfair and unreasonable medical assessments by CASA AVMED which has removed fit and healthy pilots from Australia’s general aviation community and subjected thousands of pilots to unnecessary delays and expense regarding medical assessment.

"In consideration of our membership feedback and moves by international regulators, AOPA Australia has produced a clear Proposed Policy position on Class 2 Private Pilot Medical Certification ..."

Read the full AOPA proposed policy on the link below.
AOPA Class 2 Medical Policy

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...HB1fCvf.99