[Peetwo]

Su_Spence 'sloppy' on perceived conflict of interest?? - 

Courtesy YouTube and RRAT Add Estimates Hansard:

(Reference from 08:40)

Senator ROBERTS: It's my last question. This brings much of the evidence that you've given to this committee into question, Ms Spence, if this is how you deal with answers that you later find are incorrect. We wouldn't even know this unless someone had trawled back through the internet archives. You have apologised; is there anything else you need to apologise for in our exchanges?

Ms Spence : No, Senator.

Senator ROBERTS: I don't see you as a credible witness with your evidence, Ms Spence.

CHAIR: What I might do, Senator Roberts, due to the hour, is this. I have kept saying all day that we have that report about behaviour—you know what it is—and you have made your point. Ms Spence, it is sloppy—

Ms Spence : Yes.

CHAIR: Let's get over it. The behaviour of politicians in this building over the last few years is pretty questionable too—but anyway! Senator Roberts, do you have further—

Senator ROBERTS: I have finished my questions, thank you, Chair.

"..You have apologised; is there anything else you need to apologise for in our exchanges?.." - On the subject of 'conflict of interest', or even 'perceived' COI, perhaps Su_Spence should be declaring her and the Board's possible COI in regards to her, the former Chair and another Board Member's joy flight with the media personality Matt Wright (aka the Croc Wrangler).

Especially given the subsequent (within months) extension of the R44 HEC Croc egg collection exemption legislative instrument and the obvious ATSB cover-up in the re-defined 'systemic' investigation, which did not include CASA surveillance and the fact that the CASA Board joy flight actually occurred...



Perhaps on an associated observation - I note that on Monday the CASA Org Chart was updated, with the known deckchair shuffles and a 'passing strange' addition to the Executive Officer ranks?? Ref- https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/who-we-...#Structure



Hmm...incoming Campbell and Bouttell we know about. After Joe Rule's hand holding exercise at Estimates, he is now demoted back to 'Flight Standards', bizarre as he would barely know what end the smoke comes out of, so perhaps he is marking time for some 'greater role'?? - 

By far and away the most intriguing addition is that of 'Executive Officer' Aidan Bruford, who it appears is listed at the same public service level as Su_Spence?

Google indicates that Bruford is a long serving, high powered member of the Dept of Infrastructure and Transport, with his last job title being the 'Director Trade and Aviation Market Policy Section Aviation Industry Policy Branch'.
Ref: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infras...-insurance

There is no mention about what Bruford's essential role is with CASA??

Hmm...has Betsy delegated a Departmental minder to Su_Spence? 

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Has Chair Binskin signed DAS Su_Spence death warrant??

In the course of doing some Google dumpster diving, I came across the following CASA FOI released PDF document: https://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/...ment-1.pdf

Report origin

This review, conducted by the Industry Complaints Commissioner, was requested by CASA Board Chair Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Mark Binskin following claims made in the media about industry engagement undertaken by the Board in Darwin in 2021.

The review considered how the Board exercises its Statement of Expectations obligation to facilitate effective interaction between CASA and the aviation industry and broader aviation community, including all related policies and arrangements.

Industry engagement is an important part of the role of the CASA Board and it is important that they can interact with industry to remain abreast of current and emerging issues, as well as potential areas of risk to aviation safety. Three specific items were part of the enquiry:

1. Actions in the lead up to, and activities during, the CASA Board meeting in Darwin in June 2021 mapped against the requirements and expectations that the Board be able to interact in a transparent manner with the aviation industry and broader aviation community to discuss and remain abreast of current and emerging issues, and potential areas of risk to aviation safety.

2. The adequacy of CASA policies and guidance relevant to Board members when transferring issues raised with them from members of the aviation industry or community to the CASA Executive, through the CEO, for appropriate consideration or action.

3. CASA’s Conflict of Interest Policy and the CASA Board Governance Arrangements when assessed against current best practice.

This was the 1st I'd heard of this Chair instigated review? The timeline of this review and subsequent Chair response is fascinating given the context of events that were happening at the same time.

To begin with the negative press (referred to):

---

9/05/23:

https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/news-me...ing-record

The article in The Australian newspaper (CASA gave Matt Wright exemption before Chris Wilson’s fatal chopper crash, 6 May 2023) makes several statements that are incorrect and potentially misleading.

CASA routinely assesses applications for activities which are unusual or not specifically addressed in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. Collecting crocodile eggs in remote areas is a good example and this type of activity has been approved, with safety conditions, for more than 10 years.

CASA’s Board regularly meets in different locations around Australia as part of an ongoing program to engage with communities, local operators and CASA staff. Visiting aviation businesses to gain a deeper understanding of aviation operations is often arranged around Board meetings.

The CASA CEO and Board were not flown to the Tiwi Islands on a helicopter. As part of a familiarisation of remote air services, two members flew to Bathurst Island and return on the same afternoon on scheduled airline flights from Darwin. The tickets were purchased by CASA.

---

23/05/23:

All documents and correspondence related to the 23 June 2021 Crocodile Farms NT gift of a briefing and helicopter flight.

Freedom of Information (FOI) - 23 June 2021 Helicopter Flight

---

2/06/23: Chair Binskin commissions ICC review:

I commissioned this Review, pursuant to paragraph 2.1 of the Industry Complaints Commissioner’s Governance Arrangements, for you to examine how the CASA Board engages with industry participants, including all related policies and arrangements. The Review’s Terms of Reference noted that it was essential for the CASA Board to be able to interact in a transparent manner with the aviation industry and broader aviation community to discuss and remain abreast of current and emerging issues, and potential areas of risk to aviation safety.

---

29/06/23:

Certificate of airworthiness for VH-IDW and organisation surveillance findings.

Exemption(s) applied: s47F, s47G, s37(1)(a).

Freedom of Information (FOI) 29 June 2023 – Certificate of airworthiness for VH-IDW and organisation surveillance findings – Part 1 of 2 (PDF, 4.24 MB)

Freedom of Information (FOI) 29 June 2023 – Certificate of airworthiness for VH-IDW and organisation surveillance findings – Part 2 of 2 (PDF, 6.87 MB)

---

5/07/23:

CASA.CARRY Instruments

Exemption(s) applied: s47F, s47G.

Freedom of Information (FOI) 5 July 2023 – CASA.CARRY Instruments (PDF, 7.88 MB)

---

9/08/23:

ICC Commissioner Jonathon Hanton releases review to Chair Binskin.

---

22/08/23:

CASA.CARRY instruments to Helibrook and Northshore Holdings since 2010 (and was not released in the FOI decision of 5 July 2023).

Exemption(s) applied: S22, s47G

---

1/09/23:

Correspondence between Pip Spence, Matt Wright, Mick Burns and Michael Bridge.

Exemption(s) applied: S47F

---

12/10/23:

CASA Board Meeting where (supposedly) the Board discussed the ICC review report and 10 recommendations:

Recommendation 1

Given the contradiction this presents (mandatory non-acceptance contrasted with avoidance), it is recommended CASA’s Hospitality and Gifts Policy be amended to remove reference to avoiding lobbyist gifts to ensure the intent of never accepting gifts from lobbyists is captured.

---

Recommendation 2

It is recommended that CASA consider whether the Hospitality and Gifts Policy should specify whether the reference to lobbyists is as defined by the Lobbying Code, or any lobbyists (including in-house lobbyists).

---

Recommendation 3

It is recommended that all current Board members’ Material Personal Interest declarations be reviewed to confirm they meaningfully set out the nature and extent of interest relevant to CASA’s affairs.

---

Recommendation 4

It is recommended that guidance be developed and incorporated into the Board Governance Arrangements addressing the tension for Board members between their obligation to facilitate effective interaction and co-operation between CASA and industry while also avoiding perceived conflicts of interest arising.

---

Recommendation 5

It is recommended that section 4 of the Board Governance Arrangements be amended to set out the existing process by which industry events and visits are arranged, and to note that meetings should periodically be held in Regional Offices to provide CASA staff and local industry participants with exposure to the Board given this appears to be an ancillary purpose of holding meetings in regional locations.

---

Recommendation 6

There is no express requirement in paragraph 4.8.2 of the Board Governance Arrangements that site visits be recorded in Board minutes. However, it would enhance protections against Conflict of Interest if that was the case, and it is therefore recommended that the Minutes or the Board’s meeting communiques note any site or industry visits taken during regional Board meetings

---

Recommendation 7

That being the case, to enhance both the perceptions that the conflict-of-interest policies and procedures applying to the Board are robust and to ensure compliance with the Archives Act, it is recommended that CASA Board members only use CASA email accounts when conducting official CASA business, including when conducting interactions with industry representatives as a CASA Board member.

---

Recommendation 8

Recognising, however, that this may prove to be impractical with how Board members conduct their business among their various other commitments, in the alternative it is recommended that paragraph 2.4.5 of the CASA Board Governance Arrangements be amended to stipulate Members conducting interactions with industry representatives must advise the Chair that they will use personal email accounts and ensure that they include the Director of Aviation Safety and the Board Secretary in all correspondence related to CASA business.

---

Recommendation 9

It is recommended the Board consider whether further review or amendments to the Board Governance Arrangements are required.

---

Recommendation 10

It is also recommended that CASA obtain external legal advice that definitively sets out when emails from Board members’ non-CASA email addresses are captured by the Freedom of Information Act.

(P2 comment: I note that in the Chair's summary of the 12 October Board meeting there is no mention of the Board's consideration of the ICC review: https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/who-we-...tober-2023)

---

23/10/23:

Senate Supp Estimates, where CASA DAS didn't declare the existence of or table the ICC report.

---

1/11/23:

Chair Binskin review response correspondence to ICC Jonathon Hanton.

---

22/11/23:

ATSB Croc-o-shite report released

(Despite being a systemic investigation, there was no mention about the CASA Board COI review, that was originally instigated due to the CASA Board flight with Matt Wright on behalf of the operator Helibrook.)

---

7/12/23:

CASA Board Meeting: https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/who-we-...#undefined

(Again no mention about the ICC review and/or the Board response to that review)

---

19/01/24:

A copy of CASA’s submission to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in response to its draft Transport Safety Report about Aviation Occurrence Investigation AO-2022-009.

Exemption(s) applied: S38

&..

All correspondence between past and present board members related to human external cargo operations (HEC) and/or crocodile egg collecting.

Exemption(s) applied: s22, s47F, s47

---

12/02/24:

Additional Estimates where Senator Roberts brought up Board COI issues:

Senator ROBERTS: In the May 2022 Senate estimates your evidence was that all gifts and benefits were listed on your website under the gifts and benefits register. That wasn't true, was it?

Ms Spence : I thought that they all were on the list. I haven't deliberately misled the committee. If something wasn't included, I apologise. But everything is certainly on the register now.

Senator ROBERTS: Now?

Ms Spence : And has been for some time.

Senator ROBERTS: If you put it on the register, that means you think it was a gift. But you told me it wasn't a gift.

Mr Marcelja : We were pretty clear in our written response that those memberships predated people joining CASA. We clarified that.

Senator ROBERTS: I'll get to that. That's clarified in your opinion, but it doesn't clarify it so far as the Public Service Association is concerned. Senior members of the aviation regulator had been given access to exclusive airline clubs that aren't available to the public, and this was kept a secret from Australians. Yet you maintain that this doesn't create even a potential conflict of interest.

Ms Spence : I don't accept the premise that it was kept a secret.

Senator ROBERTS: We'll get to that one too. This explanation from the Australian Public Service Commission is very important:

… Public confidence in APS agencies and the APS more broadly can be damaged when gifts and benefits that create a conflict of interest are accepted or not properly declared. The appearance of a conflict can be just as damaging to public confidence in public administration as a conflict which gives rise to a concern based on objective facts.

Having gifted access to exclusive aviation lounges is obviously a conflict of interest when you are the aviation regulator—the aviation regulator.

Ms Spence : No, we're the aviation safety regulator.

Senator ROBERTS: This is regardless of whether the benefit predates the official's employment, and this was not declared.

Ms Spence : I genuinely don't recall us not being on the register—of me having Chairman's Lounge and Virgin Beyond lounge membership. When I was in the department and first received those invitations to join those, it's always been something that I've declared in any of my potential conflicts of interest. Notwithstanding that, I genuinely don't believe it creates a conflict of interest.

Senator ROBERTS: Let me continue. It's very concerning to me that you try to tell this committee that all benefits were declared on the gift register at a time they clearly were not. You made no mention of the fact that you had updated the register with these gifts—

Mr Marcelja : Senator, we—

Senator ROBERTS: Mr Marcelja, I'm trying to talk!

Ms Spence : Just—

Senator ROBERTS: You just quietly updated the webpage and tried to act like those things had been there properly for the entire time, and that's not the case, is it? The gifts weren't on the register at the time you gave evidence to this committee that they were.

Ms Spence : Senator, I'll have to take that on notice. I genuinely thought that they were always on the register. If they weren't, they're certainly on there now and it has never been a secret that I've had those lounge memberships.

Senator ROBERTS: Ms Spence, it seems that it's contemptuous of this committee for you to try and just quietly update this information in the secretive manner that you have. Why not alert the committee that the previous evidence was incorrect and issue a clarification, which is what most honest public servants do?

Ms Spence : As we said in our response to your question, nothing was declared on the CASA gifts and benefits register as no lounge access had actually been provided to CASA executives or board members as a result of their roles in CASA.

Senator ROBERTS: That's a furphy, Ms Spence! They have done—

Ms Spence : It's not a furphy, Senator!

Senator ROBERTS: You're making out that they had them before they joined CASA.

Ms Spence : They did—I did.

Senator ROBERTS: They still have them—

Ms Spence : Yes.

Senator ROBERTS: and they weren't declared. Then, when you updated it to declare them, you didn't advise the committee. You just did it quietly.

Ms Spence : I'm genuinely sorry that you feel that I've misled the committee—

Senator ROBERTS: It isn't my feelings that matter! It's the facts that matter—

Ms Spence : Well, I apologise to the committee unreservedly, but there was never any intention to mislead. As I said, the issue, as far as I can recall, was because you list things as they're provided to you, and because they were already in the possession of myself and some of our board members prior to them actually being on the board they must not have been listed originally. They're on there now, and I have nothing else I can say.

CHAIR: Senator Roberts, does this—

Senator ROBERTS: It's my last question. This brings much of the evidence that you've given to this committee into question, Ms Spence, if this is how you deal with answers that you later find are incorrect. We wouldn't even know this unless someone had trawled back through the internet archives. You have apologised; is there anything else you need to apologise for in our exchanges?

Ms Spence : No, Senator.

Senator ROBERTS: I don't see you as a credible witness with your evidence, Ms Spence.

 

(Despite the line of questioning and the possible kudos that would have possibly afforded her, Su_Spence still does not declare the existence of the ICC review report??)

---

1/03/24:

CASA FOI PDF released document titled "icc-review-casa-board-engagement" created and then modified 5/03/24.

(FOI document yet to be listed on CASA FOI disclosure log??)

---

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Croc-o-shite cover-up report, the gift that keeps on giving -   

Via the other Aunty:

NT bush pilot Michael Burbidge fined for destroying Chris 'Willow' Wilson's phone after fatal helicopter crash

By Oliver Chaseling and Alicia Perera

The court heard Michael Burbidge destroyed Netflix star Chris "Willow" Wilson's phone after the crash.(ABC News: Max Rowley)

• In short: Michael Burbidge has been sentenced for destroying evidence after a chopper crash that killed Netflix star Chris "Willow" Wilson
  
• Mr Wilson died when the helicopter crashed in West Arnhem Land in February 2022 during a crocodile egg-collecting mission
  
• Judge Tanya Fong Lim fined Burbidge $15,000, saying the sentence was intended to send a "very strong message"
  

Bush pilot Michael Keith Burbidge has been fined $15,000 for destruction of evidence, for disposing of the phone of Chris "Willow" Wilson following the Netflix star's death in a helicopter crash in 2022.

It comes as more details about the aftermath of the crash have been made public for the first time.

Mr Wilson, 34, died on February 28, 2022 when the Robinson R44 helicopter he was travelling in crashed during a saltwater crocodile egg-collecting mission in West Arnhem Land in the remote Northern Territory.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report on the incident, released last year, found the chopper likely crashed because of fuel exhaustion.

Burbidge, 45, who pleaded guilty to one count of destroying evidence in December, appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Friday for sentencing submissions.

In a surprise appearance, one of his co-accused, Matt Wright — Mr Wilson's co-star on National Geographic television series Outback Wrangler and Netflix show Wild Croc Territory — was also present in the courtroom, alongside Burbidge's wife and a group of supporters.


Matt Wright was also present in the courtroom.(ABC News: Max Rowley)

Crash aftermath details made public

In a statement of agreed facts made available to the media for the first time, it was revealed Burbidge was piloting another helicopter on the same crocodile egg-collecting mission as Mr Wilson and Mr Robinson on February 28, 2022 , in the remote area of King River.

When Burbidge had not had any radio communication with Mr Robinson and Mr Wilson, who were both "close personal friends", he became concerned and started searching for their helicopter.

"At approximately 10.36am the defendant located the wreckage of [the pair's helicopter] VH-IDW," the statement of facts said.

"The defendant landed his aircraft and observed Wilson to be deceased and Robinson with serious injuries."


The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed during a saltwater crocodile egg-collecting mission.(Supplied: CareFlight)

The document said after Burbidge gave first aid to Mr Robinson and called CareFlight and police, three other men — businessman Michael Burns and Burbidge's two co-accused, Mr Wright and former NT police officer Neil Mellon — arrived at the scene.

It also said Mr Mellon unzipped Mr Wilson's vest and removed his mobile phone

"At this time Mellon heard the defendant say words to the effect of 'Danni [Wilson's wife] does not need to see what's on that phone'," the statement of facts said.

"Burns also confirmed Burbidge's assertion that the phone contained information that the deceased's wife would not like to know."

Burbidge then destroyed the phone, with the court finding he had the presence of mind to know it may have been of use to investigators.

The contents of the phone remain unknown.


Chris "Willow" Wilson was killed in the crash.(Supplied)

"The defendant acknowledges that the phone may have been required as evidence in subsequent investigations but was motivated to protect the reputation of the deceased and protect the deceased's wife," the document said.

Sentence intended to send a 'very strong message'

Crown prosecutor Steve Ledek told the Darwin Local Court that when destroying the phone, Burbidge would have been aware of its potential use to crash investigators.

"He knew the phone could've held the answers to why his best friend was deceased," he said.

"Nobody can say for certain what was on that phone. Nobody can say for certain what it could've proved."


Mr Ledek also said there was no evidence to prove the data on Mr Wilson's phone could have caused him or his widow reputational damage.

"We don't have it, to be able to prove or disprove that notion," he said.


The court heard Michael Burbidge had apologised to Mr Wilson's family, and admitted destroying the phone was "error of judgement".(ABC News: Max Rowley)

Burbidge's defence lawyer Matthew Johnson said his client's conduct was "an error of judgement that occurred in a very long, stressful and emotionally taxing day".

"He was not responsible for the crash. He was not responsible for the injuries of Mr Robinson and the death of Mr Wilson," he said.

"Everything he did that day, up until [destroying the phone] was motivated to help others."

He also read a statement on behalf of Burbidge apologising to Mr Wilson's family, and said his client had received a letter from the family accepting his apology.


The court heard there was no evidence that data on Mr Wilson's phone would have caused him or his wife reputational damage.(Supplied)

In handing down her sentence, Judge Tanya Fong Lim questioned Burbidge's motivation for destroying the phone.

"Mr Burbidge claims he destroyed the phone out of loyalty to his dead friend, in an attempt to protect his reputation and to protect his widow, from whatever was on that phone," she said.

"There's nothing in the agreed facts that confirms what was contained on the phone, which Mr Wilson needed protection from."


Judge Fong Lim said a prison sentence was not needed because Burbidge was genuinely remorseful, of good character, posed no threat to the community and did not need assistance in rehabilitation.



However, she said the sentence of a $15,000 fine was intended to send a "very strong message" because "such offending goes to the core of the administration of justice, and cannot be condoned in this court".

Judge Fong Lim said the sentence did not place any responsibility for the crash on Burbidge.

Burbidge is the first of three men charged over the aftermath of the crash to be sentenced.

Mr Mellon has pleaded guilty to a charge of destroying evidence and will return to court for submissions and sentencing.


Neil Mellon, left, has also been charged in relation to the crash aftermath.(ABC News: Ian Redfearn)

Mr Wright has been committed to stand trial in the NT Supreme Court on a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was not present at the time of the crash and has strenuously denied all allegations.

MTF...P2

PS: Still no record of the ICC review document released under FOI? Wonder who it was that put in the submission for FOI docs?

PPS: Not related but I would be very interested to see the docs released under this FOI request?

19 January 2024 - Current Air Operators Certificate and Foreign Air Transport Air Operators Certificate for Coulson Aviation (Australia) Pty Ltd and surveillance reports concerning Coulson Aviation (Australia) Pty Ltd.

Exemption(s) applied: s22, s47F, s47G

[Peetwo]

Su_Spence AQON? - 


Reference from Senate Estimates thread Budget Estimates 2024-25 Program; & AQON update?? - 

Program link: https://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/...5/RRAT.pdf

CASA:

96. CASA - Position of FAA and New Zealand regarding operational testing .pdf

Senator David Fawcett asked:

Senator FAWCETT: I accept what you are saying and I welcome that—a good strong
process—but I want to go back to the basis of principle. The whole discussion started with
the fact that you believed that the operational test was a valid way to move forward as a
third level of testing. Both you, I believe, and Dr Manderson made the comment that,
should a pilot pass that operational test without any issues, they would be issued an
aviation medical certificate without condition, note, restriction, endorsement et cetera. Is
that still your principled position that you are seeking to find the evidence to work towards?

Ms Spence: We are working our way through that, and it will be the basis for a discussion
paper, as Mr Marcelja mentioned. That is the intention. I don't think we have moved away
from that, but we just need to make sure that we can actually turn the principle into a
deliverable outcome.

Senator FAWCETT: You have highlighted in the evidence you have provided that there has
been close dialogue with both the New Zealanders and the FAA. Have they indicated that
they will change their position if you don't believe that you can reach that point?

Ms Spence: I think our issue is more around how we come up with a repeatable test. At this
stage, we haven't had any conversations with the FAA or New Zealand to suggest that they
would move away from their positions. But, again, we can take on notice if there has been
any feedback along those lines.

Answer:

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is not aware of any intention from the United
States of America Federal Aviation Administration or the Civil Aviation Authority of New
Zealand to review their administration of pilots with colour vision deficiency based on the
work currently underway by CASA.

I guess that was the obvious answer - Why would either the FAA or CAANZ want to revisit their testing regimes for CVD pilots, when they have the science and medical standard, including an OCVT, sorted out years ago?? 

Refer FAA link - HERE

D. Specialized Operational Medical Tests for Applicants Who Do Not Meet the Standard.
Applicants who fail the color vision screening test as listed, but desire an airman medical certificate without the color vision limitation, may be given, upon request, an opportunity to take and pass additional operational color perception tests. If the airman passes the operational color vision perception test(s), then he/she will be issued a Letter of Evidence (LOE).

• The operational tests are determined by the class of medical certificate requested. The request should be in writing and directed to AMCD or RFS. See NOTE for description of the operational color perception tests.
  
• Applicants for a third-class medical certificate need only take the Operational Color Vision Test (OCVT).
  
• The applicant is permitted to take the OCVT only once during the day. If the applicant fails, he/she may request to take the OCVT at night. If the applicant elects to take the OCVT at night, he/she may take it only once.
  
• For an upgrade to first- or second-class medical certificate, the applicant must first pass the OCVT during daylight and then pass the color vision Medical Flight Test (MFT). If the applicant fails the OCVT during the day, he/she will not be allowed to apply for an upgrade to First- or Second-Class certificate. If the applicant fails the color vision MFT, he/she is not permitted to upgrade to first- or second-class certificate.
  

97. CASA - Air incidents .pdf
99. CASA - Lounge memberships reported on the gift register .pdf
100. CASA - Issues formally addressed with Airservices Australia .pdf
101. CASA - Number of air traffic controllers licensed by CASA.pdf
145. CASA - Piston engine aircraft using leaded fuel at Brisbane and Archerfield airports.pdf
146. CASA - Technical Staff Numbers.pdf

Senator Janet Rice asked:

• Please provide, in table form, an annual breakdown of technical staff employed by CASA
from 2010 onwards.
• Could the breakdown please also include numbers of specific types of technical staff,
such as flight operations inspectors and airworthiness inspectors.

Answer:
An annual breakdown of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) workforce by aviation
technical classification for the period 2010-2023 is shown in Table 1 below. Organisational
alignment to move administration functions out of the technical division has occurred,
which has resulted in fewer total staff numbers, but maintains the functional and technical
deliverables.

147. CASA - Lowering of medical requirements for pilots.pdf
254. CASA - Evidence of higher risk of myocarditis from COVID infection.pdf

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

CASA Board conflict of interest with Croc-o-shite report? -   

Courtesy Kristin Shorten, via The Nightly:

CASA Board members’ dealings with NT crocodile egg industry probed after fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash

Kristin Shorten
THE NIGHTLY
9 MIN READ
23 MAY, 2024


An investigation into how CASA’s Board engaged with crocodile egg-collecting operators before the fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash has revealed exactly what went on in the years before Chris Wilson’s death. Credit: CareFlight

An investigation into how the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Board engages with industry and manages conflicts of interest — commissioned in the wake of the fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash — has laid bare the crocodile egg collecting industry’s “lobbying activities” in the lead-up to Chris Wilson’s death.

The internal review, obtained by The Nightly under the Freedom of Information Act, cleared Board members of having any “actual or potential conflicts of interest” but found it would be open to a third party “on the available evidence to reasonably form the view” that there was a perceived conflict of interest between a former CASA Board member and his associates in the lucrative crocodile egg collecting industry.

This “perceived conflict” came to light after Wilson — who starred on reality television shows including Outback Wrangler and Wild Croc Territory — was killed when the helicopter he was slinging beneath crashed in a remote part of West Arnhem Land during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in February 2022.

The destroyed Robinson R44 Raven II was owned and operated by Matt Wright’s company Helibrook and contracted to Mick Burns’ company Wildlife Harvesting NT.

Helibrook was operating under a CASA instrument — which allowed it to sling a person beneath their piston engine-powered choppers for the purpose of crocodile egg collecting — at the time it crashed.

This instrument was an exemption to new flight rules — Part 138 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations — that stipulated Human External Cargo operations, including crocodile egg collecting, could only be performed with the safer and more expensive turbine engine-powered helicopters.

About eight months before the fatal crash — in June 2021 — CASA Board member Michael Bridge facilitated a meeting in Darwin between the aviation safety regulator’s new Chief Executive Officer Pip Spence and Mr Burns so that the Top End’s ‘crocodile king’ could share his concerns about the impending new Part 138 regulations.

Mr Bridge also arranged for celebrity croc-wrangler Wright to take Ms Spence, who is also Director of Aviation Safety, and two Board members on an hour-long chopper flight around Darwin to show them the scale of Mr Burns’ croc farming operations.

The briefing and flight was arranged to coincide with a CASA Board meeting in Darwin.

At the time of the CASA Board’s visit, Mr Burns had an application for a Supplementary Type Certificate for a Human External Cargo hook to be fitted to a Robinson R44 — for the purpose of crocodile egg collecting with a sling person — under consideration.


Chopper crash victim Chris 'Willow' Wilson. Credit: Supplied

Mr Hanton’s report references dozens of emails and details numerous occasions on which Mr Bridge raised issues, on behalf of Mr Burns, with senior CASA managers and executives in writing.

“It is, therefore, open to conclude that the purpose of the meeting on 23 June 2021 was to allow the Crocodile Farmers Association of the NT (or its members) to communicate with CASA in an effort to influence decision-making on the making or amending of Part 138 of the CASR. This meets the definition of lobbying activities,” he wrote.

“The entity hosting CASA has been described as both CFANT and the NT light helicopter industry or operators.

“It appears from the available information that the purpose of the visit was to highlight issues with the implementation of Part 138 on the crocodile egg collection.”

Mr Bridge told the ICC that CFANT was not a CASA-regulated entity.

“Mr Bridge said the original intention was to get a number of NT light helicopter operators together to discuss the implications of Part 138, but it was later decided it would be more beneficial if the briefing was at an industry level rather than with the operators given the different ways each would be impacted,” Mr Hanton reported.

“Irrespective of whether CASA was hosted by CFANT or NT light helicopter operators, the purpose of the visit was to attempt to make representations to CASA about Part 138.”

Mr Hanton said there was no evidence of any actual or potential conflicts of interest on the part of Board members in the lead-up to, during or after the June 2021 Board meeting in Darwin.

“There is no guidance for Board members on how they should facilitate effective interaction between industry and CASA while at the same time avoiding perceived conflicts of interest,” he wrote.

“This is problematic in that … there is a very real risk that a third party could reasonably form the view that a Board member’s facilitation or encouragement has created an advantage or benefit for the industry or industry participant.

“The background to the CASA Board meeting in Darwin in June 2021 highlights this tension.”

The ICC found, based on how the relevant correspondence reads, it was open to reasonably form the view that Mr Bridge “has a close association with (Mr Burns)” which could have influenced the performance of his duties and responsibilities, constituting a perceived conflict of interest.

And that it was reasonable to form that view when considering certain incidents in conjunction or as a series of events.

“During Mr Bridge’s first week as a Board member, he raised issues with Mr Carmody as CEO/DAS CASA on behalf of (Mr Burns),” the report said.

“Mr Bridge made subsequent approaches to each DAS (or acting DAS in the case of Mr Crawford) in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“Mr Bridge’s email exchange with Mr Carmody on behalf of crocodile egg collecting operators in February 2020 could be interpreted as implying an awareness that he should not be involved in escalating the operators’ concerns to CASA.”


Chopper crash victim Chris 'Willow' Wilson and his wife Danielle. Credit: Supplied

Mr Bridge told the ICC he had “not wanted to be in the middle” of communications between CASA and industry participants, and that he had expected issues – once raised at the appropriate level – to be handled by those parties.

“While Mr Bridge recognised that it was not appropriate for the Board to be involved in day-to-day operational matters or to have any say in any specific approvals … on 26 November 2019 he requested CASA look at granting operators the same approvals they had been issued the last two crocodile egg seasons,” Mr Hanton wrote.

“In his email to (Mr Burns) dated 26 May 2021, Mr Bridge appears to draw a connection between his remaining tenure on CASA’s Board expiring; the impending introduction of Part 138; and those involved in crocodile egg collection’s concerns with the requirements of Part 138.”

The probe found that Mr Bridge’s Standing Notice of Material Personal Interests, filled out when he was appointed to the CASA Board in 2018, was incomplete.

“Having spent 30+ years in the aviation industry I have a very wide network of friends and associates who deal with CASA regularly,” Mr Bridge wrote. But the next question – asking about the nature and extent of his interests – was left blank.

“On that basis, it can be said any connection Mr Bridge had with [Burns](and helicopter operators involved in crocodile egg collection) has been declared,” Mr Hanton wrote.

“The Standing Notice does not, however, meet the requirements … in that it does not include any details of the nature and extent of any interest and how the interest relates to CASA’s affairs.

“It is recommended that all current Board members’ Material Personal Interest declarations be reviewed to confirm they meaningfully set out the nature and extent of interest relevant to CASA’s affairs.”


Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and pilot Michael Burbidge were charged in relation to the investigation into the fatal Northern Territory chopper crash that killed Chris Wilson in February 2022. Credit: Unknown/Facebook

The ICC found there was no evidence to conclude that Mr Bridge had an actual or potential conflict of interest.

“It would be open to a third party on the available evidence to reasonably form the view that there was a perceived conflict of interest between Mr Bridge and members of the crocodile egg collection industry,” he wrote.

“Because any conflict was perceived (rather than actual or potential), there was no evidence of improper influence in the performance of his duties.

“There is no evidence to conclude that the issuing of approvals to operators involved in crocodile egg collection was influenced by Board members or members of CASA’s Executive Management.”

A statement on CASA’s website says that all of the ICC’s recommendations have since been implemented.

“The changes will help all current and future Board members understand their responsibilities and obligations while ensuring they can continue to engage with industry within clear and acceptable boundaries,” it said.

“The review acknowledged that CASA’s gifts and hospitality policy largely accorded with best practice and its conflict-of-interest policies largely mirrored the best practice guidelines of the Australian Public Service Commission.

“However, it recommended tightening the policy’s language to make it clearer that gifts should never be accepted from lobbyists.

“Other recommendations included a review of how CASA defines lobbyists and the development of guidance on the tension between the Board members’ obligation to avoid perceived conflict of interest with their responsibility to foster industry engagement.

“The changes reflect industry and government best practice for managing conflicts of interest and accepting gifts and hospitality, as well as arrangements for industry engagement.”

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Duck Pilot - UP POST OF THE WEEK!!

In regards to the above article, Duck Pilot smashes it out of the park...

Via the UP:

Duck Pilot

If there wasn’t a conflict of interest in this, I’ll walk naked through Myer’s!

Talk about egg on CASA’s face, all because they simply do not have any idea on how to consult with industry.

I’m not taking sides, however the accident currently under investigation may never have happened if CASA would have provided better consultation and effective surveillance on the operator, opposed to bull****ting around with inefficient crap relating to risk management.

Sadly CASA employs good people with great experience, and most of them get totally frustrated with the bureaucracy and go back to industry after a few years in the job.

Lots of lessons to be learn’t from this tragic accident, and some of the things that have been reported against the operator have been common practice within the industry for years both in rotary wing and fixed wing. I’ve worked for some dodgy outfits and got sacked for speaking up on at least two occasions - Falcon Airlines and Tasair. I reported my concerns to CASA at the time and I was intimidated and ignored, then many years later I decided to join CASA in an effort to kill the poison, it didn’t work however the experience and knowledge gained was great as it’s given me great opportunities.

I’ve since had dealings with CASA after leaving the place and nothing has changed. I’ve got a clanger of an email on file from the current CEO to me that demonstrates her shear incompetence, relating to the regulation reform specific to the implementation of an SMS for Part 135 operators. Some puppet within had obviously drafted the crap and she had signed on it and forwarded it to me. It will be framed and put in my man cave when I retire with a few other gems mostly related to funny **** that I’ve collected over the years in PNG.

Senator Rice Written QON 145 - AQON:

Senator Janet Rice asked:

• General Aviation Maintenance (GAM) Group operates a Turbo Commander, a Grand
Commander AC680, and Shrike Commander AC500S. Are these planes allowed to
operate on a daily basis in Austtalia over heavily populated areas?
• Please provide the total number of aircraft using leaded fuel flying over Brisbane.
• How many piston engine aircraft using leaded fuel have used Brisbane and Archerfield
airport in the last 12 months? Please issue a table with a weekly breakdown of numbers,
movements, plane type, age, operator, and destination for the last 12 months.

Answer:

There are no restrictions for flight over heavily populated areas of Australia for the Turbo
Commander, Grand Commander AC680 and the Shrike Commander AC500S.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) does not and is not required to keep information
about the movements of aircraft and their fuel type.
Leaded fuel (Avgas 100LL) is used by most piston-powered aircraft in Australia (with some
exceptions). There are 12,104 piston-powered aircraft currently registered in Australia.
CASA does not have information on the activity and movements of individual aircraft.

Are the Greens really that ignorant of the fact that the majority of GA piston engine aircraft run on 100LL avgas? Ignorant or otherwise does this spell the death knell for GA operators using piston engine aircraft out of the major city secondary airports?

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

CASA Board conflict of interest with Croc-o-shite report? -   

Courtesy Kristin Shorten, via The Nightly:

CASA Board members’ dealings with NT crocodile egg industry probed after fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash

Kristin Shorten
THE NIGHTLY
9 MIN READ
23 MAY, 2024


An investigation into how CASA’s Board engaged with crocodile egg-collecting operators before the fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash has revealed exactly what went on in the years before Chris Wilson’s death. Credit: CareFlight

An investigation into how the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Board engages with industry and manages conflicts of interest — commissioned in the wake of the fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash — has laid bare the crocodile egg collecting industry’s “lobbying activities” in the lead-up to Chris Wilson’s death.

The internal review, obtained by The Nightly under the Freedom of Information Act, cleared Board members of having any “actual or potential conflicts of interest” but found it would be open to a third party “on the available evidence to reasonably form the view” that there was a perceived conflict of interest between a former CASA Board member and his associates in the lucrative crocodile egg collecting industry.

This “perceived conflict” came to light after Wilson — who starred on reality television shows including Outback Wrangler and Wild Croc Territory — was killed when the helicopter he was slinging beneath crashed in a remote part of West Arnhem Land during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in February 2022.

The destroyed Robinson R44 Raven II was owned and operated by Matt Wright’s company Helibrook and contracted to Mick Burns’ company Wildlife Harvesting NT.

Helibrook was operating under a CASA instrument — which allowed it to sling a person beneath their piston engine-powered choppers for the purpose of crocodile egg collecting — at the time it crashed.

This instrument was an exemption to new flight rules — Part 138 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations — that stipulated Human External Cargo operations, including crocodile egg collecting, could only be performed with the safer and more expensive turbine engine-powered helicopters.

About eight months before the fatal crash — in June 2021 — CASA Board member Michael Bridge facilitated a meeting in Darwin between the aviation safety regulator’s new Chief Executive Officer Pip Spence and Mr Burns so that the Top End’s ‘crocodile king’ could share his concerns about the impending new Part 138 regulations.

Mr Bridge also arranged for celebrity croc-wrangler Wright to take Ms Spence, who is also Director of Aviation Safety, and two Board members on an hour-long chopper flight around Darwin to show them the scale of Mr Burns’ croc farming operations.

The briefing and flight was arranged to coincide with a CASA Board meeting in Darwin.

At the time of the CASA Board’s visit, Mr Burns had an application for a Supplementary Type Certificate for a Human External Cargo hook to be fitted to a Robinson R44 — for the purpose of crocodile egg collecting with a sling person — under consideration.


Chopper crash victim Chris 'Willow' Wilson. Credit: Supplied

Mr Hanton’s report references dozens of emails and details numerous occasions on which Mr Bridge raised issues, on behalf of Mr Burns, with senior CASA managers and executives in writing.

“It is, therefore, open to conclude that the purpose of the meeting on 23 June 2021 was to allow the Crocodile Farmers Association of the NT (or its members) to communicate with CASA in an effort to influence decision-making on the making or amending of Part 138 of the CASR. This meets the definition of lobbying activities,” he wrote.

“The entity hosting CASA has been described as both CFANT and the NT light helicopter industry or operators.

“It appears from the available information that the purpose of the visit was to highlight issues with the implementation of Part 138 on the crocodile egg collection.”

Mr Bridge told the ICC that CFANT was not a CASA-regulated entity.

“Mr Bridge said the original intention was to get a number of NT light helicopter operators together to discuss the implications of Part 138, but it was later decided it would be more beneficial if the briefing was at an industry level rather than with the operators given the different ways each would be impacted,” Mr Hanton reported.

“Irrespective of whether CASA was hosted by CFANT or NT light helicopter operators, the purpose of the visit was to attempt to make representations to CASA about Part 138.”

Mr Hanton said there was no evidence of any actual or potential conflicts of interest on the part of Board members in the lead-up to, during or after the June 2021 Board meeting in Darwin.

“There is no guidance for Board members on how they should facilitate effective interaction between industry and CASA while at the same time avoiding perceived conflicts of interest,” he wrote.

“This is problematic in that … there is a very real risk that a third party could reasonably form the view that a Board member’s facilitation or encouragement has created an advantage or benefit for the industry or industry participant.

“The background to the CASA Board meeting in Darwin in June 2021 highlights this tension.”

The ICC found, based on how the relevant correspondence reads, it was open to reasonably form the view that Mr Bridge “has a close association with (Mr Burns)” which could have influenced the performance of his duties and responsibilities, constituting a perceived conflict of interest.

And that it was reasonable to form that view when considering certain incidents in conjunction or as a series of events.

“During Mr Bridge’s first week as a Board member, he raised issues with Mr Carmody as CEO/DAS CASA on behalf of (Mr Burns),” the report said.

“Mr Bridge made subsequent approaches to each DAS (or acting DAS in the case of Mr Crawford) in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“Mr Bridge’s email exchange with Mr Carmody on behalf of crocodile egg collecting operators in February 2020 could be interpreted as implying an awareness that he should not be involved in escalating the operators’ concerns to CASA.”


Chopper crash victim Chris 'Willow' Wilson and his wife Danielle. Credit: Supplied

Mr Bridge told the ICC he had “not wanted to be in the middle” of communications between CASA and industry participants, and that he had expected issues – once raised at the appropriate level – to be handled by those parties.

“While Mr Bridge recognised that it was not appropriate for the Board to be involved in day-to-day operational matters or to have any say in any specific approvals … on 26 November 2019 he requested CASA look at granting operators the same approvals they had been issued the last two crocodile egg seasons,” Mr Hanton wrote.

“In his email to (Mr Burns) dated 26 May 2021, Mr Bridge appears to draw a connection between his remaining tenure on CASA’s Board expiring; the impending introduction of Part 138; and those involved in crocodile egg collection’s concerns with the requirements of Part 138.”

The probe found that Mr Bridge’s Standing Notice of Material Personal Interests, filled out when he was appointed to the CASA Board in 2018, was incomplete.

“Having spent 30+ years in the aviation industry I have a very wide network of friends and associates who deal with CASA regularly,” Mr Bridge wrote. But the next question – asking about the nature and extent of his interests – was left blank.

“On that basis, it can be said any connection Mr Bridge had with [Burns](and helicopter operators involved in crocodile egg collection) has been declared,” Mr Hanton wrote.

“The Standing Notice does not, however, meet the requirements … in that it does not include any details of the nature and extent of any interest and how the interest relates to CASA’s affairs.

“It is recommended that all current Board members’ Material Personal Interest declarations be reviewed to confirm they meaningfully set out the nature and extent of interest relevant to CASA’s affairs.”


Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and pilot Michael Burbidge were charged in relation to the investigation into the fatal Northern Territory chopper crash that killed Chris Wilson in February 2022. Credit: Unknown/Facebook

The ICC found there was no evidence to conclude that Mr Bridge had an actual or potential conflict of interest.

“It would be open to a third party on the available evidence to reasonably form the view that there was a perceived conflict of interest between Mr Bridge and members of the crocodile egg collection industry,” he wrote.

“Because any conflict was perceived (rather than actual or potential), there was no evidence of improper influence in the performance of his duties.

“There is no evidence to conclude that the issuing of approvals to operators involved in crocodile egg collection was influenced by Board members or members of CASA’s Executive Management.”

A statement on CASA’s website says that all of the ICC’s recommendations have since been implemented.

“The changes will help all current and future Board members understand their responsibilities and obligations while ensuring they can continue to engage with industry within clear and acceptable boundaries,” it said.

“The review acknowledged that CASA’s gifts and hospitality policy largely accorded with best practice and its conflict-of-interest policies largely mirrored the best practice guidelines of the Australian Public Service Commission.

“However, it recommended tightening the policy’s language to make it clearer that gifts should never be accepted from lobbyists.

“Other recommendations included a review of how CASA defines lobbyists and the development of guidance on the tension between the Board members’ obligation to avoid perceived conflict of interest with their responsibility to foster industry engagement.

“The changes reflect industry and government best practice for managing conflicts of interest and accepting gifts and hospitality, as well as arrangements for industry engagement.”

Fort Fumble rejects claims for compensation from Willows Widow -

Via the Oz:

Outback Wrangler chopper crash case back in court after concerns raised about pointless mediation


By Robyn Ironside.

The government agency being sued for allowing a “human sling” to be used under a helicopter for the purpose of collecting crocodile eggs, is refusing to discuss compensation with the widow of victim Chris “Willow” Wilson.

Mr Wilson, the co-star of television series Outback Wrangler, died when the 100 foot sling was disconnected from the helicopter above a survivable height, in the remote Northern Territory in February 2022.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found the helicopter ran out of fuel, and the pilot released the line to which Mr Wilson was attached as the chopper fell.

In response to the tragedy, Danielle Wilson launched legal action against the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and helicopter operator Helibrook last year, in a quest for damages.

Helibrook owner and Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright was later added as a respondent in the case.

On May 7, Federal Court judge Helen Raper ordered Ms Wilson, CASA, Helibrook and Mr Wright into mediation in the hope of resolving the matter.

The talks were due to begin on June 6 but correspondence between the parties suggested there was no point to the discussions because CASA was not prepared to talk compensation.

Thomas Miller for CASA told the court on Friday, the regulator had written to the other parties in advance of the mediation.

“ (CASA) said we would be attending in good faith, to try to narrow the issues in dispute but we would not likely be attending to make monetary offers of settlement,” Mr Miller said.

“We were not opposed to participating. to simplify matter and identify the real matters in dispute.”



Darryn Kelly for Helibrook and Mr Wright told the court it seemed pointless to conduct mediation when there was no prospect of reaching agreement on compensation or damages.

“Agreeing to attend a mediation carries with it that implication, so it was a shock to receive that correspondence from CASA essentially saying ‘we’ll turn up but we’re not going to be offering anything,” said Mr Kelly.

Mr Miller responded that CASA was not opposed to attending the mediation but as a government entity it was not “entitled to make a commercial settlement”.

“There must be a real and appreciable risk of liability and it has to be supported by evidence, and in this case there must be approval by not only CASA but other agencies including the Attorney-General’s department,” said Mr Miller.

“We are ready, willing and able to attempt to narrow the issues in dispute and to attempt to charter a pathway forward, but we are not likely to attend to put on monetary offers and we raised that so the other parties could make informed decisions about the resources they wished to allocate to the mediation.”

Ms Wilson’s counsel, Matthew Kalyk, told the court he shared the concern about the approach CASA was taking and did not accept the agency would be prohibited from making monetary offers.

“It just can’t be right, with respect, but in any event if that’s the position they adopt we can’t force them to change that,” Mr Kalyk said.

“It may be they play little role in the mediation itself and the focus is on the other parties who are attending in the more usual way to a mediation, there still seems to be some utility in that process taking place.”

Helibrook and Mr Wright have previously indicated they will contest charges brought by NT Worksafe over the crash, alleging reckless conduct for operating unsafe aircraft and interference with flight records over an extended period.

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

QON for KC??

From CASA Estimates session, via YouTube:

Hansard:

Senator McKENZIE: Okay. I want to go to some of the licensed aircraft maintenance engineer issues. You've been at the forefront of significant staff shortages. This is a terrible acronym: LAME.

Ms Spence : LAMEs—'laymies'.

Senator McKENZIE: Okay. That gets us out of that! What's being done about the significant shortfall of licensed aircraft maintenance engineers within the aviation sector?

Ms Spence : We've taken a number of initiatives to try to address this issue. There was a report from the RAAA maybe six or nine months ago, and they recommended that one of the most important things to do was to introduce modular licensing. Previously you were required to have all your qualifications before you could actually sign off on aircraft maintenance. We introduced, in December, a modular licensing model, and I might ask Mr Marcelja to provide a little bit more detail about that and the other things that we've done.

Mr Marcelja : Maintenance personnel licensing sits within my area. The reforms in December that Ms Spence talked about allow you to get a licence earlier by not completing study for all of the different elements of licence. Typically you would need to complete about 13 modules over four years and get experience across everything to get a licence. The modular licence allows you to study the core subjects, get a licence, begin to work in the industry and then add to that licence as you progress. That was the reform that we worked on through last year and produced in December. At the moment we're focused on some initiatives around how we can help streamline foreign licensed engineers that want to come to Australia, and that's a work in progress.

Senator McKENZIE: So we have an accredited system up and running in the modular—

Ms Spence : Yes.

Senator McKENZIE: That was a suggestion of the RAAA nine months ago. How many people have graduated so far?

Mr Marcelja : We think our first one is in the next couple of days, maybe the next week or so.

Senator McKENZIE: And how many, in total, are in the program?

Mr Marcelja : We don't have visibility of the total numbers, because most of the study is done through maintenance training organisations. We don't have accurate numbers of what's coming through the pipeline.

Ms Spence : How it works is: previously, the people who were training to be a LAME wouldn't be qualified until after about four years, whereas the modular licensing means they can stop at an earlier point, be qualified as a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer and start earning some money. They might not want to go into the more sophisticated types of operations, so they'll move out to regional Australia and do good things.

Senator McKENZIE: There are claims that CASA has put in place a lot of barriers to training licensed engineers. Is that the case?

Mr Marcelja : I think people saw it as quite a complex and lengthy system. If you were a young person, the prospect of four years plus training was one of the key issues that we were trying to address—to get through more quickly to make it more attractive to people—but we do have high standards. These are people that are signing off on the safety and airworthiness of aircraft, so it is an important role. We're keen to maintain that standard but make it easier for people to get into the system.

Senator McKENZIE: Have we got a fast-track procedure to enable those more experienced foreign maintenance engineers?

Mr Marcelja : Yes.

Senator McKENZIE: How quickly?

Mr Marcelja : That's a work in progress at the moment. We have three different initiatives we're working on for that one. The first one, which we think is—

Senator McKENZIE: Here I am thinking we'd actually solved the problem that some people had been worried about, but we haven't.

Mr Marcelja : Not yet.

Senator McKENZIE: So there isn't anything in place yet to fast-track foreign engineers?

Mr Marcelja : The modular licence does help, partly, because if you come with a foreign qualification we can say, 'Okay, you match these modules and you can get a licence.' We think it'll help, partly. We're doing extra work on how we can allow a licensed engineer from another country, where there are clearly high standards and good practices, to work under supervision or under the umbrella of an organisation that we monitor. We're looking at that as a fast track for a period of 12 months, while that engineer studies for a full licence.

Senator McKENZIE: Do they have to study in person?

Mr Marcelja : No, not necessarily. You can choose to, or you can do self-study—download textbooks and sit exams—or you can go and join a—

Senator McKENZIE: So you can be working remotely and complete your studies?

Mr Marcelja : Correct, yes.

Senator McKENZIE: How many providers offer that option, and at what cost?

Mr Marcelja : The self-study pathway is direct with us.

Senator McKENZIE: You can tell me exactly how much it costs, then.

Mr Marcelja : Yes. Cost-wise, for the exams that you need to pass, we charge about $70 or $80 and the provider that administers the exam might charge the same amount, so you're looking at probably $150 to $200 for an exam, multiplied seven or eight times. Under $2,000 would be our cost.

Senator McKENZIE: What about tuition?

Mr Marcelja : If you self-study, download the textbooks, sit exams and get your experience—the alternative is to join a maintenance training organisation. They can offer training in the classroom and practical training, and that's a commercially run venture. There are a lot of competing providers that do that.

Senator McKENZIE: Employers have been asking CASA to provide a fast-track procedure to enable those experienced licensed aviation engineers to be employed and obtain a CASA licence. Your evidence here today, which seems to be quite heartening—and I don't want to get too excited too early—is that that is on track and you're expecting your first graduate in a couple of days?

Mr Marcelja : For the modular licence, yes. We have three or four different initiatives running. The first one I talked about, which we think is significant, is in place. We have a couple more coming down the pipeline, which are focused on streamlining even more the internationally qualified people. That's the pathway that we've been asked by industry to focus on.

Ms Spence : That would be the more experienced LAMEs coming into the country—they don't have Australian qualifications, so how can we make it easier?

A comment in reply to the YouTube video:

@prussiaaero1802
1 day ago

At 8:20 - doing CASA self study modules towards LAME licence he mentions "get your experience." WHERE?????? That's the problem, WHO is giving these experience opportunities? Most(?) small LAME shops are just too busy to spend the required time training anyone or just can't be bothered with the hassle of it all.

 

Hmm...care to comment KC?? 

Via the AP email chains...  

AMROBA has been highlighting this situation for decades.

The reason why “you need to get experience” is because the only course available is not fit for purpose, based on airline competencies but no piston aeroplane and helicopter competencies for small aeroplanes and helicopters sectors. CASA proposes more exclusions to be added to the licence.  We totally reject that approach as it can be fixed by providing appropriate courses for each licence category & rating.

On the January 6, nearly 30 AMO representatives met with Ms Spence and told her the AME training and licencing system is broke.

It hasn’t produced AME licences to support general aviation aeroplanes and the helicopter industry.

They also told her they can only use the self-study pathway because formal training for these sectors are not fit for purpose.

This is not the optimal way to provide technical knowledge and skills to this profession considering their responsibilities.

CASA approves mainly NVET approved RTOs as Part 147 maintenance training organisations but not LAME basic training courses. Why approve for basic AME training?

The EASR system from where Part 66 was copied, provides all the courses details including course duration.

Part 66 regulations and Part 66 MoS provide for separate courses to what is currently provided for AME training.

One size does not fit all.

These AMOs also demanded a fast-track foreign LAME system, like NZ has, to keep some of them in business.

It is now June and this is still to be finalised and promulgated.

There are positive ways to correct this issue specified in CASR Part 66 & MoS, but not used by CASA.

The Part 66 MoS enables courses for the general aviation aeroplane and the helicopter sectors but not supported by CASA who approves the MTOs.

AMROBA’s website under Training is full of solutions.

Ken Cannane

Executive Director

AMROBA

Phone: (02) 97592715

Mobile: 0408029329

www.amroba.org.au

Safety All Around.

While on the subject of LAMEs and aircraft maintenance regulatory ructions, I note that the CASA's latest spin doctor (with absolutely NFI about which end of the aircraft the smoke comes out of -  ) and former used car salesman Marcelja, apparently had a bit to say to the AHIA membership on the soon to be introduced Su_Spence version of CASR Part 43??

Via Oz Flying:
 

Part 43 won't be Mandatory: CASA

5 June 2024



CASA Executive Manager Stakeholder Engagement Andreas Marcelja told the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) this week that CASR Part 43 will not be mandatory once implemented.

Part 43 covers only those aircraft used in private or airwork operations, and is intended to remove the greater maintenance burden imposed on aircraft used in passenger-carrying operations. It will apply to both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.

Marcelja said that private and airwork operators would have the option to keep their aircraft in the higher category if they wanted.

"Our aim was to try and produce a ruleset that was appropriate for that kind of activity, particularly as we’re migrating airworthiness rules into the new CASR parts, so CAR 30 will eventually disappear and transition," he said.

"We wanted to disconnect the private and aerial work requirements from the air transport requirements, so not drag everyone up to an air transport requirement as we made those transitions.

"So [CASR Part] 43 makes a disconnect between air transport airworthiness and private and aerial work airworthiness. It gives people a choice."

CASR Part 43 was initially broadly welcomed by the aviation community, but as the ruleset and implementation get closer, reservations are starting to emerge, as was aired last week by the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA).

AMROBA's withdrew support for the legislation, citing disparity with the US system Part 43 is said to be based on. 

"During consultation, the overwhelming feedback we received was that people felt the US system was the most appropriate one, so Part 43 in Australia was based on the US Part 43," Marcelja stressed.

"And what it will do is allow a LAME who is licensed to do most of the maintenance and services on a private and aerial work aircraft only, independently of an organisation. But it’s absolutely a choice rather than a requirement.

It recognises that trained LAMEs have the skills, knowledge and background to perform a range of aviation maintenance without organisational approvals and produces a layer of checks and balances through an inspection authority.

"It won’t just be any LAME who can do everything; there’ll be certain maintenance tasks that a LAME can do and there’ll be other tasks that need an inspection authority.

"It will also allow maintenance providers such as CAR 30 organisations to service aircraft under the 43 scheme if they choose to.

"Some aircraft owners may keep their aircraft out of the 43 scheme because they have a future desire to use that aircraft for charter or sell it for use under another activity."

CASA has said the new part was currently with a Technical Working Group and transitional rules were still under construction, but that CASR Part 43 was expected to be implemented in the last quarter of this year, with a Plain English Guide to be published at the same time.

Hmm...care to comment KC??    

MTF...P2