[Peetwo]

St Commode: "Nothing to see here Mick Mack??" -   



Our useless NFI miniscule continues to believe his CASAmite and former St Commode adviser that everything is A-OK within the maladministration of CASA in this country - FDS!     

Via the SMH:

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Aviation safety inspectors claim staff shortage amid CASA restructure


By Patrick Hatch
December 9, 2019 — 12.00am

Federal transport minister Michael McCormack has declared "full confidence" in the nation's cash strapped aviation safety regulator amid claims a restructuring of the agency has led to a dangerous shortage in frontline inspection staff.

The Civil Aviation and Safety Authority is facing a $3.4 million budget shortfall this financial year, amid uncertainty around domestic aviation fuel excise revenue. Revenue from the 3.5¢-a-litre excise tax has been flat because major airlines Qantas and Virgin Australia have been limiting the number of domestic flights they offer in a bid to ensure stable profits.



CASA also faces a growing workload from international flights, which do not pay the excise tax.

Professionals Australia claimed there are 41 unfilled technical air safety positions at CASA, representing a 25 per cent reduction in airworthiness, pilot and safety systems inspectors over the past three years.

CASA said its inspector numbers have only fallen by eight, from 151 to 143. But the union claimed a further 33 positions are vacant due to inspectors being taken off front-line duty through secondments, special projects and acting roles.

"CASA has refused to fill these positions and has informed staff it has no intention of filling them until an anticipated restructure has taken place," said the union's Australian government group director Dale Beasley.

History has shown repeatedly what happens when standards slip. We are on a slippery slope towards degraded safety standards.

Mr McCormack, who is also deputy prime minister,  said in a statement he had "full confidence in CASA’s ability to perform its industry oversight obligations and ensure aviation safety.”


A CASA spokeswoman said the agency was in the process of "transforming the way we operate to provide more consistent and standardised safety oversight", and was developing a new "oversight model" that would identify staff roles and capabilities.


One CASA inspector, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk about the organisation publicly, said the staff shortage was forcing inspectors to cut corners and adopt “box ticking” approach to safety checks.

“We’ve got a huge number of people in CASA who have zero faith in management and genuinely believe that we’re setting ourselves up for a catastrophic event,” he said.



“We set a high standard, but that’s what first world aviation safety requires.

“History has shown repeatedly what happens when standards slip. We are on a slippery slope towards degraded safety standards.”



The resourcing gaps meant CASA has been unable to carry out inspections of overseas maintenance facilities, and unacceptable delays , Mr Beasley said.


CASA's latest corporate plan said it expected to run at a $3.4 million deficit in this financial year, and that it would try to balance its budget during "challenging" forward years.


CASA was to present a "detailed review" of its activities and funding requirements ahead of the government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, in a fortnight. CASA's spokeswoman said this review was likely to be considered in the next federal budget.


Labor's federal transport minister Catherine King said the union's claims were "extremely concerning", and Mr McCormack "must explain how he thinks this level of resourcing is sufficient to keep Australians safe.”


The government earlier this year amended the Civil Aviation Act so that CASA must now "consider the economic and cost impact on individuals, businesses and the community" of its safety regulation. This followed an outcry from smaller aviation operations who claimed they were being strangled by red tape.

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And also from Yahoo Finance:

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Aussie lives at risk from understaffed air safety workforce


Jessica Yun

View photos


Boeing's 787 Dreamliner aircraft lands in Sydney in May 24, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Source: Getty)

More

Australian travellers are at risk because of ‘chronic’ understaffing at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), an aviation union has warned.

According to Professionals Australia – ACT Branch and Australian Government Group director Dale Beasley, there are 122 technical air safety inspector positions across Australia.

However, only two thirds of them are filled, with current workers struggling with an “unsustainable” workload that was putting travellers in danger.

“Right now, these technical air safety staff are struggling to cover 41 vacant positions and have been doing so for 18 months. It’s an unacceptable risk for air travellers and is unsustainable for air safety staff,” he said.

Sydney and Melbourne were missing 25 per cent of their technical air safety staff, while Brisbane and Adelaide are missing a third of their workforce, he pointed out.

In Darwin, there are seven total positions available – but only one is filled.


“Clearly this is a highly stressful and dangerous situation for the air safety inspectors involved and puts Australia’s air travellers and flying operations at risk,” said Beasley.

“CASA’s understaffing of air safety across Australia has reached crisis point.”

However, he said CASA does not plan to fill up the available positions until an anticipated restructure planned over the next 18 months to three years.

The director added that concerns had been raised with CASA regarding the rising safety risks and hazards, but that the Authority’s response has been “flippant and dismissive”.

“Rather than simply filling the vacant positions, they’ve told staff it’s their responsibility to step forward if they’re feeling under pressure.”

If technical air safety roles are not filled, we could see disasters akin to the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX crash, which resulted in 189 deaths, said Beasley, who urged CASA to fill the roles.

“If CASA fails to fill these vital technical air safety roles and support existing staff, we’ll be counting the cost in lives, not dollars.”

Australian Federation of Air Pilots industrial and legal officer Paul Ferguson said CASA was not giving flying operations inspectors sufficient support, with flying training falling short of maintaining pilot qualifications.

“The minimum yearly 39-hour requirement of flying currency training is not being met,” he said. “Stalled recruitment has resulted in significant staff shortages, which is now compromising the effectiveness of CASA.”

“As Christmas approaches, it is critical that these gaps are filled to ensure the safe travel of all Australians at one of the busiest times of the year.”



Community and Public Sector Union national vice-president Lisa Newman added: “As Christmas approaches, it is critical that these gaps are filled to ensure the safe travel of all Australians at one of the busiest times of the year.”


Yahoo Finance has reached out to CASA for comment.

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Hmm...penny drop moment?? I just worked out why it was that Sterlo was asking these questions:

Question on notice no. 390

Senator Glenn Sterle: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 8 November
2019—

How many Flying Operations Inspectors are employed at CASA?
On average how many hours of flying currency training was completed by Flying
Operations Inspectors last year?
How many applications for flying currency training put forward by staff have been
rejected by CASA in the last year? On what grounds?
Are CASA meeting the ICAO requirements to maintain the skills and currency of
their staff to the same level held by industry?
How many Flying Operations Inspectors are 'not current' (ie training not up to date)
on the aircraft types they are required to oversight?


Question on notice no. 391

Senator Glenn Sterle: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 8 November
2019—

Is it correct that any engineering/maintenance organisation that wants to conduct any
maintenance on the aircraft conducting high capacity regular public passenger
services needs an approval issued by CASA under Civil Aviation Safety Regulation
(CASR) 145?
What are the steps involved in assessing and approving Part 145 approvals? Where
are these published?
What is the normal practice for reviewing Part 145 applications to conduct onsite
inspections of overseas operators and facilities who are seeking Part 145 approvals?
In the last 2 years, how many physical site inspections have been conducted as part of
145 approvals within Australia?
In the last 2 years, how many physical site inspections have been conducted as part of
145 approvals overseas?
What are the risks posed by organisations not being properly scrutinised in the Part
145 approval process?
Were CASA regulations followed in the assessment and approval of EFW's Part 145?


Question on notice no. 392

Senator Glenn Sterle: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 8 November
2019—

Does CASA agree that there are serious issues with workplace culture?
What steps is CASA taking to improve workplace culture?
How many vacant positions exist in the technical workforce?
What is the impact on industry and aviation safety of these positions being unfilled?
When does CASA plan on filling these vacancies?
CASA's corporate plan recognises that staff lacking skill or not having the capacity to
perform their role is a risk to aviation safety, why has CASA allowed so many
vacancies to remain in the technical workforce?

Hmm...I note that those questions still remain unanswered despite going past the due by date - 

I wonder if now would be a good time to mention that a decade ago we had very similar issues that was exacerbated by the findings of both an ICAO and FAA IASA audits that almost saw Australia bumped to Category II:

5. (C/NF) A downgrade to Category 2 would be the worst-case
scenario, which would entail measures such as
freezing Australia-U.S. flight operations to current levels
and terminating code-sharing arrangements, such as the one
between Qantas and American Airlines.  CASA officials are not
taking this possibility lightly and seem committed to
resolve the shortcomings in order to avoid a downgrade.

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7 December 2009: FAA/ICAO brief on 'next steps' after poor results/findings in the ICAO USOAP 2008 & FAA Nov 30- Dec 4 2009 Australian audits. (ref links - #53 & WikiLeaks cable PDF: http://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/2...ileaks.pdf

Ref: Pel-Air: A coverup: a litany of lies? - Version III




Ref: https://auntypru.com/sbg-24-11-2019-thre...-fountain/

MTF...P2