[Peetwo]

AFTIA enters the Alphabet Stable and ABAA in support of the GAAN?? 

Via EWH on the Yaffa:

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New Association to tackle Flight Training Issues
17 September 2021

A new aviation association has been formed to support and advocate for the flight training industry. 

Announced today, the new association is called the Australian Flight Training Industry Association (AFTIA) and has been formed in response to what has been seen as under-representation of the sector in Canberra.

AFTIA will operate as an incorporated association run by a board. The chair of that board is Moorabbin Flying Services' Maddy Johnson.
"Currently, the flight training sector is fragmented and has no representative body to speak collectively for all levels of aviation training from high capacity regular public transport (RPT) to the local flying school level," Johnson said.

"This has resulted in a disconnect between industry and government at a time of regulatory reform when FTOs [Flight Training Organisations] need strong advocacy with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and other aviation organisations and bodies.

"AFTIA has been formed to take a strategic view of flight training with the aim of representing all areas of flight training as a single voice."

According to AFTIA, the association aims to become the principle body for both CASA and the department to engage on matter relating to flight training, and provide a conduit for FTOs and other stakeholders to give voice to concerns about flight training.

AFTIA also recognises that the flight industry is in challenging times, and will benefit from having an umbrella organisation to help with recovery.

"Competition in aviation has always been robust and the uncertainly of COVID has increased the pressure," AFTIA states. "The ability of the industry to recover is still uncertain, and the path forward is not yet clear.

"Recovery may be relatively fast, but matching trained pilots with demand may be difficult without a collaborative approach, which could put the long-term sustainability of the industry at serious risk."

AFTIA will initially concentrate on issues such as:

• pilot shortages needing an influx of overseas-trained pilots to fill
  
  
• regulatory change and reform
  
  
• foreign-backed FTOs influencing the industry
  
  
• the impact of decisions made at airline level cascading down to FTOs
  
  
• airline recruiting instructors leaving gaps in capability at FTOs.
  

The AFTIA board includes several of the most experience flight trainers in Australia, with Par Avion's Shannon Wells, Airspeed Aviation's Ben Wyndham, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society Matthew Gray and Tim Holland of Flight Options taking positions alongside Johnson.

AFTIA says it will be developing a prospectus for members in the coming weeks.

More information on AFTIA is available through:
Chair – Maddy Johnson (VIC)  maddy.johnson@aftia.org.au
Secretary – Ben Wyndham (NSW)  ben.wyndham@aftia.org.au

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Plus from EWH in this week's LMH: https://www.australianflying.com.au/the-...ember-2021

..They call them The Acronyms: aviation groups by whose lettering we know them. AOPA, AAA, AAAA, RAAA, RAAus, ALAEA, AMROBA, TAAAF, GAAN; inevitably there's at least one "A" in every letter set. This week another one has been added to the roll call: the Australian Flight Training Industry Association (AFTIA). The news is likely to prompt a chorus of howls that we don't need another association, and there is merit in the chorus; too many voices can serve to confuse rather than clarify. But there is good reason for the genesis of AFTIA: despite all those acronyms, flight training advocacy has been playing second fiddle to the primary cause of each group. No-one was championing the cause of flight training organisations above all else. It could be argued that the result of that is currently enshrined in Part 61, Part 141, Part 142 and all the problems that those regs have birthed. That's not to denigrate in anyway the efforts of groups like AOPA Australia and the RAAA, both of which have stepped in to tow the FTO cause forward at times, but flight training needs a prime mover of its own, and that prime mover should be AFTIA. When I first caught wind of the desire for AFTIA, I assigned writer Angela at Avalon to get inside the motivation for an FTO association. The results of her work are published in the September-October 2021 issue of Australian Flying. That work reveals a training industry crying out to be heard from behind a wall of conflicted priorities, a situation that places FTOs in a very precarious position at a time when aviation needs its bedrock to be most stable. Now, in AFTIA, the flight training industry has its own voice, one which may soon prove to be one of the loudest...

Slight thread drift here...

While we're on the Alphabets and in line with this BJ thread post: Please Sir - A GANDER AT THE GAAN??

I bring you the ABAA FAAS submission and it's all about the..MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!

Australian Business Aviation Association Inc.
ABN 32 082 750 492

13th November 2020

Director
Project Strategy Unit
Strategic and Economic Policy Projects
GPO Box 594
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Via e-mail to: aviationconsultation@infrastructure.gov.au

Dear Director,

Response to Future of Australia’s Aviation Sector - Issues Paper

100% support of the response 11th November by Mr Andrew Anderson, Chair of the GAAN.

Mr Anderson has covered many matters of importance to the General Aviation Sector in
Australia.

The ABAA would like to add the following comments and recommendations:

Covid-19 The ABAA wishes to thank the Hon Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister and
officers of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, together with
CASA and Airservices Australia for their support of the Aviation Industry during Covid-19. Many
ABAA member companies have been in a position to accept both the financial and operational
assistance measures, such as renewal of pilot licenses and ratings etc.

Lack of International Harmonisation of CASA Regulations

As we emerge from the Covid-19 induced lockdowns, the ABAA will closely monitor the
operational introduction of several CASA revised regulations, which include CASRs 121 and
135, which may impact negatively on some ABAA member companies.

Also, revised CASRs 135 and 121 do not harmonise with US FAA Regulations. We see this as
imposing unnecessary extra cost burdens for several ABAA member companies and again,
Australia will be out of step with the USA, which has by far the largest and most successful
aviation industry and aviation Infrastructure in the world.

Business jet operations at Sydney Airport during the curfew

Discussions have continued during 2020 with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and
Regional Development. Our latest proposal follows:

1) A fair and reasonable cap be introduced for quiet business jet movements during
the curfew period at Sydney Airport.
2) Whilst waiting for the relevant Sydney Airport Act to be amended, a dispensation
process be implemented to permit quiet business jets, which are certified to ICAO
Chapter IV noise standards and certified with seating for a maximum of 19 passengers,
to operate during the curfew. Perhaps, this could be similar to recent dispensations
for Boeing 737 freight operations during the curfew period.

We are recommending that quiet business jets, which are certified as above, be permitted to
operate during the curfew. The proposal is for these newer quiet business jets to join those
which are already approved in accordance with the 1990s legislation. Our proposal is
scientifically based on noise, not weight.

For example, latest technology, long range business jets, which have recently commenced
production include the Bombardier Global 7500, certified to Chapter IV noise standards and
certified with a maximum of 19 passenger seats. These certification standards for business jets
have been accepted throughout the world for many years. The Global 7500 has a Maximum
Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 52,095kg and a Maximum Landing Weight (MLW) of 39,735kg.

Also, the Gulfstream G700, soon to be certified to Chapter IV noise standards and with a
maximum of 19 passenger seats, is expected to have an MTOW of 48,807kg and MLW of
37,875kg.

Unfortunately, both the Global 7500 and the G700 are not permitted to operate during the
curfew due to the anachronistic ( appropriate to an earlier period), MTOW limit of 34,000kg,
which was stipulated in the 1990s legislation. This was based on the largest business jet in
general use at that time being the Gulfstream GIV with an MTOW of 33,800kg.

The Economic Case

Sydney is widely recognised as Australia’s leading Gateway City, with many business jet
operators visiting on a regular basis to conduct meetings, negotiate contracts and to assess
business opportunities. Most of these operations are carried out in non curfew periods, however
there is a requirement for a relatively small number of movements in the curfew period.

Since the early 2000s, longer range, quieter and more fuel efficient business jets have been
replacing older less fuel efficient aircraft. We are aware that at least five Bombardier Global
7500 and Gulfstream G700 business jets have been ordered by Australian customers, who are
replacing older less efficient business jets.

It would seem unfair, to penalise these operators for choosing new state of the art, fuel efficient,
low noise aircraft.

Movement Statistics (Provided by Department of Infrastructure and Transport)

Movements during the curfew period in recent years have been dominated by BAe146 freight
aircraft with 2,395 movements in 2019 and 595 in the 1st quarter of 2020. Also, in the permitted
propeller aircraft category, some movements would have been with noisy Garrett powered turbo
prop aircraft. The complete list of aircraft operations during the curfew period in 2019 follows:

(see ABAA submission for table)

* Business jet movements of 121 in 2019, represented 2.7% of total curfew movements.

BAe146 freight jets have a cap of 74 movements per week. However, in 2019 these aircraft
used only 62.24% of their movement cap.

The ABAA is seeking a reasonably “level playing field'' even though we do not expect anywhere
near the number of BAe146 freight movements and search/rescue movements. We are seeking
a fair and reasonable outcome for our members and visiting business jets.

Yours sincerely

David Bell OAM
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Business Aviation Association Inc.

13th November 2020

The ABAA represents owners and operators of turbine powered business aircraft, which are
based in Australia. Also, the ABAA is a member of the International Business Aviation Council
(IBAC), co-located with ICAO in Montreal, Canada. IBAC comprises 14 Business Aviation
Associations throughout the world. Please visit www.ibac.org

MTF...P2