[Peetwo]

BJ's attempted placation of the Oz Aviation Industry with the ARF?? -

Via the DPM's Dept office:

Setting Australia's aviation industry on a course to recovery

The Liberal and Nationals Government is setting Australia’s aviation industry on a course to recovery, providing a platform from which it can return to pre-pandemic heights and drive Australia’s economic recovery on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future.

Since the pandemic began, the Government has committed over $5.3 billion in assistance to the aviation sector. This is in recognition of the critical role it plays in supporting jobs, driving economic growth and transporting people, goods and commodities to where they need to be.

The Government’s timely, proportionate and targeted support provided stability for airlines when planes were grounded and security for workers who were furloughed during the pandemic.

The Government’s Aviation Recovery Framework, released today, is a strategy developed with industry, for industry to help the sector navigate its way back to a position of strength.

Aviation is a key driver of economic activity. Prior to the pandemic, the sector supported over 90,000 jobs and thousands more across other sectors of the economy. Australia relies on aviation for our economic and social prosperity, to connect our communities and businesses with each other and to the world.

The Government responded to calls for support throughout the pandemic and now we are going a step further, ensuring the sector has the right policy and regulatory settings for aviation to thrive again.

Where possible, the Government is also working to reduce red tape and costs for industry. This will drive the sector’s recovery and support a strong, competitive, safe and sustainable aviation sector into the future, while also ensuring industry operators are in a stronger position to respond to future challenges.

The Framework is underpinned by six strategic priorities, including:

• supporting aviation efficiency by targeting investment and enhancing regulatory settings to help businesses across the entire industry to thrive;
  
• building a sustainable pipeline of workforce skills for the future;
  
• adopting and integrating emerging aviation technologies, including drones;
  
• modernising airports regulation to ensure Australia has the aviation infrastructure it needs for the future;
  
• revitalising General Aviation to help it realise its potential in supporting business and the community, especially in our regions; and
  
• better connecting regional communities by providing targeted support for access to essential aviation services and investing in regional aviation infrastructure.
  

To support the implementation of the Framework, a new Strategic Aviation Advisory Forum will advise the Government on progress of the sector’s recovery, as well as issues affecting the industry moving forward.

The Government has also renewed the membership of the General Aviation Advisory Network and will commission a targeted review of the Civil Aviation Act to identify any appropriate amendments necessary to enhance productivity, innovation and competiveness in the aviation industry.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the Government is putting the policy framework in place to help Australia’s aviation industry emerge bigger, better and stronger on the other side of the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation sector, with border closures and health safety measures limiting air travel for well over 18 months now,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“As a critical enabler of economic activity, the Government is focused on ensuring the industry returns to pre-pandemic levels as soon as it is safe to do so. We also want the sector to grow into the future.

“The Government’s Aviation Recovery Framework outlines our plans to help drive the sector’s recovery, in line with the National Plan to transition Australia’s National COVID-19 Response.

“We are putting in place policies and regulation to foster a competitive, safe and secure aviation sector that all Australians can rely on, and not just for travel and leisure purposes.

“Aviation is integral to our national supply chains, providing essential services to regional and remote communities and connecting Australian businesses with international markets.

“Importantly, General Aviation is a key pillar in our strategy. This is in recognition of the many critical services it contributes to the sector, none more important than flight and maintenance training capability.

“The Framework builds on the assistance we have provided to date and will provide the policy and financial settings aviation operators need to recover strongly and grow on the other side of the pandemic.”

To boost the industry’s recovery and growth, the Government is providing further support, including:

• a $30 million rebate program to support general and recreational aviation operators to install critical safety-boosting technology in their aircraft, enhancing safety outcomes across the sector;
  
• a further $4 million to extend the Women in the Aviation Industry Initiative, to fund initiatives aimed at increasing the number of females working in the sector;
  
• the $32.6 million Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships Program, which will accelerate the development of new aviation technology, such as drones;
  
• extending the Regional Airline Network Support program until March 31 2022;
  
• up to $29 million in grants under a third round of the Regional Airports Program to improve the safety and accessibility of airports or aerodromes in regional Australia; and
  
• a further $15 million in grants to upgrade remote and very remote aerodromes across Australia under the Remote Airstrip Upgrade program.
  

These sector-wide measures will drive the goals of the Framework and will help Australia’s aviation industry to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity, and grow into the future.

The Government thanks the sector and members of the Future of Aviation Reference Panel and the General Aviation Advisory Network for their advice on policy directions.

A strong aviation sector is key to our economic recovery and future prosperity. The Government is committed to helping the sector thrive once more for the benefit of all Australians and we look forward to working closely with industry to achieve this.

The Aviation Recovery Framework is available at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infras...s/aviation

The ARF - https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/...-12-17.pdf

Revitalising General Aviation

The Government will recognise General Aviation (GA) as a key component of the aviation ecosystem. By identifying opportunities to refine the regulatory framework and better understanding its contribution, the Government will enable GA to fully realise its role in efficiently and effectively supporting business and the community, particularly in regional areas.

Revitalising General Aviation Roadmap2 

• The Government will develop a Roadmap to Revitalising GA in Australia. Key features of the roadmap will include:

– Commissioning economic research from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) into the value and growth opportunities of the GA sector in Australia to help guide policy and investment decisions that best serve the national interest;

– A targeted review of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 to identify and resolve regulatory bottlenecks, improve consultation processes, and encourage risk-based and outcomes-focused regulatory activity;

– Encouraging innovation, and exploring the removal of barriers to export opportunities for Australian GA-related goods and services, including through the pursuit of potential mutual recognition arrangements.

• This initiative responds to a proposal generated by the General Aviation Advisory Network (GAAN) and has been included in submissions provided to the Senate’s GA Inquiry.

Support to increase the uptake of ADS-B in General Aviation to enhance safety and access to airspace3

• The Government will provide $30 million in rebates to eligible aircraft operators for up to $5,000, or 50 per cent of the cost of installing Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder technology.

• Situational awareness is a critical element of aviation safety. A clear understanding of what is in local airspace, and what is likely to happen next is fundamental to positive aviation safety outcomes. Australian pilots operating under ‘Visual Flight Rules’ (VFR) have long operated on the principle of ‘see and avoid’, which essentially means looking out for other airspace users and avoiding them.

• Human scanning will always be important, but modern technology can support pilots in seeing and avoiding other aircraft. ADS-B technology enables aircraft to be accurately tracked by air traffic controllers without complete reliance on conventional radar.

• Australia has significant ADS-B surveillance coverage across the continent. Improved visibility of smaller aircraft through fitment of ADS-B devices will provide air traffic controllers and other pilots with better air traffic information and enhance search and rescue capabilities. A more accurate understanding of airspace usage will also promote efficient and effective utilisation of airspace, and potentially allow room for new and emerging technologies, such as drones, to utilise airspace more effectively.


2 Further information is available at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infras...l-aviation 
3 Further information is available at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infras...l-aviation 

Sandy in reply doesn't waste time on calling WALOB on BJ's (B)ARF - via FB:

Sandy Reith

“…return to pre-pandemic heights.”

Yes maybe airline activity but for General Aviation return to lower lows would be a fair description. Having read the latest “recovery for aviation” statement I’m sorry to say that this is my reply:-
Reading the blurb I’m afraid it’s just more words and includes yet another advisory body. Can you believe it another advisory body? How many is that?

What’s the point of counting, not one substantive reform policy change enacted from any of them and General Aviation (GA) is going down the drain at a faster rate than ever.

It’s hard to believe that a supposedly first world country Australia could destroy it’s General Aviation base so thoroughly but check the facts via the Government’s own BITRE statistics and then plot them against our population growth. Then see if you can find any statistics about the loss of hundreds of flying schools and charter operators this last thirty years, but you can’t, they don’t keep the truly awful facts of GA’s destruction.

So here we have more talk and promises but no action.

Even talking about spending money by government picking winners in aviation technology. Winners? ‘they hope,’ and bet the recipients of Minister Joyce's largesse will be represented by some clever chancers and hardly concealed con men.

I will say to Barnaby Joyce keep ‘your’ money, actually the taxpayer dollar, and get CASA and Home Affairs (the biennial $300 ASIC) off our backs. No news about the incredible taxing of GA by the hounding of the GA industry with costly procedures and swingeing fees for all their new and completely unnecessary permits.

The Minister’s pronouncement shows that he still hasn’t grasped the fact he he has to make specific policies via a new Statement of Expectations to CASA in order to make some immediate reforms prior to disbanding CASA and creating a new Department of Civil Aviation under a responsible Minister.

And, no news about the alienation of irreplaceable airport lands or the eviction of aviation businesses. No news about the unjust destruction of Glen Buckley’s umbrella flying school business.

Unbelievable blurb obviously written up by some of the CASA CEO’s former colleagues in Minister Joyce’s Department of Infrastructure and served up with the usual garnish of stale intentions.

Disappointing in the extreme, no backbone in this twaddle of dumb platitudes and ‘throw some money and more promises at them.’

Heard it all before, since 1989 when they wrote to me, “we are going to reduce costs and simplify the regulations…” Believe it? Sure, and I’d better clean my chimney so Santa doesn’t get his clothes dirty.

One tries to say politely, "please don't insult us with your money and promises." It's certainly becoming a strain to remain polite because patience after thirty years has run out.

Also via the UP: Minister Barnaby Joyce …” a new Strategic Aviation Advisory Forum …”

Hmm...could I suggest the DPM does a performance appraisal of CASA from (a) the recent GA inquiry :   

Ref: GA Inquiry witnesses rating - From Gold Star (chocfrog) to WOFTAM?? & HANSARD

...and (b) this 'Closing the safety loop' thread post: CASA and the Vic Coroner??

However the Vic Coroner link that caught my interest (& ire) was a CASA LEGAL AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DIVISION reply to 2 Coroner's recommendations addressed to the regulator: link - https://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/sit...0FLINN.pdf

14. CASA considers that training for inadvertent entry into IMC is more appropriate for
pilots rated only for VFR conditions. Without appropriate prior training and an aircraft
designed for IFR operations, such pilots are more likely to become spatially
disoriented or unable to safely operate the aircraft in IMC.

15. Therefore, while it does not propose to take any action in relation to this
recommendation at this stage, CASA is proposing a review of the competency
standards and the two-yearly review of proficiency rules (known as a flight review) for
private pilots in the next 18 months. A review of the basic instrument flying standards
and the related non-technical skills and human factors required of PPL holders will be
included in that review.

... in comparison to this 6 year old PAIN Coronial Analysis document: https://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/...alysis.pdf - i.e. what's changed?

We noted the following items:-

1) The frustration expressed by various Coroners, through transcripts, where trying to establish a clear picture through the lack of deep technical knowledge and sound advice.

2) The frustration expressed by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in almost every report published, where sound advice and research has been belittled or waved aside as insubstantial.

 3) The seemingly deeply entrenched culture of constant antagonism and abrogation of responsibility existing between the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the ATSB.

These issues appear to often place the Coroner in the invidious position of having to make a choice between 2 'expert' opinions. The following incident reports are from a wide range available for consideration; they, we believe encompass the issues noted.

• We believe that non of the promised legislation, against which many Coroners based their recommendations, is available for practical use. 
  
• We believe none of the Coroners recommendations have been adopted to produce, in any practical, meaningful way improved safety outcomes. 
  
• We believe that, in real terms, there has been no pro active approach to reduce the self evident risks or casual factors related to the provided reports. 
  
• We firmly believe that all the presented incidents still have the potential to be repeated. 
  

The report editors.

Then reflect on the many tales of CASA embuggerance of industry participants and small businesses - see HERE - and it doesn't take long to fully realise what is truly ailing and inhibiting the GA industry from flourishing....  

It's time DPM to take the "S" out of CAsA and put back proper Ministerial oversight of the aviation regulator. - 

MTF...P2