[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 16 August 2024

16 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

I have used this column several times to cajole the government into getting out the aviation white paper that was promised mid year. I predicted early July, but here it is mid August and nothing yet. Agents within Canberra have hinted that the reason why it hasn't yet been tabled even though a final version was delivered to the minister, is that some new bits needed to be added. But now it is likely to be delayed even more by REX going into voluntary administration. People in the know have whispered that the original paper probably contained nothing for regional aviation other than platitudes and continuing subsidies for some routes. REX getting the financial wobbles may have caused ripples within the department and resulted in the white paper reverting to draft mode ... again. The public statements of support and understanding coming from the minister would look like political whitewash if the white paper then contained nothing of substance. Right now, the department could do a lot worse than re-engage with the Regional Aviation Association of Australia to sort out a holistic solution that keeps regional airlines healthy, retains connections for communities and provides an important link in the career chain for aspiring ATPLs.

"..the MOS gets thrown back at CASA in a flurry of fluttering paper.."

It's a rare moment when a technical working group (TWG) rejects proposed regulation outright and wholesale, but that's what happened with the CASR Part 103 Manual of Standards back in October 2021. Without a MOS of any sort, recreational aviation has had to benefit from a number of exemptions from the CAOs to make it legal. Since that happened, the TWG that threw back the MOS hasn't been reconvened. From my understanding, CASA's proposed MOS was overly prescriptive,  ignored the concept of informed participation and watered down the administrative responsibilities of the Approved Self-administering Aviation Organisations (ASAO). If that's right, rejecting the MOS was probably the right thing to do, and in the circumstances, hardly a surprising move. What is surprising, is that the draft MOS got to that state in the first place. My first reaction (and first reactions are often wrong because they are based on incomplete information) was that somewhere in Canberra two connections are not meeting up: CASA's sense of what an ASAO is for, and the ASAOs' idea of what an ASAO is for. CASR Part 149 was supposed to make the ends meet, but somehow has failed. Hence, the MOS gets thrown back at CASA in a flurry of fluttering paper. So, it's a logical and smart move for CASA to reconnect the ends via consultation with the industry, and reconvening the TWG. The only snag is that the whole of Part 103 and its MOS will be torched when CASA accepts and moves to implement the new MOSAIC rules currently being developed in the USA. To that end, are we better off falling back on the exemptions for the time being and waiting to see what comes out of MOSAIC?

And just to add further to the register of rickety regulation, people and organisations that once whole-heartedly supported the introduction of CASR Part 43 on GA maintenance are starting to rethink their positions. The Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) very publicly reversed their direction on Part 43 from "yea" to "nay", which may be a dagger in the heart of the proposed regulation. With that imprimatur in the bin, other organisations are wondering if persisting with Part 43 is simply pumping air into a punctured inner tube. Even if CASA implements a regulation that stands to reduce the maintenance burden for private and airwork aircraft owners, the MROs can simply refuse to do the work to that standard, making Part 43 a duck on crutches. It has been six years since this was first proposed, and now the GA community is perhaps further away from maintenance reform than ever before. At a time when engineers are scarce, parts are expensive or simply unobtainable, commercial and flying school aircraft get maintenance priority and aircraft are getting more complex, I find I need to pose one question: if not CASR Part 43, then what will be done to prevent this spiral dive?

On a sunnier outlook, I am getting more excited the closer we get to the 2024 Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) induction dinner at Shellharbour Airport on 26 October. One of the big drawcards is the Southern Cross Award being handed to the Australian Women Pilots Association (AWPA), which has seen a rash of bookings from members wanting to witness their association being honoured. Not only is this recognition of the AWPA well overdue, but also Australia's women aviators know how to party, and this is a great opportunity to join them. And there is the added attraction of seeing two of aviation's more contemporary icons being inducted into AAHOF: George Morgan and the late Peter Furlong. As the founders of GippsAero, these two showed the world that despite the discouraging aviation manufacturing culture in Australia, we could still design and build a classic aeroplane with amazing capability: the GA8 Airvan. I will be adding my applause to the ovation when their names are read out and encourage everyone else to do the same. If you're up for a great night of aviation with a bit of glitz and glamour thrown in, get yourself to the AAHOF webpage and book a chair for the night. I have been told there are spots left, but not a whole lot.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Also in General Aviation news, Oz Flying/CASA has provided an update on NOTAM'd airspace restrictions for the Pacific Air Show Gold Coast: Airspace Restrictions for Gold Coast this Weekend & Gold Coast airspace restrictions in place for Pacific Airshow & Significant temporary airspace restrictions for Gold Coast

I also note that the Federal MP has promoted the PAGC via the HoR Federation Chamber, well done that lady...

Ms BELL (Moncrieff) (10:36): The Pacific Airshow is back on the Gold Coast this weekend, after an immensely successful sellout in its inaugural year last year. It's held over three days. The rain, I know, is going to stop and the sun will come out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday all day so that we can be treated to what is going to be the sky show of the year in this country. Organisers are expecting to top last year's 150,000 tickets sold. We're likely to see up to 300,000 spectators line the beaches all the way from Main Beach down to Miami and all the surf clubs in between will be packed out to see this event in the skies. The restaurants will be absolutely bursting at the seams, and it will be great to see.

It's a family-friendly airshow that has cemented itself as a must attend. Of course, it's a unique annual event in South-East Queensland among residents and visitors alike and people will be coming from all over the world to the Pacific Airshow. We have wonderful veterans who are going to be there and some stunning acts in the sky. It will definitely feature the world's best civilian performers, some military aviators and emerging aviation technology doing things that will make you turn your head and perhaps hold your stomach a little bit. When you see the loop-the-loops, the corkscrews, the up-agains and the upside-downs that the planes do, it's quite incredible.

To all those incredibly talented pilots whom we'll see in the sky over the next three days and their teams, thank you. The joy and entertainment you bring to hundreds of thousands of spectators is unmatched. We've been flown into a new era of spectacular global events, with the second Pacific Airshow, a sister event to the famous Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach in California, and its professional team from Code Four locked in for three more years of in-sky entertainment that Gold Coasters, Australians, Americans and the rest of the world will enjoy. A big congratulations to the Pacific Airshow team, Major Events Gold Coast, Experience Gold Coast and the Australian Defence Force for the incredible work that you've done in the lead-up to this event.

Some of the biggest drawcards at this year's event are defence assets: the RAAF F-35A display; the USAF F-22 Raptors, which will be stunning; the US Navy's P-8 Poseidon; the RAAF Roulettes, which are the upside-down ones I was talking about; the RAAF 100 Squadron; and Nitro Circus—and that's just to name a few. Nothing compares to the joy and exhilaration that we are going to see this weekend on the Gold Coast.

This event also provides certainty to businesses that really need a lifeline, because so many businesses on the Gold Coast are struggling at the moment. At last year's event I spoke with the operator of a food van that pulled up outside one of the surf clubs and took a huge amount of revenue just in a couple of days with coffees and sandwiches. That really did save them and kept them going in that post-COVID period when they were trying to come back. The surf clubs I've mentioned, all the way from North Burleigh surf club up the coast to Southport surf club, will all be absolutely stoked this weekend when the air show comes to town.

I just want to say a few thankyous to some people who have been in this from the beginning. Right at the very beginning, in October 2020, Jan McCormick from Major Events Gold Coast came to my office on Chevron Island to discuss how we were going to deliver this air show. To bring the Australian Defence Force to the table with this is no mean feat, and I would like to thank the cabinet minister Stuart Robert for his contribution to bring the Pacific Airshow to the Gold Coast but also the Leader of the Opposition, who was the Minister for Defence at that time and signed off on the Pacific Airshow and those defence assets. And it would be remiss of me not to thank the current Minister for Defence for his continuing support for the air show. This means a lot to my community. It means a lot to businesses. It is so very, very important. It's the coalition that supports these events. The coalition supports free enterprise, reward for effort and small business. Just like Gold Coasters, the coalition backs all of the small businesses who will greatly benefit this weekend.

To finish, I would just like to say how important the Pacific Airshow is with regard to our relationship with the United States, our closest ally and our good friend since the ANZUS Treaty in 1951. We have been so very close. Just last night I was in the Deputy President's courtyard, and we were meeting with congress men and women who are here in Canberra. We welcome those congress men and women who have taken the time to come to see our parliament, to visit our nation. I wish the US ambassador, Her Excellency Caroline Kennedy—who has gone home at the moment—all the best with the arrival of her new grandchild. I also thank the person acting in her role, Erika Olson, the Deputy Chief of Mission, for her contribution while Her Excellency Caroline Kennedy is not here.

Finally I note that our useless Minister oversighting aviation, Dick King has been forced to act on guaranteeing regional customers booking seats on Rex will either fly or be refunded, while Rex is going through it's voluntary administration period:

Flight guaranteed for regional Rex customers

The Albanese Government has today announced it will guarantee regional flight bookings for Rex customers throughout the voluntary administration process.

Travellers can continue to book regional flights on Rex during this process with certainty that they will either fly or get their money back.

Rex operates one of Australia’s largest regional air networks and provides essential connectivity to move people and critical freight on 41 routes to regional and remote communities, including 21 routes that are only serviced by Rex.

Rex’s continuation is in the best interests of Australia – and the Government is working closely with the administrators to ensure a strong regional aviation presence now and into the future.

The guarantee is for all regional flight bookings with Rex made after it entered voluntary administration at 9:31pm on 30 July 2024.

This will give customers confidence to continue booking regional flights with Rex – flights that allow them stay connected to family, friends, healthcare and other services – while also helping to maintain regional aviation in Australia.

My department will continue to work with the administrator on their plans for the continuation of services to regional communities.

We also expect the administrator to honour and prioritise the entitlements of Rex employees.

This guarantee is a message to regional Australia that we know how important reliable air services are to you and that we are not going to allow your communities to be left behind.

MTF...P2