[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 13 December 2024

13 December 2024

– Steve Hitchen

If Airservices and the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR) implement the Bankstown Corridor exactly as proposed, it will instantly become the most dangerous patch of airspace in Australia. The ceiling is too low, the throat is too narrow and violations of controlled airspace (VCA) are virtually guaranteed by this design. Feedback on the design published this week confirms all of that. In sum, most people think a corridor is a good idea, but this design doesn't work. I think maybe Airservices, CASA and the department may be finally understanding that Western Sydney International is a pterodactyl among the pigeons: when it lands everyone else has to vacate the airspace or get eaten up. Building a major airport and clearing the airspace to accommodate it has been a major upheaval to all aviation in the Sydney basin, but only general aviation is being made to pay for that. The DoD keeps their airspace at Holsworthy and, except for a minor adjustment to the southern boundaries, Sydney International gets to keep all theirs. Bankstown loses virtually everything, driving up costs to an unsustainable point. A corridor might work, but needs to be higher and wider, and that means DoD and Sydney surrendering airspace, which in the scheme of things will still be a skerrick of the airspace that has been wrested from Bankstown.

"..Recreational aviation has flourished precisely because of reduced CASA involvement.."

CASA has come to the inevitable conclusion that sport and recreational pilots are safe enough to be granted access to controlled airspace, provided the skills and requirements match those of GA pilots. The consultation responses largely supported the new policy, or at least didn't oppose it. What this means is that RAAus-registered aircraft with properly qualified pilots at the stick will be able to use the likes of Tamworth, Launceston, Albury, Rocky, Mackay and so forth, and perhaps most importantly, Ballina from November next year. The new policy brings a lot of value to recreational aviation, but one thing may dilute that value: the need for at least a Class 5 medical and therefore an ARN. Will this be a show-stopper? For some RPC holders, I suspect it might. Recreational aviation has flourished precisely because of reduced CASA involvement, and many pilots are wary about CASA knowing anything about them at all; they don't want to be on CASA's radar. Although their ARN would have only the Class 5 information on it and nothing about their pilot certificate or qualifications, CASA even knowing they exist is a scary proposition. That's OK; no-one is making CTA/R mandatory, so for those pilots, nothing needs to change. For pilots who see the benefit of using controlled airports, passing through military airspace and transiting Class C, getting an ARN and going through the Class 5 education program won't be much of a hurdle. The starter's gun goes off some time next year, and the entire GA community will be watching to see how much recreational pilots embrace controlled airspace.

What I am looking forward to the most in 2025 is CASA's GA Workplan 2.0. Earlier this year, CASA called for ideas for a new workplan and the Federal Government committed them to it in the 2024 Aviation White Paper, even though it was always going to happen. The previous workplan delivered the Class 5 medical, access to CTA for RAAus, expanded privileges for flight examiners and a bevy of other things, so I am hanging out to see what they intend to tackle in the latest iteration. Mind you, there are some things outstanding from the previous plan that have proven thorny to introduce, most notably CASR Part 43 on GA maintenance. With industry support withdrawn, CASA is up against the wall when it comes to introducing it. Part 43 was supposed to have been done by Q4 2023, and now there is no deadline for completion. Hopefully, Workplan 2.0 will contain some innovative and progressive actions that won't be impeded by the need to sort the outstandings from Workplan 1.0.

That is LMH done for 2024. We go into our summer hiatus now, but we'll be back again on Friday 24 January completely restored and ready for what 2025 brings. I would like to take this chance to thank all those involved with LMH: James, Priscilla, Anthony, John, Andrew and Kreisha for their efforts throughout the year. My biggest thanks I will reserve for the sources, aviators, readers, subscribers and friends who keep my work as honest and accurate as possible. And then there is my partner, Sonya the Magnificent, who puts up with all my rants, stress explosions and moments of illogical raving that never see the light of day. LMH is made up of all of those people; I just work the keyboard.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

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Plus LMH 2024 wrap...

2024: The Year Behind

11 December 2024


As aviation years go, 2024 was not the worst we've ever had. In fact, by some measures it could be assessed as one of the best.

The Class 5 medical finally became a thing after decades of work by the aviation community, CASA approved Group G for RAAus and CASA committed to a new GA workplan. Conversely, there was the crushing blow of the Sydney airspace architecture and ongoing argy-bargy over CASR Part 43, with the ALP's aviation white paper delivering good news, bad news and indifferent news in equal proportions.

But things happened, and as the year comes to a close, it's time to reflect on the top stories of the year and how they changed GA in Australia.

2024 Aviation White Paper
For a document that the industry wasn't really sure it wanted anyway, the 2024 Aviation White paper caused frustration when it was delayed by political necessity and, apparently, the collapse of Rex. When it came, it was an improvement over the ALP's 2009 effort in that it wasn't universally binned by the GA community. Heavy on zero-emissions rhetoric, this white paper at least contained initiatives that can be traced back to the minister's GA advisory team. But like the 2009 version, it also missed the opportunity to instigate genuine game-changing actions.

Aviation White Paper focuses on Sustainability for GA
Aviation White Paper: a GA Perspective

Sydney Airspace Redesign
Western Sydney Airport was always going to be an upheaval for GA in Sydney, swamping vast tracts of Class G airspace and depriving Bankstown and Camden of their traditional training areas. Any vestige of optimism was stamped out when the initial airspace designs confirmed fears. Bankstown in particular would be cornered with only impractical routes being offered to distant training ground. Designs for a VFR leading southward, linking the airport to a training area considered unsuitable by many, have raised new safety concerns. With higher costs involved with training, there are real fears for the future of Bankstown.

New Airspace Design to reduce Glass G in Sydney Basin
AMG calls for Compensation for Sydney GA Operators
Consultation opens for new Bankstown VFR Corridor
RAAA airs Fears over Bankstown Corridor
CASA mulls Feedback on Bankstown Corridor

Class Five Medical
The long-awaited self-declared medical standard finally arrived during the year, but it came with conditions that restrict its value to the GA community. For some it was justification for many years of advocacy, but for others it still wasn't enough. However, the Class 5 standard has proven popular, and CASA says it is collecting data to determine if some of those conditions can be removed.

Consultation Results clear Path for Class 5 Medical
CASA to implement Class 5 Medical this Week
Unpacking the Class 5 Medical
GA embraces Class 5 Medical

RAAus Group G Approved
In January, CASA approved RAAus to administer aircraft with MTOWs up to 760 kg. RAAus had already created the Group G category in anticipation for aircraft in the 601-760 kg MTOW range. RAAus announced that registrations would start in March, but soon deferred implementing Group G, admitting they weren't ready. A complete review of the operations manual was needed. Now, at the end of the year, Group G is still not up and running. The ASAO has issued a new technical manual that includes the new category, and is now predicting they will be ready for the first registrations by the end of March 2025.

RAAus granted Approval for Group G
Group G delay Due to Operations Manual Review
RAAus issues New Technical Manual with Group G

The ADS-B Rebate goes on
In an effort to get more VFR aircraft using ADS-B, the Federal Government introduced a rebate system for aircraft owners. Even though $5000 or 50% of the upgrade costs was on the table, barely a dint was made in the mass of aircraft not equipped. It was a lack of engineers rather than a lack of will that was holding the scheme back. Accordingly, the ALP government elected to first extend the rebate into 2025, and then in the white paper pushed it out again to 2027. However, the lack of engineers continues to be a ball-and-chain to progress.

Federal Government extends and expands ADS-B Rebate

Ballina Airspace
The story of the problematic airspace around Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport in northern NSW did not start in 2024, and it didn't finish there either. Too many conflicts and a couple of incidents prompted CASA to demand the airspace be controlled by a Class D tower. Then came the architecture, an issue that is ongoing. The CTR design is controversial in that it shuts out the vibrant recreational aviation sector in the area, which seems to have become collateral damage. The tower is due to go live by November 2025 although the airspace issue has not been settled by the end of 2024.

CASA seeks Feedback on New Ballina Proposal
Feedback reveals Recreational Fears around Ballina
Consultation opens on Ballina Airspace
CASA seeks Feedback on Preferred Ballina-Byron Design

CASR Part 43 GA Maintenance
CASR Part 43 was supposed to make maintenance of GA aircraft in the private and airwork categories easier and cheaper. The rules should have been written by now, but the GA industry is split on how it should be implemented and what is should allow. In May, the influential Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) withdrew support for the new regulations, saying that the Australian regulations proposed were nothing like the US FAR 43 on which they were supposed to be based. Even though CASA pointed out that Part 43 was not going to be mandatory, AMROBA continued to oppose it and aired concerns that engine overhauls performed by Aircraft Maintenance Technician Certificate Class 1 (AMTC1) would reduce aviation safety.

AMROBA withdraws Support for CASR Part 43
Part 43 won't be Mandatory: CASA
AMTC Overhaul threatens Safety: AMROBA

CASA GA Workplan
Several stories followed this year came back to one: CASA's GA Workplan. Begun in 2022, the workplan is a series of reforms to reduce the regulatory burden on GA. With many actions complete, CASA began casting around for ideas for Workplan 2.0. Further support came in the 2024 Aviation White Paper, and at the time of writing the regulator was just about ready to publish the result. Is this having an impact on GA? The answer to that is both Yes and No.

CASA forges ahead with GA Workplan 2.0

Maxine takes over RAAus
With Matt Bouttell rejoining CASA, the CEO seat at RAAus became vacant. To fill it, the board looked inwards and found Maxine Milera among their ranks. Milera was appointed, but the CEO position as it had been was split, with Cody Calder taking on the new role of Chief of Aviation. The impact has been to free up Milera to look at running an organisation whilst Calder managed the aviation side and became the accountable person under CASR Part 149.

Matt Bouttell to leave RAAus
RAAus appoints Maxine Milera as Permanent CEO
A Change at the Top

GippsAero rebuilds
In November 2023 new broke that GippsAero was back in Australian hands. This icon of the GA community had been owned by the Mahindra conglomerate for too long, and now co-founder George Morgan had bought them out. Morgan and his family immediately took stock and implemented a plan to put the company back on stable ground and kick-start production of new Airvans again. To top it off, George Morgan and co-founder the late Peter Furlong were inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame. It was a big year, one which heralds an even bigger year in 2025.

GippsAero Founders honoured with AAHOF Induction
Rebuilding GippsAero

MTF...P2