The Last Minute Hitch: 31 October 2025
31 October 2025
– Steve Hitchen
In The Last Minute Hitch on 2 May this year, I had a shot at all our federal pollies over a lack of support for GA and in particular the 47th parliament's omission of a Parliamentary Friends of Aviation Group. This week it was re-instated in the 48th parliament, and rightly so by my account. Friends groups create bipartisan environments for politicians and industry advocates to meet and hold informal conversations about issues concerning industry sectors. It's a good way for opinions to mingle. The aviation group, if we're being honest, will focus more on airlines and airports, but GA will get a coat-tails attachment thanks to the involvement of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia. RAAA CEO and GAAN chair Rob Walker attended the launch, and his organisation is on record as saying they will stand as advocates for GA in the absence of a more vocal and active lobby group. The beauty about Friends groups is that the onus to listen is thrown back on the pollies; that is the very point of the groups. And as membership of any is not mandatory, we at least know they're in it because they have genuine interest in aviation. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is a pilot herself, so the aviation community will be watching carefully to see if she has enough interest to join the group.
"..the government is trying to introduce a mandate the GA community is not in a position to accept.."
One topic that should be heavily debated by the Parliamentary Friends of Aviation is the proposed VFR ADS-B mandate. This is proving a controversial issue that is attracting some very visceral opinions; opinions that are dividing the private and recreational GA sectors into the yeasayers and the naysayers. The demarcation line seems to be around cost, which is one of the key points of the RAAus submission made public this week. Only the harshest critics would hold that ADS-B has not increased situational awareness and lowered the chances of traffic conflict, leaving cost as the primary objection to a mandate. That, and as RAAus has noted, a dearth of engineers qualified to fit equipment. For recreational aircraft, where weight is always a consideration, many owners will opt for Electronic Conspicuity (EC) devices rather than panel-mounted equipment, which doesn't need an engineer to install. But that's not a solution for everyone because EC devices can't be used for separation in controlled airspace. RAAus is perhaps right in their contention that there is information and issues missing from the discussion paper. I can't help but feel the government is trying to introduce a mandate the GA community is not in a position to accept because the complete gamut of impact is not fully understood. Hopefully, this consultation will correct that.
In 16 days time, the hourglass runs out of sand on the 2025 CASA Wings Awards nominations. By now, you should be at the polishing stage of your submission. By "polishing" I mean tightening the links between your contentions and the criteria for the specific category. That's how nominations are successful. Now in their 12th installment, the Wings Awards have honoured some of the most dedicated people and groups we have in general aviation, and each one of the winners owes something to the person or persons that nominated them. What that means is the nominator is a large part of the success of the nominee, and they need to play their part not only by making the submission in the first place, but making sure it is the best in its category. We hope to see your prospective Wings Awards winner in the short list soon.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch
31 October 2025
– Steve Hitchen
In The Last Minute Hitch on 2 May this year, I had a shot at all our federal pollies over a lack of support for GA and in particular the 47th parliament's omission of a Parliamentary Friends of Aviation Group. This week it was re-instated in the 48th parliament, and rightly so by my account. Friends groups create bipartisan environments for politicians and industry advocates to meet and hold informal conversations about issues concerning industry sectors. It's a good way for opinions to mingle. The aviation group, if we're being honest, will focus more on airlines and airports, but GA will get a coat-tails attachment thanks to the involvement of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia. RAAA CEO and GAAN chair Rob Walker attended the launch, and his organisation is on record as saying they will stand as advocates for GA in the absence of a more vocal and active lobby group. The beauty about Friends groups is that the onus to listen is thrown back on the pollies; that is the very point of the groups. And as membership of any is not mandatory, we at least know they're in it because they have genuine interest in aviation. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is a pilot herself, so the aviation community will be watching carefully to see if she has enough interest to join the group.
"..the government is trying to introduce a mandate the GA community is not in a position to accept.."
One topic that should be heavily debated by the Parliamentary Friends of Aviation is the proposed VFR ADS-B mandate. This is proving a controversial issue that is attracting some very visceral opinions; opinions that are dividing the private and recreational GA sectors into the yeasayers and the naysayers. The demarcation line seems to be around cost, which is one of the key points of the RAAus submission made public this week. Only the harshest critics would hold that ADS-B has not increased situational awareness and lowered the chances of traffic conflict, leaving cost as the primary objection to a mandate. That, and as RAAus has noted, a dearth of engineers qualified to fit equipment. For recreational aircraft, where weight is always a consideration, many owners will opt for Electronic Conspicuity (EC) devices rather than panel-mounted equipment, which doesn't need an engineer to install. But that's not a solution for everyone because EC devices can't be used for separation in controlled airspace. RAAus is perhaps right in their contention that there is information and issues missing from the discussion paper. I can't help but feel the government is trying to introduce a mandate the GA community is not in a position to accept because the complete gamut of impact is not fully understood. Hopefully, this consultation will correct that.
In 16 days time, the hourglass runs out of sand on the 2025 CASA Wings Awards nominations. By now, you should be at the polishing stage of your submission. By "polishing" I mean tightening the links between your contentions and the criteria for the specific category. That's how nominations are successful. Now in their 12th installment, the Wings Awards have honoured some of the most dedicated people and groups we have in general aviation, and each one of the winners owes something to the person or persons that nominated them. What that means is the nominator is a large part of the success of the nominee, and they need to play their part not only by making the submission in the first place, but making sure it is the best in its category. We hope to see your prospective Wings Awards winner in the short list soon.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch