[Peetwo]

Nanny State concerns. My opinion open to the public - Sandy Reith letter to the Institute for Public Affairs.

Dear Editor,


I wish to bring to your attention the steady decline in General Aviation (GA) as a direct result of an increasingly authoritarian regulatory regime by the Australian government. The governance of Australia's aviation was given over, in 1988, to what was euphemistically touted as an "independent government business unit" thus removing it from direct Ministerial control and allowing responsibility to be deflected away from the Minister. Calling it a business was always a lie pure and simple, it flouts every rule of commerce by being a total and unassailable monopoly.

In regard to the decline of GA;   

Movements at Bankstown Airport (Sydney's secondary airport) some twenty years ago were about 500,000. It has fallen today to around 170,000. Oil company maintained refueling points for avgas that were numerous throughout rural Australia are reduced to a handful. Canberra, population of high wealth demographic c. 400,000, went from at least four flying schools in the '80s to none in 2010 although with a slight recovery this year, now advertising one training plane available. Active pilot numbers are rapidly falling and GA flying schools, Australia wide, are hundreds less than twenty five years ago.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) was tasked to rewrite the aviation rules twenty five years ago, a task that New Zealand managed in five years. After an admitted $200 million, and counting, still not finished and the latest offering, a massive Part 61, is proving to be even less workable than the rules it replaces. 

The aviation rules have been steadily changed from civil matters to an avalanche of criminal offenses of strict liability. The rules are based on the "privileges" conferred by government which allow us to fly. 

This concept of privileges is at odds with our freedom and the pursuit of happiness as famously enshrined in the USA constitution.   

This concept of privileges, as opposed to our rights, is but an excuse for control, in this case by CASA which has managed to increase it's payroll by some 40% in the last five years. 

If flying is a privilege then so to is riding a horse or driving a car. 

Paternalism by government is alive and well in Australia, to the detriment of our freedoms. Our legal system based on the supremacy of the Crown is outdated, socially and economically. 

Regards,

Alexander (Sandy) Reith
IPA member

Ken Cannane - Letter to AMROBA Members

It is a major concern that regulatory reform has been happening in this industry for 30 odd years and what is being continually produced is bureaucratic, confusing and creating red tape and restrictions that is maintaining safety by restricting aviation outside the airline mentality. How many more reviews will it take and when will government amend the Act to give power to the findings of the reviews.  CASA wants to follow EASA because it keeps many of them in a job.


Without doubt, North America has the experience and regulatory systems for general aviation that should exist in Australia.
In the late 1990s CASA started to adopt the FAR system – a system that has now been modernised during 2000 and on, post the making of EASRs for certification and maintenance.

The FAR system has done what this government demands, removed administrative restrictions and devolved previous FAA functions to industry representatives.
They have been successful in reducing red tape and administrative functions.
They made major changes to FAR Parts 21 and 183 that affected certification and manufacturing in 2009 that would reduce CASA staff levels if adopted because the functions have been passed to industry representatives.  This enables the FAA to concentrate on regulatory oversight.

The FAA devolved these functions as, in their opinion, it enhances safety. “ENHANCES SAFETY”

This needs to happen NOW in Australia. Not next year or the year after.
Adopt the FARs for general aviation engineering. (design, maintenance & manufacturing)

If regulatory reform was done correctly, CASA staff levels would be less, industry would have more responsibility and lees red tape.

It is an embarrassment to government that action is not forthcoming in a time frame acceptable to industry.

The latest newsletter - HERE -covers this subject
 
Regards

Ken Cannane
Executive Director
AMROBA
Phone:   (02) 97592715
Fax:       (02) 97592025
Mobile:   0408029329

It is my intention (with Aunty & P1 blessing) to look at the latest AMROBA newsletter in several parts, because IMO (much like Sandy's letter above) it is extremely relevant to the current (& latest) impasse to urgently needed aviation safety administrative, investigative, regulatory & legislative reform.

So definitely MTF...P2