[Peetwo]

 

Additional Estimates - CASA QON 158-173 (pg60-66) 

A sampling of QON, first from Senator Sterle:

QON 161 - Senator STERLE: Can you outline what happens throughout the exemption process? [/b]Who makes the ultimate decision over whether an exemption is granted or not?

Mr Skidmore: The applicant would put forward the information regarding the exemption. The requirement for an exemption is listed. I am not sure whether I am the best person to go through this process. I will find the best person to go through the process for you.

Senator STERLE: For the purposes of timing, I am happy for you to take it on notice if that can be provided.

Mr Skidmore: Certainly. We can do that

 
Hmm..that's strange because if you refer to the VARA exemption you can see that in fact it was OST who made the ultimate decision

Instrument number CASA 08/16


I, MARK ALAN SKIDMORE, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under subparagraph 9B.12 (a) of Civil Aviation Order 20.18 (CAO 20.18) and regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

[Signed M. Skidmore]
Mark Skidmore AM
Director of Aviation Safety
20 January 2016

  

QON 164 - Senator STERLE: Okay, but the ones that we cover—what Virgin are doing out of Perth: Perth-Albany, Perth-Esperance, Ravensthorpe and then some chartered flights to Geraldton, Carnarvon and Paraburdoo—are obviously for a certain type of aircraft at a certain height or whatever. So when were they all put on notice? When do you reckon the ones that are doing this work now were put on notice?

Mr Cromarty: I will have to take that one on notice for you.

Mr Skidmore: It is something we would have to ask VARA. We would have put the legislation out, but it is Virgin who interpret that and make a determination.

Senator STERLE: No, but you are the boss.

[b]Mr Skidmore: I am not the boss of Virgin.

Senator STERLE: I wish I could get away with that with the coppers when they were hassling the shit out of me as a truck driver. I wish I could use that excuse: 'You didn't ask me. Come and ask me first. I will tell you what speed I was doing.' You are the regulator. That is all I am asking.

Mr Skidmore: We put the legislation out and then we try and educate people and get them to follow the legislation and the regulations.

[b]Senator STERLE: Right. So all I want to know is, when they knew that they had to come to 4 February—

Mr Skidmore: I can only assume that it was when the legislation was put in power and the dates were identified.

Senator STERLE: It is dangerous to assume here, Mr Skidmore, because people remember what you assume in further estimates down the track. Would you like to take it on notice and come back?

Mr Skidmore: We can come back and tell you when the regulation was put into power.

Senator Xenophon QON:

QON 166 -[b] Senator XENOPHON: The restriction of the last operations in the evenings obviously has restricted the flow, but presumably that was as a result of a compelling safety case.

Mr Skidmore: It was as a result of our discussions with Airservices to say we were concerned with regard to the incident. They said they were taking steps to mitigate those concerns. Part of that was the suspension of LAHSO until we can get to a stage where we have a system in place that can manage it better.

Senator XENOPHON: I want to touch on another issue which I think is quite important. Could you, on notice, provide us with details of the correspondence, the process involved between CASA and Airservices Australia in relation to this? You know that I have a longstanding interest in Airservices.

Mr Skidmore: Certainly, Senator.  

QON 169 -  Senator XENOPHON: The question I am putting to you on notice is: does the pilot not need to add to their flight and duty limits if there are INTER and TEMPO conditions?

Mr Skidmore: It might not happen.
…

Senator XENOPHON: So, essentially, you will take on notice whether you consider that TEMPO and INTER fuel advisories should be applied to duty time. That is the nub of the question, isn't it? That is the question I am asking.

Mr Skidmore: I will take it on notice to investigate that question for you, yes.

I am not sure why but I find the implications/assertions that Greens Senator Rice makes in her written QON 171 quite disturbing :

3. With regard to CASA’s Enforcement Manual Version 4.3 (Jan 2013), what has been the result of making an Airspace Infringement Notice inappropriate "where the offense was intentional and formed a pattern of breaches" and making an investigation contingent on proof beyond reasonable doubt that a pilot was "engaging in conduct, or showing an intention to engage in conduct, that constitutes dangerous flying"? Does this represent a change from the previous version of the Enforcement Manual? If so, has this regime led to more or fewer infringements, with regard to VFR pilots operating over metropolitan Melbourne?

MTF...P2