[Peetwo]

Update 16/01/18: Sydney Seaplanes back in the air.

Via the DT:

Sydney Seaplanes to return to skies with two pilots on every flight

Danielle Gusmaroli, The Daily Telegraph
January 15, 2018 11:17am

SYDNEY Seaplanes will take to the skies midweek, two weeks after six people died in a horrific crash aboard one of its planes, with two pilots recruited to man each turbine-powered Cessna C-208 Caravan flight.

The company was poised to resume operations today from Rose Bay but adverse weather conditions has meant the first flight of the year has now been pencilled in for Wednesday.

Bosses of the scenic flights firm suspended operations following the New Year’s Eve crash that killed experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, and five passengers, on board the de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 aircraft.



Pilot Gareth Morgan died in the accident.

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Its remaining Beaver aircraft will not operate until findings of a preliminary report into the Hawkesbury River crash are made public later this month — instead the company’s two Cessna C-208 Caravan aircraft will each be flown by two pilots in a bid to increase passenger confidence.

A statement released today from Seaplane Pilots Association Australia’s vice president Kevin Bowe read: “Given its long and successful flying history, Sydney Seaplanes is confident there are no systemic failings in the de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 aircraft, the type that crashed on New Year’s Eve.

“However, the company will not be flying its remaining de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 aircraft in advance of the release of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s Preliminary Factual Report.



Flights will now have two pilots on-board. Picture: Lenn Bayliss

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“Flight services will commence with the company’s Cessna C-208 Caravan aircraft, both turbine powered 2008 models.

“These aircraft are serviced and maintained by Australia’s Cessna certified maintenance facility, Hawker Pacific at Bankstown Airport, who ensure the aircraft’s airworthiness and high standards of maintenance.”

British millionaire Richard Cousins, 58, died alongside his partner Emma Bowden, 48, his two sons, Will and Edward, aged 25 and 23 respectively, and Ms Bowden’s daughter, Heather, 11.

Mr Morgan’s funeral was held in Waverley last week, with his devastated mother and father in attendance after they arrived from Canada.


Emma and Heather Bowden.

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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is leading the investigation into the tragedy, which happened shortly after the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver they were travelling in took off from Cottage Point.

The ATSB is interviewing witnesses, examining recorded data from the on-board electronics and air traffic control logs as well as poring over the plane’s maintenance records.

The wreckage of the doomed seaplane was recovered from 13m of water in the days after the tragedy.

The preliminary factual report into the crash is expected to be released by early next month.

Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw said getting back to the air was “necessary” for business.

“It’s also what our late colleague Gareth Morgan, a passionate seaplane pilot for all of his adult life, would have wanted,” he said.

Over the next 12 months the ATSB will compile a detailed report to pinpoint exactly what caused the fatal crash and use this information to try to prevent future tragedies.

The aircraft at the centre of the crash, which the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister Pippa and her husband James Matthews flew in when they were in Sydney last year, had been rebuilt more than 20 years ago after it was destroyed in another fatal crash.

It is estimated Sydney Seaplanes, which turns over $8 million a year, has lost about $21,000 in revenue for each day it has been grounded.
The company usually flies between 280 and 300 passengers a day during peak periods.

Also on the Australian AAI front yesterday the ATSB released a statistical report on AAI occurrences between the years 2007 to 2016:

Aviation Occurrence Statistics 2007 to 2016

The purpose of this report

Each year, thousands of safety occurrences involving Australian and foreign-registered aircraft are reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) by individuals and organisations in Australia’s aviation industry and by members of the general public.
This report is part of a series that aims to provide information to the aviation industry, manufacturers and policy makers, as well as to the travelling and general public, about these aviation safety occurrences. In particular, what can be learned to improve transport safety in the aviation sector.

The study uses information over the ten-year period from 2007–2016 to provide an insight into the current and possible future trends in aviation safety, and takes a detailed look at the accidents and incidents in 2016 for each type of aircraft operation. 

What the ATSB found

The majority of air transport operations in Australia each year proceed without incident.

In 2016, nearly 230 aircraft were involved in accidents in Australia, with another 291 aircraft involved in a serious incident (an incident with a high probability of an accident).

There were 21 fatalities in the aviation sector in 2016, which was fewer than any previous year recorded by the ATSB. There were no fatalities in either high or low capacity regular public transport (RPT) operations, which has been the case since 1975 and 2010 respectively.

Commercial air transport operations experienced one fatality from 15 accidents; general aviation experienced 10 fatalities from 119 accidents; and recreational aviation had 10 fatalities from 63 accidents.

Collision with terrain was the most common accident or serious incident for general aviation aircraft, recreational aviation and remotely piloted aircraft in 2016. Aircraft control was the most common cause of an accident or serious incident for air transport operators.

Wildlife strikes, including birdstrikes, were again the most common types of incident involving air transport and general aviation operations, with runway events the most common type of incident for recreational aviation.

The accident and fatal accident rates for general and recreational aviation reflect the higher‑risk operational activity when compared to air transport operations. They also reflect the significant growth in recreational aviation activity over the last ten years and this sector’s increased reporting culture.

General aviation accounts for one‑third of the total hours flown by Australian-registered aircraft and over half of all aircraft movements across Australia.

The total accident rate, per hours flown, indicates general aviation operations are 10 times more likely to have an accident than commercial operations, with recreational aircraft around twice as likely to experience an accident than general aviation.

The fatal accident rate, per hours flown, indicates general aviation operations are around 20 times more likely to experience a fatal accident than commercial air transport, and recreational operations are almost 40 times more likely to experience a fatal accident than air transport.

 
Recreational gyrocopters experienced the highest fatal accident rate for any aircraft or operation type, whereas recreational balloon operations had the highest total accident rate; almost four times as high as any other aircraft operation type. There were no fatal accidents involving recreational balloons reported during the study period.

Aeroplanes remain the most common aircraft type flown which is reflected in their involved in accidents. In 2016, nine of the 15 fatal accidents involved aeroplanes—three helicopters and two powered weight shift aircraft were also involved in fatal accidents.
In 2016, the increased availability and use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) saw them surpass helicopters as the second highest aircraft type for reported accidents; however, there were no collisions with other aircraft, fatalities or serious injuries relating to RPA reported to the ATSB that year. While the consequences of an accident involving an RPA have been low to date, their increased use, and possible interactions with traditional aviation, is an emerging trend in transport safety that will continue to be monitored closely by the ATSB.

Safety message

This report highlights the importance of effective and timely reporting of all aviation safety occurrences, not just for the potential of initiating an investigation, but to allow further study and analysis of aviation transport safety.

While there has been an increase in accident and incident reporting, the limited detail provided for most occurrences, especially by recreational flyers, remains a challenge for the industry and ATSB. This report also highlights the need for improvements in the reporting rates for some areas in general aviation.

By comparing accident and occurrence data across aviation operations types, the ATSB is able to develop a complete picture of the aviation industry to identify emerging trends in aviation transport safety, identify further areas for research and recommend pre-emptive safety actions.

Download the research report AR-2017-104: Aviation Occurrence Statistics 2007 to 2016

Type: Research and Analysis Report
Investigation number: AR-2017-104
Publication date: 15 January 2018
 



Last update 15 January 2018

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&.. from ATSB media spokesperson HVH (High Viz Hoody - ):

Australian Aviation Safety Statistics 2007-2016

The ATSB has released its annual statistical review of Australian aviation safety occurrences, Australian Aviation Safety Occurrences, 2007 – 2016.

The report brings together information over ten years, from 2007 to 2016, to provide insights into current and possible future trends in aviation safety, and takes a detailed look at the accidents and serious incidents in 2016 for each type of aircraft operation.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said the report provides important information for the aviation industry, manufacturers and policy makers, as well as the travelling and general public, on aviation transport safety.

“By comparing accident and occurrence data across aviation operations types, the ATSB is able to identify emerging trends, further areas for research and take steps to recommend pre-emptive safety actions,” Mr Hood said. “While I am grateful that there were fewer fatalities in the aviation sector in 2016 than in any previous year recorded by the ATSB, any loss of life is a poignant reminder of the importance of our work to better understand the multilayered causes of aviation safety occurrences.

In 2016, nearly 230 aircraft were involved in accidents in Australia, with 291 involved in a serious incident (an incident with a high probability of an accident). Across the different operation types:

• commercial air transport operations experienced one fatality from 15 accidents
  
• general aviation experienced 10 fatalities from 119 accidents
  
• recreational aviation had 10 fatalities from 63 accidents.
  

Nine of the 15 fatal accidents involved aeroplanes. Three helicopters and two powered weight shift aircraft were also involved in fatal accidents. There were no fatalities in either high or low capacity regular public transport (RPT) operations.

The report also provides insights into an emerging trend in transport safety—the increased use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). In 2016, RPAs surpassed helicopters as the second highest aircraft type for reported accidents; however, there were no collisions with other aircraft, fatalities or serious injuries relating to RPA reported to the ATSB. While the consequences of an accident involving an RPA have been low to date, their increased use, and possible interactions with traditional aviation, will continue to be monitored closely by the ATSB.

Mr Hood said the report highlights the importance of effective and timely reporting of all aviation safety occurrences. “This is not just for the potential of initiating an investigation, but to allow further study and analysis of aviation transport safety,” Mr Hood said.

For more information on the increased use of remotely piloted aircraft and its safety implications read the ATSB report: A safety analysis of remotely piloted aircraft systems 2012 to 2016: A rapid growth and safety implications for traditional aviation
 



Last update 15 January 2018

HVH: “By comparing accident and occurrence data across aviation operations types, the ATSB is able to identify emerging trends, further areas for research and take steps to recommend pre-emptive safety actions,”

Is that like the ATSB closing safety loops on serious safety issues that having been identified, in some cases nearly 2 decades ago, & despite political and aviation safety bureaucratic rhetoric, are yet to be effectively risk mitigated...

Examples from the same decade refer here: Closing the safety loop - Coroners, ATSB & CASA

And most recently and still live... : 
FRMS/SMS a lip service exercise - Part VII & FAA IASA audit, FRMS & an 'inconvenient ditching'?

Fast forwarding again, to 30 June 2013 the following are quotes from a AIPA Parliamentary Brief in support of the NX proposal to disallow CAO 48.1: https://www.aipa.org.au/sites/default/fi...3a_002.pdf

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From pg 2 of the brief:

In summary, the Instrument is a step in the right direction but is unfinished business. There are serious concerns about the application or otherwise of the body of fatigue science and research and the preservation or extension of existing provisions already challenged by parts of the industry as unsafe.

CASA has an abysmal record of regulatory oversight of fatigue management, even without the pressure of trying to get some serious traction on the Regulatory Reform programs that have diverted them for the last 17 or so years. Parts of the industry believe that CASA has seriously underestimated the resources required to implement these new rules and that there will be an inevitable trade-off in surveillance activities of flight operations.

If not disallowed now, this legislation will continue with no incentive for improvement unless and until the inherent risk crystallises into an undesirable outcome. That is not a possibility that this Parliament should allow to persist.

TICK..TOCK BJ -


MTF...P2