RRAT Additional Senate Estimates QON?
Not that it really rates a mention but today the QON index for last Estimates was released:
Download the index (PDF 803KB)
Skimming through the largely 65 pages of waffle, I cannot but wonder how much tax payer money is wasted on administering useless QON that the bureaucracy essentially obfuscates with word weasel spin and scorn in their written AQON - FDS!
However I am actually pleased to announce that in amongst the mostly inane and pointless QON there was one choccy frog award to be handed out to the originally ON but now new independent QLD Senator Fraser Anning...
Question on notice no. 58
Portfolio question number: 59
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
How many GA aircraft are CASA responsible for? Out of these GA aircraft how
many are currently airworthy, meaning that they have a current maintenance release?
Question on notice no. 59
Portfolio question number: 60
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
The AOPA Australia has released data (based on BITRE reports) that shows that in
2002, just 7% of the GA fleet was inactive, and however, by 2015 this number has
increased to 23% or 2,930 aircraft. Does this increase from 7% to 23% indicate there
is a problem in GA?
Question on notice no. 60
Portfolio question number: 61
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Has CASAs annual budget increased across the past decade?
Question on notice no. 61
Portfolio question number: 62
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
The AOPA Australia across the past 2 years has published a range of important data
(from government sources, including CASA, BITRE and others) that demonstrates
that Australian general aviation is in serious decline.
Whilst the broader Australian economy has enjoyed 103 quarters of continuous
growth, Australias general aviation industry has experienced;
• 34% decline in pilot numbers over the past 10 years
• 35% decline in avgas sales over the past 10 years
• 18% decline in aircraft hours flown over the past 5 years
• 20% decline in serviceable aircraft for the past 12 months
• 15% decline in maintenance and repair organisations in the past 12 months
The 2015 BITRE report clearly identifies that the vast majority of commercial
activities for general aviation are in decline, with pilot training, charter, test, ferry,
survey, photography and aerial work all recording losses.
Furthermore;
The Australian newspaper ran the following news articles between April 2016 and
December 2017
• 7th April 2016 Red tape crushing general aviation
• 21st April 2016 soaring rents pushing general aviation to the brink
• 16th August 2016 CASA concedes: Our red tape stifles industry
• 3rd September 2016 Airport privatisation and CASA rules hurting businesses
• 27th October 2016 General aviation review may pull sector out of dive
• 13th December 2016 Allianz to shut local aviation insurance unit
• 21st February 2017 Calls for urgent airport safety review
• 1st March 2017 Government grapples with general aviation decline
• 2nd June 2017 Over-regulation killing aviation
• 13th July 2017 AOPA tips general aviation crisis
• 2nd August 2017 General aviation sector faces ruin
• 22nd December 2017 China swoops on flight schools to solve pilot shortage
• 27th December 2017 foreign pilots given two-year visas to cover Australias pilot
shortage
• 27th December 2017 need to cut red tape, costs to restore pilot training
Question: On 16th August 2017, CASA conceded that general aviation was in fact in
decline (as published by the Australian) . Given that just about all of AOPA
Australias predictions and warnings across the past two years have been balanced and
accurate, please explain as to why AOPA has not been engaged directly on your
ASAP panel?
Question on notice no. 63
Portfolio question number: 64
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Given that the UK and the USA based their private pilot medicals on a private drivers
license standard, why have you based the Australian GA license on a commercial
drivers standard, noting that the RAAus recreational pilot certificate is based on a
private driver standard?
Could you please explain how CASA can deem a GA private pilot unfit for flight,
then these same pilots move across to RAAus where they can continue to fly on a
drivers license medical in the same aircraft carrying a passenger?
Question on notice no. 64
Portfolio question number: 65
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Its noted that CASA produced a discussion paper that sought industry feedback
regarding Class 2 medical reform. However, following the industry responses, CASA
did not seek to discuss its considerations, views or intentions, thereby denying the
industry an opportunity to work in partnership with the regulator to deliver the best
outcome for the industry at large.
Can you explain how CASA is meeting its obligations under its regulatory
philosophy, which requires the regulator to be inclusive of the entire process?
Under the new Class 2 Basic medical standard, CASA have removed the ability for a
pilot to fly NVFR/IFR and Aerobatics. Given that all three modes of flight require
significant additional training and demonstration competency, therefore improving the
overall safety standard and surveillance of the pilot, can you please explain how
CASA is improving GA safety by removing such privileges?
MTF...P2
Not that it really rates a mention but today the QON index for last Estimates was released:
Download the index (PDF 803KB)
Skimming through the largely 65 pages of waffle, I cannot but wonder how much tax payer money is wasted on administering useless QON that the bureaucracy essentially obfuscates with word weasel spin and scorn in their written AQON - FDS!
However I am actually pleased to announce that in amongst the mostly inane and pointless QON there was one choccy frog award to be handed out to the originally ON but now new independent QLD Senator Fraser Anning...
Question on notice no. 58
Portfolio question number: 59
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
How many GA aircraft are CASA responsible for? Out of these GA aircraft how
many are currently airworthy, meaning that they have a current maintenance release?
Question on notice no. 59
Portfolio question number: 60
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
The AOPA Australia has released data (based on BITRE reports) that shows that in
2002, just 7% of the GA fleet was inactive, and however, by 2015 this number has
increased to 23% or 2,930 aircraft. Does this increase from 7% to 23% indicate there
is a problem in GA?
Question on notice no. 60
Portfolio question number: 61
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Has CASAs annual budget increased across the past decade?
Question on notice no. 61
Portfolio question number: 62
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
The AOPA Australia across the past 2 years has published a range of important data
(from government sources, including CASA, BITRE and others) that demonstrates
that Australian general aviation is in serious decline.
Whilst the broader Australian economy has enjoyed 103 quarters of continuous
growth, Australias general aviation industry has experienced;
• 34% decline in pilot numbers over the past 10 years
• 35% decline in avgas sales over the past 10 years
• 18% decline in aircraft hours flown over the past 5 years
• 20% decline in serviceable aircraft for the past 12 months
• 15% decline in maintenance and repair organisations in the past 12 months
The 2015 BITRE report clearly identifies that the vast majority of commercial
activities for general aviation are in decline, with pilot training, charter, test, ferry,
survey, photography and aerial work all recording losses.
Furthermore;
The Australian newspaper ran the following news articles between April 2016 and
December 2017
• 7th April 2016 Red tape crushing general aviation
• 21st April 2016 soaring rents pushing general aviation to the brink
• 16th August 2016 CASA concedes: Our red tape stifles industry
• 3rd September 2016 Airport privatisation and CASA rules hurting businesses
• 27th October 2016 General aviation review may pull sector out of dive
• 13th December 2016 Allianz to shut local aviation insurance unit
• 21st February 2017 Calls for urgent airport safety review
• 1st March 2017 Government grapples with general aviation decline
• 2nd June 2017 Over-regulation killing aviation
• 13th July 2017 AOPA tips general aviation crisis
• 2nd August 2017 General aviation sector faces ruin
• 22nd December 2017 China swoops on flight schools to solve pilot shortage
• 27th December 2017 foreign pilots given two-year visas to cover Australias pilot
shortage
• 27th December 2017 need to cut red tape, costs to restore pilot training
Question: On 16th August 2017, CASA conceded that general aviation was in fact in
decline (as published by the Australian) . Given that just about all of AOPA
Australias predictions and warnings across the past two years have been balanced and
accurate, please explain as to why AOPA has not been engaged directly on your
ASAP panel?
Question on notice no. 63
Portfolio question number: 64
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Given that the UK and the USA based their private pilot medicals on a private drivers
license standard, why have you based the Australian GA license on a commercial
drivers standard, noting that the RAAus recreational pilot certificate is based on a
private driver standard?
Could you please explain how CASA can deem a GA private pilot unfit for flight,
then these same pilots move across to RAAus where they can continue to fly on a
drivers license medical in the same aircraft carrying a passenger?
Question on notice no. 64
Portfolio question number: 65
2017-18 Additional estimates
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Regional
Development and Cities Portfolio
Senator Fraser Anning: asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority on 26 February
2018—
Its noted that CASA produced a discussion paper that sought industry feedback
regarding Class 2 medical reform. However, following the industry responses, CASA
did not seek to discuss its considerations, views or intentions, thereby denying the
industry an opportunity to work in partnership with the regulator to deliver the best
outcome for the industry at large.
Can you explain how CASA is meeting its obligations under its regulatory
philosophy, which requires the regulator to be inclusive of the entire process?
Under the new Class 2 Basic medical standard, CASA have removed the ability for a
pilot to fly NVFR/IFR and Aerobatics. Given that all three modes of flight require
significant additional training and demonstration competency, therefore improving the
overall safety standard and surveillance of the pilot, can you please explain how
CASA is improving GA safety by removing such privileges?
MTF...P2