[Peetwo]

While the wingnut is away? - Deputy dog adds fuel to the conflagration...  

It would appear the 2IC and Iron Ring's Scottish Git has seized the opportunity to come out firing in defense of the seemingly indefensible; i.e the fact that Fort Fumble over 30 years has been systematically destroying the Aussie aviation industry with their policy of 'Safe Skies are empty Skies'...    

Crawford's weasel worded bollocks from this month's FF missive: 

From acting CEO and Director of Aviation Safety, Graeme Crawford

Recent debate about safety regulation and the general aviation sector has focused on the need for a sustainable and viable aviation industry. Implicit in this debate is the suggestion by some people that CASA does not support a sustainable and viable general aviation sector. I would like to assure everyone this is simply not true. There is no CASA agenda against general aviation and we regard the sector as a vital component of the national aviation community.

Many of CASA’s staff are participants in general aviation, or started their careers in the sector, and have a practical understanding of the issues and challenges the sector faces. CASA can’t deliver solutions to the broader economic and social changes that are affecting parts of general aviation, but we can and will do our best to provide an appropriate safety regulatory framework that creates confidence in general aviation across the broader community. It is important that people from outside aviation have trust in the safety performance of general aviation and part of our job is to help ensure that trust is maintained.

CASA is focused on regulatory solutions that are both practical, proportionate and address aviation safety risk. We use available aviation sector information such as accident and incident data, surveillance findings and sector risk profiles to develop informed solutions. With that in mind the term ‘general aviation’ may not be granular enough as it covers a variety of aviation activities of which there are varying opinions within the aviation community regarding what is and what is not under the general aviation umbrella. Whilst this is challenging it is not unsurmountable and CASA will continue to develop regulatory solutions that consider risk appetite and safety consequences.

Finally, if there are people doubting our words about our commitment to general aviation then please look at our recent actions. Three major reforms this year to the aviation medical system are practical examples of reducing costs and impacts on the aviation community, particularly general aviation. The Basic Class 2 medical, which became available in early July 2018, is targeted at private pilots and makes getting an appropriate medical quicker, easier and cheaper. If you haven’t already please find out more about the Basic Class 2 and other medical reforms.

Best wishes
Graeme Crawford
(Shane Carmody is on leave)

Ps Some comments on that load of waffle off Twitter

Shannon Wells
@shannon_wells

"Flight examiners win indemnity" .. nothing ''winning" about this, it should have never been taken away in the first place https://lnkd.in/eQgqaUK 

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Phil Hurst
@PhilHurst62

This was about the essential partnership between industry with the expertise and reach and CASA that doesn’t - hence the delegations. We need simpler pathways for instructors and examiners. The regs remain a mess and a new taskforce essential to repair.

Also covered in the Oz today, where it would appear the bunfight is only just beginning  :

CASA acting chief Graeme Crawford hits back over reform claims

CASA chief Graeme Crawford said he could not fix the broader economic and social changes that have hit general aviation.

The Australian

12:00AM July 27, 2018
ANDREW BURRELL

WA Chief Reporter
Perth
@AndrewBurrell7

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has defended its actions amid mounting criticism that overzealous regulation is killing Australia’s general ­aviation sector, rejecting claims it fails to consider the effect of costs on businesses when it sets the rules.

As The Australian revealed that Deputy Prime Minister ­Michael McCormack had halted a reform plan aimed at cutting costs, CASA acting chief executive Graeme Crawford told operators the regulator wanted solutions that were practical while also addressing safety risks.

Industry experts, including aviation veteran Dick Smith, have claimed that general aviation in Australia — which includes charter and private operations, flight training, maintenance and emergency medical services — is in crisis because of onerous and costly red tape.

But Mr Crawford said CASA could not fix the broader economic and social changes that have hit general aviation.

“Implicit in this debate is the suggestion by some people that CASA does not support a sustainable and viable general aviation sector,’’ he said in a briefing note.

“I would like to assure everyone this is simply not true. There is no CASA agenda against general aviation and we regard the sector as a vital component of the national aviation community.

“Many of CASA’s staff are participants in general aviation, or started their careers in the sector, and have a practical understanding of the issues and challenges the sector faces.”

The Australian reported yesterday that Mr McCormack had killed off a plan — endorsed by Barnaby Joyce in his final days in cabinet in February — to remove a key part of the Civil Aviation Act that requires CASA to ­“regard safety as the most important consideration”.

The changes, backed by opposition transport spokesman ­Anthony Albanese, instead would have required CASA to ­balance the “highest level of safety in air navigation” with the need for “an efficient and sustainable Australian aviation industry”.

Mr Smith, a former CASA chairman, said Mr Joyce was the only Coalition transport minister in the past 20 years to agree to ­reforms that would cut the regulatory burden on the industry without putting lives at risk.

He accused the others, including former deputy prime minister John Anderson, of being ­hostage to CASA and other ­bureaucrats who had introduced “gold-­plated” regulations with no consideration for the industry’s crippling costs.

Mr Anderson yesterday accused Mr Smith of ignoring his own failings.

“Mr Smith might reflect a little on the fact that both Labor and the Coalition gave him the chance to reform CASA as chairman,” he said. “Labor sacked him, and when I was minister he lost the confidence of his own board.

“I bent over backwards to try to deliver an efficient aviation sector. I have to say that Mr Smith made this harder, not easier.”

Mr Smith said Mr Anderson’s claim he was sacked by Labor was “completely wrong” because the then minister, Bob Collins, had asked him to stay on. “I was put on as the chairman of CASA by John Sharp with the idea of bringing in changes — then John Anderson became minister and wouldn’t support any changes.’’

Is it anyway wonder the miniscule/DPM eyes glaze over and appears to be the perfect portrait of a punch-drunk sheep...

Perhaps if the DPM wants some free non-alphabet and relatively friendly advice; he should perhaps talk to one of the major and longterm contributors to the economy of his electorate REX airlines. I'm sure Sharpie will be able to give MM a true insight into the totally unnecessary fiscal damages being inflicted by CASA on the REX bottom line:

Ref: Mount Gambier, TREX and a man for all seasons - John Sharp?
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While on the subjects of miniscule backflips and the frontline battles in the CASA/Iron Ring vs aviation industry war; I was very interested to note that the 80 odd comments made in yesterday's Oz article...

General aviation industry left stunned by political backflip
The Australian
Dick Smith with his helicopter at his home in Terry Hills, Sydney. Picture:

...were overwhelmingly (by my reckoning by a factor of 9:1) in support of the industry and Dick's angst with the lack of government action and support for the essential changes to the Act etc. called for at the Wagga Summit - let the revolution begin!...  

  
MTF...P2 

Ps Who in their right mind would leave a narcissistic sociopath of this caliber in charge of the Fort?

Hmm...wonder if he has got McComic's mobile number on speed dial? Certainly has many of the pugmarks of former DAS don't you think? How long will it be before this IR stooge starts swinging his dick and dragging up section 9A of the Act...

Perhaps this is why the FF enforcement manual still contains McComic's moniker on the Director's preface -