[Peetwo]

Oz aviation safety? - stuck in a timewarp...

Joining the dots on some recent AP posts..

Update 08/04/17: For & on behalf of Sandy..  

Here's the culprit(s), note where the knife is positioned??

Sharpy corrects the bollocks on REX prop incident -  

Sandy in response to Sharpy's article:

 Alexander: Rex does have a very good record but not quite as good as Mr Sharp makes out. In 2009 a Medivac flight operated by a subsidiary of Rex, Pelair, had to ditch in the sea off Norfolk Island at night in bad weather. Luckily owing to the skill of the pilot all survived but there were injuries. Rex seemed happy enough to go along with the first Transport Safety Bureau report, engineered in cahoots with Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which neatly scapegoated the pilot. CASA, true to form, came on the unfortunate pilot (hero) like a ton of bricks. Pelair's arguably deficient operating procedures had been approved by CASA. A Senate Committee, smelling a rat, ordered a second investigation two years ago, we are still waiting. Rex has at times made very substantial donations to political parties. 

It is acknowledged by a Government report that CASA, the architect of the severe decline in General Aviation, resulting in thousands of job losses, is not trusted by the GA industry.

Turning to John Sharp's defense of old aircraft, well that is rich. During his term as Minister CASA was in the habit of causing all sorts of grief to GA in regards to "aging" aircraft. With Ministerial approval CASA instituted a plethora of extreme maintenance requirements that are still killing General Aviation while airlines are left, in the main, to follow manufacturer's procedures.

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&..
...Rex Deputy Chairman and Director of Rex Mr Sharp opens his defence of Rex with the modest statement that he's been "associated " with Rex for some time. 

I believe President Trump is revisiting the question of retiring Government officials getting work with those private companies that were previously in the officer's area of jurisdiction. Personally I think they should not because there's no doubt its a grey area and our democracy should, like justice, be seen to be fair.

“It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.”

..A candle in the window. The climb itself had been arduous, even without the weather being foul; the descent difficult and dangerous and the weather ferocious; such is the lot of a mountain climber. At last, in darkness a place was reached from which a walk to a hut could begin. Wet, cold and tired the dim light of a lantern could be seen in a window; it cheered a little until the truth was realised. There was still a steep valley to navigate and long dark walk in the rain to complete with treacherous footing to confound tired legs. This is where the CASA ‘reform’ process is; miles to go, in the dark with only a dim lamp to guide it over inhospitable terrain.  



What a terrific effort by RAAA to reach a place where a discourse is even possible, the tantalising glow of the small lamp in a far off window. Serious students will appreciate just how difficult it has been to achieve this and will know that the game is far from over; there’s  still a long difficult march to complete, even with the most excellent Rev. Forsyth leading his flock. The end of a long difficult climb is no place to begin a battle against the denizens of Sleepy Hollow; but it must be fought.



There’s hope, that most excellent of men, the Rev. Forsyth is padded up and heading for the crease to partner the doughty Davis; which should put a new shine on the RAAA innings. We wish him bon chance in the high stakes test match. AMROBA and TAAAF have made a great start to the match, and there are a couple of first class players  yet to bat; before the tail end gets to play, let's hope we don't need them... 

...Matters aeronautical are approaching an ‘interesting’ junction. We have seen, several times now, matters reaching a critical mass; but little of practical use or ornament has ever emerged, despite the hundreds of millions thrown at ‘the problem’ in hope of a quick fix. A true ‘fix’ is painful and bloody, the longer it takes to affect a real cure; the longer the recuperation period. Will the King Air accident, the ICAO audit, the ASA audit, the Senate estimates committee efforts all combine to be the watershed? They should – but who knows. We shall watch with interest.

Toot toot.

And a word from the Murky Mandarin...


IOS comment: "BOLLOCKS!"

The Sandy comment...

"..Turning to John Sharp's defense of old aircraft, well that is rich. During his term as Minister CASA was in the habit of causing all sorts of grief to GA in regards to "aging" aircraft. With Ministerial approval CASA instituted a plethora of extreme maintenance requirements that are still killing General Aviation while airlines are left, in the main, to follow manufacturer's procedures..." 

...was disputed by another industry identity on one of our PAIN email chains. This got me trolling the records and led me to a reference - Ageing Aircraft and CASA Conflicts - from the 'Aviation Safety Regulation Timeline 1982-2011':

1996–mid1999


Ageing Aircraft and CASA Conflicts

Airline fleet age became an issue of industry concern along with the crash rate of certain Asian airlines. Reviews of CASA and its board and staff re-shuffles continued with some publicly acrimonious disputes. With Dick Smith at the helm, a new CASA emerged to champion a Class G airspace trial that later had to be discontinued amid industry concerns. After this, and the crashes of Aquatic Air and Uzu planes, he resigned.

 
  Considering this timeframe was 20+years ago it was interesting to see and reflect on the disturbing parallels to where we are now...

Also of interest was that this shameful period of 'aviation safety regulation' was also the time where we saw the rise and fall of the Honourable John Sharp MP as the former Howard government Minister responsible for aviation...

Some excerpts of historical & parallel intrigue...

April 1996

CASA board members rejected calls for their resignations from the new Minister for Transport and Regional Development, the Hon John Sharp MP.

Australian, 20 April 1996, 10 July 1997.

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6 June 1996

NSW Coroner John Gould handed down findings into the 1993 Monarch Airlines crash critical of the airline, the former CAA and the NSW Air Transport Council. The Minister (Mr John Sharp) foreshadowed a review and other actions to address the report's recommendations.

Canberra Times, 7 June 1996; Minister for Transport Media Statement, 6 June 1996 TR46/96

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25 June 1996

The Minister for Transport and Regional Development, the Hon John Sharp MP announced reviews of the regulatory framework and role in an aviation safety ministerial statement. (Why does that sound so familiar.. )  He also introduced the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill 1996 to increase the CASA Board size from four to six people. While the Opposition supported the Bill, it questioned the motives.

House of Representatives, Debates, 25 June 1996, p. 2653

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26 September 1996

The Minister for Transport and Regional Development announced an industry-based panel to oversee the CASA regulatory review headed by Ansett's Mr James Kimpton. The review produced recommendations that could be implemented in 1998, while reporting monthly. Industry consultations continued throughout.
(Hmm..."Let's do the timewarp again.."
- but wait it gets worse.. )
Minister for Transport Media Statement 20 and 26 September 1996, TR101 and 110/96.

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October 1996

The (Staunton) Report of the Commissioner of the Commission of Inquiry into the Relations Between the CAA and Seaview Air was particularly scathing of CAA operations and identified a number of systemic problems. Recommendations included action against two CAA officers, and suggested mechanisms for responsibility, accountability and documentation. The minister urged changes to CASA and its management board positions. BASI undertook a separate investigation of the incident.

House of Representatives, Debates, 8 and 9 October 1996, p. 5046; Sydney Morning Herald and Australian 9 October (& worse.. )

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10 October 1996

The CASA Board released a media statement in relation to certain findings of the Seaview inquiry and lamenting comments about it made by the minister in Parliament.

Australian, 12 October 1996; Sydney Morning Herald, 10 October 1996.
&..

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30 October 1996

A large newspaper advertisement with 512 listed names published, later found to be sponsored by the Aircraft Owners' and Pilots' Association, requested the CASA board members to stand aside. It followed the publication of a letter by the CASA Chairman stating why the board should remain in full control despite Ministerial denigration. Meanwhile, CASA developed a program known as Airspace 2000 planned for introduction in 1998. The scheme aimed to achieve an ICAO standard with the use of systems safety, harmonisation and staged delivery.

Australian, 21, 23, 25 and 30 October 1996; Canberra Times, 23 and 31 October 1996.

&.. worse

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3 November 1996

Falcon Airlines plane crashed into the sea off Cairns with the occupants safely reaching the shore. The subsequent report by David Wheelahan QC found a possible conflict of interest between CASA, the airline and Minister John Sharp. The Minister had sought an independent report after stating that a response from CASA was inadequate.

AAP, 18 February 1997; Canberra Times, 8 November 1996.

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19 November 1996

Concerns expressed in the letter of resignation of the CASA Director of Aviation Medicine Dr Robert Liddell, caused the Minister to ask the Board to reconsider safety.

Minister for Transport, Media Statement TR152/96; Age, 27 November 1996.

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5 December 1996

Government response to the Plane Safe report tabled by the Minister for Transport and Regional Development the Hon John Sharp MP. (Refer to 14 December 1995). It included a monthly CASA update on safety breaches. The Senate decided to investigate the purchase of Australia's new search and rescue equipment after faults were found.

Minister for Transport, Media Statement TR167/96; Australian, 6 and 9 December 1996; Age 6 December 1996.

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February 1997

Vigorous debates in Parliament regarding CASA Board placements by Transport Minister John Sharp, who continued his criticism of the CASA Board in response to the Wheelahan report and Kimpton inquiry.

Australian, 13, 15 and 17 February 1997.

Then finally in September 1997 John Sharp was given the bullet:

26 September 1997

CASA Director Mr Leroy Keith left after the Board passed a no-confidence motion in his management strategy. Chairman Justice William Fischer and member Dr Clare Pollock both resigned in protest at the Board's handling of the former Director. The New Minister for Transport and Regional Development, the Hon Mark Vaile MP, replaced Mr John Sharp.

Australian Financial Review, 26 September

There is no doubt many critics of the tumultuous John Sharp period as the Minister responsible for aviation safety. However there is also IMO no doubt that Sharp understood his role as a Minister for the Crown and that he was in a dog fight with an entrenched bureaucracy operating solely in their own self-interest. Not in the interest of the travelling public nor for the betterment of Australian aviation safety standards...

It is perhaps unfortunate that Sharp lost that dogfight...

"Let's do the timewarp again.." - Except we have Barnaby's photogenic filter for a miniscule - FDS!


MTF...P2