[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 22 July 2024

22 July 2024

– Steve Hitchen

I could always tell when the pilot was not happy: silence came through my headset. It was usually prompted by me, the bloke with the camera, asking the following aeroplane to do something radical because it might make for a good photo. I have learned to match my shot discipline to that of the pilots and don't ask for something out of the ordinary that was not included in the mission brief. If you need to ask why, read very carefully the ATSB's report into the S.211 crash last year. Nowadays I fly formations myself, and most of my briefing experiences have included a lot of questions being asked, a lot of questions being answered, and the pointed directive "don't do anything that hasn't been briefed!" Sorting out the risks in manoeuvres is always best done without the added brain drain of flying the aircraft at the same time; doing it in the air requires divided attention, which pilots can't afford in a formation. I broke that rule once, inside CTA in response to an errant direction from ATC. Everyone survived, but I learned the importance of not doing anything that the rest of the team is not already expecting me to do. And as for the camera work, much of my air-to-air work has appeared on the front cover of Australian Flying, and not one of the shots was the result of an ad-hoc manoeuvre.

"..recreational aviation is morphing into something it was never intended to be.."

CASA directing RAAus to make changes to their operations manual shows that, contrary to the belief of many, RAAus is not a law unto itself. They operate under a CASR Part 149 certificate, which still subordinates them to CASA regulation where necessary. That's why Approved Self-administering Aviation Organisations (ASAO) are "self administering" and not "self regulating". But be sure that Part 149 approval has placed a lot of burden on RAAus and meant changes that took the organisation from a hobby association to a professional aviation organisation against, it must be said, the wishes of many members who wanted RAAus to shun Part 149 and maintain the status quo. That was not really an option because recreational aviation had grown so large so quickly that the infrastructure and culture couldn't keep up. And I can say this without too much fear: if RAAus hadn't gone to Part 149 we probably wouldn't be getting a weight increase and access to CTA would remain on the wish list unticked for a long time. And you can forget MOSAIC (see below) completely. We must, however, respect the opinions of those that are starting to believe that recreational aviation is morphing into something it was never intended to be. With MOSAIC in place and approved for ASAOs, there will be some very sophisticated and capable machinery wearing six numbers on the side, which was never the intent of recreational aviation in the first place. Keep in mind, though, that CASA just doesn't have the culture or flexibility of framework to do justice to the new recreational aviation that's emerging. It's only through ASAOs that Australia can adopt it, with CASA watching over their shoulders all the time to make sure there aren't too many "divergent views".

EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh starts tonight our time, and one of the main themes running through the event is the impending MOSAIC regulation. A quick recap: the Modernisation of Special  Airworthiness Category (MOSAIC) re-designs light sport aircraft to remove the arbitrary weight limits and permit more technology and capability in the category. It has been mooted for some time now and many in the USA were hoping they'd have something for Oshkosh this year. Not so, apparently; the process is dragging on. One of the balls-and-chain attached to the new standard is that several aviation organisations in the USA have thrown in other reforms they want included that weren't part of the original spec. For example, the Experimental Aircraft Association earlier this year asked the FAA to consider a higher stall speed than the original proposal and the ability for sport (recreational) pilots to be able to carry three passengers rather than the one permitted under the current rules. What this sort of thing does to regulators is send them back to their risk matrices to plug in the new freedoms and see how they work as one piece of a larger puzzle. It doesn't necessarily mean wiping the whiteboard clean, but it does add more information to a board that is already strapped for space. So when does the world get to see the new rules? The comment period closed in January this year, having been extended from last October, which means the notice of final rulemaking is due in the first half of 2025. Maybe by Oshkosh next year we'll have something concrete to work with.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 26 July 2024

26 July 2024

– Steve Hitchen


My logbook tells me I first flew an SR series Cirrus in 2004. The Avidyne glass cockpit was both exhilarating and intimidating, and with the type only five years young at the time, completely revolutionary. I'd seen these full-colour TV screens in corporate jets before, but here was similar technology delivered into the hands of a PPL! But no sooner had I completed my logbook entry than instructors were sounding warnings about the tendency for glass cockpits to drag VFR pilots' eyes onto the instrument panel and not out the window where they should be. Another caution was the over-reliance on the technology and eschewing the airmanship that had been instilled in us since our first flying hours. And that was before tablets, ADS-B, iPhones, smart watches, lift reserve indicators and A5-sized navigators. And soon, AI: artificial intelligence. Theoretically, AI is smarter than us (or else what would be the point of it), so therefore as pilots we should sit back, let AI fly and wallow in our own redundancy. AI is technology that stands to cause headaches for regulators because it will challenge the primary responsibility for the safety of the flight. Right now, that lies with the pilot-in-command. Will it stay there once cockpits are fitted with something more intelligent than a human? The upside, I suppose, is that our eyes will  be back outside the cockpit again because there will be no reason to have them inside anymore.

 "..it really should be no surprise that some engineers don't like signing-off components.."

Running on condition is one of the more contentious aspect of GA aircraft maintenance. This is when a component that has reached the end of its life can remain in service provided it can still do the job. It means reduced cost and reduced waste because engineers don't throw out stuff that is, theoretically, still perfectly good. But obviously something has been going astray, prompting CASA this week to issue a reminder to engineers that on-condition components still need to be monitored with a very critical eye. That takes some doing when you think about it, and it really should be no surprise that some engineers don't like signing-off components to operate on condition. For the average PPL/owner who can fly OK, but thinks a screwdriver is a mixture of vodka and orange juice, it produces a conundrum. Do they accept a LAME's recommendation not to run on condition, or do they shop around to find an engineer who will sign off? That decision is now far more complex with a lack of engineer availability to do the work and almost infinite delays in getting components, particularly engines, out of the USA or Europe. This storm is not quite perfect, but it will produce a scenario that induces owners to run on condition more than ever before. Paradoxically, more components on condition means LAMEs need to do more monitoring, putting further strain on engineer availability. 

We've already got nominations for the 2024 CASA Wings Awards, which are starting to solidify into one of the largest fields of candidates we've ever had. That's been bolstered, no doubt, by the raft of prizes we have on offer for both the successful candidate and their nominator, thanks to the support of Garmin, David Clark, Bose and World Fuel. And it's about this time each year that I sound my usual warning about the criteria. Each award has set criteria by which the candidate and the nomination will be judged. Yes, you heard that correctly, we judge the nomination as well. When you make a submission, you need to make sure you have matched your candidate to the criteria as best you can. There is nothing more frustrating for us than to have to draw a line through a worthy candidate because the nomination hasn't been properly completed. So before you press the "go" button, check back through to see if you've done justice to who you are nominating.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 2 August 2024

2 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

When Bonza fell into the abyss a few weeks back, a friend asked me if I thought REX would follow suit. All I could do was cross my fingers in response. Now they are teetering on the edge also, it would appear that maybe my wishful thinking was not enough. The good news out of this is that REX had structured itself so that not all the subsidiaries are involved in the voluntary administration, leaving their training academy and charter/aeromedical operations to carry on as if there was nothing to see here. Although the SAAB 340 regional ops are tangled up in the financial red mud, they are continuing with the subsidised routes, meaning that regional centres ignored by QF and VA will not go unserviced. Maintaining the regional operations is also critical for general aviation, because they provide stepping-stones for ATPLs aspiring to the cockpits of Boeings and Airbuses. SAAB 340s and Metroliners are good nurseries, and for those pilots content not to be wrangling lifestyle-disturbing shifts at the majors, regional airlines are a good outlet for their skills and flying passion. When I first started in aviation journalism, a colleague said to me that airlines are all about defying gravity, both physically and financially. Every now and then one of them comes thudding to the financial ground surrounded by a cloud of burning dollars, and this time it's REX. Let's hope they can trade out of this and keep at least the turbo-props turning over.


"..the elephant in the room has Western Sydney Airport painted on the side.."


Effective consultation is super-critical to safe aviation outcomes, but it has to be painful and get-wrenching to do so on a proposal that you don't really want at all. That's the situation facing GA advocates over both Ballina-Byron and Bankstown. Both these airports are facing operational upheavals as airspace architecture is changed to suit the major airlines to the detriment of the GA. Although CASA is putting a smiley-face sticker on the consultation over Bankstown, the elephant in the room has Western Sydney Airport painted on the side. The consultation talks about "safer routes to training areas", which will cause some sneers because the current CTR butts up to Class G airspace without the need to be connected by a long line of lavender dots. The proposed routes weren't needed before Badgerys Creek was started. My point is that any changes to the airspace architecture around Sydney will result in an outcome that is less safe than it is now. The airspace design is going to be complex and into that we are going to funnel inexperienced pilots who are still battling with the science of flying an aeroplane straight and level. But still, we are asking advocates to take up the pen, analyse the proposals and return an honest and fair critique, which they will do even though their ink carries insufficient weight to make much difference.

The plain English guides, on the other hand, do make a lot of difference, when it comes to understanding the regulations. This was one of the few recommendations from the ASRR that has a) actually been implemented as intended, b) had an impact. GA has had a plain English guide for many years, although it was not really recognised as being just that: the Visual Flight Rules Guide (VFRG). The VFRG puts the rules, regulations and legislation surrounding visual flight into a crisp, clear format that unclouds pilots' understanding. The PEGs do something similar, and should be used to advantage in a similar vein as the VFRG. Part 61 is one of the most complex and bewildering of all CASRs. It needed a taskforce to untangle it only 12 months after its birth and has been a target of CASA GA Workplan a decade later. That should tell you a lot about the way the regs were "reformed". Should we be surprised that a PEG has been produced? However, the most logical thing would be to have written the original legislation in plain English, but the requirements of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and the demands for legal acceptability get precedence. CASA will need to keep the PEGs coming; it's the only way anything they do makes any sense.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 9 August 2024

9 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

CASA's figures released this week show that the RPL/PPL community is embracing the Class 5 medical despite the limited operations that are permitted under the self-declaration scheme. This isn't surprising given the number of years GA has been pursuing a self-declared medical, but its not an indication that the war is won, only the biggest battle. A true victory can only be (self) declared once we can fly with virtually zero restrictions and no GP involvement. But is that a bridge too far for CASA? None of the UK, USA or NZ have true self-declared medical standards; their equivalents all involve some form of medical examination or intervention, even if at GP level only. When the Class 4 goes live sometime in 2025, that will be a more equivalent standard to those other national authorities. That means CASA is already one step beyond with Class 5 and, given they can deliver a no-DAME medical with fewer restrictions in the form of Class 4 anyway, may be reluctant to take the final stride. Right now we're waiting for the 12-month review due in February, but in the meantime I expect the Class 5 numbers to increase as more and more Class 2 medicals expire.

"..Regional aviation is a tough industry, but so vital.."

REX going into voluntary administration has rocked the regional aviation industry and the communities the airline served. As the largest regional airline in Australia, they actually carry quite a bit on their shoulders. And that is why the Federal Government will be very keen to see them stay in the air, with financial backing probably forthcoming soon. But in the past fortnight, both Sharp Airlines and the Regional Aviation Association of Australia have come out and–whilst applauding support for REX–reminded the minister that there are more regional players in the game, and they are not immune from the same financial termites that are threatening the foundations of REX. Regional aviation is a tough industry, but so vital in linking Australia's remote communities (and we have a lot of those) to larger centres, and those larger centres to the capitals. Government support is already in place with subsidies for some of the REX services, but that wasn't enough to keep REX on a solid footing. So what of the small connector airlines that are running piston twins on routes so thin you could see through them, and doing it without government hand-outs? They also serve and I am sure could use some support similar to that likely to be extended to REX. The RAAA's call for a broader focus is on the money, but I am concerned that if something of this nature was not already included the the ALP's aviation white paper, then it's too late now for it to find a place. 

There has been a general opinion in GA circles that recreational access to Class C and D controlled airspace (C/D access) has been delayed because of a tie-up with CASR Part 103, which has also been a long time coming and isn't even on the horizon yet. That opinion had a solid basis in logic, Now, CASA is saying that the two are not connected, which means the logic for the project's delay also falls away. CASA's GA Workplan had the C/D access project due to be delivered by Q4 2023, and despite that passing months ago, there's no update. I believe CASA met with some of the Approved Self-administering Aviation Organisations (ASAO) is June to thrash out some things, so there is movement at the station. What I am failing to nail down is why the regulator is still consulting on something that they were confident they could deliver seven months or more ago. Personally, I expected the C/D access to drop in right on top of the Class 5 medical for GA. Class 5 showed that CASA had done enough work on the risk side to give C/D access to pilots without a medical examination, and I presumed that work could also be leveraged over to RPC holders as well. So are there other weevils in this flour? Training standards or aeroplane standards perhaps? Whatever the obstacles, they need to be cleared with haste; the recreational community has waited long enough.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 16 August 2024

16 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

I have used this column several times to cajole the government into getting out the aviation white paper that was promised mid year. I predicted early July, but here it is mid August and nothing yet. Agents within Canberra have hinted that the reason why it hasn't yet been tabled even though a final version was delivered to the minister, is that some new bits needed to be added. But now it is likely to be delayed even more by REX going into voluntary administration. People in the know have whispered that the original paper probably contained nothing for regional aviation other than platitudes and continuing subsidies for some routes. REX getting the financial wobbles may have caused ripples within the department and resulted in the white paper reverting to draft mode ... again. The public statements of support and understanding coming from the minister would look like political whitewash if the white paper then contained nothing of substance. Right now, the department could do a lot worse than re-engage with the Regional Aviation Association of Australia to sort out a holistic solution that keeps regional airlines healthy, retains connections for communities and provides an important link in the career chain for aspiring ATPLs.

"..the MOS gets thrown back at CASA in a flurry of fluttering paper.."

It's a rare moment when a technical working group (TWG) rejects proposed regulation outright and wholesale, but that's what happened with the CASR Part 103 Manual of Standards back in October 2021. Without a MOS of any sort, recreational aviation has had to benefit from a number of exemptions from the CAOs to make it legal. Since that happened, the TWG that threw back the MOS hasn't been reconvened. From my understanding, CASA's proposed MOS was overly prescriptive,  ignored the concept of informed participation and watered down the administrative responsibilities of the Approved Self-administering Aviation Organisations (ASAO). If that's right, rejecting the MOS was probably the right thing to do, and in the circumstances, hardly a surprising move. What is surprising, is that the draft MOS got to that state in the first place. My first reaction (and first reactions are often wrong because they are based on incomplete information) was that somewhere in Canberra two connections are not meeting up: CASA's sense of what an ASAO is for, and the ASAOs' idea of what an ASAO is for. CASR Part 149 was supposed to make the ends meet, but somehow has failed. Hence, the MOS gets thrown back at CASA in a flurry of fluttering paper. So, it's a logical and smart move for CASA to reconnect the ends via consultation with the industry, and reconvening the TWG. The only snag is that the whole of Part 103 and its MOS will be torched when CASA accepts and moves to implement the new MOSAIC rules currently being developed in the USA. To that end, are we better off falling back on the exemptions for the time being and waiting to see what comes out of MOSAIC?

And just to add further to the register of rickety regulation, people and organisations that once whole-heartedly supported the introduction of CASR Part 43 on GA maintenance are starting to rethink their positions. The Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) very publicly reversed their direction on Part 43 from "yea" to "nay", which may be a dagger in the heart of the proposed regulation. With that imprimatur in the bin, other organisations are wondering if persisting with Part 43 is simply pumping air into a punctured inner tube. Even if CASA implements a regulation that stands to reduce the maintenance burden for private and airwork aircraft owners, the MROs can simply refuse to do the work to that standard, making Part 43 a duck on crutches. It has been six years since this was first proposed, and now the GA community is perhaps further away from maintenance reform than ever before. At a time when engineers are scarce, parts are expensive or simply unobtainable, commercial and flying school aircraft get maintenance priority and aircraft are getting more complex, I find I need to pose one question: if not CASR Part 43, then what will be done to prevent this spiral dive?

On a sunnier outlook, I am getting more excited the closer we get to the 2024 Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) induction dinner at Shellharbour Airport on 26 October. One of the big drawcards is the Southern Cross Award being handed to the Australian Women Pilots Association (AWPA), which has seen a rash of bookings from members wanting to witness their association being honoured. Not only is this recognition of the AWPA well overdue, but also Australia's women aviators know how to party, and this is a great opportunity to join them. And there is the added attraction of seeing two of aviation's more contemporary icons being inducted into AAHOF: George Morgan and the late Peter Furlong. As the founders of GippsAero, these two showed the world that despite the discouraging aviation manufacturing culture in Australia, we could still design and build a classic aeroplane with amazing capability: the GA8 Airvan. I will be adding my applause to the ovation when their names are read out and encourage everyone else to do the same. If you're up for a great night of aviation with a bit of glitz and glamour thrown in, get yourself to the AAHOF webpage and book a chair for the night. I have been told there are spots left, but not a whole lot.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Also in General Aviation news, Oz Flying/CASA has provided an update on NOTAM'd airspace restrictions for the Pacific Air Show Gold Coast: Airspace Restrictions for Gold Coast this Weekend & Gold Coast airspace restrictions in place for Pacific Airshow & Significant temporary airspace restrictions for Gold Coast

I also note that the Federal MP has promoted the PAGC via the HoR Federation Chamber, well done that lady...

Ms BELL (Moncrieff) (10:36): The Pacific Airshow is back on the Gold Coast this weekend, after an immensely successful sellout in its inaugural year last year. It's held over three days. The rain, I know, is going to stop and the sun will come out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday all day so that we can be treated to what is going to be the sky show of the year in this country. Organisers are expecting to top last year's 150,000 tickets sold. We're likely to see up to 300,000 spectators line the beaches all the way from Main Beach down to Miami and all the surf clubs in between will be packed out to see this event in the skies. The restaurants will be absolutely bursting at the seams, and it will be great to see.

It's a family-friendly airshow that has cemented itself as a must attend. Of course, it's a unique annual event in South-East Queensland among residents and visitors alike and people will be coming from all over the world to the Pacific Airshow. We have wonderful veterans who are going to be there and some stunning acts in the sky. It will definitely feature the world's best civilian performers, some military aviators and emerging aviation technology doing things that will make you turn your head and perhaps hold your stomach a little bit. When you see the loop-the-loops, the corkscrews, the up-agains and the upside-downs that the planes do, it's quite incredible.

To all those incredibly talented pilots whom we'll see in the sky over the next three days and their teams, thank you. The joy and entertainment you bring to hundreds of thousands of spectators is unmatched. We've been flown into a new era of spectacular global events, with the second Pacific Airshow, a sister event to the famous Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach in California, and its professional team from Code Four locked in for three more years of in-sky entertainment that Gold Coasters, Australians, Americans and the rest of the world will enjoy. A big congratulations to the Pacific Airshow team, Major Events Gold Coast, Experience Gold Coast and the Australian Defence Force for the incredible work that you've done in the lead-up to this event.

Some of the biggest drawcards at this year's event are defence assets: the RAAF F-35A display; the USAF F-22 Raptors, which will be stunning; the US Navy's P-8 Poseidon; the RAAF Roulettes, which are the upside-down ones I was talking about; the RAAF 100 Squadron; and Nitro Circus—and that's just to name a few. Nothing compares to the joy and exhilaration that we are going to see this weekend on the Gold Coast.

This event also provides certainty to businesses that really need a lifeline, because so many businesses on the Gold Coast are struggling at the moment. At last year's event I spoke with the operator of a food van that pulled up outside one of the surf clubs and took a huge amount of revenue just in a couple of days with coffees and sandwiches. That really did save them and kept them going in that post-COVID period when they were trying to come back. The surf clubs I've mentioned, all the way from North Burleigh surf club up the coast to Southport surf club, will all be absolutely stoked this weekend when the air show comes to town.

I just want to say a few thankyous to some people who have been in this from the beginning. Right at the very beginning, in October 2020, Jan McCormick from Major Events Gold Coast came to my office on Chevron Island to discuss how we were going to deliver this air show. To bring the Australian Defence Force to the table with this is no mean feat, and I would like to thank the cabinet minister Stuart Robert for his contribution to bring the Pacific Airshow to the Gold Coast but also the Leader of the Opposition, who was the Minister for Defence at that time and signed off on the Pacific Airshow and those defence assets. And it would be remiss of me not to thank the current Minister for Defence for his continuing support for the air show. This means a lot to my community. It means a lot to businesses. It is so very, very important. It's the coalition that supports these events. The coalition supports free enterprise, reward for effort and small business. Just like Gold Coasters, the coalition backs all of the small businesses who will greatly benefit this weekend.

To finish, I would just like to say how important the Pacific Airshow is with regard to our relationship with the United States, our closest ally and our good friend since the ANZUS Treaty in 1951. We have been so very close. Just last night I was in the Deputy President's courtyard, and we were meeting with congress men and women who are here in Canberra. We welcome those congress men and women who have taken the time to come to see our parliament, to visit our nation. I wish the US ambassador, Her Excellency Caroline Kennedy—who has gone home at the moment—all the best with the arrival of her new grandchild. I also thank the person acting in her role, Erika Olson, the Deputy Chief of Mission, for her contribution while Her Excellency Caroline Kennedy is not here.

Finally I note that our useless Minister oversighting aviation, Dick King has been forced to act on guaranteeing regional customers booking seats on Rex will either fly or be refunded, while Rex is going through it's voluntary administration period:

Flight guaranteed for regional Rex customers

The Albanese Government has today announced it will guarantee regional flight bookings for Rex customers throughout the voluntary administration process.

Travellers can continue to book regional flights on Rex during this process with certainty that they will either fly or get their money back.

Rex operates one of Australia’s largest regional air networks and provides essential connectivity to move people and critical freight on 41 routes to regional and remote communities, including 21 routes that are only serviced by Rex.

Rex’s continuation is in the best interests of Australia – and the Government is working closely with the administrators to ensure a strong regional aviation presence now and into the future.

The guarantee is for all regional flight bookings with Rex made after it entered voluntary administration at 9:31pm on 30 July 2024.

This will give customers confidence to continue booking regional flights with Rex – flights that allow them stay connected to family, friends, healthcare and other services – while also helping to maintain regional aviation in Australia.

My department will continue to work with the administrator on their plans for the continuation of services to regional communities.

We also expect the administrator to honour and prioritise the entitlements of Rex employees.

This guarantee is a message to regional Australia that we know how important reliable air services are to you and that we are not going to allow your communities to be left behind.

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 23 August 2024

23 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

It's all going down at The Oaks, it would seem. The airport west of Sydney has been a supporter of recreational and private aviation for years and there are now plans for a serious redevelopment that will result in 60 hangars being built, airpark-style homes/hangars, aero club, sealed runway, convention centre, museum and various sundry facilities. With something similar being mooted for[b] [/b]Coldstream in Victoria, its fair to ask if this is going to be the way of the future for airfields on the periphery of the capital cities. In the case of The Oaks, the business plan probably looks sturdier given an almost certain exodus of aeroplanes and flight training organisations from Bankstown after Western Sydney gets going. But even though the local council and some pollies have expressed support for The Oaks, the traditional NIMBY screams from the sidelines can still cause support to swing towards populist causes. Councilors regularly buckle under the weight of people screaming "no" because its safer than bucking for change, even if that change is a good idea. GA in the Sydney basin really needs this development to go ahead and succeed, but the road ahead is rocky and long. It always is when someone wants to sink money into a local airport.

"..The lack of suitable sims condemns us to endure the risks of OEI training.."

The crash of VH-OMD at Cowra has given me the excuse I need to saddle up a hobby horse: one engine inoperative (OEI) training in twins. It's a sad but true fact that more twin-engine crashes have occurred during OEI training than have in genuine engine-out situations. That illustrates how dangerous it is to fly an aeroplane on one engine; the aerodynamic forces go feral on you and the aeroplane tends to follow. Simulation becomes reality. The answer is to conduct this sort of training either at altitude, or in a suitable simulator. You've got me at "simulator". Emergency procedures for some aircraft don't have to be done in the real thing if a suitable simulator is available, and that should extend to any twin-engined aeroplane. The problem is that so few simulators are available, and probably none for an E55 Baron. My own experiments with Seminoles showed that if a sim has six degrees of freedom (6DOF) and active control loading (force feedback) on the rudder, there is absolutely no need to do OEI training in a real aeroplane. The lack of suitable sims condemns us to endure the risks of OEI training and crashes such as this one will continue. What I believe is needed is a twin-engine flight training device that can be used across several models of aircraft. There is not a lot of difference in emergency procedures between a Baron and Seneca or a Seminole and a Duchess. One or two such machines positioned around Australia might give CASA the confidence to say "OK, you can do your OEI training in a sim". Yes, there is a danger that some cockpit differences could complicate things, but is that danger greater than doing the OEI training in a real aeroplane? The stats would suggest not.

It's heartening to see the number of nominations for the 2024 CASA Wings Awards we've already received ... and there's still about 11 weeks to go until we close off the books! The scheme has matured well since it began a decade ago, as evidenced not only by the nomination numbers, but also the quality of the winners. We may have to think about stepping it up some more in the future. But, through all that, we still get the occasional lazy nominator; a one-liner about who they reckon should win without addressing the criteria and without supplying anything more than a name. Whilst we appreciate the interest and in some cases understand the integrity of the nomination, we can't progress the name to the judging stage with such little information. If a person or organisation is worthy of the award, then they're worth nominating properly. All the criteria and the nomination process is on the Australian Flying website.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

[Peetwo]

The Last Minute Hitch: 30 August 2024

29 August 2024

– Steve Hitchen

The Engadine Corridor will probably work, but like so many Airspace Change Proposals (ACP), it's not the actual change that brings the angst; it's the reason for the change. In this case, the corridor will enable VFR flight from Bankstown to the south-east remaining OCTA, whereas before that route would transit SY CTR, and so a clearance was needed. Perhaps the biggest upside to this corridor is that it will connect the Victor 1 route at Jibbon Point to Bankstown VFR all the way. As it is now, VFR pilots wanting to return to BK have to skirt all the way around the Holdsworthy restricted area and back to 2RN. So, bouquets to the proponents; this is a good idea. But why now? This is about trying to encourage training in the south-east as lopsided compensation for Western Sydney Airport commandeering much of what was Bankstown's training area to the west. Designers and regulators have presumed that having student training in that area is a good idea. I am not convinced. The CLL in the corridor is 1500 feet, and from Woronora Dam down to Stanwell Park the CLL is 2500. If you want to do some stalling, you could cruise to the area south-east of Wedderburn to get under the 4500 step, but with the terrain there up to 1500 AMSL, instructors will need to be happy to stall with a recovery deck of less than 3000 feet. In my experience, instructors turn white if you suggest doing that; they like a bit more under their belt. Consequently, this corridor is good for transit to some where south, but is no compensation for losing training area acreage in the west.

"..the entire white paper won't ever be an effective way forward.."

In a GA sense, bits of the ALP's 2024 Aviation White Paper have the potential to work, but holistically this is a plan that just won't come together. Mandating ADS-B whilst there aren't enough engineers to fit the equipment, coming down hard on the operators of leased federal airports whilst promising to review the act to give them security of the future; acknowledging the importance of new net-zero technology for GA and cash for manufacturers whilst denying operators grants to adopt it. These are just a few of the contradictions that mean the entire white paper won't ever be an effective way forward. I'll give the department a chop-out here: they have been listening and this document acknowledges the challenges, but too many initiatives are heavy on motherhood and light on action. How will things get done and when will you do them? This is what the GA community wants to know; it was what we were counting on. There are happy people in the industry, though: regional and remote airports, sustainable technology developers and the eVTOL industry. The government clearly sees how they fit into political policy and has embraced them. But if there is any group out there that is feeling completely ignored, it's the recreational community. Other than a "we're watching you" statement, it barely gets a mention. And yet, recreational aviation makes up a large part of a general aviation community that the government says it's committed to. One of the better initiatives the should work in GA's favour is the study to determine the value of GA to the Australian economy. If that, too, ignores recreational aviation, we still won't know the real numbers once the report is in.

Geoffrey de Havilland is credited with saying that he liked his aeroplanes to look right, because it meant they usually were right. I think, then, that Sir Geoffrey would be happy with the Electra EL2 Goldfinch. This is a high-wing hybrid that uses only 300 feet (not metres) for take-off. Despite the eight electric engines mounted in the leading edge of the wing, the EL2 is a very conventional design that looks right straight off the drawing board. Many electric designs being touted as the future don't resemble the aircraft of the past, usually because of the need for vertical flight. But when your aeroplane will take-off and climb to 50 feet inside a standard rugby ground and still out-climb the grandstands, it does beg the question if vertical flight is really needed. We'll be keeping an eye on this one; it does look right from the very first glance.

And now I leave you for four weeks. LMH is going on leave and will return on 4 October. In the meantime Australian Flying editor Kreisha Ballantyne will continue feeding new onto the website and produce a weekly newsletter, so you'll still be up to date with what's going on. I am headed to Europe, where I am scheduled to visit Pipistrel Italia and catch up with the Explorer certified two-seater, and the Velis Electro. I will bring back the good oil on both of these models. 

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch