[Gobbledock]

Uncle Chester, a nice little presser hey buddy? Dipping your toes in the pool, exercising a little muscle, putting a stamp on your portfolio, filling in a little spare time perhaps? Don't worry old mate, you will be busy enough once the Murky Mandarins shenanigans start biting you on the old fella.

Chesterfield still has a few years ahead of him which will include the revealing of Airtex dirt, Pelair shennanigans, alphabet soup bullshit (too many stories to mention), senate scrutiny, MH370 malfeasance, Bankstown George's River pollution, Newcastle pollution, PFC's, an FAA and ICAO audit, IOS scrutiny and of course the inevitable smoking hole.

Yes Mr Chester welcome aboard and strap in to 1a. It will be an interesting ride, but you'll learn to enjoy it......

"Safe Chesterised skies for all"

[Gobbledock]

The Farmer leaves behind a handover list

Minister Chesters pre-senate checklist;

- Spin doctor SET
- Speaking the truth IDLE
- Truth Flow CUTOFF
- Bullshit Master Switch ON
- Late Night Office Lights ON
- Taxpayer trough Pump Switches ON
- Business class seats Gear Lever CHECK DOWN
- Montreal trips UP
- Regulatory Reform RETRACTED
- Smoke and Mirrors START/CHECK RUN
- Bullshit Gen ON / CHECK VOLTS
- Bullshit Quantity CHECK
- Ministerial Heat / De-Ice OFF
- Honesty and transparency OFF
- Comcar Limousine FREE AND CORRECT
- Industry Warning Signs OFF
- Check Trough (ATIS, Flight Services, land developers and former politician mates )
- Ministerial Ass TEST/CHECK FOR PINEAPPLE
- Request Clearance (to Montreal)
- Trough on STANDBY
- Senate/Anti Collision Light ON

Oink oink

[Kharon]

I was going to have a poke about and see what we could expect in the form of an “aviation advisor” to the new minister.  It’s a fairly important role, considering that Chester will, in all probability, defer to the guidance offered.   Anyway, “Lead Sled” posting on the UP did a thumbnail sketch which saves me the bother.  Cheers LS.

Voice for Aviation or Cuckoo in the Nest.

Folks,

As some of you will be aware, the new Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has a new Aviation Adviser.

He is Steven Campbell, who has a most interesting CV (according to Linked In) starting as a GA instructor, CFI at Tyabb, moving up a traditional path into Regionals, and then cracking it with Cathay, where it looks like he finished up on B777 as a Training Captain.

Then --- maybe --- it all changes, joining CASA and eventually becoming Project Manager for Part 61/142/142. The greatest disaster in the history of aviation regulation in Australia.

Any body know if he has quit CASA, or is he on secondment/leave of absence to go to the Minister's office.

Is he going to be a voice for industry, and what must be done, including fair dinkum action on the Forsyth Report ??

Or is he a very cunning CASA plant, to sell the CASA line that everything is really hunky dory in Australian aviation, it's just a matter of industry malcontents getting too much publicity, Senators who are an irritant, and the NZ rules won't work, because they "don't meet Commonwealth legislative drafting protocols" ( like much other Commonwealth legislation that comes from O/S, that has been "incorporated by reference" in Australian legislation).

And Parts 61/141/142 are really ground breaking legislation that other NAA are panting to copy --- according to the CASA "official" line.

Tootle pip!

Certainly food for thought;  or the stuff of nightmare.   Handing over.

[Peetwo]

I was going to have a poke about and see what we could expect in the form of an “aviation advisor” to the new minister.  It’s a fairly important role, considering that Chester will, in all probability, defer to the guidance offered.   Anyway, “Lead Sled” posting on the UP did a thumbnail sketch which saves me the bother.  Cheers LS.

Voice for Aviation or Cuckoo in the Nest.

Folks,

As some of you will be aware, the new Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has a new Aviation Adviser.

He is Steven Campbell, who has a most interesting CV (according to Linked In) starting as a GA instructor, CFI at Tyabb, moving up a traditional path into Regionals, and then cracking it with Cathay, where it looks like he finished up on B777 as a Training Captain.

Then --- maybe --- it all changes, joining CASA and eventually becoming Project Manager for Part 61/142/142. The greatest disaster in the history of aviation regulation in Australia.

Any body know if he has quit CASA, or is he on secondment/leave of absence to go to the Minister's office.

Is he going to be a voice for industry, and what must be done, including fair dinkum action on the Forsyth Report ??

Or is he a very cunning CASA plant, to sell the CASA line that everything is really hunky dory in Australian aviation, it's just a matter of industry malcontents getting too much publicity, Senators who are an irritant, and the NZ rules won't work, because they "don't meet Commonwealth legislative drafting protocols" ( like much other Commonwealth legislation that comes from O/S, that has been "incorporated by reference" in Australian legislation).

And Parts 61/141/142 are really ground breaking legislation that other NAA are panting to copy --- according to the CASA "official" line.

Tootle pip!

Certainly food for thought;  or the stuff of nightmare.   Handing over.

Devil's advocate, referring to LinkedIn: 

3rd

Steven Campbell
Manager, Part 61 task force, Part 141/142

Location Canberra, Australia

Industry Aviation & Aerospace

1. Office of the Minister of infrastructure and transport
   
2. Civil Aviation Safety Authority,
   
3. Cathay Pacific Airways,
   
4. Hong Kong Airline Pilots Association
   

• Public Profile https://au.linkedin.com/in/steven-campbell-7a534a74
  

Background
Experience

Senior Advisor-Transport (Aviation)
Office of the Minister of infrastructure and transport
March 2016 – Present (1 month)Canberra, Australia


Manager, Part 61 taskforce, Part 141/142
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
October 2015 – March 2016 (6 months)Canberra, Australia
Manager of CASR Part 141/142 review team.


Standards Officer (Large aeroplanes)
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
August 2013 – October 2015 (2 years 3 months)
Providing policy guidance and regulation development for the CASR operations suite of regulations.


Check & Training Captain B777
Cathay Pacific Airways
June 1998 – June 2013 (15 years 1 month)Hong Kong
Training and Checking of line pilots. Originally joined as Second Officer on the B747-400.

Vice President-Professional, Hong Kong Airline Officer Association
Hong Kong Airline Pilots Association
September 2008 – September 2012 (4 years 1 month)
Director of Rostering, Negotiator, HKALPA technical and safety committee.

Pilot
Ansett-Kendell Airlines
October 1995 – May 1998 (2 years 8 months)Adelaide and Sydney
Co-pilot Metro 23 in Adelaide. Capt. SAAB 340 in Sydney


Senior base pilot/ training pilot
Air North
December 1994 – October 1995 (11 months)Alice Springs, NT

Chief Pilot
Air Frontier
June 1994 – December 1994 (7 months)Darwin, Australia

Chief Flying Instructor/ Chief Pilot
Peninsula Aero Club
November 1992 – June 1994 (1 year 8 months)Tyabb, Victoria

Flying Instructor
Groupair Flying School
March 1991 – July 1992 (1 year 5 months)Casey Airfield, Berwick, VIC

This bloke had nothing to do with the writing of the 'death to GA', 2000+ page behemoth that is the current Part61 & Part61 MOS, so I'll be withholding judgement till proof otherwise that he is a former acolyte & recruit of McComic...  

One positive is that he should be able to sort the wheat from the chaff in the stories/theories & otherwise with MH370 being a former B777 Check & Training pilot albeit with Cathay Pacific. He should also have a reasonable understanding of the aviation industry in that neck of the woods i.e. SE Asia.

MTF...P2

Ps Besides we're (PAIN) only too happy to keep watch on Stevo in his endeavours to keep the Miniscule well informed on matters aviation...  

[crankybastards]

Groan... Here we go again giving people the benefit of the doubt.
1) The man comes from the Ministers electorate.
2) He comes from Cathay, the CASA embryonic breeding ground of everything negative about AUSTAV.
3) Any side of government in Australia is compromised by bureaucratic intervention.
4) CASA are not the model corporate example.
5) There are crooks afoot.

It's time to draw a line in the sand until any appointment is purged from influence of contemporary regulatory authority. The whole show is compromised and no benefits of any doubts can be given until the most sincere of demonstration "Seppuku" is carried out.

No more... no more, will anybody trust anybody until this takes place.

[ventus45]

Groan... Here we go again giving people the benefit of the doubt.
1) The man comes from the Ministers electorate.
2) He comes from Cathay, the CASA embryonic breeding ground of everything negative about AUSTAV.
3) Any side of government in Australia is compromised by bureaucratic intervention.
4) CASA are not the model corporate example.
5) There are crooks afoot.

It's time to draw a line in the sand until any appointment is purged from influence of contemporary regulatory authority. The whole show is compromised and no benefits of any doubts can be given until the most sincere of demonstration "Seppuku" is carried out.

No more... no more, will anybody trust anybody until this takes place.

[Peetwo]

I was going to have a poke about and see what we could expect in the form of an “aviation advisor” to the new minister.  It’s a fairly important role, considering that Chester will, in all probability, defer to the guidance offered.   Anyway, “Lead Sled” posting on the UP did a thumbnail sketch which saves me the bother.  Cheers LS.

Voice for Aviation or Cuckoo in the Nest.

Folks,

As some of you will be aware, the new Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has a new Aviation Adviser.

He is Steven Campbell, who has a most interesting CV (according to Linked In) starting as a GA instructor, CFI at Tyabb, moving up a traditional path into Regionals, and then cracking it with Cathay, where it looks like he finished up on B777 as a Training Captain.

Then --- maybe --- it all changes, joining CASA and eventually becoming Project Manager for Part 61/142/142. The greatest disaster in the history of aviation regulation in Australia.

Any body know if he has quit CASA, or is he on secondment/leave of absence to go to the Minister's office.

Is he going to be a voice for industry, and what must be done, including fair dinkum action on the Forsyth Report ??

Or is he a very cunning CASA plant, to sell the CASA line that everything is really hunky dory in Australian aviation, it's just a matter of industry malcontents getting too much publicity, Senators who are an irritant, and the NZ rules won't work, because they "don't meet Commonwealth legislative drafting protocols" ( like much other Commonwealth legislation that comes from O/S, that has been "incorporated by reference" in Australian legislation).

And Parts 61/141/142 are really ground breaking legislation that other NAA are panting to copy --- according to the CASA "official" line.

Tootle pip!

Certainly food for thought;  or the stuff of nightmare.   Handing over.

Devil's advocate, referring to LinkedIn: 

3rd

Steven Campbell
Manager, Part 61 task force, Part 141/142

Location Canberra, Australia

Industry Aviation & Aerospace

1. Office of the Minister of infrastructure and transport
   
2. Civil Aviation Safety Authority,
   
3. Cathay Pacific Airways,
   
4. Hong Kong Airline Pilots Association
   

• Public Profile https://au.linkedin.com/in/steven-campbell-7a534a74
  

Background
Experience

Senior Advisor-Transport (Aviation)
Office of the Minister of infrastructure and transport
March 2016 – Present (1 month)Canberra, Australia


Manager, Part 61 taskforce, Part 141/142
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
October 2015 – March 2016 (6 months)Canberra, Australia
Manager of CASR Part 141/142 review team.


Standards Officer (Large aeroplanes)
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
August 2013 – October 2015 (2 years 3 months)
Providing policy guidance and regulation development for the CASR operations suite of regulations.


Check & Training Captain B777
Cathay Pacific Airways
June 1998 – June 2013 (15 years 1 month)Hong Kong
Training and Checking of line pilots. Originally joined as Second Officer on the B747-400.

Vice President-Professional, Hong Kong Airline Officer Association
Hong Kong Airline Pilots Association
September 2008 – September 2012 (4 years 1 month)
Director of Rostering, Negotiator, HKALPA technical and safety committee.

Pilot
Ansett-Kendell Airlines
October 1995 – May 1998 (2 years 8 months)Adelaide and Sydney
Co-pilot Metro 23 in Adelaide. Capt. SAAB 340 in Sydney


Senior base pilot/ training pilot
Air North
December 1994 – October 1995 (11 months)Alice Springs, NT

Chief Pilot
Air Frontier
June 1994 – December 1994 (7 months)Darwin, Australia

Chief Flying Instructor/ Chief Pilot
Peninsula Aero Club
November 1992 – June 1994 (1 year 8 months)Tyabb, Victoria

Flying Instructor
Groupair Flying School
March 1991 – July 1992 (1 year 5 months)Casey Airfield, Berwick, VIC

This bloke had nothing to do with the writing of the 'death to GA', 2000+ page behemoth that is the current Part61 & Part61 MOS, so I'll be withholding judgement till proof otherwise that he is a former acolyte & recruit of McComic...  

One positive is that he should be able to sort the wheat from the chaff in the stories/theories & otherwise with MH370 being a former B777 Check & Training pilot albeit with Cathay Pacific. He should also have a reasonable understanding of the aviation industry in that neck of the woods i.e. SE Asia.

Ps Besides we're (PAIN) only too happy to keep watch on Stevo in his endeavours to keep the Miniscule well informed on matters aviation...  

Cranky so have you any positive suggestions for who his adviser should be? Because if you do I am only too happy to pass them on?? https://twitter.com/DarrenChesterMP Come on create a list..chop..chop   

[crankybastards]

One ex ICC Hart comes to mind.

[Peetwo]

Okay let's work on that

Dear Miniscule please consider giving this bloke a call, unlike your current aviation adviser it would appear that this bloke currently has no skin in the game (no potential COI), which is important when trying to breakdown many developed years of industry distrust with the big "R" regulator:

2nd

Mike Hart
Mr
Location New South Wales, Australia
Industry Farming
Edit experience Current

1. Self-employed
   

4connections

• Public Profile https://au.linkedin.com/in/mike-hart-51b53bb4
  

Background
Summary
Blue Mountains Grammar School Wentworth Falls 1958-1969
Graduate of UNSW, Post Graduate; University Sydney, UNE, Civil Aviation College Melbourne.

Began career as law student and legal clerk NSW Attorney Generals Department. Commonwealth Government 1978 Department of Aviation Air Services.

Wide experience in the management of complaints and complex investigations involving the public sector through positions at the NSW Attorney General’s Department, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.

He was the general manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in 1999 during the (Mobil) Avgas fuel contamination crisis.

6,000 hours in a flying career and that has spanned the years 1972 to 2010 has held aviation industry positions including (QFI) qualified flying instructor with the RAAF (1 BFTS), and check and training captain with Coastwatch.

Michael Hart joined CASA as the Industry Complaints Commissioner (ICC) in June 2007. Retired from CASA in 2010,

Now involved in horiticultural activity/business and farming in the New England area of NSW
Experience
Mr
Self-employed

Yours P2

Ps Nothing personal with your man, it just doesn't look good when the bloke comes from the former CASA regime.   

Pps Miniscule & PM if you need anymore evidence of the moral integrity of Mr Hart go no further than the following blog reply comment from him on the tragic VH-MDX disappearance in 1981:

Mike Hart



Nev

I was the ATS officer on the Sydney Sector (FIS 5) who had the misfortune to be on duty when these events occurred. It was one of the worst nights of my life. I later resigned from Air Services or the CAA as it was then, to pursue a career elsewhere. I later became a QFI with 1 BFTS RAAF Tamworth and an ATO and C&T Captain with Surveillance Australia (Coastwatch). I spent the last few years of my working life as the Industry Complaints Commissioner for CASA. I am now retired.

After nearly thirty years I have finally managed to bring myself to listen to the audio tape of the night MDX went missing you provided on your blog site. In my view the tape is out of sequence and the last bit should be at  the front and the middle towards the end and therefore the tape is not a reliable record of the events but merely pieces of the transcript.

FYI I was never interviewed by anybody, either from the then  BASI or Air Services Australia, nothing has changed my view in all this time that the aircraft had had a vacuum pump failure and that subsequently the pilot lost of control of the aircraft. I  have personally  had two such incidents in my flying career which required full instrument approaches on a limited panel, each time the loss of the pumps was insidious and not easily detectable except for the fact that I was on instruments both times and only a constant and proper IF scan alerted me early to the fact that the AI did not agree with the rest of the instruments a rigorous adherence to the basic adage Attitude Plus Power=Performance. I do not blame the pilot in anyway, he was presented with a set of circumstances which were beyond him at the time in an aeroplane that has had more than its share of such failures which nobody really trained for or took seriously. I can say that of the hundreds of pilots I subsequently taught, trained and tested I made such all of them could handle a limited panel and then some!

It was a very tragic accident and merely reinforced my professional view that NGTVFR was merely a rating that allowed you to end up sometime in an environment where you were going to come to grief.

Regards

Mike Hart

[Gobbledock]

Yuk yuk yak I flicked on mainstream TV, more specifically the Today Show this morning, to have my ritual perve on Sylvia Jefferies in all her scrumptious glory, and slightly off topic from the 'Stevo' discussion, low and behold Minuscule Chester was on the screen discussing the MH370 anniversary. More importantly was his 'political answer' to the question raised as to whether the search might be extended past the now infamous cutoff date. In true bureaucratic style he wouldn't answer yes or no. Take that however you wish, but to me that answer doesn't inspire much confidence in the man, however time will tell, and tell it will because the 60 Minutes clock stops for nobody.

My gut instinct tells me we have another spin doctor aka bureaucratic bullshit artist, after all that is what they do well, very well. And I think Barnaby has learnt from the Albo and Truss experience that it is safer to distance your presence away from the fire, put someone else (Chester and Stevo) in front of the firing squad instead. Maybe, maybe not. Either way that sort of ruse doesn't fool the IOS. We will ensure that any aviation shenanigans is linked directly back to you Barnaby and Malcolm, as you two are top rung of the ladder. But nice try, adding a few extra protective barriers in front of you, however it won't work as the IOS can see straight through your smoke n mirror show. You gotta get up earlier than that to catch us off guard.

TICK TOCK new Infrastructure bureaucrats TICK TOCK

[Peetwo]

Dear Minister look what you have inherited -

To follow on from this post - Aerospace Innovation in 21st century - where the FAA seem to understand the importance of promoting & revitalising General Aviation to the health of the industry as a whole, today Ben Sandilands focusses on this Dick Smith post off the UP:

Get out of aviation before you lose everything

---

I’d like to re-emphasise what I’ve told many people and that is there is no light on the horizon and many tens of millions of dollars more is going to be lost in general aviation in this county before anything is done about it.

I’ve just returned from a trip in the Caravan from Bankstown to Mornington Island and back. Basically every airport is dead, I see a totally dying GA industry.

To show you how bad it is, I’m trying to get rid of my aircraft. I put the CJ3 on the market about 6 months ago when one of the aircraft of about the same hours sold for about US $4.6 million. Since then I have reduced the price twice, now to US $3.9 million and can’t get any takers.

One of the problems is the high cost of fitting ADSB in Australia and also a flight data recorder, both unique Australian requirements. The prime reason I’m selling the aircraft is if you get a minor fault – let’s say the mercury battery in the FMS goes flat, the aircraft is grounded for many weeks as Collins no longer have a presence in Australia and so the unit has to be sent to the USA for repair. This is going to happen more and more. I couldn’t even get the Winslow life raft serviced here and had to spend over US $3,000 shipping it as dangerous goods to Singapore.

I had a meeting with the Director of Aviation Safety at CASA, Mark Skidmore when he first started over a year ago and gave him a list of about 20 items, some truly simple to fix, many of which could save money for the industry. In the intervening year not one item has been addressed, I haven’t even received a phone call from anyone as CASA to ask about any of the ideas.

The OneSKY project is most likely going to be a disaster with hundreds of millions of dollars being written off and charged to the industry.

The ADSB requirement for all aircraft that fly in cloud, coming in next year is unique in the world – no other country has deemed that to be affordable. It’s pretty clear that Airservices under Sir Angus Houston will not budge on this mandate, even though they have maximised profits by not putting in many ADSB ground stations.

When Warren Truss actually leaves the Parliament, he’ll be praised by both sides of politics on what a great person and politician he is. This will give a message to any other politician how to act in an important folio like transport.

That is do nothing.

Take my advice now and get out before you lose even more.

And Ben's opinion piece:

Dick Smith says “get out of general aviation now”

Ben Sandilands | Mar 10, 2016 9:46AM |

Dick Smith flying his Longranger over the east coast of Tasmania

It’s a fair bet that almost no-one who flies on scheduled airlines in this country knows what ‘general aviation’ really is.

But it is the critical foundation (although one that is being weakened by technology) of the aviation food chain. A sick GA sector affects the ultimate health and skill base of piloting, training, maintenance, and skills retention.

Which is why a call by entrepreneur Dick Smith yesterday for those in private aviation to get out now before they lose their money is cause for some concerned discussions.
Mr Smith outlined his reasons in this post on Pprune, a discussion board that attracts some well known and respected voices in the airline and general aviation areas, as well as inevitably, a lot of trolls and f*ckwits.-

GA isn’t an activity that speaks with one voice, and seldom says anything that can be readily understood by the political and media estates, which is bad news in a world where everyone tends to talk in dot points, slogans and assertions to fit into social media formats.

The basis for Mr Smith’s concerns, which have not gone unchallenged in the Pprune discussion, is unwise over regulation that is placing crippling financial burdens on general aviation.

What if anything should regular users of airlines be concerned about in this discussion? The answers may include skills and aircraft piloting and maintenance standards.

Although it doesn’t appear at this stage to be part of the shouting that is going on over this topic on Pprune, the world’s airlines are increasingly run by management school disciples who really couldn’t care less if the first officer seat at the spear tip end of one of their 180 passenger jets is occupied by an enthusiastic young man or woman who couldn’t actually fly a small piston engined Cessna 172 and has never had to exercise judgment when challenged by weather or mechanical failure while using a short dirt airstrip.

The pressure in airlines is for legacy pilot skills to be considered less important than the correct management of automation and computer flight system in scheduled operations, because ‘nothing’ ever goes wrong with them.

Once the GA stream of skilled pilots is throttled back to zero, the inconvenience of considerations about mature aged pilot skills, and the remaining regulatory emphasis on experience and training, will disappear.

General aviation in Australia is unfortunately often seen as an impediment to realising the real estate value of small airports close to major city airports and the faith in becoming a pilot through theoretical studies and computer management skills may well be ahead of what is reasonable and prudent.

Much hangs on the sort of debate Dick Smith is trying to bring on, even though it will escape close scrutiny over its pros and cons, in what now passes for general media

MTF..P2

[Peetwo]

Dear Minister look what you have inherited -

To follow on from this post - Aerospace Innovation in 21st century - where the FAA seem to understand the importance of promoting & revitalising General Aviation to the health of the industry as a whole, today Ben Sandilands focusses on this Dick Smith post off the UP:

Get out of aviation before you lose everything

---

I’d like to re-emphasise what I’ve told many people and that is there is no light on the horizon and many tens of millions of dollars more is going to be lost in general aviation in this county before anything is done about it.

I’ve just returned from a trip in the Caravan from Bankstown to Mornington Island and back. Basically every airport is dead, I see a totally dying GA industry.

To show you how bad it is, I’m trying to get rid of my aircraft. I put the CJ3 on the market about 6 months ago when one of the aircraft of about the same hours sold for about US $4.6 million. Since then I have reduced the price twice, now to US $3.9 million and can’t get any takers.

One of the problems is the high cost of fitting ADSB in Australia and also a flight data recorder, both unique Australian requirements. The prime reason I’m selling the aircraft is if you get a minor fault – let’s say the mercury battery in the FMS goes flat, the aircraft is grounded for many weeks as Collins no longer have a presence in Australia and so the unit has to be sent to the USA for repair. This is going to happen more and more. I couldn’t even get the Winslow life raft serviced here and had to spend over US $3,000 shipping it as dangerous goods to Singapore.

I had a meeting with the Director of Aviation Safety at CASA, Mark Skidmore when he first started over a year ago and gave him a list of about 20 items, some truly simple to fix, many of which could save money for the industry. In the intervening year not one item has been addressed, I haven’t even received a phone call from anyone as CASA to ask about any of the ideas.

The OneSKY project is most likely going to be a disaster with hundreds of millions of dollars being written off and charged to the industry.

The ADSB requirement for all aircraft that fly in cloud, coming in next year is unique in the world – no other country has deemed that to be affordable. It’s pretty clear that Airservices under Sir Angus Houston will not budge on this mandate, even though they have maximised profits by not putting in many ADSB ground stations.

When Warren Truss actually leaves the Parliament, he’ll be praised by both sides of politics on what a great person and politician he is. This will give a message to any other politician how to act in an important folio like transport.

That is do nothing.

Take my advice now and get out before you lose even more.

And Ben's opinion piece:

Dick Smith says “get out of general aviation now”

Ben Sandilands | Mar 10, 2016 9:46AM |

Dick Smith flying his Longranger over the east coast of Tasmania

It’s a fair bet that almost no-one who flies on scheduled airlines in this country knows what ‘general aviation’ really is.

But it is the critical foundation (although one that is being weakened by technology) of the aviation food chain. A sick GA sector affects the ultimate health and skill base of piloting, training, maintenance, and skills retention.

Which is why a call by entrepreneur Dick Smith yesterday for those in private aviation to get out now before they lose their money is cause for some concerned discussions.
Mr Smith outlined his reasons in this post on Pprune, a discussion board that attracts some well known and respected voices in the airline and general aviation areas, as well as inevitably, a lot of trolls and f*ckwits.-

GA isn’t an activity that speaks with one voice, and seldom says anything that can be readily understood by the political and media estates, which is bad news in a world where everyone tends to talk in dot points, slogans and assertions to fit into social media formats.

The basis for Mr Smith’s concerns, which have not gone unchallenged in the Pprune discussion, is unwise over regulation that is placing crippling financial burdens on general aviation.

What if anything should regular users of airlines be concerned about in this discussion? The answers may include skills and aircraft piloting and maintenance standards.

Although it doesn’t appear at this stage to be part of the shouting that is going on over this topic on Pprune, the world’s airlines are increasingly run by management school disciples who really couldn’t care less if the first officer seat at the spear tip end of one of their 180 passenger jets is occupied by an enthusiastic young man or woman who couldn’t actually fly a small piston engined Cessna 172 and has never had to exercise judgment when challenged by weather or mechanical failure while using a short dirt airstrip.

The pressure in airlines is for legacy pilot skills to be considered less important than the correct management of automation and computer flight system in scheduled operations, because ‘nothing’ ever goes wrong with them.

Once the GA stream of skilled pilots is throttled back to zero, the inconvenience of considerations about mature aged pilot skills, and the remaining regulatory emphasis on experience and training, will disappear.

General aviation in Australia is unfortunately often seen as an impediment to realising the real estate value of small airports close to major city airports and the faith in becoming a pilot through theoretical studies and computer management skills may well be ahead of what is reasonable and prudent.

Much hangs on the sort of debate Dick Smith is trying to bring on, even though it will escape close scrutiny over its pros and cons, in what now passes for general media

Further to Dick Smith story (above), by Hitch via Oz Flying:

Aviator and change advocate Dick Smith addresses a senate inquiry into the performance of Airservices Australia. (still from official video)



Dick Smith urges Aviators to Quit
10 Mar 2016

Aviation change advocate Dick Smith has urged operators and pilots to leave general aviation before they lost large amounts of money trying to exist in a flagging industry.
Smith made his plea yesterday in an on-line forum and in a phone call to Australian Flying.

"There is no light on the horizon and many tens of millions of dollars more is going to be lost in general aviation in this county before anything is done about it," he said. 

"I’ve just returned from a trip in the Caravan from Bankstown to Mornington Island and back. Basically every airport is dead, I see a totally dying GA industry.

"Take my advice now and get out before you lose even more."

Smith was twice appointed chair of the aviation safety regulator, first in 1990 and again in 1997. He has since advocated change in the general aviation industry, and most recently exchanged letters with CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore and fronted a Senate inquiry into the performance of Airservices Australia.

Smith says that when Skidmore first became Director the two of them discussed 20 points that Smith thought could be done straight away to cut the cost of aviation in Australia.
"In the intervening year not one item has been addressed," Smith says. "I haven’t even received a phone call from anyone at CASA to ask about any of the ideas."

One of Smith's largest concerns is the mandate to implement ADS-B from February next year, which he says stands to cost general aviation a substantial amount of money for no discernible benefit, particularly for VFR aircraft.

Smith also maintains that people within CASA are attempting to wind-back the National Airspace System (NAS) that the regulator previously agreed to implement, which Smith says is reflected in the advice CASA gave to use the area frequency for broadcasts at ALAs without dedicated frequencies rather than the 126.7 multicom demanded under the NAS

MTF..P2

[Peetwo]

Once a Pilot always a Criminal - FFS Miniscule wake the [email=f#@k]f#@k[/email] up!

Courtesy Lead Balloon from the UP on proposed new CASA fuel policy & criminality - UFB!

I get it now. Someone who makes a deliberate decision to continue to the original destination and land with reserve minus 1 litre intact without declaring an emergency, rather than take an available diversion option, is a criminal. I think the penalty should be increased to a substantial gaol term, to ensure such recklessly criminal activity never happens.

I look forward to some a*seclown trying to prove it did it, given that I can choose to plan and actually cruise at fuel flows spanning a range of about 20 litres per hour, and I have 22 litres of unusable fuel that I frequently use.

& from Ultralights..

i can see it now, 15 mins out of Bankstown, last fuel check calculation, oh SH**, im going to land using 2 ltrs into my reserve! MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY! no, im not in imminent danger tower, just going to land with 43 mins reserve, thats all, yes, i know i called mayday, im 15 mins out.. CASA greet you on the ground, fuel measurement taken, oh, look, i stuffed up a calculation, i actually have 48 mins of fuel left, sorry about that..

or, as someone else quoted from another forum,

"Extra 300 XYZ taxying for airdisplay overhead, mayday mayday mayday fuel, lining up runway 23"

Well with the absolute absurdity of the possible implications of that proposed new rule set from CASA, I note today that the Miniscule for Aviation is adding fuel to the fire that all pilots & mariners are criminals until proven otherwise -

Serious or organised crime stopped at the border

Media Release

DC019/2016

16 March 2016

Joint release with:

Michael Keenan

Minister for Justice and

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for

Counter-Terrorism

Security will be tightened at Australia's airports and seaports following the passage of key legislation through the House of Representatives.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the legislation, which relates to the Aviation and Maritime Security Identification Card schemes, was aimed at preventing serious and organised crime activity.

“Today the Transport Security Amendment (Serious or Organised Crime) Bill 2016 has passed the House of Representatives without amendment,” Mr Chester said.

“The Bill delivers on the Government's commitment to ensure that people with a relevant criminal history can never receive a security clearance to work at our airports or seaports.

“This is a critical step in securing our transport infrastructure against crime or future criminal influences.”

Supporting the amendments, the Minister for Justice and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter-Terrorism Michael Keenan said the Bill delivers on the Coalition Government's election commitment to strengthen the system and fight serious and organised crime at our ports and seaports.

“All Australians have high expectations of individuals with access to secure areas of our airports and seaports given that they are in positions of trust,” Mr Keenan said.

“The Coalition Government changes mean Australia's airports and seaports will be less susceptible to exploitation from serious or organised crime.

“We know that Australia has become a target for organised criminals from all around the world because Australians are paying top dollar for the misery these crooks peddle—like the drug ice.


“Further, these changes will deliver on our commitment to implement the National Ice Taskforce's recommendations, specifically to strengthen the ASIC and MSIC schemes to limit the distribution of ice throughout the community.”

If the Bill passes the Senate, it is intended that the reforms will become effective from 1 July 2016.

 
I am starting to lean towards Leady's sentiment that the Miniscule & his CASA planted adviser are just providing a filter to Barnaby & CO:

Do Nothing Darren

---

Folks,

I don't know much about the new Minister, so I have been doing a bit of homework.

First up, was the nickname "do nothing Darren", is this deserved?? Have we replaced Action Man Truss with another Ball of Fire who will sort aviation, or another "new" conductor playing the Aviation Funeral March??

An instant captive of the "mystique of aviation safety"???

He has been described in the local meeja as "The George Clooney of Gippsland", is this fair to Gippsland??

Do you get any impression that he even knows aviation, let alone GA, exists?? All his early speeches and media releases are not promising, have any of them even mentioned aviation, as opposed to railways, ships and roads, and roads and ship and railways, then ships, roads and railways.??

Tootle pip!!

&..

Voice for Aviation or Cuckoo in the Nest.

---

Folks,

As some of you will be aware, the new Minister for Infrastructure and Transport has a new Aviation Adviser.

He is Steven Campbell, who has a most interesting CV (according to Linked In) starting as a GA instructor, CFI at Tyabb, moving up a traditional path into Regionals, and then cracking it with Cathay, where it looks like he finished up on B777 as a Training Captain.

Then --- maybe --- it all changes, joining CASA and eventually becoming Project Manager for Part 61/141/142. The greatest disaster in the history of aviation regulation in Australia.

Any body know if he has quit CASA, or is he on secondment/leave of absence to go to the Minister's office.

Is he going to be a voice for industry, and what must be done, including fair dinkum action on the Forsyth Report ??

Or is he a very cunning CASA plant, to sell the CASA line that everything is really hunky dory in Australian aviation, it's just a matter of industry malcontents getting too much publicity, Senators who are an irritant, and the NZ rules won't work, because they "don't meet Commonwealth legislative drafting protocols" ( like much other Commonwealth legislation that comes from O/S, that has been "incorporated by reference" in Australian legislation).

And Parts 61/141/142 are really groundbreaking pieces of legislation that other NAA are panting to copy --- according to the CASA "official" line.

Tootle pip!!

& from Frank Arouet..

It's being suggested on other sites that this appointment is Barnaby's way to keep him further away from the CAsA fire. Something he probably deduced was a major problem for Truss. I doubt it will work as the "buck" as opposed to the "duck" always stops somewhere, usually at the top.

So it would seem that the new Miniscule is purely a filter for the top-dogs, like Barnaby & Co, to avoid all awkward 'mystique of aviation safety' issues.

We have an industry that is currently seriously at risk of extinction due to the political elite leaving it to the bureaucrats to obfuscate all possible regulatory & CASA reform - well duck that! Either Barnaby, Chester & Nash, start kicking some bureaucratic asses or they will face the Sunfish Aviation negative electioneering campaign in all their marginal seats -  

MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Tick tock.....it's all going to end in tears. Mark my word.

TICK TOCK

[Kharon]

Flight, in a toxic environment.

The truly despicable part of the “fuel reserve” imbroglio is it does sweet fanny Adams toward improving “safety”; not a single, solitary thing.  It does however give the CASA a perfect ‘out’ under strict liability – if they can prove that the claimed 45 minutes was only 44 minutes and 55 seconds, then you are indeed guilty of a strict liability criminal act.  The blame shifts to you as the pilot in command for being reckless and negligent.

So, when the next fog or weather related ‘minor’ incident occurs the finger of blame cannot be pointed at  CASA who cannot work out a simple effective rule set for alternate requirements, or even approve low visibility operations; an ASA who failed to deliver a timely message; the BoM for lazy, inaccurate forecasts; or, the ATSB who will happily gloss over the real issues.  Let’s not mention the two decades out of date infrastructure.

Companies will continue to love the current system, which allows them to quite legally question a pilots inalienable right to throw on more fuel as and when best pleases.  They cannot stop a bloke from throwing on the extra ‘gas for Mum’ but they can, based on the forecast, question the decision.  Mostly the ‘minimum fuel’ policies work, except we now have at least four separate weather/fuel related ‘incidents’

We happily throw countless millions at developing ‘new’ rules and having happy-clappy job titles like ‘Stakeholder Engagement’ or tiger teams (ffs), which soak up the allocated budget, we do lots of that.   But sitting down and developing a safer, more effective way of providing modern operating tenets and practices with joint responsibility for safety is just pushed aside in the rush to make sure everyone, bar the potential criminal, in command of your next flight, gets well and truly flogged for daring to be a few drops of fuel short after safely landing you at your destination.  

The policy of strictly no liability applies to everyone, except the pilot.  We could reduce the rules to one safe paragraph; Pilot, anything that can, or does go wrong is strictly your fault; from a splinter in a passengers arse from a rough toilet seat through you not being psychic and realising that the real, actual weather had changed.  Read it and weep.

Safe bolt holes for all.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Oh my giddy Aunt.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; etc. are all job descriptions, mostly clearly defined, as are accountant, lawyer, camel driver, pilot, engineer; it’s a long, unambiguous list. Some of the more modern job descriptions are a bit ‘fluffy’ – human resources for example, but even the average Proll (abbreviation for Proletariat, the Soviet worker class, used to refer to someone crude, common, or of lower standing.) can nut out what that means.

But “Stakeholder Engagement Group Manager” has got me beggared; WTF is it supposed to be and what purpose is it supposed to achieve.  Seems to me like the product of some multi handed stropathon, or late night sit down where the lunatics, having raided the banned substances cupboard, have had a meeting to decide what the next prank to be foisted on the unwary will be.

Somebody tackle these fools, tie ‘em up and talk sense into their pea sized brain FFS.

We don’t need spin, we don’t need glossy sheets full of babble telling how clucking good CASA thinks it is; we definitely do not need to be told how wonderful CASA thinks their system is.

We do need some clarity, sanity, legal and procedural fairness as part of a new approach from CASA.  A set of rules that work for the safety and protection of not only the public but for industry would be a good start.

We do need the fools, charlatans, liars and cheats drummed out of CASA and a few public apologies combined with recompense dished out as a public display of rehabilitation for some of the more disgusting, disgraceful exhibitions we have been forced to watch over the past decade.  We do need to see speed of delivery increased to 20th century pace; we do need to be shot of the fiscal impost the current regime brings.  We could stand to have a few expert advisors to assist the ‘non airline’ sector with compliance and operational standards.  We could also manage very nicely with some probity, capability and reasonableness from the inspectorate.

But a bloody “Stakeholder Engagement Group Manager” , if we could ever work out what it is seems to me about as much use as a chocolate fire wall or some of the more notorious, known ‘bad-boys’ getting senior positions and being speakers at well respected ‘aeronautical’ events.

“Stakeholder Engagement Group Manager” , FCOL grow up, get rid of the blinkers and FFS get on with job of reforming both CASA and the dreadful, 30 year $300,000,000 cock up known as regulatory reform.  

Toot (ambles off muttering about bloody fools) Toot.

Well "K" you thought that was bad have a look at this

 Dougy in the know..

A bit of goss from the Yaffa's resident planespotter:

Observation Deck

25 Feb 2016 - P2 obs - Hmm..strange apparently Dougy is three weeks ahead of himself??

So Airservices’ Rob Walker has got the gig as head of CASA’s new Stakeholder Engagement division and he starts mid-April. That’s a first class appointment with positive implications for industry. Good choice, Mark Skidmore and the CASA board!

Now for the hard work. Industry will expect to see something from Rob pretty quickly, but he’s up for that sort of challenge.

And Shane Carmody will take up his new role as Assistant Secretary at Infrastructure in the first week of April. Another excellent appointment.

Not only are we getting the right people in the right roles, we appear to have a Minister who is on a mission to genuinely engage with industry right across the spectrum. He was quick to accept an invitation from Rex’s John Sharp to meet with a select industry group in an informal scenario earlier this month. And he’s not shy of finding 15 or 30 minutes in his hectic schedule to spend time with individuals and groups who have perspective to offer.

Again, the proof of the pudding is in the action to follow, but this is a very good start.

Ok tin hat donned, ear plugs in, standing by for incoming


MTF..P2

[Gobbledock]

The Sith Lord takes an apprentice!!

FFS, more nauseating reporting from Dougy the bureaucratic lapdog. I can picture him this week in Can'tberra, scurrying around hallways and under executives desks, panting and drooling as they throw their lapdog a Smacko! Just when Dougy was boning up over Walkers announcement now we have it announced that young apprentice Carmody is teaming up with Sith Lord Pumpkin Head, this would be too much excitement for Dougy - another 12 litres of baby oil and 8 boxes of Kleenex to Isle 3 please, and a new set of knee pads!

So Murky has moved Wingnut Carmody into a position beside him, where he can add an even extra layer of defence between the IOS and Miniscule Joyce?

Let's look at the layers now between the IOS and the mad farmer Barnacle Joyce; We have the alphabet soup agencies, Chesterfield, Nash, Wingnut and Murky!

Hate to tell you this Deputy Barnaby and PM Goldman Turdball but when it all finally turns to shit, and it will because it's not a matter of if but when, you two obsfucators are still the two muppets sitting up at the pointy end when it spears in, so nice try.

"More layers of spin doctors for all"

[Kharon]

Aviation –to be seen, but not heard?

By and large the latest Hitch offering, (courtesy of Australian flying) – HERE - is balanced and makes several good points, especially about perception; glass half full or half empty.  But the claims of small progress, advances if you will, being made are barely substantiated and certainly not credible.  Even the good Rev. Forsyth admits he is being ‘generous’ on his score card.

But serious expert people, like Cannane and many of the other voices pleading (lobbying, shouting, ranting or demanding) real reform, in our time, have a very valid argument that zero real progress is being made.  Operators like Alliance don’t decide on a whim to up sticks and leave Australia; major aircraft brokers don’t produce gloom and doom forecasts just for the hell of it; existing lighter operators don’t get into huddles and begin to kick up a stink without real provocation.  All have valid arguments; all are pretty much singing from the same hymn book.

Whether Australia landed in the current swamp by accident or history is irrelevant.  The real point is it has fetched up in very messy place; after spending hundreds of millions to get there.  In the process industry has allowed it’s self to become an almost nugatory voice, lost in the white noise of politics, baffled by the mystique of ‘safety’ and intimidated into dumb acceptance.

Passive resistance has failed, cooperation has failed, time to bang the big drum and speak out; that or go walkabout. Well, they are good and cranky now; Chester has inherited the portfolio, warts and all.  Aviation employs many and has the potential to employ many more.  Aviation contributes to GDP and has the potential to provide more again.  Aviation prestige is an important factor in international affairs, Australia is heading to the bottom of the prestige stakes at a rapid pace.  The question is, for mine, can Chester put the brakes on?  His options are simple enough to understand.  He can accept the smiling ‘not on my watch’ excuse and be assured that things are improving or; he can get off his arse, realise we do have some serious problems and make the necessary orders to change things.  Then have the balls to push through the fear the mystique generates and make it happen.

Solution? Simple as falling off the pot, give industry a regulator it can trust, laws it can comply with, without fear of retribution or prosecution; return to the rule of law, not bureaucratic whimsy.  How to reach that solution?  That’s even easier get some real expertise in there rather than hand picked flower girls and left overs.  Industry can and will, given the opportunity, provide that expertise.  CASA have proven, time and time again, that they simply do not have the expertise and worse, are quite happy to eradicate those that do.  Hells bells, my Grand Mama could turn it around in half year with the right crew just using plain, old fashioned common sense.

I wish Chester the best of luck with the new job and am quite happy to give him a fortnight to prove his credentials; after that, he’s fair game and in season; election or not.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Aviation –to be seen, but not heard?

By and large the latest Hitch offering, (courtesy of Australian flying) – HERE - is balanced and makes several good points, especially about perception; glass half full or half empty.  But the claims of small progress, advances if you will, being made are barely substantiated and certainly not credible.  Even the good Rev. Forsyth admits he is being ‘generous’ on his score card.

But serious expert people, like Cannane and many of the other voices pleading (lobbying, shouting, ranting or demanding) real reform, in our time, have a very valid argument that zero real progress is being made.  Operators like Alliance don’t decide on a whim to up sticks and leave Australia; major aircraft brokers don’t produce gloom and doom forecasts just for the hell of it; existing lighter operators don’t get into huddles and begin to kick up a stink without real provocation.  All have valid arguments; all are pretty much singing from the same hymn book.

Whether Australia landed in the current swamp by accident or history is irrelevant.  The real point is it has fetched up in very messy place; after spending hundreds of millions to get there.  In the process industry has allowed it’s self to become an almost nugatory voice, lost in the white noise of politics, baffled by the mystique of ‘safety’ and intimidated into dumb acceptance.

Passive resistance has failed, cooperation has failed, time to bang the big drum and speak out; that or go walkabout. Well, they are good and cranky now; Chester has inherited the portfolio, warts and all.  Aviation employs many and has the potential to employ many more.  Aviation contributes to GDP and has the potential to provide more again.  Aviation prestige is an important factor in international affairs, Australia is heading to the bottom of the prestige stakes at a rapid pace.  The question is, for mine, can Chester put the brakes on?  His options are simple enough to understand.  He can accept the smiling ‘not on my watch’ excuse and be assured that things are improving or; he can get off his arse, realise we do have some serious problems and make the necessary orders to change things.  Then have the balls to push through the fear the mystique generates and make it happen.

Solution? Simple as falling off the pot, give industry a regulator it can trust, laws it can comply with, without fear of retribution or prosecution; return to the rule of law, not bureaucratic whimsy.  How to reach that solution?  That’s even easier get some real expertise in there rather than hand picked flower girls and left overs.  Industry can and will, given the opportunity, provide that expertise.  CASA have proven, time and time again, that they simply do not have the expertise and worse, are quite happy to eradicate those that do.  Hells bells, my Grand Mama could turn it around in half year with the right crew just using plain, old fashioned common sense.

I wish Chester the best of luck with the new job and am quite happy to give him a fortnight to prove his credentials; after that, he’s fair game and in season; election or not.

Toot toot.

In support of the "K" Sunday offering here are some stats of interest courtesy the Transport & Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) via A/AA web link (pg 4) : TLISC Key Issues Paper – Aviation Workforce Skills Study 

5. Regional Aviation Summary


5.1 Regional Aviation infrastructure remains an issue, principally around meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring that sufficient staff have access to affordable and necessary training to meet regulatory compliance. This is compounded by a rapidly ageing workforce in many key occupations.

5.2 Many stakeholders reported that access to high quality aviation maintenance for General Aviation operations is often problematic.

5.3 Business management issues including higher operation and construction costs, and access to skilled and potentially trainable workforce within regional areas are issues of considerable concern. The impact of workforce retention was cited by many as an ongoing challenge to recruit and then keep capable employees.

5.4 A lack of access to training and/or other funding available to the agricultural sector is a problem for businesses offering aerial agricultural services.

[Peetwo]

Updating the Miniscule on things aviation - 23 March 2016

Dear Chester,

Hot off the Election 2016 thread..

Copy from another fora;

"Electioneering for the 2016 Federal election has started in earnest.  Yesterday Bill Shorten  ALP addressed the party faithful and others at a meeting in Central Qld.

A mate of mine seized the opportunity to make Bill Shorten aware of the dire straits G.A. is in.  He asked from the meeting floor in front of print, radio and television media if he Shorten won the election would he hold a Royal Commission into C.A.S.A.s activities and if he would give us a minister with a pilots licence and the guts to see that the Commission’s recommendations were carried out.

Shorten told the meeting that in his union days he represented A.M.E.s in Victoria and he was well aware of the shrinking maintenance jobs market as big companies moved their maintenance off shore.  He was also aware of the very high average age of LAMEs.

My mate emphasized the scary rate G.A. is decreasing in Australia and CASAs role in it. Shorten put the questions on notice with a promise to reply when he had obtained more information.

If every pilot, LAME and others who have an interest in seeing G.A. thrive made the effort to attend  these meetings when they hit their town and asked similar questions in the full glare of the media to the representatives of the 4 major parties they might finally realize there is a problem. They should also remind candidates that Aviation Activity produces jobs.

Similar questions coming from every tin pot town and village across Australia might just light the fuse for change".

This matter should be encouraged at every juncture to maintain the impetus of change demanded.

General Aviation - Reality Check.

Excellent example Cranky, perhaps the following audio off last Sunday's Macca (Australia all over), would be of informative value to the likes of Bill Shorten & other apparatchik & political Wannabes:

20160320 Talk with Paul Poole in Bourketown about aviation

Well done Paul Poole courtesy Macca...

&..from the AMROBA thread: 

Quote:
An aircraft maintainer works on the tail of an executive jet. (Steve Hitchen)




CASA to review Small Aircraft Maintenance Regulations
23 Mar 2016

CASA announced a project yesterday to review Civil Aviation Regulation 4A to better adapt it for small aircraft maintenance, with the dual aims of improving efficiencies and removing anomalies.

In the process, CASA will not supercede the regulation with a new CASR until it is better suited to general aviation.

"CASA expects that the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR) will continue to be required to regulate the non-airline maintenance sector until specific requirements for the small aircraft maintenance sector are introduced into the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR)," the CASA announcement said.

"In view of this, CASA acknowledges that a review is required to identify provisions that are inappropriate in the small aircraft maintenance environment. In addition, feedback from the maintenance industry has highlighted the need to simplify and rationalise the maintenance regulations, and update them to reflect the current state of aviation practice and technological development."

The general aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry, driven by the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) has been critical of the proposed CASRs because they effectively imposed regulations on GA that were designed to apply to airline transport aircraft.

CASA says it has already identified a number of areas that need attention, but will be seeking input from MROs and operators as the project progresses.

According to CASA, the CAR will need to be re-worked to make it sustainable into the future, with aims to:

• simplify the regulations
  
• reduce red tape
  
• reduce compliance burdens
  
• align with current policy.
  
  

"The project will update the CAR airworthiness regulations to ensure uniformity of interpretation and application," CASA says. "Along with the CAR update, CASA intends to provide associated guidance material. The updated CARs are expected to reduce costs to industry.

Oh & on the MH370 PR time bomb front

A debris of inconvenience -


Latest update ATSB MH370 SIO search:

Operational Update

At the request of the Malaysian Government, Australia has accepted responsibility for the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is leading the underwater search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean.
Joint Agency Coordination Centre MH370 Operational Search Update

23 March 2016

This operational report has been developed to provide regular updates on the progress of the search effort for MH370.  Our work will continue to be thorough and methodical, so sometimes weekly progress may seem slow.  Please be assured that work is continuing and is aimed at finding MH370 as quickly as possible.

Key developments this week

• Fugro Discovery continues to conduct underwater search operations.
  

• Fugro Equator departed the search area on 17 March, and is en route to Fremantle for a scheduled resupply visit.
  

• Havila Harmony departed the search area on 20 March, and is en route to BAE Henderson.
  

• Dong Hai Jiu 101 is en route to Fremantle after an incident on the evening of 21 March in which the failure of a tow cable connector resulted in the loss of the SLH-ProSAS-60 towfish. Recovery options are currently being assessed.
  

• Two pieces of debris found in Mozambique and suspected to be from an aircraft arrived in Australia for examination.
  

• A further piece of possible aircraft debris, suspected to be the cowling from an engine, has been found in South Africa. The Malaysian Government is working with South African officials to arrange for examination of the debris.
  
  

Analysis of debris from Mozambique

Two pieces of debris found in Mozambique arrived in Canberra, Australia, on 20 March for examination. The examination team includes investigators from Australia and Malaysia, along with specialists from Boeing, Geoscience Australia, and the Australian National University. Procedures appropriate to maintain the integrity of this potential evidence have been followed.

The items have been treated at Geoscience Australia’s quarantine-approved facilities. The pieces were visually examined to remove all visible macrofauna and then rinsed, submerged and agitated in water to capture any loose fauna. All water was then passed through a series of sieves with any possible macrofauna retained. The sieved material will then be sorted and possible biological material identified. The items were released from quarantine once they were thoroughly cleaned and all visible signs of possible contamination removed.


Specialists from the Research School of Physics and Engineering at the Australian National University are assisting with the examination. The items have been x-rayed using an advanced scanning facility developed by the university.


Other technical specialists are conducting an examination which will include seeking to identify specific features that may be consistent with the items coming from an aircraft, and if possible, from MH370.

P2 comment - Good to see the suspected MH370 debris parts are being treated properly and that the authorities are intending to be fully transparent about what they discover - about bloody time if you ask me...  

A statement on the findings will be made once the examination process is complete.

Underwater search operations

Weather may continue to impact on search operations but generally, more favourable conditions are being experienced.

More than 95,000 square kilometres of the seafloor have been searched so far.
In the event the aircraft is found and accessible, Australia, Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China have agreed to plans for recovery activities, including securing all the evidence necessary for the accident investigation.

Consistent with the undertaking given by the Governments of Australia, Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China in April last year, 120,000 square kilometres will be thoroughly searched. It is anticipated this will be completed around the middle of the year. In the absence of credible new information that leads to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft, Governments have agreed that there will be no further expansion of the search area.

[i][i][i]Click map to enlarge[/i][/i][/i][i][i][i] [/i][/i][/i]
Weather
Favourable weather conditions are forecast for the search area in the coming days.
  

Another day and another potential piece of MH370 debris, from Ben Sandilands today:

Few doubts about latest MH370 fragment found in South Africa


Ben Sandilands | Mar 23, 2016 7:38AM |


Social media image of the internal structure of the part found on a South African beach

Blue Whale in the SIO??

It is strange but no one seems to be prepared to talk about the Blue Whale in the SIO, i.e. the more potential parts that keep on washing up on the SE Coast of Africa the less likely it is that the ATSB SIO search priority area is the highest probability final resting place of MH370..

Standby for some further HOT updates -

L&Ks...P2