[Peetwo]

Shades of tendentious blogging - revisited. 

Ben S followed up his report yesterday with this excellent and historically relevant piece today :

Rogue pilot revelations show CASA tolerated his activities for years
Ben Sandilands Jan 26, 2017

Details of the rogue pilot police operation reflect very poorly on air safety regulator CASA

CASA has given information to the Townsville Bulletin about the rogue bush pilot Josh Hoch which confirms its utter contempt for the safety of the flying public and its inability to effectively regulate air safety in Australia.

A Queensland police investigation has this week led to Hoch being charged on 342 counts concerning 14 alleged offences involving among other matters the claimed sabotaging of aircraft flown by rival general aviation or small regional operations out of Mt Isa airport.

Two of the aircraft Hoch allegedly tampered with by putting plastic beads and other contaminants into their fuel talks had crash landed without loss of life.

Three aircraft are alleged to have been interfered with, risking potential loss of life, on four separate occasions by Hoch in 2016 alone.

Hoch has also been reportedly charged over several alleged cases of insurance fraud involving aircraft.

However in the Townsville Bulletin story, a CASA spokesperson confirms that the safety regulator knew about claims about Hoch’s activities since 2013, and had worked closely with the police investigation since last October.

What happened in relation to Hoch’s activities between 2013, or possibly ever further back, and a very large police operation toward the end of last year, has yet to be laid out for public scrutiny.

But Plane Talking has a copy of a CASA document showing that Hoch and his company didn’t receive a charter approval and air operator certificate until December 8 last year, by which time the safety regulator on its own admission had participated in the police inquiries for two months.

If as this implies Hoch’s operations were unlicensed and unapproved by CASA for all or part of the time they were taking place up until December 8 last year the safety regulator is in obvious and quite possibly criminally negligent breaches of a number of acts.

How CASA could claim to have conducted a satisfactory audit of Hoch’s operations given the brief published by Queensland police and extensively reported in the Townsville Bulletin is a vitally important question.

CASA is on its record an organisation totally indifferent to the blood on its hands from recent blatant failures to carry out it duties. It doesn’t recognise its guilt or its incompetence, and it has made fools of the aviation ministers responsible for its activities for at least as far back as the Seaview disaster of 1994.

The safety regulator also knew of the lethal potential of the operation and principal operative of Transair long before it flew a small turboprop into a hillside when attempting to land at Lockhart River in 2005, killing all 15 people on board.

CASA failed to act on the unfavourable results of an audit of the operations of the Pel-Air fleet of Westwind corporate jets before one of them ditched in stormy seas off Norfolk Island in 2009. It subsequently attempted to suppress that audit with the co-operation of the ATSB, the accident investigator, but was found out by a highly critical all party Senate committee hearing into what remains an unfinished saga. The ATSB was forced to withdraw its first accident report into the Pel-Air crash, which was a shamefully inadequate investigation, and its new inquiry, which was supposed to report more than a year ago, is understood to have run into a number of ‘difficulties’.

The actions of CASA in relation to a pilot who may have been unlicensed for the purposes of his operations for a prolonged period of activity during which police allege he could have killed the occupants of planes which he had sabotaged require very close scrutiny by the Minister for Infrastructure, Darren Chester.

Not scrutiny passed off to his discredited civil servants who have apparently talked nonsense to him since he took up the portfolio last year.  Real scrutiny, by the Minister, of the performance of what many see as a rogue organisation that has a culture of tolerating known unsafe operations.

Will the Hoch scandal be a turning point in the restoration of effective air safety regulation in Australia, or is it just another ‘nothing-to-see-here-media-beatup’ along a pathway to future catastrophe?

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Update 27/01/2017: Via the Oz

CASA under fire for issuing licence to pilot under probe



Josh Hoch, right and on a Hoch Air plane, above left, has been charged with 340 offences of endangering public safety. Picture: Wesley Monts

Josh Hoch on Hoch Air charter plane. Picture: Facebook.

The Australian
12:00AM January 27, 2017
Paul Cleary
Senior writer

The charter operator charged with 340 offences of endangering public safety was issued with a CASA operator’s licence as recently as last month, prompting leading figures to attack the regulator for incompetence and dysfunction.

CASA records show the regulator issued Hoch Air with an Air Operators Certificate on December 8, even though CASA had been co-operating with the Queensland Police investigation for two months. The AOC is valid for four years.

Queensland Police charged the principal and pilot Josh Hoch, 31, this week with offences that include five counts of tampering with competitors’ fuel. Police allege that Mr Hoch added an “abrasive material directly into engines” which caused a catastrophic failure and forced the landing of two aircraft. Engine failure occurred to two other planes prior to take-off.

Kennedy MP Bob Katter allegedly spent $257,000 on charter flights with Hoch Air although Mr Hoch was unlicensed at the time. Mr Katter’s office declined to comment. CASA’s licensing of Hoch Air appears to be inconsistent with the Queensland Police statement, which says that a “review of aircraft security and passenger safety at Mount Isa Airport was immediately commenced” as part of the investigation launched in October. “Additional measures were implemented to further ensure the safety of passengers and crews,” the police added.

A CASA spokeswoman said the regulator was “actively reviewing information arising out of the Queensland Police investigation and will take such further action as necessary”. CASA could not comment further.

Police asked the Mount Isa Court to refuse bail, but the magistrate granted it. However, Mr Hoch’s family was unable to raise the $50,000 bond by Wednesday afternoon and as a result he spent a second night in the Mount Isa watch-house.

Mr Hoch’s defence lawyer, ­Michael Spearman, blasted CASA, telling the Mount Isa court:

“CASA has known about these flights since 2013. Now if CASA had any concern about a pilot it can invoke provisions of section 30DC of the Civil Aviation Act, instantly grounding a pilot if there is a serious and imminent risk to air safety.

“CASA has not done so, despite knowing of the allegations for months. These started back in October (2016) and certainly those charges from back in 2013,” the Townsville Bulletin reported.

Mr Spearman added that CASA had conducted an audit of Mr Hoch and his company earlier last year, yet he was allowed to remain in the air.

Ben Morgan, executive director at Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said the incident showed CASA was far too focused on “misdemeanours” while allowing serious wrongdoing to go unchecked.

“If in fact CASA were not aware this is absolutely serious and it’s going to need the minister’s attention to work out how the regulator let this slip through the cracks,” he said.

“CASA is in court with misdemeanour pilot activities when something as brazen as this has been going on for four years.”

Former CASA chairman Dick Smith said the regulator was a “totally dysfunctional organisation”. He said he had tried to introduce an “administrative fines system” that would replace the system of continuously writing letters to non-compliers.

The investigation also uncovered extraordinary evidence relating to the alleged grievous bodily harm of an aircraft engineer at Charters Towers in July 2014. The engineer, aged in his 60s, sustained “permanent and life-changing head injuries”, the police statement said.

MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Russian roulette – Ministerial style.

It had to happen – one day; inevitable. The ‘safety’ agencies have been risking ministerial careers ably aided and abetted by disinterested ministers, content to hide behind the barricades listening to the weavers of fantasy tales. Chancy business, the old Russian roulette, one chance in six of getting a bullet in the head. Mind you, on a percentage basis, the ministerial head is probably the best area to be shot in, not too much in there to be damaged.

The Mt Isa story reflects only one small part of why there is  rightful contempt, distrust and fear of this infamous CASA organization. The reputation earned over many years now, supported by fact, all contemptuously dismissed by an arrogant deceitful management.  Well, its on the ministers bullet now; like it not, the bullet does stop there and ignorance is no excuse, the legal eagles tell us. When consecutive ministers prefer to ignore the protest, deny the facts and turn a blind eye to the abysmal state CASA has degenerated into, then, it only seems fair that the minister should catch the load in chamber 6. You can only spin the chambers of a revolver so many times.

I wonder, does the minister have a taste for investigating legends? There are several specimens within his box of frogs which are toxic; for example, among the protected species of frog is the confidential informant frog. Any Copper worth his salt will tell you the value of this species. It is not difficult to catch and tame one of the species, usually it is a matter of a willing buyer and a willing seller; or, simply leverage. Then, it becomes acceptable, if distasteful to look the other way when your tame frog hops off the reservation – provided it shares the spoils. CASA will never admit to using the species; but, a careful look at cases brought against hearsay information provided, leaves a small but definable breadcrumb trail. Oh, you need to look hard to see ‘em but the tracks are there.

“What has this to do with Mt Isa”, you ask? “Join the dots” I say. I will give you a clue or two; but that’s it. Why has CASA not claimed all the kudos and credit as the lead agency in the Qld police investigation?  Why, when serious criminal, black letter law, strict liability charges are laid for even not sharpening your pencil correctly, has the accused managed to escape the eagle eye of the CASA auditors for so long? The gods know how many operators and pilots have been crucified on very shaky ‘evidence’, carefully construed into ‘facts and circumstances’, prosecuted by the full might of CASA ‘legal’. So, the questions begging - WTF were CASA really doing?

Of course I may be, once again, barking up the wrong tree. Even so; without any investigation into the deep, dark doings of CASA officers, there is enough rope there to hang a minister and force an enquiry into the way CASA do business. The only road to salvation for the minister is through an open, public inquiry, independent of government influence (well as close to as possible), accept the findings and be known as ‘the man’ who grabbed CASA by the scruff of the neck and beat seven bells out of it. Then industry may move forward.

This is not a comfortable situation for the willing accomplice; government may move to smother it, the minister may try to wash his hands of it, CASA can bring all hands on deck to man the pumps; spin until as giddy as my Aunt Mable. But this time around, make no mistake, the ship is going down; rats, frogs and all.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Update 27/01/2017: Via the Oz

CASA under fire for issuing licence to pilot under probe



Josh Hoch, right and on a Hoch Air plane, above left, has been charged with 340 offences of endangering public safety. Picture: Wesley Monts

Josh Hoch on Hoch Air charter plane. Picture: Facebook.

The Australian
12:00AM January 27, 2017
Paul Cleary
Senior writer

The charter operator charged with 340 offences of endangering public safety was issued with a CASA operator’s licence as recently as last month, prompting leading figures to attack the regulator for incompetence and dysfunction.

CASA records show the regulator issued Hoch Air with an Air Operators Certificate on December 8, even though CASA had been co-operating with the Queensland Police investigation for two months. The AOC is valid for four years.

Queensland Police charged the principal and pilot Josh Hoch, 31, this week with offences that include five counts of tampering with competitors’ fuel. Police allege that Mr Hoch added an “abrasive material directly into engines” which caused a catastrophic failure and forced the landing of two aircraft. Engine failure occurred to two other planes prior to take-off.

Kennedy MP Bob Katter allegedly spent $257,000 on charter flights with Hoch Air although Mr Hoch was unlicensed at the time. Mr Katter’s office declined to comment. CASA’s licensing of Hoch Air appears to be inconsistent with the Queensland Police statement, which says that a “review of aircraft security and passenger safety at Mount Isa Airport was immediately commenced” as part of the investigation launched in October. “Additional measures were implemented to further ensure the safety of passengers and crews,” the police added.

A CASA spokeswoman said the regulator was “actively reviewing information arising out of the Queensland Police investigation and will take such further action as necessary”. CASA could not comment further.

Police asked the Mount Isa Court to refuse bail, but the magistrate granted it. However, Mr Hoch’s family was unable to raise the $50,000 bond by Wednesday afternoon and as a result he spent a second night in the Mount Isa watch-house.

Mr Hoch’s defence lawyer, ­Michael Spearman, blasted CASA, telling the Mount Isa court:

“CASA has known about these flights since 2013. Now if CASA had any concern about a pilot it can invoke provisions of section 30DC of the Civil Aviation Act, instantly grounding a pilot if there is a serious and imminent risk to air safety.

“CASA has not done so, despite knowing of the allegations for months. These started back in October (2016) and certainly those charges from back in 2013,” the Townsville Bulletin reported.

Mr Spearman added that CASA had conducted an audit of Mr Hoch and his company earlier last year, yet he was allowed to remain in the air.

Ben Morgan, executive director at Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said the incident showed CASA was far too focused on “misdemeanours” while allowing serious wrongdoing to go unchecked.

“If in fact CASA were not aware this is absolutely serious and it’s going to need the minister’s attention to work out how the regulator let this slip through the cracks,” he said.

“CASA is in court with misdemeanour pilot activities when something as brazen as this has been going on for four years.”

Former CASA chairman Dick Smith said the regulator was a “totally dysfunctional organisation”. He said he had tried to introduce an “administrative fines system” that would replace the system of continuously writing letters to non-compliers.

The investigation also uncovered extraordinary evidence relating to the alleged grievous bodily harm of an aircraft engineer at Charters Towers in July 2014. The engineer, aged in his 60s, sustained “permanent and life-changing head injuries”, the police statement said.

Update 30/01/17: Via Townsville Bulletin

Chief Pilot of Hoch Air Josh Hoch.

Call for urgent report on pilot

[img=0x0]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/article/38fbcf038be3a35fac7ec06d4f1a23d8?esi=true&t_template=s3/chronicle-tg_tlc_storyheader/index&t_product=TownsvilleBulletin&td_device=desktop[/img]CHRIS McMAHON, Townsville Bulletin
January 28, 2017 1:00am
[img=0x0]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/article/38fbcf038be3a35fac7ec06d4f1a23d8?esi=true&t_template=s3/chronicle-tg_tlc_storymeta/index&t_product=TownsvilleBulletin&td_device=desktop[/img]
A FULL review into how North Queensland pilot Josh Hoch, 31, got away with his alleged offending for so long has been ordered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Federal Transport Minister Darren Chester has also called for an “urgent briefing” from CASA into the explosive case of alleged plane tampering in Mount Isa.

Josh Hoch, 31, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Mount Isa and charged with 342 counts across 14 offences, including tampering with aircraft, dangerous operation of aircraft and fraud, allegedly committed from 2013 through to 2016.

Mount Isa Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that Hoch had allegedly tampered with his competitors’ planes on five different occasions to win commercial contracts and had flown members of the Katter Australia Party around North Queensland, including Bob Katter spending $257,000 on chartering flights with Hoch.

Mr Chester yesterday asked the country’s aviation watchdog for a report into all aspects of the case and investigation against Hoch.

“Given the serious nature of the allegations I have requested a full report from CASA and an urgent briefing on all aspects of the investigation,” Mr Chester said.

“With legal proceedings underway, I’m not in a position to comment any further at this stage.”

A CASA spokeswoman said they had launched their own review into the dealings they have had with Hoch, their investigative process and auditing process.

“CASA has launched an internal review to determine whether any significant safety-related issues involving Mr Hoch and the operations of Hoch Air were, or ought to have been, identified and acted on prior to launch of the police investigation and the arrest of Mr Hoch,” the spokeswoman said.

“We are currently reviewing our records to inform such safety-related action as we may need to take now, and to ensure the integrity and sufficiency of our entry control, audit and surveillance activities. Should we need to, we will look more closely at any aspect of our regulatory functions should additional attention be required.”

The spokeswoman said CASA needed to have evidence to act on, rather than unsubstantiated claims of actions.

“It is important to remember that, like any other regulatory authority, CASA is only able to act on evidence that tends to show there has been a breach of the regulations, not on unsubstantiated claims of such conduct,” she said.

“It would be premature for CASA to comment further on this at this time.

“We will not comment on the criminal allegations against Mr Hoch.

“These are matters before the court and any questions should be directed to the prosecutorial authority.”

Hoch walked from Mount Isa watch-house yesterday after posting the $50,000 surety he failed to produce when given bail on Wednesday

Tick..tick..tick..tick..tick miniscule 4D....  

What say you "K" & Gobbles - think it's about time we started re-visiting the dirt file on the tales of embuggerance and shambolic duplicitous shenanigans of CASA FNQ -  


MTF...P2  

[Sandy Reith]

Whatever the truth is I find it nothing short of disgusting to talk of rogue pilot. Did no one learn from the infamous Chamberlain case? Remember the blood spatters found under the dashboard of their car? The experts, so called, supported by the full force of the law got it horribly wrong because years later it was found to be a sound deadener spayed on during manufacturing. What have we here? I read glass beads, plastic beads and paste. I do know that all sorts of stuff accumulates in engines sometimes natural wear and tear and sometimes through carelessness or mistake. Could it be that here's a made to order scapegoat? A target for an unscrupulous competitor? Unlikely but possible. Queensland operators please don't take offense, I argue in general and ask you to consider if the boot was on the other foot at some time in the future. I'm afraid human nature is what it is and that is precisely why we have legal sanctions against those whose make judgmental pronouncement outside the court system. Trial by media is full on already and in an uncivilised manner that will not serve justice. Gorging on speculation and the miseries of anyone irrespective of the facts is unworthy. Innocent before proven guilty is not just a fancy legal saying, it's a bulwark against injustice, a fundamental discipline.

In regards to GA charter in 1969 I commenced my charter ops with a bare Commercial licence, no chief pilot exam, a no fee charter licence was quickly obtained, supported by a twelve page ops manual supplied for a few dollars by someone with a spotter in DCA (forerunner to CASA). In many cases private owners would go the extra training for business reasons, tax and cost defraying for example in addition to the satisfaction of a higher flying skill.

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of charter qualified, and insured, operators everywhere because the system was sensible and affordable.
Then two things conspired to change that rationality, private flight cost sharing and a new bureaucratic load, exorbitant fees coupled with time consuming procedures totally out of proportion to the market.

I do know that from around 25 years ago private cost sharing became the new charter flying and the number of Licenced charter operators dropped to a handful. I tried 10 or 15 years ago to obtain the figures from CASA, they were not available.

Billy Vincent AO was a legendary charter operator in Tasmania, a wonderful pilot and Australian gentleman, with say 20,000 hours, on a private licence. Yes a private licence. Eventually CASA, or was it CAA? took him to the magistrates court for a multitude of illegal charters. The charges were reduced dramatically when it was shown that DCA /CAA/DOT/CASA/BASI (watch this space) had chartered him for their personnel to investigate aircraft crash sites on Bass Strait islands. He received a bare minimum fine. Thereafter he employed a couple of commercial pilots who crashed his planes and he then practically quit the charter scene.

[Gobbledock]

P2;

"What say you "K" & Gobbles - think it's about time we started re-visiting the dirt file on the tales of embuggerance and shambolic duplicitous shenanigans of CASA FNQ"

Funny you should say that P2, I was just thinking (and I shall express my thought in 'shanty' form), this bares all the hallmarks of a Transair/Collins class submarine feel to it!!!

But my oh my, Fort Fumble are really on the ropes with this one. However those of us who know the ins and out of the dysfunctional and inept clusterf#ck aren't surprised in the least. As for the beautifully manscaped Chester, he has 'called for a report'. Of course you have. But good luck reading between the lines and legalese that it will be peppered with. I hope the Senators and public are paying very close attention because this is what happens when consecutive governments over decades willingly and complicity cover up the failings of its bureaucratic agencies.

Well what you say Wingnut? You wanted the top job mate and even said that you would accept full accountability for CAsA while you sat in the chair so the only honourable thing would be for your scalp to be the first to go, yes? Heck, you can't even trot out Aleck's "I don't know, I was in Montreal at the time" pony pooh excuse as Mr Koch's shenanigans have been under investigation since you came back to Fort Fumble.

TICK TOCK as it all ends in tears

[Peetwo]

On the Wingnut Great Divide - Hitch's thoughts 

This week Hitch (in the LMH) side-steps any commentary on the Mount Isa S&L competition but does take a perilous step onto the Snakes & Ladders Board of IOS opinion on one acting DAS Comardy... :

The Last Minute Hitch: 3 February 2017
3 February 2017

Sometimes being an aviation writer is akin to being the hero in a Matthew Reilly book. To get to the crux of the matter you have to run a gauntlet of booby-traps designed to stop you dead in your tracks, or at least make the pathway as hard as possible. In our world, those booby-traps manifest themselves in the form of opinions offered as facts. To the writers falls the task of sussing out the mis-informed opinion from the well-informed advice; the self-interest campaign from the studied conclusion, so eventually we get to the heart of an issue and can write what we've found with some level of confidence.
So this week I've had prophecies of doom for general aviation mixed with expressions of optimism. There is, of course, the chance that they're both right, depending on what you think ails aviation the most. Perhaps most polarising is the performance of Shane Carmody as Acting CEO of CASA. Some are pretty much ready to have him keel-hauled or burned at the stake, whereas other are heralding him as the very thing aviation needs. When it comes to sorting out who's most likely to be right, we writers have to take into account the person making the statements and the the likelihood that they are driven solely by self-interest. Given that, I am choosing to be more upbeat than downbeat. The positive sounds are coming from places of greater balance than the negative statements, which leads me to believe that all is not lost for general aviation.

There has been, perhaps, no labyrinth in general aviation more complex than the ADS-B issue. Since the project started in 2004 (yes, 13 years ago) there have been opinions going every which way like someone threw a box of snakes into a wheelbarrow race. I was lucky enough to have a technical guru on board to decipher the TSOs, 1090, UAT and extended squitters that people were squabbling over, but finding someone to give you a straight-face answer over the financial impacts of ADS-B was not easy. In the end, I would have to say that we as an industry probably made ADS-B implementation as hard as we possibly could have by being so eager to get our voices heard that we failed to listen properly to others.

And so yesterday, 2 February 2017, the ADS-B mandate for IFR flights came into force. At the moment that doesn't apply to private operations if the pilot is happy to accept a raft of restrictions. Total mandate for all IFR happens on 1 January 2020, so private owners have until then to get their avionics sorted. However, leaving it to the last minute is not a good idea at all. There is still some debate over whether or not the cost of the equipment will come down: AOPA Australia says it will and the manufacturers say it won't. But there's no debate that Australia doesn't have avionics engineers standing around reading back-issues of Australian Flying because they don't have anything to do. If a last-minute fitment scramble happens in the second half of 2019, some owners will have to dust-off their VNCs because they simply won't be able to get the work done in time. We're unlikely to get a second extension.

I've just put to bed the March-April issue of Australian Flying, and now it's time to turn my attention to the next big thing: Avalon! There are now only 25 days until the gates open on the first of the trade days. I remember thinking after the 2015 show, as I trudged leg-weary back to the carpark, that maybe the long days in the field there are starting to get to me. I was no longer the spry 29-year-old that first fronted up in 1992, and surely, having never missed a show, have paid my dues many times over. Maybe in 2017 I could wind back my commitment a bit. Last week, someone asked me how many days I'd be at Avalon this year, and I said "every one of them!" I can't help it; I get such a buzz from immersing myself in aviation for six days it's become like a two-year fix. I have no doubt come Sunday 5 March I will again weave my way back to the carpark and swear to cut back in 2019. I wouldn't be laying any bets on me keeping that promise, though. See you at Avalon!

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...mDMx9ka.99

  
Personally I think on ADS-B that Hitch is right, the issue was dead, buried & cremated long before Comardy got anywhere near it...
 
On the Comardy verdict, well IMO the Jury is still only halfway through the Snakes & Ladders game board - see potential positive HERE but then the potential negative - HERE.

Maybe the tote board will firm up once we get to see how Wingnut handles the inevitable fall out of the Mount Isa S&L competition...


MTF...P2     


Ps This was KC's positive but somewhat reserved take on Comardy's performance..

KC & AMROBA 1st newsletter 2017 

"..CASA may have an acting Chief Executive Officer/Director of Aviation Safety but that does not appear, at this moment, to be stopping the orderly regulatory and procedural changes required. Early indications is Acting CEO Shane Carmody is taking charge and making decisions so things can happen. Reducing the number of committees (talkfests) should be a priority. We need "Action Teams" directed to achieve an outcome, determined by CASA/Industry & not by individual team members..."

[Peetwo]

LMH 12/02/17.

The Fort Fumble Part 61 'closure' report - see Hot off the CASA PR spin cycle - carries the top of the page in Hitch's weekly wrap... :

We are about to find out if CASA is a learning organisation, and exactly what it is that they have learnt. The Part 61 Solutions Taskforce Closure Report made it into the public domain last week, containing two very strong messages. Firstly, it is clear that co-operation with industry does actually work when it comes to sensible regulation; and secondly, if this approach had been used when Parts 61, 64, 141 and 142 were first drafted, there may never have been a need for a fix-it taskforce.

"..co-operation with industry does actually work when it comes to sensible regulation.."

It's what both CASA and the industry have needed for years. The issue has alway been that elements within the regulator believed (and probably still do) that advice is supposed to flow from CASA to the aviation community and not the other way around. Those people must be chewing on their ventricles now that the Part 61 taskforce has shown that things go better with genuine collaboration. It remains to be seen if the lessons learnt will be applied to future regulatory projects.

The Avalon buzz this week is all about Joint Strike Fighters: two of them. With the Department of Defence confirming that two F-35 Lightning IIs will fly to Avalon from Luke AFB in the USA, Australia is at last going to see where $17 billion in funds is beng spent. With delays, cost over-runs and questions over performance, the F-35 project has been probably the most controversial aviation acquisition since the F-111. All of that aside, this is very exciting news for Airshows Downunder, the aviation and defence communities and the general public. We've all gotten just a little tired of having to settle for a life-size mock-up whilst the Americans have had them at air shows for a couple of years now. Given that Australian companies and technology have contributed to the F-35, we deserve to see them in real life.

And speaking of Avalon. With so much magnificent machinery strutting across the sky in front of your camera, you want to be able to get some decent shots. However, taking images from the ground to the air is tricky stuff: a shutter speed that's right to stop blur will also stop a prop; should you use image stabilisation when you're panning? Getting it wrong can result in very disappointing shots on your computer screen when you get home. Australian Flying's test pilot and principal photographer John Absolon has been asked by Nikon Australia to put on a seminar on the Thursday before Avalon. If you're in the area, get along to Michael's camera store on the corner of Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets in Melbourne and get the good oil on how to snap an Avalon shot to be proud of.

Brian J Terwilliger has done it again. After producing the much-loved One-Six Right video, Terwilliger has followed it up with Living in the Age of Airplanes. This is a socio-documentary focusing on how aviation has changed the world we live in, shortening travel times, making journeys and exploration possible and examining the revolution catalysed by the invention of heavier-than-air flight. With a narration by Harrison Ford, it's a very evocative story and transcends aviation itself to expose how aviation belongs in the modern world. Right now its on at IMAX Melbourne and is worth a look-see in glorious big-screen format.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...K7iTgQ0.99

 
Dear LMH - In reference to the biblical Part 61 that has probably inflicted more damage to the GA industry than the combined total of overly prescriptive, voluminous, totally illegible (to the average industry punter), 30+ year, $300+million reformed regulations (so far); here is Sandy's view... :

Sandy -  "Closure"report, reminds one of that condition sort by the recently bereaved. How appropriate for Aussie GA.


The one outstanding feature of the report is talk about outcome based regulation. Obviously we don't speak the same language because any objective view of our current super prescriptive strict liability criminal aviation law could not plausibly call it "outcome based regulation". Unless of course the desired outcome (unspecified) is the continued decline of GA in Australia.

The question must be put to Parliament how can it be that after 29 years and hundreds of millions of dollars the rewrite of the "regulations" is still not finished and GA is in steep decline?

The government corporate body style of governance (much vaunted independent umpire), ostensibly for efficiency and reduce costs to the public purse has failed. How is it that the CEOs of these bodies are paid more than their Ministers? Is it because Ministers have less responsibility? AusPost boss gets ten times more than the PM. Presumably Carmody is being paid well above Chester.

The system is truly broke and if it were possible to calculate the lost opportunity costs they would be way in excess of the monster direct costs of running our aviation regulators.

     
MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Hot off the Yaffa - LMH 17 Feb '17

I had a good long chat with Michael Linke at RAAus during a visit to Canberra this week. Linke is responsible for taking what amounted to a very large club and morphing it into a professional organisation capable of adding value to general aviation. One of the most pleasing things that came out of our discussion is that rather than  target existing PPLs, they actively promote recreational aviation directly to the general public in order to grow. Ultimately, this gets more money in to aviation, which through the RPL systems and beyond, also flows onto GA as a whole. So the heavy end of general aviation needs to ask itself if it is matching that effort? To me it doesn't appear so. Of course we talked about a heap of other things, which I will make clear in the May-June issue of Australian Flying.
 

the new DAS must have a healthy vision for aviation

The search for a new CASA boss is now officially underway, nearly three-and-a-half months after Shane Carmody took over as Acting CEO. Having such a long period of grace has given the opportunity for the aviation community to engage in rampant speculation and much proclaimation about what sort of person is needed at the head of the regulator. One coterie within the industry continues to demand someone with aviation experience–as the two previous CEOs have had–whilst another declares the need for a bureaucrat to run what is one of Australia's largest bureaucracies. And then there's me. I didn't hold back in February 2014 when I said what we needed was leadership, and nothing has changed in those three years to make me change my mind. Pilot or bureaucrat, the new DAS must have a healthy vision for aviation, a healthy disrespect for internal obstinance and leadership qualities that make people want to follow. Naturally, the big money is being placed on Shane Carmody to continue in the role permanently, and with applications open for only one month, he won't be rushed putting his CV together like his competition might.

With the Australian Light Aircraft Championships looming again at the end of March, now is the time to get your team together and have a crack at a few national titles. If you've never flown comps before, you'll find the ALACs is more than just a few days of trying to out-fly other people: its also about getting diverse aviators from all around the country together in one spot to share a common passion. Yes, the competitions are the main focus, but the cameraderie doesn't necessarily take a back seat. Aviation is, after all, more about people than it is about aeroplanes, and the ALACs exemplify that. There's still a few spots vacant and adding your aero club's team to the list can only make a great event even better.

Speaking of great events, the provisional flying program for Avalon 2017 has been released. By the look of it, the public days are set to present a very healthy and comprehensive flying program that should please everyone from the jet fans to the warbirders. Again, it is largely devoid of general aviation stuff, but we have to accept that the crowds don't flock through the gates to look at Cessnas. For us, the trade days hold plenty, and the beauty is we get check it all out without competing with the general public. Check both the public flying program and the trade days program on the Australian International Airshow website.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...GfZPZFV.99

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

TY to Rod S https://twitter.com/RodS108443078 for tweeting me the above DAS Job advertisement -

Hot off the Yaffa - LMH 17 Feb '17

I had a good long chat with Michael Linke at RAAus during a visit to Canberra this week. Linke is responsible for taking what amounted to a very large club and morphing it into a professional organisation capable of adding value to general aviation. One of the most pleasing things that came out of our discussion is that rather than  target existing PPLs, they actively promote recreational aviation directly to the general public in order to grow. Ultimately, this gets more money in to aviation, which through the RPL systems and beyond, also flows onto GA as a whole. So the heavy end of general aviation needs to ask itself if it is matching that effort? To me it doesn't appear so. Of course we talked about a heap of other things, which I will make clear in the May-June issue of Australian Flying.
 

the new DAS must have a healthy vision for aviation

The search for a new CASA boss is now officially underway, nearly three-and-a-half months after Shane Carmody took over as Acting CEO. Having such a long period of grace has given the opportunity for the aviation community to engage in rampant speculation and much proclaimation about what sort of person is needed at the head of the regulator. One coterie within the industry continues to demand someone with aviation experience–as the two previous CEOs have had–whilst another declares the need for a bureaucrat to run what is one of Australia's largest bureaucracies. And then there's me. I didn't hold back in February 2014 when I said what we needed was leadership, and nothing has changed in those three years to make me change my mind. Pilot or bureaucrat, the new DAS must have a healthy vision for aviation, a healthy disrespect for internal obstinance and leadership qualities that make people want to follow. Naturally, the big money is being placed on Shane Carmody to continue in the role permanently, and with applications open for only one month, he won't be rushed putting his CV together like his competition might.

With the Australian Light Aircraft Championships looming again at the end of March, now is the time to get your team together and have a crack at a few national titles. If you've never flown comps before, you'll find the ALACs is more than just a few days of trying to out-fly other people: its also about getting diverse aviators from all around the country together in one spot to share a common passion. Yes, the competitions are the main focus, but the cameraderie doesn't necessarily take a back seat. Aviation is, after all, more about people than it is about aeroplanes, and the ALACs exemplify that. There's still a few spots vacant and adding your aero club's team to the list can only make a great event even better.

Speaking of great events, the provisional flying program for Avalon 2017 has been released. By the look of it, the public days are set to present a very healthy and comprehensive flying program that should please everyone from the jet fans to the warbirders. Again, it is largely devoid of general aviation stuff, but we have to accept that the crowds don't flock through the gates to look at Cessnas. For us, the trade days hold plenty, and the beauty is we get check it all out without competing with the general public. Check both the public flying program and the trade days program on the Australian International Airshow website.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...GfZPZFV.99

[Peetwo]

This week's LMH off the Yaffa... 

Via Oz Flying:

When tragedy strikes the aviation industry as it did this week, we all seem in a hurry to decide what happened, like it will in some way lessen the impact; that it's the not knowing that causes the ache inside all of us. But it never helps to speculate and we have to sit back and let the ATSB do its job. There are grieving families behind the scenes here, and their hearts and souls are much more important right now than the industry's desire to be the first to guess right.

"..the criteria of what is safe and what isn't safe failed miserably at Essendon.."

Of course this accident has brought into sharp focus the issue of putting buildings on airport grounds. There has been inappropriate development around airports for years, and it reached a zenith when privatisation brought the buildings actually onto airport land. It had the effect of shifting the priority from safety to return-on-investment for the lease holders. There's nothing new in any of this; organisations like AOPA Australia have been pleading, harrassing and cajoling the government for years to do something to turn federally-leased airports back into airports again. In the meantime successive ministers have tactically ignored pretty much everything the industry has said. We need to be careful, though, that we don't try to brand all non-aviation development as being unsafe; much if it is out of harm's way. However, it is clear that the criteria of what is safe and what isn't safe failed miserably at Essendon, and that needs to be looked at in great depth right now!

RAAus CEO Michael Linke has laid to rest fears that his organisation is trying to drag four-seat aeroplanes into their sphere of influence. Recreational aircraft have a limit of two people only and a max take-off weight of 600 kg or less. But in recent months they've been pushing CASA to have the weight limit lifted to 1500 kg, which would capture several aeroplanes that are handy four-seat tourers, such as the Archer, Arrow and C182. It seemed illogical to pursue administration for aircraft of this capability, then hamstring them by not allowing them to operate to their maximum benefit. However, it seems that's the exact case we're facing. Linke made it clear that RAAus' call for a higher limit is to enable home-builders to build more robust aeroplanes without having to worry about it being overweight. There's a lot of commonsense in that; stronger aeroplanes are by nature generally safer aeroplanes, and it would be a shame if an arbitrary limit was getting in the way of safety.

I was not surprised to see CASA's plea for more submissions to the medical discussion paper. The industry has been giving feedback in great depth for so long only to see it dead-batted by AVMED because reform simply doesn't suit them. The difference now is that the campaign for reform has been re-energised by changes in both the UK and USA that almost justify change here as well. Also, CASA released the DP four days before Christmas, and since then the aviation community has been either in holiday mode or frantically gearing-up for Avalon. Regardless, the industry must respond to this DP in numbers, or it hands CASA a free kick to reject reform because we failed to care when care was needed the most.

There's only five days now until Australia's greatest aviation party gets under way! The Australian International Airshow kicks off for the industry and aviation community at Avalon this coming Tuesday, which gives us a good three-and-a-half days of grace before the general public arrives on Friday. If you're part of the aviation community, I can recommend going on the trade days as it's easier to look over the exhibits, aeroplanes and the expo centre, and the queues to just about everything are shorter! For the serious punters, you'll be able to talk in great depth about your plans and ambitions and company reps are able to give you more time. That's why we have the trade days. On the other hand, if warbirds, antiques and lots of fast, angry grey aeroplanes are what you go for, you're better waiting for the public days to see those.

Our March-April issue has been printed and put on the trucks for Avalon. It was tight this year, but the team got the job done. If you're wondering what we've got in store for you, check it out here. If you're not a subscriber and are heading for Avalon, you can always swing by our stand in Hall 2 and pick it up straight from the shelves. And while you're there, stay and chat for a bit; we're always keen to hear what people reckon.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...Vs3SLHD.99

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

Hitch with the LMH live from Avalon...

Via Oz Flying:

..This week's LMH is coming to you from the Australian International Airshow, where the the F-35 JSFs have arrived in spectacular fashion. This is probably the most exciting aeroplane to be put on the RAAF's books since the F/A-18 it's designed to replace. Expect to see a lot of photos in the next few days!

I was able to get a few minutes of time from Airservices boss Jason Harfield during the week, and he had some interesting things to say about future direction. Two of them will be of great interest to general aviation. One is that ATC actually has a duty of care to inform pilots of aircraft fitted with ADS-B of impending traffic issues, even if the aircraft is operating in G Class and is VFR. That's a real boon to the low end of GA. See-and-avoid is hard enough due to some low-visibility conditions, aeroplane wings and other bits obstructing views, and in many cases, a look-out that is, shall we say, less than optimal?
The added advantage is that ATC will now be able to address aircraft directly rather than use a generic call such as "Aircraft 30 nm west of Dubbo ..." or something else equally as vague.

you would think that Airservices would have significant influence over the matter.

AOPA will have to be happy with their pacific dialogue. It was well attended by the average aviator and drew CASA's Shane Carmody, Airservice's Jason Harfield and ATSB boss Greg Hood to the table. There was nothing devastatingly revealing (there was probably never going to be), but it shows the association is being treated seriously by industry decision-makers, and that's good for both AOPA and the aviation community.
The other thing to arise is that Airservices has plans to restore E Class airspace over the top of D Class towers. That also appears to be a side-effect of ADS-B. Right now, to fly VFR over most D Class towers requires a clearance because the airspace is generallly classified as C Class. Avalon is one exception. Under the National Airspace System (NAS) that was partially implemented in the mid-2000s, E over D was initially part of the architecture, but was removed after a trial was deemed (presumably) a failure. There is a sticking point: the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR) is now with CASA, not with Airservices as it was when the NAS came in. How will that impact the potential move to E over D? It's hard to tell at the moment, but you would think that Airservices would have significant influence over the matter.

Another interesting chat this week was with Alan Wilson at Air BP. The alternative fuel steamroller is still heading inexorably toward unleaded avgas and biofuel replacements for Jet-A1. US environmental issues are driving the change to avgas, and its the aviation industry itself that wants an alternative to fossil-fuel avtur for a number of reasons. I'm going to dig further on this, so stand by for a update in the near future.

One of the most intriguing developments in the expo hall here has been that of SynFlyt. This Aussie company has come up with an innovative solution to make motion flight sims accessible to flying schools that can't justify or accomodate their own system. Based outside rather than inside, their Innovation 21 is simple yet highly-advanced. It's a new way of thinking that brings a new option to the table for general aviation. Certainly this is one to keep your eyes on.

CASA's discussion paper on the issue of Multicom 126.7 verses the area VHF came out during the week. This is all about what frequency VFR ops should be on if the airfield you're flying into doesn't have a discrete CTAF. The issue has been around for nearly four years, so the aviation community is plenty familiar with the problem. However, it appears the DP is missing something. CASA has put up two options: use the area VHF or use 126.7 for all operations at low-level, not just those into an airfield. What happened to an option to revert to what we were doing before 2013? In what seems now to be simpler times, we used 126.7 when the airfield didn't have a CTAF. End of story. Feedback coming my way is that the aviation community wants that to stay, but CASA hasn't included that in the DP. The answer is to get your submission in and tell them what you want regardless of their options. Even so, it does seem oddly skewed, doesn't it?

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...x6Goi6I.99

So Harfwit is still bidding for his job, well good luck with that... : http://auntypru.com/forum/-Things-that-g...19#pid6519
I also wonder about the timing of the VHF AREA or 126.7 DP, perhaps Comardy is hoping for another poor response on that one as well...
MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Comedy Capers: even money 4/1.

CHAIR: You were caught with your pants down Mr Minion, I would ask you to explain that to this committee.

Mandarin: (hasty interjection) Perhaps I can assist to clarify. In fact Mr. Minion did not actually have his pants down and his nether regions exposed at that moment; he was, in point of fact, pulling them up; and, as only his boxer shorts were visible and as the witness states that only a brief glimpse of visually sensitive body parts were seen, without supporting evidence, we dismiss the allegation. Thank you.

There may well be wagers placed on Carmody wanting to keep the CEO/DAS job; and, I may yet open the odds up a little to attract more ‘mug punters’. But I reckon he’ll be well pleased to shake the CASA dust off his coat tails. Carmody may have just been a little weary ‘tuther night at estimates; but he is a veteran and they usually stay the course without flagging. Watching the video, listening to ‘the delivery’ and the animation, I got curious and dug back to the first time we saw Carmody in this iteration. Nose wet, coat shiny, bright of eye, full of running, bouncing down to the yards ready to work the live long day. There is a marked difference now, which will affect the tote odds.  

I, for one, certainly hope Carmody heads for the exit. Nothing personal, in fact I quite like the fellah, there are elements of humour and good nature which, combined with a degree of wit and intelligence make for the sort of bloke you’d be happy to have a beer or two with. But; and it is a very big but; he is a top deck bureaucrat, good at it too. Aviation does not as yet need this type of ‘expertise’, it needs a reformer. There should be no need for a Senate committee to be examining the material they are currently wrestling with; none whatsoever. Estimates should be a ‘discussion’ between the DAS wanting funding to justify a perfectly sound improvement and the committee needing to be convinced of the value for the money. The cost of that committee scratching about in the muck of a crashed aircraft that should never should have hit a building where it did is mind bending; the lack of positive result and ‘duck shoving’ even more so.

A sane, steady man who knows the aviation ‘game’, from both sides is needed. The excesses of airline and industry ‘requests’ for ever more, the demands of the public for surety, the need for compliance with a rule set which can be complied with and; lastly, understand the very real need for faith, trust and confidence to be restored to the ‘authority’. For ‘tis the latter urgent requirement which must be addressed first. “The horse” M’lud “must go afore the cart; if we are to move forward”.

Aye; ‘tis time this comedy, this farce was done, what say you?

Selah.

[Peetwo]

This week off the Yaffa...

LMH 10 March 2017:

..The Australian International Airshow goes on long after the gates are closed and the last aeroplane has rotated for home. It takes months to analyse what just happened in terms of numbers, dollars, video footage, images, sales to be closed and so much more. If you ask around you generally find out that Avalon continues to have an impact on the industry anything up to 18 months afterward ... almost just in time to do it again. What we do know from this year is that the crowd figures stand to be among the best ever.

"The only thing I didn't do over the entire seven days was watch an airshow.."

There were people absolutely everywhere on the Saturday and Sunday, dragged out into the open via the great weather and the promise of some F-35s. All you have to do is look at the number of complaints on social media about the traffic queues on the way out to know that when the official figures come out they'll be somewhere in the stratosphere. There is talk of it being the best there's ever been. Not everyone agrees with that; the measure is somewhat subjective depending on what you really wanted to see. As for me, I talked flying with heaps of people, did many interviews, crawled over aeroplanes both new and old, went to seminars, manned the Australian Flying stand and walked a lot of miles.

The only thing I didn't do over the entire seven days was watch an airshow.
CASA and the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development sure got a lot of Fs on The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) Forsyth scoresheet. Two years after Warren Truss tabled his response to the recommendations, only four of 37 have been implemented to the satisfaction of the industry. Mind you, they have given themselves a much better mark on the DIRD website. Honestly, if TAAAF was a teacher and CASA and DIRD were students, that scorecard would finish with a teacher's comment "is capable of much better work but needs to try harder in class." What this slow progress tells us is that reform measures are being greeted within CASA with gnashing teeth, folded arms and turned backs. It has been known ever since the ASRR came out that certain "elements" at middle management level don't respect the reform agenda and if they aren't down-right refusing, then are slowing the process down as much as they can whilst pretending to be on the journey. Think of a person on the back of a tandem bicycle who refuses to pedal: those trying to go forward have to waste energy overcoming the dead weight trying to hold things back. The result is slow progress, which is what the TAAAF scoresheet reveals.

I was very pleased to hear Airservices CEO Jason Harfield make a definitive statement that they have accepted Dick Smith's suggestion to put in a weather cam network. It really was a great idea, and clearly Harfield thinks the same. Too often bureaucracies in Australia of all flavours will greet ideas from the public with a very liberal dose of Not-Invented-Here Syndrome, torpedoing very good suggestions our of pure petulance, so it is refreshing to see the project taken up with enthusiasm. We're going to see a survey soon asking us where we want them, and it's up to us to put in and tell them. Think of all times you've been in the air when you would have liked a bit more info on the weather at a critical destination like Kangaroo Island, Bathurst, the Kilmore Gap or Barrington Tops. You all know the places where we need them, so let's not be be shy when the survey comes out.

Nick Xenophon picked up the baton on airport development in Senate Estimates last week in the aftermath of the King Air crash at Essendon. What has come out is that CASA has no definitive approval over badly-placed buildings on airports, but can only advise. There seems to be no head of power for them to say "not there" or "not that high". They can offer advice, but not give direction, and airport lessees and developers are often loathe to take advice that limits their earning potential. The general aviation community has worn skin off its knuckles knocking on Canberra doors over the past decade trying to get anyone to do something about inappropriate development, but the progress made has been little, if anything at all. The problem is that it takes a disaster to highlight the issue, but too often once the disaster is forgotten, so is the issue ... until the next disaster.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...8OTghG8.99

And also via Oz Flying:

The report cover airspace architecture and classifications within 35 nm of Hobart. (CASA)

CASA completes Hobart Airspace Study
10 March 2017

CASA has completed a study of the airspace around Hobart and Cambridge airports in Tasmania.

According to CASA, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the arrangements and classifications within 35 nm of Hobart, which includes the general aviation airport at Cambridge as well.

The report notes a 73% increase in traffic into and out of Cambridge in the period December 2009 to June 2016, against a decline of 9.3% at Hobart across the same period. The two airports are only 1 nm apart and both controlled from Hobart Tower.

At the conclusion of the study, CASA made three recommendations.

1. The existing airspace classification and architecture (apart from the one CTA step lower limit change, which is already the subject of an airspace change proposal) is appropriate and should remain unchanged.
   
2. CASA should continue to monitor aircraft and passenger movements and incidents at Hobart over the next 24 months to determine whether the trend for growth continues. An aeronautical risk review should then be conducted if necessary.
   
3. To improve efficiencies and predictability, taking into account PBN requirements Airservices should continue redesign work for flight routes into and out of Hobart, make improvements to existing Terminal Instrument Flight Procedures (TIFPs) and introduce STARs into Hobart.
   

General aviation users who submitted comments to the study highlighted two main issues:

• delays in receiving airways clearances and general inefficiencies in the use of the airspace due to the reported claims of over servicing of Class D procedures by Hobart Tower
  
• improvements to airspace access and efficiency could be achieved by increasing the level of surveillance available to ATC for separation in lieu of the existing procedural separation standards.
  

The full airspace study is available from the CASA website. 

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...Bjzh6bO.99

Finally from Avbiz, more on that Airline advocacy group A4ANZ:

Airlines form advocacy group
10 March 2017
 1 Comment
 
Australia and New Zealand’s major airlines have formed a new industry group to advocate for the aviation sector in regional public policy.

Airlines for Australia and New Zealand (A4ANZ) will enable Air New Zealand, the Qantas Group, Regional Express Holdings and the Virgin Australia Group to contribute to the policy debate on issues such as airports, taxation and fees, access to efficient infrastructure and broader regulatory reform.

Former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Professor Graeme Samuel will chair the group, with a CEO to be appointed in the coming months.

“Airport fees and charges continue to increase while airlines are offering fares at levels significantly cheaper than they were over a decade ago,” said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.

“A4ANZ’s goal is to achieve regulatory reform that will promote a competitive and sustainable airline industry in the interests of Australian and New Zealand travellers.”

 “A4ANZ is critical for regional communities as major airports are all too ready to sacrifice critical regional interests,” said Rex executive chairman Lim Kim Hai.

“Rex looks forward to working with Professor Samuel and the Board to ensure the sustainability of all stakeholders big or small in the aviation industry.”

The group will be funded by its members, including Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas, Regional Express (Rex), Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia.

Together the airlines fly more than 90 million passengers per year and employ more than 50,000 people.

Read more at http://www.aviationbusiness.com.au/lates...Ao6dwzU.99

MTF...P2

[Kharon]

Driving a 4” nail.

There some who can with a single hammer stroke drive a four inch nail home; it is a matter of skill, rather than ‘strength’ and the right hammer. Hitch has made a fair attempt, but, being a little shy of room to swing, just needs a couple more taps to seat the nail fair and square. But a very good try.

“What this slow progress tells us is that reform measures are being greeted within CASA with gnashing teeth, folded arms and turned backs. It has been known ever since the ASRR came out that certain "elements" at middle management level don't respect the reform agenda and if they aren't down-right refusing, then are slowing the process down as much as they can whilst pretending to be on the journey.”

“It has been known ever since the ASRR came out that certain "elements" at middle management level don't respect the reform agenda and if they aren't down-right refusing” etc.

Defining motive is always an essential element in any investigation. One must ask ‘why’ would those charged with the responsibility for managing matters aeronautical resist the changes authorised by a minister, demanded by industry which would be of benefit to the industry and by extension bring kudos to a minister and the nation?

Only my opinion of course, but the answer is fear. There have been so many acts of sheer bastardry, embuggerance, misfeasance, perjury, abuse of system and power committed, many borderline ‘criminal’ that should those acts be exposed the bill will be horrendous. Then one must consider the ‘operational’ side of the coin; maintenance and flight; many of the actions, edicts, rulings and decisions made by CASA field staff range from ludicrous to dangerous, contrary not only to good sense, but law. The ‘white hats’ outgunned and outnumbered by the ‘black hats’ retire from the battle. None of this may be allowed exposure. Indeed great steps along the borders of probity have been taken to ensure that the real CASA is never examined, in depth. Self protection governs action and preventing a platform which allows a full examination of CASA actions being raised is paramount. Much to hide at Sleepy Hollow.

I know I bang on about Pel-Air a bit; but it is truly the tip of a very ugly iceberg. But; if the half exposure of the Pel-Air scandal shamed a government minister and appalled a Senate committee; think of what full exposure would bring. The calls for ‘regulatory reform’ are a symptom of the true disease. The regulator must be made accountable and responsible for their actions.

Clearly, there is no intention to allow this to happen; if you doubt it, then check the infamous opening statements in the ‘Enforcement manual’. Brought in by McConvict, unchanged by Skidmore and now tacitly approved by Carmody; even the original authorising signature has not been changed.  Why? Well that’s easy, they, CASA. like the latitude gifted by that opening stanza. If there was any intention, whatsoever, to ring the changes, then that manual would be the first to be amended as a gesture of good will.

It is time we had a DAS who can work with the board to implement the internal reform. Failing that, only a judicial inquiry or a Royal Commission can expose the true nature of the obdurate resistance to change; and, force through the changes which must be made to the regulatory agency. Those changes being essential to the well being of an industry. A few metaphorical scalps taken, off the right heads would set the tone very nicely.  

Happy to supply a list and supporting evidence.....

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

Hitch on GAAG etc. -  

Via Oz Flying:

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester with GA Advisory Group chairman Martin Laverty. (Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development)

General Aviation Advisory Group starts Work
17 March 2017

The new General Aviation Advisory Group has met for the first time, discussing a range of key issues including the classification of operations, levels of flying activity, skills and training, and regulatory reform.

The advisory group is made up of industry people with expertise across most GA operations, with Royal Flying Doctor Service CEO Martin Laverty as chairman.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester attended the first meeting in Canberra and said direct engagement between the industry and the government was key to achieving the common goal of a safe, growing and sustainable aviation industry.

"The General Aviation Advisory Group will ensure the industry has a voice at the heart of government by providing advice directly to me on matters affecting the general aviation sector,” Chester said.

“I look forward to working with the GA Advisory Group to address the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead for the sector in Australia."

He reiterated that the aviation sector should develop strategies to attract young people, including more women, into the industry.

The GA Advisory Group will also act as a reference group for the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) General Aviation Study, which the government announced last year.

BITRE briefed the group on the progress of the GA Study, providing an opportunity for the group to provide initial feedback.

The group also agreed on its terms of reference and operating protocols.

The next meeting of the group is expected to be held before the BITRE finalises the GA study, which is scheduled to be completed by 30 June 2017.

Members of the GA Advisory Group

Martin Laverty (Chair)
CEO, Royal Flying Doctor Service

Catherine Fitzsimons
Owner and Chief Pilot, Ward Air Flight Training

Mike Higgins
CEO, Regional Aviation Association of Australia

Marguerite Morgan
Business Development Manager, GippsAero/Mahindra Aerospace Company

Phil Hurst
CEO, Aerial Application Association of Australia

Michael Monck
President, Recreational Aviation Australia

Peter Gash 
Managing Director and Chief Pilot, Seair Pacific

Phillip Reiss
Vice President Pacific Region, IAOPA

Peter Crook
President, Australian Helicopter Industry Association

Mike Close
President, Air Sport Australia Confederation

Dr Reece Clothier
President, Australian Association for Unmanned Systems

David Bell
CEO, Australian Business Aviation Association Inc.
 

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...f8wtrjH.99

And this week in the LMH...

..Travelers know this feeling. Sometimes you've just come home from a place that captivated you so much you already want to go back, and just won't be able to satisfy the compulsion until you do. I'm going through that right now, and the place I want to go back to is the cockpit of an Airvan 10. During the week I managed to jag some time at the stick of Mahinda/GippsAero's latest creation: a 10-seat utility powered along by a Rolls-Royce 250 turbine, and I was mightily impressed by this aeroplane. It maintains many of the most loved characteristics of the Airvan 8, but it will haul a heavier load and negates the need for avgas.

Truly this is a great aeroplane that is set to do great things.

The thing about this aeroplane is that it's not trying to be a Caravan; its market niche is between an Airvan 8 or a C206/210 and the Caravan, a power and capability jump that is just not economical for some operators to make. The Airvan 10 is set to fill that gap and bring Jet-A1 operations to companies that thought it would be forever out of their reach. Truly this is a great aeroplane that is set to do great things. I just need to find away to wangle myself back in to the cockpit of one.

You would barely have your foot through the door on a visit to Tecnam than your host would inevitably mention the name Professore Luigi Pascale. They revered their founder and his achievements, and were fiercely proud of his contribution to not only Tecnam, but also aviation in general. The company must be feeling somewhat fatherless this week after the Professore died this week. He was the guiding hand on the designer's pencil and worked with imagination and innovation. The quality of his aeroplanes was complemented by a need for style in a very Italian way. His last masterstroke, the P2012 has been touted by many as the answer to the woes of charter companies across the world, and if the longevity of his other designs is any sort of benchmark, the Professore's influence will be with us for many years to come.

By about 3.00 pm on Friday 3 March, people at Avalon were already talking about the crowd being one of the best ever; there were people absolutely everywhere! Hence, it really was no surprise to read this week that new attendance records had been set. You can attribute that to a healthy display program, the arrival of the F-35s (the Neverhawks of the 21st century?) and sun, sun and more sun. In reality, there is not a lot more the organisers could have done to ensure success and the results show their efforts were on the mark. So where to from here? The 2019 Australian International Airshow needs to be configured to further develop and grow the event, and at the time of writing it's hard to see what more they can do to break records again. Most probably their best form of advertising will be the memories of the 2017 show.

Darren Chester's General Aviation Advisory Group kicked off in Canberra mid-March. This is a collection of aviation expertise designed to provide top-quality feedback to the government and particularly help the BITRE GA Study keep on a direct track. Whilst establishing this group to provide advice is a massive positive for GA, it is not a guarantee that the Federal Government is committed to helping GA grow and become a vibrant industry. Of concern to me is that the GA Advisory Group will keep the BITRE study on track, which will inevitably report back to the minister with some inconvenient truths. Only by the reaction to these truths can we judge the committment of the Federal Government. However, we need to lift our chins and plod on; we have more hope of reform with the advisory group than we would have without them.

Who's read the ATSB report into drone incidents? I haven't gone through it completely yet, but I didn't have to go far to come across the heart of the issue: no-one knows what's happening and they really have no way of finding out. Of the close encounter between drones and manned aircraft reported between 2012 and 2016, half occured over 1000 ft AMSL and that the drone involved was almost never identified. Add that to the fact that close encounters on weekend were "over-represented" and you can easily justify a conclusion that they're mostly private operators, not the certified ones. This, and a lot more analysis has led the ATSB to conclude that "The operation of remotely piloted aircraft is an emerging risk to transport safety ...". Best you read through the report yourself.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...tdsB0TI.99

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

LMH with more on airport security etc.

Previous reference off Alphabets:

Airport security report due to be tabled -

Via Oz Flying yesterday...

Security at airports has been a contentious issue for decades. (Steve Hitchen)

Senate Report on Aviation Security due on 30 March
22 March 2017

More information on the inquiry is on the RRAT parliament house website.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...bEVwxbU.99

 
Also via Oz Flying and very much related, former AMPA president John Hillard tells some home truths about ASICs and the supposed implementation of recommendation 36 of the Forsyth (ASRR) review report... :

You keep-a knocking, but you can't come in: those without an ASIC have to stay behind the security fence at Bathurst, NSW. (Steve Hitchen)

The Last Refuge of the Desperate Bureaucrat
22 March 2017

– by John Hillard

"Security is the last refuge of a desperate bureaucrat." – credited to Sir Humphrey Appleby, Yes Minister, BBC TV.


John Hillard is a former president of the Australian Mooney Pilots Association.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...fv3OwwF.99

And today's LMH :

Is it really going to happen? Is the waiting over? Will the report on the senate inquiry into airport and aviation security really be tabled next Thursday? The secretariat of the Senate Standing Committee on Regional and Rural Affairs and Transport (don't worry, I'll use an initialism: RRAT) has assured me that it will, and the time is running out for them to request another extension, so I'm going to pull out my optimism hat and say we will see the report next week. When it comes, it will be nearly two years since the first reporting date lapsed. The senate referred the matter in December 2014 with the report due the following April, but after that came no less than 10 deadline extensions! The RRATs senators must have had a lot to sift through, so we can expect some momentous conclusions next Thursday, right? Well, it's being tabled on the last sitting day of the senate term, so I suspect we might see a dump-and-run, leaving no-one left in the red chamber to answer inconvenient questions.

And it's almost incomprehensible to believe that many submissions to the RRAT inquiry didn't point out the myth and folly behind the Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) for pilots. The ASIC has been around for a few years, and as far as it relates to pilots, has not increased aviation security to any degree at all. Recommendation 36 in the Forsyth Report, tackled this week by former AMPA President John Hillard, said that an ASIC should be valid only for certain areas of airports with RPT, not the whole airport. The government didn't agree with this, but promised some more consultation. That was never going to produce anything, because there's not much desire in either parliament or the bureaucracy to change. Hillard quotes the BBC TV series Yes, Minister in his article, which is appropriate given the ASIC system is one of Australia's great political shibboleths protected by a self-serving bureaucracy. I can almost hear any suggestion of relaxing ASIC laws being greeted with "That's very brave of you, Minister."

Victorian pilots, don't forget there's a Grand Prix at Albert Park Lake this weekend and two Temporary Restricted Areas have been created especially to make it hard for you to track between Moorabbin and Essendon or anywhere from west to east or the other way around. Make sure you're familiar with AIP SUP H48/17 before you even think about transiting the area.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...r0CY9fe.99

Cheers Hitch...


MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

LMH 31/03/17. 

Hitch via the Yaffa with my QOTM nomination... :

Two years overdue and thousands of taxpayers dollars later, the RRAT inquiry into airport and aviation security has produced nothing of much value to GA. It does not recommend that pilots be relieved of the burden of ASICs, nor does it recommend that ASICs should be needed only for secure and sensitive areas rather than the whole airside area. It does recommend a lot of fringe stuff relating to scanning, training and infringement reporting, but pretty much nothing that will gladden the hearts of general aviation pilots. There are some hints of recogniton of the plight of GA, but most often are buried deep in convoluted motherhood statements such as: "the Department is conducting comprehensive risk assessments in collaboration with other agencies and industry to determine where current aviation settings can be better tailored to high risks and resources can be redirected from areas of very low or negligible risk." However, with the department recently announcing more stringent rules for ASICs, this motherhood statement becomes even more meaningless. It seems important to the department to tighten the noose around the neck of the innocent in order to demonstrate to the angry villagers that they are at least hanging someone.

"..It seems important to the department to tighten the noose around the neck of the innocent.."

Is there hope? Yes, but it's coloured beige at best. Government departments don't have to take notice of inquiry recommendations, so Minister Chester still has it in his power to put his money where his motherhood statements are and determine that the private GA and recreational pilots of Australia are indeed a negligible risk to aviation security, and regulate accordingly.

The minister this week also gave CASA a new Statement of Expectations (SOE). This happens every now and then so that CASA knows what the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development wants them to do. The issue, as it seems to be every time, is that there's a horrible disconnection between what the department expects and what CASA delivers. It almost seems the SOE is necessary only so CASA knows what to ignore. Among the expectations are that CASA will implement the ASRR recommendations, will stick to their own regulatory philosophy and will apply just culture principles. It seems we've heard that somewhere before: in every SOE issued since late 2014! One day maybe our expectations will be met, but it seems it will take much more than just a statement to make that happen.

The good news story for the week is the amendments to the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the USA and Australia. To cut through all the red, white and blue tape, the Federal Aviation Administration will now accept CASA approvals for components made in Australia. Previously, Australian companies had to go through two sets of approvals, with the association pain, suffering and financial destruction doing that generally brings. In an ideal world, it means the US market just opened itself up to Australia. Hopefully this will create jobs in Australia as innovative companies can start investing in technology to create better products and attack the lucrative USA market with the confidence that the playing field just became a little less tilted.

Nominations for the 2017 Wings Awards are open! Get on board this now. The awards were instigated three years ago to make sure that the tireless efforts of people in general aviation are recognised. Right now, there is no other award scheme that does this, and the Australian Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Australian Flying are very proud to be able to run the Wings Awards to make sure that people don't go unrecognised. If you know of a person, club, school or instructor that you reckon deserves a Wings Award for their cabinet, go to the Australian Flying website and start your nomination today. A word of advice: no past nomination that did not address the criteria has won an award.

Who wants to save a Boeing 737 or two? White Gum Airpark is involved with a community campaign to rescue two 737-200s that have been stranded at Perth Airport accumulating parking fees for seven long years. They were once the pride of the OzJet fleet, but have been stationary since the company ceased operations. Now, a big effort is underway to find and transport the aircraft to new homes rather than see them broken up for scrap metal. It won't be easy and is going to take some dollars, so the more people who can get behind this the better. Want to help? Check out the Boeing 737-200 website and pitch in where you can.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...F6MmVsm.99

"..It seems important to the department to tighten the noose around the neck of the innocent in order to demonstrate to the angry villagers that they are at least hanging someone..."

CF for that one Hitch -

P9_ Nah: I vote against the CF nomination. I’m worn out sending Hitch his CF’s; send him a bronze key to the cupboard, then he may help himself, whenever it pleases him best.


MTF...P2 :

[Peetwo]

Hitch on zebras & horses etc. -

LMH via the Yaffa's @OzFlying... :

The Last Minute Hitch: 28 April 2017
28 April 2017
 
There's an old saying that goes like this: if you see hoof prints in the sand, don't go looking for zebras. The most obvious cause of hoof prints is horses, so that's where you should start looking. Sometimes in the general aviation community we start looking for zebras, usually because we have a firm belief that there are zebras in the area. That was evident again this week when CASA issued the new CAAP 166-1 covering ops at non-controlled airfields. The CAAP ignored the fact that a discussion paper was still active over the issue of the most appropriate frequency, making it seem that CASA had decided the matter in its own favour already. Aviation's conspiracy theorists saw sinister in the shadows, but it seems the answer was more logical. In a bureaucracy suffering from transition blues and skills issues, the most likely answer is a complete and utter balls-up. They have history; who remembers the Part 61 implementation (like we could forget)? The CAAP shouldn't have been issued whilst the DP was still active and CASA was yet to formally settle the matter, but someone at Aviation House didn't bring their thinking cap to work that day and went ahead anyway. There's an apology now in the public domain, but a lot of damage has been done as the zebra hunters are still stalking their prey.

can they control any operation they like?

And another controversy is set to rise over non-controlled airports, generated by an ERSA entry for Mildura (YMIA) in Victoria. The entry says simply that balloons and aerobatics are banned within 5 nm of the airport. That has spawned the question of what head-of-power the airport operator has to issue operational directives that don't involve their airport. I can think of one airport owner who would dearly love to ban model aircraft within 5 nm of his runway, but knows he can't because he has no power to do so. There is no question that operators have the right to set procedures for entering the circuit, landing, taking off and ground movement, but can they control any operation they like? What if the ERSA entry covered 10 nm? Can they ban over-flights completely? I can see a situation where an airport operator could force a competitor out of business if they have the power to dictate operations in the airspace around them. That might be a bit extreme, but somewhere between no control and total control is a fuzzy boundary that needs to be set sharper.

But there is some good news around Aviation House: the response to the medical DP. I spoke with CASA people earlier this year and they were sweating toxins that the industry was still not engaging with the consultation process. A quick ring around showed that some major players (RAAA, TAAAF and RFACA)  had elected not to respond or leave the matter up to individual members. To me, that reflects that the general aviation community may not be all playing from the same music sheet, creating a cacophony of noise that CASA now has to collate and analyse. There were strong, no-nonsense submissions from both AOPA Australia and RAAus, but again not necessarily in harmony with each other. Int the end it seems the industry did come to the party with feedback. CASA may be happy with the quality and quantity of the responses, but it could also serve them up some headaches sorting it all out.

Next week's Last Minute Hitch will be frantically tapped-out on a laptop from somewhere at Aviatex, the general aviation expo that precedes Wings Over Illawarra. Aviatex has attracted exhibitors like Cirrus, Sling, QBE, Hawker Pacific, CASA, Tecnam, Bose, OzRunways, AvPlan and Evektor as well as many associations and government bodies. The support this expo has received from the industry and its relative proximity to Sydney could see it becoming one of Australia's most important aviation expos. Aviatex starts on Friday 5 May and runs right throughout the following two days of WOI as well. It seems to me that we're in for a great three days of talking aviation! The full exhibitor list is on the Aviatex website.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...r0pHgzd.99

 
MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Of zebras, horses and gnomes

Interesting piece by The Hitch that was picked up by the ever watchful P2;

"And another controversy is set to rise over non-controlled airports, generated by an ERSA entry for Mildura (YMIA) in Victoria. The entry says simply that balloons and aerobatics are banned within 5 nm of the airport. That has spawned the question of what head-of-power the airport operator has to issue operational directives that don't involve their airport".

That would be Bill 'garden gnome' Burke. He doesn't need any 'head of power'. Egotistical arrogant little man, it's always all about him. Control freak who doesn't like being told what to do. Unless the airport under the parent Council has some u-beaut set of local government laws it has ratified that gives them (and the airport) the level of power or authority over airspace and the airport itself which allows them to prevent ballooning and other activities within the 5nm I don't see how it can stack up or be allowed legally? Happy to stand corrected as this is a difficult area to navigate when it comes to local, state and federal laws. They all differ.

Either way, I would be interested in knowing the reason why the garden gnome is potentially preventing business opportunities that could benefit the local community?