[Peetwo]

Skidmore quote 1-"It is important to understand this is not just an Australian issue but must be looked at in an international context."

Skidmore quote 2-"That means we do need to look and think ahead about what is likely to change, what change will mean and how change can work for us."


Dear Mr Skidmore...


From Oz Flying today: 

The Colour Vision Deficient Pilots Association is battling CASA over what it says is discrimination. (CVDPA)


CVDPA to sue CASA in Federal Court
07 Jul 2015

The Colour Vision Deficient Pilots Association (CVDPA) says it will take CASA to the Federal Court to win relief from what it says is a discriminatory test for colour-vision deficiency (CVD).

The CVDPA has been battling the regulator over the CAD test, which it believes bears no relation to operational situations.

In a statement made public this week, CVDPA Director Dr Arthur Pape said that a presentation to CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore and NZ CAA Director of Civil Aviation Graeme Harris had left him in no doubt that CASA will continue to use the contentious CAD test.

"As a result of these encounters with both directors, the CVDPA is left in no doubt that CASA’s act of total bastardry in June 2014 in its assault on CVD pilots will not be reversed in any way by the new director," he said.

CASA instigated the CAD test in 2014, which uses a dynamic colour square against a changing-contrast background to evaluate colour-vision deficiency. Prior to that, CVD pilots were required to pass tower signal and PAPI lantern tests, which simulated operating conditions.

Failure to pass the CAD test barrs a pilot from holding a Class 1 medical, and they can fly only VFR by day on a Class 2 medical.

According to the CVDPA, the CAD test does not fairly represent operating conditions, a point it says that Mark Skidmore disputed.

"Of paramount significance were the two points: (1) the CASA Director was shown a film clip of the CAD test and declared that to him the test does simulate an operational situation, and (2) the changes implemented by CASA in June 2014 were just a 'clarification of the standard that was already there'."

In response to the statement, Skidmore said that the issue is bigger than just Australia.

"I listened carefully to all the information provided by Mr Pape," he told Australian Flying.

"We had a useful discussion about the issues and I said I was prepared to look at the results from any valid test that has controlled variables and set objectives.

"I did indicate that simply quoting the number of hours flown by pilots with colour vision deficiency is not in itself a complete safety argument.

"It is important to understand this is not just an Australian issue but must be looked at in an international context."

According to the CVDPA, the next step is legal action.

"The CVDPA has therefore, sadly, come to the conclusion that CASA’s claims of being a 'risk based and evidence driven' regulator are mere rhetoric, and we are left with no practical alternative but to litigate in the Federal Court against the lawfulness of the CAD test.

"The CAD test lies at the heart of the above-said act of bastardry, and demonstrates the blind regulatory prejudice that colour vision defective pilots continue to suffer.

"Steps are being now taken to set the process in motion."

 
Followed by  :

Regulator to face the Community in Aviation Safety Forum
08 Jul 2015

CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore and his executive managers will face the aviation community in a forum to discuss what challenges aviation safety faces over the next 15 years.

The first one is scheduled for Mildura, Victoria, on Thursday 30 July. Depending on how it goes, other regional centres and capital cities may be added for later dates.

Skidmore says the forum is necessary because of the ever-changing landscape of aviation safety.

"All of us involved in Australian aviation face the challenges of change. Aviation is continually evolving in areas such as advances in technology, new approaches to safety or better ways of doing business," he said.

"None of us can afford to sit back and accept that the way we do things today will necessarily be the way of the future.

"That means we do need to look and think ahead about what is likely to change, what change will mean and how change can work for us."

The forum will run for three hours from 0900 - 1200, with the first hour dedicated to questions from the floor about aviation safety as it now stands, and the remainder spent on dicussing the needs of aviation safety as far as 2030. Topics expected to be covered could include:

• maintaining the most effective safety culture
  
• getting CASA’s safety balance right—an effective regulator that is not too "light" but avoids unnecessary burdens
  
• the best ways to develop and implement regulations that achieve the right safety outcomes
  
• minimising complexity while working in a legal and regulatory framework
  
• the best ways to support the aviation community to meet safety goals and requirements
  
• improving communication, consultation and co-operation
  
• the safety impact of new technologies, for example low earth orbit transport
  
• safety challenges in regional aviation
  
• the growth in the remotely piloted aircraft sector
  
• managing ageing aircraft.
  
  

"CASA is not the source of all ideas and knowledge in Australian aviation safety,"
Skidmore admits, "so we need the support and participation of everyone in the Australian aviation community to manage the issues of today and to plan effectively for the future."

For more information on the Mildura forum and to register your interest, go to the CASA website.

 
God help us..
Can someone please..please get a muzzle on this guy??
MTF..P2