[Peetwo]

This week off the Yaffa - 'Lest we forget'

1st Agent 96 on Trump and the possible effect on the Aviation & Aerospace industry:

Editor's Insights
10 November 2016

And now, we wait.

If you're one of the millions who didn't see President-elect Donald Trump's win coming, you're probably wondering what it means for Australia and the aviation and aerospace industries. We may need to wait to find out how closely the post-election reality mirrors the pre-election rhetoric, or whether we can expect any change at all.

Trump has been bullish and provocative in campaigning, but has already tried to project a softer approach in victory, starting with an acceptance speech that all but reversed the downward spiral in major world markets reacting to his perceived unpredictability and maverick views. We will all now need to sit and wait to see how different Trump As President will be from Trump As Campaigner.

Civil aviation pundits are already wondering how a Trump administration's protectionist approach may affect international business travel and how his potentially more aggressive stance on China may slow growth for the airlines, equipment manufacturers and aviation support companies of the US and its international friends in that critical market.
Trump's approach to China and the Asian sphere may force a rethink on Australia's own position in the region, but it won't affect our dependence on the US for military materiel, training and interoperability. The vast majority of our major air assets are at or near the beginning of their useful life. And most are stamped "Made In The US".

Former Australian Ambassador to the United States, Kim Beazley, writing for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's "The Strategist" on-line publication in August this year, offered a reminder of the importance of the relationship, particularly to Australia's military aviation forces, their through-life support security and the companies that support and sustain them.

"I have mentioned here before the essential American origin character of our air defences," Beazley wrote.

"We start with the strategic and tactical contribution of US satellite surveillance, over-the-horizon radar (an Australian-developed joint research product), airborne early warning, ASW and broader surveillance US origin aircraft. Strike and interdiction comes from our Classic Hornets, Super Hornets and Growlers (ours is the only other air force deploying the latter). The F-35s constitute the next phase. Equipment foreshadowed to enter service over the next thirty years will need the enhancements of capability coming through emerging technologies developed under the rubric of Washington’s "third offset strategy". Our DSTG (Defence Science and Technology Group) is heavily engaged in associated research programmes."

As a former Australian Ambassador Beazley is in a better position than most to understand the workings of the US Government and the real and imagined powers of a President. As a Board member for Lockheed Martin Australia and President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs think tank, it's a fair guess the question he is being asked most today is along the lines of "so what happens now?".

Read more at http://www.aviationbusiness.com.au/opini...oXQVTK7.99

Next Hitch with his weekly wrap...

The Last Minute Hitch: 11 November 2016
11 November 2016

Before getting into this week's news, I would like to acknowledge the sacrifice made by Australia's aviators who died in the service of their country in every war and conflict since 1914. They will never be forgotten. It's timely also, to recognise the efforts of all those who have flown in the Australian Defence Force, and those who continue to fly today. Their contribution to the security of Australia and the advancement of aviation is significant.

The Office of Airspace Regulation controls the classification of airspace throughout Australia.

CASA releases Office of Airspace Regulation Report
11 November 2016

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has released a KPMG report detailing the findings from a review of the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR).

The OAR sits with CASA and regulates the status and procedures of airspace classification in Australia. Formerly an Airservices Australia function, the OAR was transferred to CASA in July 2007.

The report, presented to CASA in May and made public on 8 November, follows an extensive review of the OAR, including public submissions and KPMG's own examinations and both internal and external interviews.

KPMG found that "the current structure and the corresponding allocation of responsibilities and tasks to team is structurally sound", but made ten recommendations where processes could be improved.

1. OAR should develop a public strategic plan to provide advice on major initiative and priorities
   
2. Airspace reviews and aeronautical studies should have standard formats and material have greater transparency and defensibility
   
3. Conduct an investigation into whether or not posting Airspace Change Proponent (ACP) details on CASA's website would breach commercial interests
   
4. Create a consolidated database of airspace classifications, current and former, including prior reviews
   
5. Consider amending regulations to extend CASA's powers to gather information
   
6. Re-word Key Performance Indicators to strengthen the link between the activity and the ACP outcome
   
7. CASA should investigate creating an integrated database to improve OAR accuracy and efficiency
   
8. Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) to investigate the use of a self-guided on-line portal to direct stakeholders to the correct forum to raise a given issue
   
9. CASA to consider a national representative for RAPACs as permanent member of CASA's national consultative forums
   
10. Recommended strategic plan for the OAR to identify and quantify the likely impact of future challenges.
    

 The full report is available on the CASA website.

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

CASA will be happy to be dealing with a review that has come up a lovely shade of beige

If there is one phrase that could be used to sum up the KPMG report into the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR) it would be "move along ... nothing to see here." Other than some administrative tweaks and the recommendation of a national representative for the RAPACs, the report has not uncovered any earth-shattering defects in structure or operation. It has completely managed to side-step any controversy, surprising given that former Minister Warren Truss included the requirement to review in his last Statement of Expectations presented to CASA. I would have thought that there was some trigger that prompted Truss to include that, so have to wonder if the trigger has been addressed in this report. For example, did KPMG consider how the OAR deals with undue pressure from the Airspace Change Proponent, especially when the proponent may stand to make commercial gains from the change. Anyway, CASA will be happy to be dealing with a review that has come up a lovely shade of beige instead of the usual fire-engine red.

AMROBA's Ken Cannane makes an excellent point about the impending GA study: it's a waste of time unless action results from it. I have no doubt that BITRE will weavil into the economic intricacies of the industry and present the department with a glory box of numbers, charts, statistics and trend lines. That's OK, and to be expected of a bureaucracy, but for general aviation it's paramount that the department is able to interpret those numbers and blend them in with feedback from the industry itself to recognise the issues and act. But this time, we need real action, not White-Paper-style action where "do-nothing" seemed to be the government's default preferred option.

What a big weekend there is coming up in aviation! On Saturday night the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) holds the 2016 induction ceremony. This year, the function is at the Temora Aviation Museum, a very appropriate setting given the town's aviation heritage and that TAM itself won the AAHOF's Southern Cross Award for its contribution to aviation in 2015. This year's inductees represent some of the great pioneers of civil aviation in Australia, in particular the airline industry. Alongside them will be a true giant of the industry: the late Mac Job. Mac deserves to be the first aviation writer inducted into AAHOF; his contribution to aviation safety is profound and his career marked him as one of the most respected people in aviation.

And on Sunday, it's FunFlight Day! Having done several of these myself over the years, I can guarantee you that it is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do with your pilot's licence. Having a stream of happy, smiling kids flowing through the back seat of your aeroplane will light up your day as much as it will theirs. Some of these children don't have as much light in their lives as we all wished they had, so anything we can do it brighten their smiles is well worth it. If you've never done FunFlight, think about it; you'll always be pleased you did.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/the-l...xBJCG9o.99

IMHO: That KPMG is very suss, got their fingers in way too many Govt pies to suggest anything else but a major COI...

KPMG - "Hey Wingnut what do you want this report to say??" 
WN - "Err...nothing to see here, move along.."

MTF...P2