10th anniversary of Seaview: lest we forget

[Creampuff]

On October 2 1994, VH-SVQ, an Aero Commander 690B aircraft operated by Seaview Air, crashed into the Pacific Ocean, fatally injuring the nine persons on board.

The report of the $20 million Commission of Inquiry into the Relations between the Civil Aviation Authority and Seaview Air followed 2 years and later. The Minister for Transport at the time the report was handed down noted in Parliament:Honeymooners Leeca and Anthony Atkinson were setting out on the first day of their new life together. Reg and Pam Drayton were setting out on what was for them a second honeymoon; Stephen and Carol Lake and two of their five children, Judith and Benjamin, were setting off on a family holiday. The report paints a picture of the young pilot, Paul Sheil, as also being a victim of this unsafe organisation. These are the tragic consequences of wanton operators and an incompetent and timid regulator. They are not just statistics.Commissioner Staunton's fifth recommendation was:That in respect of Civil Aviation Regulation 206 (relating to various forms of commercial operations, including regular public transport operations) urgent consideration be given to amending or replacing the Regulation to overcome the problems identified in the course of the Commission.That recommendation was made eight years ago. Today, all of the problems identified by the Commissioner in Regulation 206 remain. The definition of the operation specifically mentioned at recommendation five - regular public transport - is in exactly the same terms.

According to sworn evidence by regulators, time and time again, in front of Senate Committees, the new classification of operations rules have always been 'in development' and 'just around the corner'. The current 'target date' is 4th quarter 2004.

They haven't met any of the previous 'target dates' for the new classification of operations rules. Why would they meet this one?

The two-and-a-half ringed political circus that passes for aviation regulation in Australia is now in my view simply incapable of dealing objectively with the substance of important, long-term issues. The political cycle is simply too short, political priorities are simply too self-serving, political mates are simply too far embedded into positions of influence, and public servants are simply too change fatigued and too scared to do anything politically unpalatable.

I hope I am proved wrong.

RIP all on board VH-SVQ.

[gaunty]

Creampuff

Amen and yes the same perceptions and substantially the same problems remain.

The words "regular public transport" do not now belong in the same regualtory sentence as FAR23 types.

The US who devised the old Special FAR23 to deal with the development of the new market until the smaller aircraft that delivered FAR25 type performance and operation, became available, save as a grandfather reg has basically been sorta repealed/replaced .
That is if you are already operating the old SFAR23 types then you can continue to do so, but cannot add/replace or use them as a start up.

It is no longer possible to set up a new RPT/commuter service unless you use "transport category" types.

Neither should it be, but is still, possible here.

Do I hear screams of "we can't afford to operate any thing other than the little "Whizbang123", you are trying to drive us out of business."

No; but what price a life. The pax paid with their lives for the free rides the other customers got.

Yes: if the pax had been "properly informed" they may have taken the alternative but higher priced "airline" service

No; in the past before the so called "cost recovery" regime, uneconomic routes required to areas as a result of "social equity" issues were subsidised by Govt. It's simple, they can't have it both ways.

This route was not one of them.

Further we still have a blurring of the issue in the FIFO market, despite a WA Coroners remarks and recommendations.

[Time Bomb Ted]

Creampuff,

As you well know, the people charged with writing the new regs are mainly (if not totally) ex-military, and in the words of one who will remain name-less, " I know safety, I did it in Staff College in 1972!"

We are doomed until CASA gets an overhaul by someone who has a backbone.

The grapevine suggests that the current CEO (ex military, ex-GA, ex-RPT) is a dud and hasn't been seen around the office in months....

Could be something in that.

[Rich-Fine-Green]

I understand the current CEO keeps an office in Melbourne and is rarely in CB.

Now that's really keeping a finger on the pulse.

[prospector]

It would appear that the CASA situation has much in common with NZCAA in regard to charter operations. One has only to read the findings on Adventure? Aviation PA31 Accident???Report to see the similarities, and when one reads the coroners reports of a number of fatals in this field over the last 15 years, and the lack of any action to implement the recommendations of these findings, one would be entitled to consider them as a "WHY bOTHER" exercise.

Prospector

[Creampuff]

TBT

The Authority has many experienced and capable people from many backgrounds. Whatever their background, most of them are not silly enough to make a controversial decision these days without top cover. Classification of ops is about as controversial as they get. The people who are capable of providing top cover on decisions like this are political animals, and therefore don’t like endorsing or making courageous decisions.

Dick Smith was the last person to stick his head above the parapet on classification of ops, with the FAR model. He got it shot off – too many marginal businesses operating FAR 23 clunkers in RPT, and therefore no political top cover.

So Australia continues to get the slow and painful solution: aircraft attrition. That might be a half-way acceptable solution if the lives risked and lost were risked and lost by people who made a well-informed decision to take the risk (which is why Dick Smith’s model included clear information to fare paying pax as to comparative risks).

[bushy]

Quite right. Anything smaller than a dash 8 should not be permitted to carry paying pax. All airspace along the east coast should be class C from ground level. And the Sydney harbour ferries should be replaced with 10,000 ton ships carrying a crew of 75. Busses and trains should be dual control and have clear roads with all other traffic cleared away from their intended track.
It would be too expensive to do this over the whole of Ausstralia, so there would be no services west of the ranges, but that does not matter. Only the bushies live out there.
It would be too expensive on the east coast too, but that does not matter, the government can pay for it. It would all be administered by the people who run the banks and insurance companies. They know how to run companies that lose squillions. And the white shoe brigade would make lots of money selling big aeroplanes to big bankrupt companies that are supported by Govt money. The silvertails who are going to save aviation.

[M100]

Creampuff -

Thanks for the reminder. It is depressing to see just how little has changed and how history repeates itself.
Today's news - tommorrow they wrap fish in it!

Many of the factors leading up to this accident and many like it rest fairly and squarely at the feet of CASA.

The CASA FOI who presided over this operation from the Coffs Harbour Area Office was to use Mr $20M Commissioner's words "not a fit and proper person to etc etc......"
The raft of non-compliance right under CASA's nose over this operation was deplorable.

Anyway, as usual after the smoke had cleared, the lawyers paid and pigs fuelled and ready to fly our fateful FOI finally got the "Don't come Monday" from CASA and returned to GA.
As a guru mind you - but without the normal collector's edition of ratings and ATO approvals initially. As the memories faded it didn't take long and he was "re-awarded" his apporovals thanks to his Army buddies in CASA.

Currently a CFI and operating a side-line business in, wait for it -
CASA audits, consultation about enforcement problems with CASA, operations manual, risk management etc etc...........

What a wonderful world!
:yuk: :yuk: :yuk: