Problems with CASA AVMED? Make a submission!!

[Toluene Diisocyanate]

I received this email from the AFAP the other day:

The Federation has recently received complaints from some members regarding delays and poor service when renewing their medical and dealing with the Avmed section of CASA. The South Australian Branch has also passed a resolution that more information be obtained with a view to raising any deficiencies directly with the Minister.
If you have experienced difficulties or poor service when dealing with the Avmed section of CASA it would be appreciated if you send a return email detailing:


The date of your dealings with CASA;
A summary of the delay or problem; and
Your name (and whether you require it be kept confidential in our dealings with the Minister on this matter)

Thank you for your time in considering this request.

Regards,
AFAP CommunicationsI know of several colleagues who have difficulties every year with these clowns (Avmed).

If you're experiencing similar problems, I encourage you to send a submission to: [email protected]

Regards.

[Howard Hughes]

My medical is particularly complicated and falls due at a bad time of the year. I usually end up having to have it faxed on the last day it is due. I have never had any problems getting it rushed through at the last minute and the last two years they haven't even charged the $25 admin fee.:ok:

The two times I have had to contact CLARC for non medical reasons, now they have been a nightmare...:rolleyes:

[aroa]

You want to get something done by THIS Minister...? :ugh:
:mad:

[morno]

I seem to be one of the very few lucky ones on this topic!

I renewed my medical in Feb, about the time people were reporting massive delays, and I had the new one back in my hand 10 days later. Never seem to have much trouble every year.

That said, I'm definitely not saying there isn't problems!!!

morno

[Shagpile]

How about military aircrew NOT having to go see a dame. Complete duplication of effort & waste of money.

[havick]

I've found dealing with AVMED or CLARC relatively painless. I've always emailed instead of calling, and they've always got back to me and actioned requests in a fairly timely manner to my surprise.

[world traveler]

@ Shagpile

I know for a fact that there are Aviation doctors that work on the bases.Sure its not called a DAME, but they are for flight crew and the JBAC's (or ATC as most of the world know them). All have to see their "AVMED" if they have more than 2 days off sick in a row.

The Aviation Doctors must check they medical fitness annually like any civilian aircrew. However, for defence it is more than just an annual review, it's for any medical issue that is more than a 24 hour bug.

The Military don't operate under CASA as such. The licences are not civilian issued, and while you say its duplication, they are their own organisation.

If CASA are struggling now, the last thing they need is for the entire ADF to be thrown into the mix.

[TOUCH-AND-GO]

I renewed my medical in Feb, about the time people were reporting massive delays, and I had the new one back in my hand 10 days later. Never seem to have much trouble every year

Still waiting on mine..:ugh:

[Shagpile]

I know for a fact that there are Aviation doctors that work on the bases

Yes exactly. Not trying to hijack this thread but military aircrew have a very strict bunch of exams every year + a major 5 yearly. The entire medical history is stored in a file on base and like you say, it's recorded whenever you are sick requiring an avmed doctor to clear for flying again. I'm no expert but I'm guessing the medical clearances required to fly ADF aircraft are as strict or more strict than the civilian equivalent.

So explain why we have to ALSO see a DAME ($$), pay the fee to CASA ($$) and fill up the already full paperwork system with more applications that really don't need to be there? This thread is about the crappy delays in CASA, so why not be able to show a CASA rep your current ADF aircrew examination report instead?

The best we can hope is that some of the avmed doctors are also DAME's and fill in your CASA paperwork whilst doing the annual exam.

One dame told me the reason we still do both is because the senior medical DAME's lobbied for this to happen so they see more (non Medicare billed) aviation patients to make back money from their dame course. Sigh.

[Ollie Onion]

I don't get why CASA is involved in the paperwork at all, I see a fully qualified DAME and he signs me off as medically fit. In almost every other part of the world the DAME just issues you another 12 months of validity. But NO CASA insists on reviewing all this paperwork again themselves, no wonder they are backlogged.

I don't see why I can't just see my normal GP to fill in the bloody ridiculous CASA paperwork since they are going to review it all anyway.

[Captain Dart]

It's 'make-work' for yet more public servants clasped to the tax payer's teat.

[Clearedtoreenter]

So explain why we have to ALSO see a DAME ($$), pay the fee to CASA ($$) and fill up the already full paperwork system with more applications that really don't need to be there? This thread is about the crappy delays in CASA, so why not be able to show a CASA rep your current ADF aircrew examination report instead?

Well, obviously they don't comply with CASA standards. CASA have to be very careful about who they allow into civil aviation you know!:O

[Kharon]

I picked this up on another thread:-
CASA Director of Aviation Medicine Dr Robert Liddell, caused the Minister to ask the Board to reconsider safety.

I am in conscience obliged to resign as I have lost confidence in the senior management’s ability to maintain aviation safety. I wish to place on record the reasons for my loss of confidence.

The Office of Aviation Medicine like many other areas within the Authority is a highly specialised unit. The lack of consultation or opportunity to discuss many of the directives and changes which impact on this office, and other offices of the Authority, has eroded staff morale and wasted hundreds of hours of valuable time in dealing with the issues. Furthermore, despite written requests for a response to assist in resolving conflicts on matters of importance, there has been no reply from your office.

This approach is consistent with that demonstrated on several occasions over the last year when the Office of Aviation Medicine has received written directives from your office which as a result of a lack of any prior communication were either inappropriate, factually wrong and not in the best interests of aviation safety in Australia.
This is not the ranting of some half baked crank, but a letter of consequence from a respected, highly qualified medico. I noticed the AFAP was seeking submissions related to problems within the DAME office and I sure they managed to get just a few.

Perhaps all the unions could pull together on this issue, I am sure the members would appreciate it.

Just a thought -

[Frank Arouet]

Liddell was a gentleman, transplanted by Dr No who was the "Antiquack" of "quackery" and then the standard was re-set. He once told me he "was" God, and whilever I understood that, we would get on fine.

We have a perfectly qualified "rattle shaker" with a Degree in "quackery" being wasted on legal matters, but obviously demarcation issues would prevent Union bi-partisan agreements.

A pox on him and his goats.

[Shagpile]

I know of combat medics who have had to sit the Senior First Certificate course to get work outside of defence simply because the defence qualification was not recognised.

Except we see doctors, as in the kind that went to (civilian) uni for 6 years then did an internship in a hospital for a year then went into a college, practiced as a registrar for several years then sat exams to be a consultant. Most of the avmed doctors I've seen are civilian guys but a couple are uniformed.

Real doctors - We're not checked out by somebody that did a 2 week flu-vax course.

Back to my original point - wasting:

(a) My time & money,
(b) Some doctors' time that could be spent seeing an actual sick person, and
(c) Increasing the admin for everybody.

[Up-into-the-air]

The aviation medical is shaping up as the next way to rid us of pilots.

There are a few examples around already - the FOI report to casa:

The FOI who thinks a pilot has been drinking, but doesn't use a breath or blood test to prove it.

Medical in doubt.

The alledgedly fatigued pilot who has to prove it is not a mdical issue.

And so on

We need to be on our guard for this next assault.

[thorn bird]

Didnt you know mate, all pilots are criminal's, doctors as well, there's just those they havnt caught yet, give them time, they need that to manufacture the "Evidence".

[jas24zzk]

FOI thinks a pilot has been drinking........
no testing.

It's heresay. I think even CASA's best buddy the AAT would throw that out.

Fatigue.............
Very hard to prove except for the operators records that permitted hours have been breached.

For a PPL, different story again.


sounds like muppetry to me

[blackhand]

It's heresay.
Is that heresy or hearsay??

[Up-into-the-air]

Just heresy [or Hennesy?] Mr. Blackhand

[kalavo]

Shagpile, as stated earlier in the thread, the military and civilian rules differ slightly, just as the rules between ICAO states differ slightly. Whining to a bunch of people on the internet isn't going to change that.

Having an Australian Civil Medical, doesn't entitle you to an American, Hong Kong or JAA one, any more than having a defence one does. Could all doctors conceivably issue the same medical? Yes! Are there doctors who are able to issue medicals for both civil and defence, or multiple ICAO states? Yes! Would life be a hell of a lot easier if everyone worldwide operated under the same set of rules without variations and your license and medical recognised? Absolutely! But the various states don't want people to interfere with their train set, so we're stuck sitting multiple exams, renewing multiple medicals, instrument ratings and proficiency checks to fly an identical aircraft with different letters painted on the side.

If you want to fly civil as well as military aircraft, next time you visit an ADF doctor, find one who is also on the CASA list. If none of the quacks near you are, start asking your local ADF doctor - if there's a demand there, they might look in to getting the qualification and save you both some time.

[Dale Hardale]

Rumour has it that a class action against CASA will be underway in the near future.

Medical situations that have been accepted for years have been "reviewed" and are now being denied with no change in the underlying condition.

This new CMO might finally have some explaining to do. About time.

[Fantome]

Associate Professor Pooshan Navathe

Pooshan Navathe, MBBS, MD, Dip Aviation Safety Regulation, , FAFOEM (RACP), FRAeS, FAsMA, PhD is the Principal Medical Officer at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Australia. Dr Navathe has long experience as an aviation medicine and occupational medicine consultant, having spent over two decades in the military as a flight surgeon, and a decade in the regulatory aviation medicine sphere, initially in New Zealand, and recently in Australia. Dr. Navathe is an acknowledged authority on some aspects of aviation medicine, and has more than 150 articles and scientific presentations to professional societies. He is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association, and a Member of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine. Dr Navathe is also an adjunct Associate Professor at the Australian National University.


He is also adept at ignoring or failing to acknowledge letters of complaint.

Bring back Rob Liddell.

[Dale Hardale]

Regulatory meltdown? – aviationadvertiser.com.au (http://www.aviationadvertiser.com.au/news/2009/09/regulatory-meltdown/)

"In the medical area, CASA is now seeking to “get tough” on the issue of pilot colour vision tests, which have been studied to death in the past, particularly by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). We’re told this may include annual colour vision tests (currently required only on initial issue) and that this is so far from international practice and research that it can only be described another uniquely Australian regulatory aberration. Principal Medical Officer Dr Pooshan Navathe is reported to have told a medical conference in Vanuatu recently that CASA intends to be “a regulator with a capital R.” Does this make you see red? (Or green?)"

..... and this is progress ???

[brissypilot]

Rumour has it that a class action against CASA will be underway in the near future.

Medical situations that have been accepted for years have been "reviewed" and are now being denied with no change in the underlying condition.

Not sure which class action you're referring to - but without going into too much detail let's just say that there's legal preparation well advanced into an AAT appeals case that's shaping up to be quite big. It's regarding colour vision standards that are unnecessarily discriminating against quite a number of experienced pilots.

See http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/418944-colour-vision-restriction-instructor-rating-3.html for more info.

[boofta]

Like the character in catch22 he's in when he's out and out when he's in.
Having tried speaking with him directly, his staff don't know either.
Maybe sub-continent style bureaucracy has finally arrived in CBR.