I recently became aware of yet another example of CASA stupidity. It would seem that CASA is threatening to prosecute a GA operator for breaching copyright in CASA product.
The breach in question? This operator is alleged to have downloaded a copy of the DAY VFR syllabus from the CASA web site to a USB and then handed it to one of its students for use during training. CASA have threatened to sue for making "an unauthorised copy".
This operator is alleged to have downloaded a copy of the DAY VFR syllabus from the CASA web site to a USB and then handed it to one of its students for use during training. CASA have threatened to sue for making "an unauthorised copy".
That sounds a little strange. As Jabba has pointed out, CASA has always supported the download of their materials. If not, why then make it downloadable in both PDF and RTF format?
"The syllabus is provided in adobe acrobat and rich text format (RTF). The latter allows extracts of the syllabus to be downloaded and incorporated into a school's operations manual and/or own training syllabus. "
The impression I get from my limited understanding of the Kiwi scene is that their CAA operate from a position of 'we'll work with you to get the job done safely', promoting education, fostering the passing on of good gen and so on (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, Kiwis).
On the other hand, it seems our guys are hell bent on not developing a good working relationship of mutual respect with the aviation community at all, but setting up an adversarial 'them and us' situation. Why, I don't know.
Sure, there are roadshows and all that jazz, but the mistrust that has built up between CASA and the aviating person on the street seems very, very strong.
I would dearly love to see CASA move away from this legislative, corporate monster they appear to be at the moment and become a fair-dinkum mentoring and facilitating organisation, leading from the front as far as safety and standards go. I see this starting with a strong push to work with the flying schools and be involved right from the word go in every pilot's development as a believable and approachable group of experts who know what they're talking about and don't hide behind a smoke screen of legalese.
They still need to carry the big stick and take strong action where it's required (as apparently didn't happen in the Hempel case, discussed at length elsewhere), but with that, set the example to operators by being at pains to show they are on the same side as legitimate business and private aviators who want to do it right.
I may be going off half-cocked here if the thing about the Day VFR syllabus isn't true. If it is, then whoever at CASA is driving the pursuit needs a kick up the arse.
I would dearly love to see CASA move away from this legislative, corporate monster they appear to be at the moment and become a fair-dinkum mentoring and facilitating organisation, leading from the front as far as safety and standards go. I see this starting with a strong push to work with the flying schools and be involved right from the word go in every pilot's development as a believable and approachable group of experts who know what they're talking about and don't hide behind a smoke screen of legalese.
They still need to carry the big stick and take strong action where it's required (as apparently didn't happen in the Hempel case, discussed at length elsewhere), but with that, set the example to operators by being at pains to show they are on the same side as legitimate business and private aviators who want to do it right.
Off subject, but the FAA got in all kinds of problems a number of years ago with just this policy. In supporting the industry, it started turning a blind eye to some of the problems. Took a big stick and a change of procedure to get it back to doing its job.
Sure, Lodown, I can see there would be the possibility of things getting too 'matey' depending on personalities and individual integrity.
It's a complex issue, of course, but the current climate of mistrust, blame and double standards feels all wrong.
How to fix it is another story - big root-and-branch changes could only come with sufficient political will, and I doubt there's enough votes in it to make ministers sit up and take notice, even when aeroplanes crash. There's a bit of media frenzy for a while, then we return to the status quo.
Creamie and co. I refer to my first post......I seriously doubt this has legs. Surely not.
If it does......there is no hope!
There must be a lot more to the story. As much as I will criticise the CASA where it is being crazy, this if at all possible would take the cake, and it just sounds too far fetched.
My guess is; and it is only a guess,that the operator might have been SELLING the syllabus to their clients.....that would be a breach if the Day VFR Syllabus was included in a package they were selling to their clients!
My guess is; and it is only a guess,that the operator might have been SELLING the syllabus to their clients..
Sounds more likely. Another thing they might be a bit upset about is uncontrolled out of date copies of their docs out there. They might just be saying that the only source for their docs should be directly from their website. I mean, just imagine if someone was using a syllabus downloaded a couple of months ago, that did not refer to (say) the latest incredibly important CTAF changes?
Same thing happens even with SBs and ADs... Sometimes they change a date or something minor without necessarily adding an A or letting us know about amendment .01 to the doc and if you are using the one you downloaded yesterday.... These days we need our iPads permanently with us going instantly back to the source.
Folks, Leave poor Jonathan alone, he has, in fact, some first class law qualifications, quite apart from his PhD. He's a better lawyer than a lot of you blokes give him credit for --- and, at least, he is not anti-aviation.
A PhD is not easily obtained in any filed, it represents a lot of hard work and effort.
Maybe it's even a bit more relevant to the job than a well know techead in Dept, of Communications (or whatever it is properly called) whose' recent PhD is, so I am informed, in something to do with marine biology.
Leadsled, Yes Jonathon is so well educated in law and common sense that he provides information labelled "repcon material" and identifies the sender to the company concerned! Sack the man. Greedy
If that happened greedy that is a SERIOUS concern!
That's the type of problem you get when you have people working for certain government departments that are mates with those out in he industry running the companies that are supposed to be being monitored by said department!
Blackhand, Been there (to the ATSB). They state that because I chose to provide information to CASA it is not protected by "Repcon Legislation". CASA maintains the same stance. No what the basis in law the behaviour of Aleck,CASA, the CASA ICC, is a disgrace.The corrupt disclosure of information is a blight on all of them. A young person in this industry would be wise to not report their company seniors in any internal or external SMS system. Greedy
The general level of ignorance throughout the Australian public in general, and the decrying of higher levels of education does Australia in general, and those who make the comments attributable to you "friend" no credit.
Australia is in desperate need of improved educational output, particularly in the hard sciences, we are being left behind by our neighbors and competitors -- to our cost.
I suggest you give some serious thought to the benefits higher education ---- we certainly not over endowed with it in the aviation sector.
