Folks,We HAVE ALREADY part done exactly this, it has been there, on our books, since 1998, most of you either don’t know or have forgotten, or never noticed in the first place.
It’s called Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Parts 21 to 35, just have a look at the CASA web site. Parts 23-35 are (the equivalent of) the FARs 23-35, adopted by reference.
A huge precedent to throw back at the nay-sayers.
BUT, it took a huge political campaign to force the changes through, with ferocious opposition from the Can’tberra middle level CASA bureaucracy at every stage. No “public service” organisation willingly surrenders power, particularly when their public catchcry is “what about air safety”.
Since Federation, the Commonwealth of Australia has “adopted by reference” large slabs of foreign legislation that suited, often from USA, after all, why re-invent the wheel??
We have proved it to be straightforward in aviation, with none of the doomsday outcomes forecast by the opponents ever happening, as any sensible person would expect.
We did change some of Part 21, if you were from the US, you would immediately recognise the additional freedoms in the Australian Part 21, compared to USA, although the document as a whole would look very familiar.
The repeal of the old CARs produced immediate benefits for all sectors of aviation, it transformed the economics of the B-767-200/300 on the Australian register, just one example. The benefits to GA were massive, with cost saving being to the fore.
It transformed amateur building in Australia, tossing out (repealing) all the Australian unique restrictions.
It gave then AUF, now RAOz its 19- register, that transformed amateur building on this register, as well as amateur built on the VH- register.
The huge expansion in the operation of ex-military aircraft (aka “Warbirds”) would not have been possible without our changes to the US Part 21 before the Australian CASR 21 version became law.
The opposition from within the body of CASA was ferocious, as was the opposition from industry associations that stood to lose power and cash flow, ie: their “business mode” of income guaranteed by regulation (aka rent seeking) was largely eliminated.
Unsurprisingly, CASA and others have fought back for years, and sadly have been part successful, in winding back the freedoms and cost savings that went into place in mid-1998.
To adopt by reference other large slabs of the FARs (or better still NZ CARs --- which are largely the FARs cleaned up) will also meet ferocious opposition from CASA’s “iron ring” and other entities, but it just means that the political campaign has to be bigger and smarter.
And don’t forget, the SAFETY CARD is in our hands, the US has better air safety outcomes in every sector of aviation, compared to Australia, a drum that should be banged very loud!!
Tootle pip!!