CASAs negative impact on safety
Clare Prop. Please tread very carefully. I am talking from personal experience. This is a classic example of CASAs failure to achieve clear and concise aviation safety standards, I can see it unfolding already. You are dealing with one of the exact type of personnel I mentioned in my post above; i.e. technically not competent. will not be able to support their decision by pointing to supporting regulations, bringing their own personality and attitudes into decision making, poor awareness of their own procedures, highly inconsistent with the decision that would be made by another CASA person in the same role, stubbornly refuses to admit error, has no accountability for decision making etc etc
Clare, if you are a pilot, or in the field of pilot training, you will recognise those characteristics I listed above as being the characteristics of a very dangerous pilot. Unfortunately, they are the characteristics of a pilot that gets people killed, tragically they are the characteristics of some within the Aviation Group of CASA.
It is these CASA personnel that make the inappropriate first move, as they did in my case. They choose to set the environment, and you are therefore forced to operate in the environment that they chose. They seem oblivious to the fact that a relationship of confidence and trust with industry enhances safety outcomes, and you don't need a Degree in Safety to work that out.
Firstly, CASA have tried this on me previously. Its truly ludicrous. Quite simply they don't understand their own rules I suggest. Why don't you stop it in its tracks!!!
Dear Mr XXXXXXX,
I am very much of the opinion that I have no legislative obligations related to the conduct of this flight.
If your view differs, can I respectfully request that you support your decision by directing me to the appropriate legislation. My expectation is that the legislation will be "clear and concise" as that is the requirement placed on CASA, as its core function in the Civil Aviation Act.
Respectfully, Clare Prop
Some tips. Don't get unnecessarily involved. Diarise every comment (things drag on, and its good to be able to draw back on), follow up any verbal discussion with an emailed summary.
If it blows up, get in contact with me. To be honest, I think it will be a bit of an embarrassment for CASA, and they will realise they have more important matters to be dealing with.