I call it the "alternating CASA narrative"
The Executive Manager of Regulatory Services and Surveillance travels from Canberra to Melbourne to overview APTA on Friday 11th January 2019.
He elects to extend his visit an additional day, so that he can conduct an onsite visit to the Ballarat operation on Saturday 12th January 2019.
That visit proceeded, and in fact the aero club received an email from the Executive Manager of Regulatory Services CASA.
That email stated
“ I thank you, fellow Board Members and staff from the BAC for your briefings on Saturday 12 January. My observations and the feedback provided provides strong support for the APTA model, and more importantly, evidence for a model that can assist ongoing flight training by regional and/or smaller aviation providers in a contemporary regulatory environment. My appreciation to you all – safe flying”
I was very much under the impression that the “revised CASA view” was very supportive, based on the above email.
In more recent correspondence released by CASA they have tried to paint a picture that there were concerns about the Ballarat operation. This “backflip” by CASA concerned me so I sent the following request under Freedom Of Information request on 20/08/19
Dear Mr Gobbitt, On Saturday 12th January 2019 , Mr XXXXXXXX, attended the Ballarat Aero Club to make his own assessment of APTA. He did this in his senior position as the Executive Manager Regulatory Service and Surveillance. Under FOI, may I request the notes that were made by him related to that site visit. Thanking you in anticipation of your co-operation, respectfully, Glen.
The response from CASA to the Freedom of Information request;
“I am the decision maker for your request. In accordance with subparagraph 24A(1)(b)(ii) of the ACT, I refuse your request for access as I am satisfied the documents you are seeking do not exist
Really?, One of CASA most senior executives travels from Canberra to Melbourne to look first hand at APTA. He then elects to gret a hotel and a rental vehicle and stay an extra day, and travels down to Ballarat Aero Club (1 ½ hour drive), spends a significant amount of time talking to everyone, gains a positive overview, and heads back to Canberra. Surely there would be something. Some kind of a report. Anything.
Of course it could be that the report was so supportive, that it had to “disappear”. It was clearly stated to me and my father that report would be prepared. I would reasonably expect that to happen. I cannot accept that “the document does not exist”
Side note. The Executive Manager Regulatory Services and Surveillance reports directly to the Head of the Aviation Group, Mr Graeme Crawford.