Originally Posted by
Paragraph377
CASA don’t “assist” the operator. CASA are the Regulator and their role is to ensure that an Operator meets the regulations and standards as set out in the Civil Aviation Act. They audit, inspect and give the final approvals. The Operator does all the work, CASA just tick that all the boxes have been filled out correctly.
Indeed CASA provides no assistance in the AOC application process; more like they drag it out by having a caste of thousands peruse every statement in every document submitted. This perusal goes well beyond mere ticking of boxes, with individuals within CASA rejecting words, paragraphs and chapters in order that their own 'pet' versions be incorporated.
Having been involved in a start-up high capacity jet AOC where we were careful to cross reference everything against the regulations, it still took a team of us 8 months to get the paperwork passed. Fortunately, we got through with just one proving flight. Then CASA wised up and made other even better resourced applicants who followed do several proving flights.
REX is starting with some advantage in that they have an AOC, so this would be a variation application, but even so it is quite likely that CASA will drag out any approval to next year. A September 2020 start date would be highly fanciful, Christmas 2020 would be barely feasible if the application was made next month with manual suite attached, postholders nominated and aircraft identified by serial number.