Perhaps its got something to do with a certain ASFA organisation and a few people creating jobs for themselves at the expence of GA.
The ASFA has lost me with a number of aspects of their proposal for an Aviation Safety Rating and accreditation of flying training courses. I accept the overall rationale, consistent with CASA's starting point, that changes to the training environment can address some of the root causes of accidents. I purposely did not use the term "standard of training" as I don't believe its as simple as "raising the standard" but it certainly involves doing different things or doing things differently.
I wouldn't mind seeing the rationale for the details of the proposal.
- all instructors to be individual members of ASFA and the school is a corporate member of ASFA - in addition to the assessment fee
- every flight is preceded by the same exercise flown in a simulator
- flight exercises focus on career professional skills .. will be needed in a Boeing ... as opposed to being specific to the training aircraft (few of my students want to progress beyond the Decathlon)
- the correct aerodynamic theories are taught - does that mean we do away with the hypothesis of the male and female air particles and stick strictly to the Navier-Stokes equation?
- aerodynamics relevant to Boeings is taught eg "sound barrier" - but no such barrier exists.
- I like the proposal to teach effect of wing sweep on airflow around the wing but only as far as the effect on stall characteristics.
- modern flight aids such as HUD - in my Decathlon?
- "competence in instructing to aircraft manoeuvre envelope limits is demonstrated" Good, my Decathlon is +6 and -5.
Sorry, ASFA, you've lost me with some of those details (and some of the spelling) although there is much good stuff in there. Not all schools should have to tick off every single item in that checklist to be accredited (if they wanted to). One size and shape does not fit all.
I'm sorry I left the venue early, tealady - I'd have enjoyed the debate on carb icing. It is interesting that other points above were made at the seminar also - instructor experience and salaries.