Sunfish, I don’t think I am being overly cynical. Yes, things take time with CASA or any other government department. They’re consistently about 15 years behind private industry, but that is normal government function. I’m prepared most of the time to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, when it comes to GA, CASA just seem to put a warm body in front of a small crowd on a semi-annual basis, listen to the same concerns, and then duly file the report in the tubular filing cabinet beside the desk.
GA has at best a stagnant market, and at worst, a shrinking market. There’s a current thread elsewhere on Pprune about aircraft age and the effect on the industry, but in the wash, it all comes down to a viable market. When that market is moving, growing and changing, I can’t help being cynical when I perceive that mostly through regulatory constraints, the businesses that traditionally served that market are limited in their growth and ability to change in response to that evolution. There’s been an ever-widening gap between the GA service providers and market needs for the last 20 years. Sure, there are still some profitable market niches, but they’re seemingly becoming less in number and more exclusive with the passage of time.
My pet peeve is that in several situations the regulations amount to nothing more than restriction of trade. For example, the rules regarding protection of RPT routes, advertising schedules/seats, ticket sales and frequency restrictions on flying existing RPT routes are so archaic and anti-free trade that they aren’t just hindering growth, they’re killing the entrepreneurial zeal on which the western world prides itself. They were essential when struggling airlines needed protection, but these regs are hindering growth in GA and in other industries, in particular as I see it, in Australia’s regional areas.
The regulatory review process just keeps drifting aimlessly, but this can’t continue to be an excuse for avoiding major changes to regulations. CASA is becoming a lame duck while the regulatory review alternates from on again to off again. It’s pointless turning up to meetings with GA if every non-government and government person alike in attendance knows that it’s business as usual and nothing will really be accomplished. These meetings can’t even be regarded as a
PR exercise or to justify a travel budget anymore. I think those who attend go along with the vain hope that there may be a great announcement one day that CASA has had an epiphany, the corporate vision will be laid bare for the next 20 years and work on beneficial changes will begin immediately.
I’m not saying that CASA needs to promote the aviation industry. That is fraught with dangers as the FAA discovered, but only CASA has the ability and responsibility to constantly review regulations and ensure a viable and level field of competition for any innovative nutcase with a few bucks who is already in or wants to get into an aviation business.
What I would like to see from CASA is this:
1. Comprehensive 5, 10 and 20 year plans for the aviation industry. What pressures, trends and innovations are envisioned and CASA’s planned response.
2. Priority on the regulatory review process.
It’s their job. The rest will follow.
As I see it, CASA is stumbling in a fog. The organisation lacks vision and the will to make changes. Whether the blame for this can be laid with ministerial and adventurer fiddling, DOTRS or somewhere else, I don’t know and that is open to speculation, but until CASA gains some assertiveness and direction, these meetings with GA are just a waste of time.
That’s my little rant for the day.