We all call our industry a profession yet until we reach an airline except for an often inadequate flight review every two years, we are left to our own devices to continue our professional development and maintain our proficiency. If we are a “profession” we are the only one without a professional body to assess our performance and establish our ethical responsibilities. The medical and legal professions have internships and articles respectively to continue their professional development and undergo annual accreditation criteria.
Are we safe because we comply with CASA’s rules. How many flying schools would you send your siblings to?? Yet most comply with the regulations. Perhaps ASFA, a non-profit, non-political and independent organisation might provide the opportunity for our industry to improve its image and shake its tardy public image. Only the industry can help it self by setting its own goals. Perhaps we can improve our safety through incentives rather than the “big stick”
I see ASFA has a team from the international Flight Safety Foundation coming to Australia in September to introduce its approach and landing accident reduction program that is now being used world wide to educate aviators on what is the greatest killer in aviation. Some international regulatory authorities are also mandating this training for their airlines.
I also see that most Alaskan airlines are adopting the ASFA safety management start up program to implement their safety programs.
Didn’t ASFA run several instructor refresher programs in Melbourne and Sydney last year with an excellent presenter from the US AOPA Air Safety Foundation and didn’t ASFA bring our Dr Tony Kern to run several Airmanship programs.
Centaurus, more than just a “talkfest” I would have thought!!
If we are seious about our industry, perhaps it should support such an organisation as ASFA rather than continuing our cynicism about anything that has safety attached to it. Perhaps those of use who are cynics should look at our own safety ethic.
Kaptin M, I believe the Federal Government is supporting the ASFA initiative. But this does not mean it cannot be independent. Do we also say ASFA is not independent because it is supported by Qantas.