I may be hijacking the thread to an extent, but I am severely underwhelmed with the organization tasked with the responsibility of overseeing aviation safety in Australia.
QUOTE]Did I hear CASA correctly, did he just say "The only way to fix fatigue is to pay them more money" ? [/QUOTE]
I have concerns about the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) in Airservices Australia and ASAs application of InterDynes' FAID system. I have repeatedly spoken to InterDyne and they agree that ASA are misusing the application. I have an internal email trail going back years for ASA to address the issue and talk to InterDyne. ASA will not refer the concerns to InterDyne. ASA seem to begrudgingly recognize that they have a requirement/responsibility from the Senate Transport Inquiry ( beyond the Midnight Oil)of the early 2000s to address fatigue. Since that time ASA (and others?) has treated these statuatory obligations like tax laws, as something to be subverted or minimized.
We had CASA in to do an unassociated audit. I was told that one of the auditors was very interested in FRMSs’, when I outlined my concerns and gave him examples of the abuse and blatant disregard of FAID he asked about the new FRMS that ASA were supposed to be introducing. I told him that this was supposed to be introduced last year but wasn't. His attitude was that ASA were now working to address the issue. I asked him that if someone was flying people around in a non-compliant manner/aircraft but said that they would fix this up in the future would CASA consider this acceptable. He would not answer.
I offered to CASA person that I would send him the email trail I had and he could refer to above or investigate, if he would give me his email address. He said he would not even give me his CASA email address. He asked what Civilair ( the ATC Association were doing about it), I said that you are supposed to be the regulator and I am making you aware of ASAs conduct and what will CASA do about it. He said that he would not ask these questions.
I am still attempting to follow these questions up internally in ASA, and through CASA. I spoke to one of the canteen workers yesterday, in conversation she told me that if they worked 6 days it was a compulsory 2 day break. In ATC after 10 days or 80 hours it triggers a 1 day break and you can then do 10 days or 80 hours again. That sandwich toaster/chip fryer must be a dangerous place.
Why is it now so damned hard and so personally fraught with penalties to do the right thing in Australia????