Senate Inquiry, Hearing Program 4th Nov 2011

[Sarcs]

SIUYA it's an interesting story which is kind of like a murder mystery novel that is part of a series...the more you read the more intriguing and revealing it all gets...till you quite literally can't put it down and when you finish you just can't wait for the next edition.

SIUYA while your were trolling through the secret, hidden report did you notice section 1.17 which is basically a summary of the Special Audit report (call it SAR for short...I know there's a certain amount of irony in that!), here's some extracts from that section:

1.17.1 Fuel Policy and Practice

• Inadequate fuel policy for Westwind Operations
• Pilots use their own planning tools and there is no control exercised by Pel-air Aviation Pty Limited to ensure the fuel figures entered are valid.
• No policy exists to ensure that flight and fuel planning is cross-checked to detect errors.
• No alternate requirements specified for remote area and Remote Island operations.
• The Operations Manual specifies 30minute fuel checks – this appears to be largely ignored by operating crew.
• Criteria to obtain weather updates not specified in Operations Manual.
• Practice of obtaining weather varies among pilots and does not appear to be conducted at appropriate times to support decision making.
• No consideration of loss of pressurisation and an engine failure.

1.17.2 Operational Control

• No operational decision-making tools provided to support crew in balancing aviation versus medical risks.
• Once tasked, the pilots operate autonomously and make all decisions on behalf of the AOC. The AOC exercises little, if any, control over the operation once a task commences.
• The company does not provide domestic charts or publications to pilots and does not ensure that the pilots maintain a complete and current set.
• In many cases inadequate flight preparation time is provided. (Normally pilots are notified two hours prior to departure regardless of when the company becomes aware of the task.
• Failure to maintain required flight records and no apparent checking by the company.
• Pilots use their own planning tools and there is no control exercised by Pel-air Aviation Pty Limited to ensure the data entered is valid.

1.17.3 Training

• Inadequate CAO 20.11 training (life raft refresher and emergency exit training).
• Inadequate documentation of training programs.
• No formal training for international operations.
• Inadequate training records for pilot endorsement and progression.
• Inadequate records of remedial training.
• Endorsement training is the minimum required (five hours) and relies on regular operations to consolidate training.
• No mentoring program for First Officer to Command.
• Deficiencies in training records identified.

And it goes on and on…all in all section 1.17 is a fairly comprehensive summation of the findings of the Special Audit team.

However when you get to Section 2.0 the ‘Investigator’s analysis’ it is like there is a total disconnect between what the investigators took from the SAR and what conclusions they eventually come up with.

Maybe it was because investigator No 2 took over the writing of the report and he decided he didn’t like the pilot and subsequently dumped it all on Dom’s lap, either way it is quite bizarre!

Still plenty more in the murky corners of this huge pile of pony and elephant pooh..