I have been in this industry since 1986. I haven’t worked in GA for 13 years now but in that time things sound like they have gotten worse. My last company was an all piston twin operator (9 aircraft) and even we had an approved system of maintenance, i.e. 50 hour checks and MEL’s, Tech Logs etc. For an operator to have 30+ aircraft and still be operating on the generic 100 hourlies and maintenance release system amazes me. It gives you almost no flexibility in your operation. The cost of setting the system up is easily made up by allowing many items to be deferred under an MEL and still operate the aircraft.
For an operator to have allegedly been using a “Snag Book” (no such word exists by the way under any system of maintenance. All snags are defects period irrespective of how small they are) is inexcusable. If any operator gets caught out doing this then they must accept the consequences. It’s unfortunate but if pilots within these operators have gone along with this illegal practise then they too must accept the consequences. They have knowingly conspired to break the law. That’s your legal responsibility as PIC.
Some people here have attacked the alleged whistle blower. This is human nature unfortunately. The reason for that person leaving this operator is irrelevant though to the court. As long as their evidence is irrefutable, i.e. not word of mouth or here say, the evidence will stick.
I don’t know Creampuff personally but I have been here long enough to know their back ground. He/she is more than qualified to argue and substantiate their legal opinion to anything regarding the law both in the aviation and non aviation arena. I also know how to differentiate between the arguments by those obviously affected by this CASA grounding and those that are not.