COMPARISON OF DRAFT AND FINAL REPORTS AO-2009-072 WITH THE CASA SPECIAL AUDIT REPORT.
Audit finding Final and Draft investigation report references in ‘pXX’ and ‘[pXX]’ format respectively.
Inadequate fuel policy for Westwind operations. P25 [p33] of the report refers to CAR 220, highlighting that an operator also shares the responsibility for ensuring that sufficient fuel and oil is carried, and was required to include specific guidance for the computation of the fuel carried on each route in their operations manuals.
Discussion of the operator’s fuel policy that appeared somewhat less than ideal included at: • P29 [p37] of the report, which highlighted a disparity between Parts A (9.11.2) and B (6.1.2) in respect of the calculation of critical points for use depending on the availability of critical or intermediate aerodromes.
• Also in respect of abnormal operations, p29 [p37] of the report also highlights that aerodrome ‘criticality’ and ‘adequacy’ were not defined.
• In addition, p30 [p37] of the report relates that whereas the operator’s planning methodology for determining the point of no return (PNR) was satisfactory for determining a return in the same configuration as the outbound leg but was not appropriate for a return leg where that leg had a higher fuel burn than that outbound
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It is quite acceptable that the ATSB can with hindsight, determine that there were issues with the operators fuel planning policy. But where's the foresight??, where's the robust, steely eyed oversight? drinking latte and eating chocolate Monte's in the kitchen, that's where.
Where is last years memo to the CP from CASA saying - "I note a lack of guidance in the Operations manual for pilots operating between remote islands; as the company appears to be regularly staging aircraft through NLK in the middle of the night; perhaps the section could be expanded to provide improved guidance to the 'junior' flight crew currently on roster". "Perhaps you would consider providing a route guide and port advice notes, CFIT and ALAR risk analysis and some (CP/PNR) release points for operational control".
This is Not rocket science -
Then, where is the ATSB recommendation to CASA suggesting that perhaps, as a result of a near fatal, attention to company fuel policies could be increased; just to ensure this cannot happen again. They could even produce a joint report suggesting that company fuel policy should reflect the operational realities of life, rather than the minimum legal requirements with dire threat of goal. Hell, they could even lose their heads completely and revisit 'bad law 101', i.e. Reg 206 and CAO 82 and cover the bets properly. Sheeit, CAAP, instruments, [AIP], legal head of power; so much wriggle room, so much power, so very little common sense. So simple, and yet so far, far away.
"Lay on, Macduff,
And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'