BARRIER AVIATION GROUNDED:
CASA has stopped Barrier Aviation from flying. Barrier flies into Darwin from Cairns. Here's the text of CASA's statement...
"The Civil Aviation Safety Authority cancelled the air operator’s certificate held by Barrier Aviation Pty Ltd on Wednesday 13 March 2013.
Barrier Aviation was a Cairns-based charter operator and flying school.
CASA suspended Barrier Aviation’s operations on 23 December 2012 due to a serious and imminent risk to air safety.
On 22 February 2013, the Federal Court of Australia made an order prohibiting Barrier Aviation from conducting operations.
CASA conducted a thorough investigation which confirmed Barrier Aviation had been operating aircraft with serious and known defects, as well as directing pilots to fly these aircraft.
Known defects were also not being recorded on aircraft maintenance documentation.
Following the Federal Court order and the completion of CASA’s investigation, CASA was not satisfied that Barrier Aviation would not operate aircraft with known defects if allowed to resume operations.
CASA has determined Barrier Aviation had a poor safety culture and placed commercial imperatives before safety.
The inconvenience this action will cause for passengers and Barrier's employees is regrettable, however, CASA's primary and overriding priority is safety."