Manufactures maintenance will make it very hard for all of us operating in the bush to survive the extra costs. The powers that be push for manufactures maintenance schedules seem to forget that we all don't have the luxury of having a LAME based at all outback strips.
A lot of aircraft are satellite based 2 - 3 hours from the main base. On Sched 5 we have the option of pilot maintenance for the 50 hourly(change oil and filters). This works well, we switch over aircraft for 100 hrlys burning up 4 - 6 hours of the MR on ferries. That's acceptable and acknowledged as part of the price of offering a regional and remote service.
If we go to MM or Cessna progressive schedule from what I understand, then we automatically start burning up 8 to 12% of the MR just in ferries alone as on Cessna MM certain parts of the current 100 hrly will need to be done on the 50 hrly and are not pilot maintenance items.
So CASA in their wisdom to reduce the aging fleets and recommending MM schedule with the new part 135 etc, will actually age the fleet in the bush quicker, increase our cost, (someone has to pay for the extra ferries) and drive us out of business.
The cost of having a full time LAME in the air running around doing 50 hourly's is cost prohibitive and realistically unworkable.
Another example of the bush copping a double whammy. Will outback stations and communities and tourists pay the extra. Well history shows us no. Look at the amount of work left in the bush compared to 30 years ago when it was affordable for everyone that was remote to fly. With this on top of SIDS and rising fuel costs think Outback Aviation is doomed unless a bit of common sense from the regulators prevails.