A ramble - Apart from disputing the putative value of a three tier legislative system; one of the few debatable recommendations of the Forsyth report was item 20.
20. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau transfers its safety education function to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
I believe we have seen enough 'aberrations' recently to realise that the ATSB reports have reached an all time low; even by Beaker Aberration Standards of the Beyond all Reason Model. Forsyth was very 'kind' to the ATSB on the Pel Air imbroglio (delightful word for cock-up); since then, in what can only be seen as a 'finger' to industry and Senate, ATSB have provided two truly dreadful reports; the interim ATR and the C 210. Let's face it; ATSB are not at the top of their game.
However; general industry relies heavily on ATSB reports for 'education', it does not look to CASA. See here on Pprune; ATSB publish and if the troops can winnow out the 'safety message' from the chaff; there is discussion, like an extension of the 'Crash Comic'. Some of the sane, rational discussions are of benefit to all, especially the 'new-bee's'. I have not, to date seen a CASA generated 'safety' oriented missive mentioned; let alone discussed.
It's fine for the companies with a SMS, they can sort out the issues internally and sharpen their game: but they do not publish (why wudjah?) so 'industry' misses out of the refinements and practices which have resulted from 'internal' audit and investigation – no quarrel with this, just saying.
Then we arrive at the Coroner recommendations; there really are a lot of them. Some good, insightful and valuable; others 'not so'. But CASA blithely ignore them all, not deigning to 'educate' industry as to why coroners recommendations are rejected, or indeed why they have been accepted and the reasoning for changes made to facilitate the recommendation. You need to dig deep to find the responses, even deeper to find the changes. Not a good look...
ATSB, will survive the Beaker years and, with a bit of push, start producing the first class material we used to enjoy and rely on. The next logical step (IMO) is to simply expand 'good' reports into 'educational' documents which could suggest or recommend procedures, practice and comment on the lessons learnt from less than salutary experience.
CASA is not the DCA and do not produce anything to match the much revered "Crash comic"; the current 'rag' has not ever been worth reading, being of as much practical value as one wet sock. Nope, give the "Comic" to ATSB as natural extension of the accident report system; cheap, cheerful and above all; valuable. CASA simply squander the resource. Hell I'd chip in a few bucks to help offset the cost; but if I pay, I want the service...
Right then – back to my knitting. (Ear warmers for elephants today– big project...).