From Oz Flying today...
Aviation Bodies Call for New Rules to be Deferred
08 Aug 2014
Aviation bodies have lobbyed Minister Warren Truss to have the new CASR Parts 61 and 141 deferred further.
The new regulations were due to be introduced on 1 September, having already been postponed from 4 December last year.
Part 61 deals with new licence and endorsement procedures, and Part 141 relates to training organisations.
Phil Hurst, CEO of the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia (AAAA) told
Australian Flying that they support any moves to stop the new rules coming into force in three weeks time.
"Our problem is that CASA is more and more like a rudderless ship on this issue and no-one seems to see what is coming – ie from 14 September all new licences must be trained for and issued under the new requirements," he said.
"The training orgs have not been reached out to by CASA or case managed so that they can start with compliant training from day one. The real weakness seems to be the Part 141 transition process – or lack of process perhaps.
"If companies are unable to start training under the new requirements in September because they have not been transitioned across to Part 141 by that time, I think you can imagine the outcome.
"Our particular concern remains the lack of a case-management strategy for all the companies likely to transition to a 141 organisation from the current ATO (Authorised Testing Officer) arrangements. While the requirements have been simplified, there is still a lot of work to be done on both sides. And of course there remain unresolved issues such as the role of ‘approved pilots’ under the new regime."
Last week,
the Australian Helicopter Industry Association announced they had written to Warren Truss with similar concerns, and further support has since come from the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA).
"Like most associations we have written to the Minister supporting this approach," said AMROBA CEO Ken Cannane.
"Because CASA is currently in a state of flux awaiting on the appointment of new Board members and a new DAS [Director of Aviation Safety] and the Minister is yet to announce the Government’s response to the damning criticisms of CASA in the Forsyth Report, all regulatory development should be put on hold.
"The Forsyth Report has strong industry support for most of the recommendations. The Minister must direct the Board/CASA to await the outcome of the above. The three-tier system will reduce the red tape created by this Part."
A key recommendation of the Forsyth Report was that CASA adopt a three-tier system of regulations, which are 1. Act 2. Regulation 3. Plain-English Standards.
The third tier is being seen by most aviation bodies as key to a better understanding of regulations.
Someone check the miniscule's vitals and FFS empty out his intray...
...I've now got some irate bloke on the line from the TWU banging on about whether we'd received his letter asking for an urgent meeting and had we read the Oz article apparently titled..
Govt failing to act on safer skies: union
A SENIOR union leader has threatened internationally-backed industrial action to force the Abbott government to stop airlines from flying over war zones following the MH17 disaster.
TRANSPORT Workers Union (TWU) secretary Tony Sheldon also lashed out at the International Civil Aviation Organisation after their global conference last week in Montreal failed to deliver measures like enabling flight crews to stand down from work if they are set to fly over a conflict zone.
The union said that Australian government representatives were at the meeting which resolved to let airlines continue to assess safety risks.
"They've just re-stated the same failed policy that saw so many people lose their lives in Ukraine (on MH17)," Mr Sheldon said.
He accused the watchdog and government of allowing airlines to prioritise profit over the safety of passengers and aircrews.
Mr Sheldon said it would have cost Malaysia Airlines an additional $28,000 to take a different route to the fatal path taken by MH17.
"They chose profit before safety and now we are mourning dead ones today," Mr Sheldon said.
Aviation security expert Ron Bartsch said that while airlines are best positioned to assess the risks of flight paths, it is critical for governments to proactively share information if they want to prevent another tragedy like MH17.
"The Australian government is not alone in being behind the eight-ball here," said the former head of safety at Qantas.
"Governments need to be more active in communicating information about hazards and danger areas to the international body who can then disseminate those crucial details to the carriers."
The TWU indicated that they would take the issue to the International Transport Federation to force authorities to act.
"Since MH17, we've seen government inaction, airline inaction and watchdog inaction," Mr Sheldon said.
Qantas recently buckled to public pressure following the US regulator's warnings about flying over Iraq.
They joined Emirates and Virgin Atlantic airlines in diverting their Dubai to London route away from the conflict zone in the Middle East.
TICK..TOCK..TA, JH & WT...
