Nicely constructed Sarcs and well argued. Adding the personalities involved into the bare bones discussion gives the whole thing a curiously intriguing flavour. Have a read of the Audit report from the FOIA collection – March 2008; Mike (ret) Nolan was the 'lead auditor' reporting to 'tuther Wodger (manager) at the time. The whole thing is heading in a clearly defined direction until the changes are rung and a line mysteriously appears in the sand. Food for the thinking man, methinks:-
The company is staffed by approximately 120 employees which includes approximately 70 pilots all of whom are subject to the company's CASA approved CAR 217 training and checking organisation.
The audit was scheduled as a result of the inability of the audit team to complete an effective audit of the CAR 217 organisation in October 2007 due to the poor response of the majority of PEL pilots, and check pilot/ATOs to the request from PEL management for the provision of their logbooks. PEL Management accepted CASA's advice of a need to terminate the October 2007 audit and schedule a second audit when all pilots had responded to a subsequent request for the provision of logbooks.
Advice was given to PEL management by the audit team during the first day of the audit that there was no record of FRMS training of flight crew. PEL acknowledged this finding and CASA issued a Safety Alert on the same day.
The audit of the CAR 217 organisation's flight crew training records revealed that while flight crews had been operating under the FRMS for 11 months, the FRMS training required had not been conducted. This non compliance was considered to represent an immediate threat to the safety of operations and CASA issued a 'Safety Alert' on the 12th March 2008 which required operations conducted under the FRMS to cease and operations to be conducted in accordance with CA048. The company accepted CASA's decision and advised CASA on the 17th March 2008 that the required training had been completed. CASA responded on the 18th March 2008 by issuing approval for the company to resume operations in accordance with the FRMS.
Now that is what I call service.
Audit of 20 flight crew training records revealed that approximately 80% contained no evidence of training in Emergency Procedures Training- Life Jackets and Life Rafts or Human Factors Management Training. The company was advised on the 17 March 2008 of this breach of CAR 215 (9) and the CEO responded on the 20 March 2008 advising that the training would be conducted and completed within a week. The CEO also advised that the company had reviewed its training requirements as stated in the OPSM with regard to Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS), and Crew Resource Management (CRM) and that all pilots would complete appropriate training within I week.
Tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick, tick, flick, tick, flick, tick.
There are a number of options available to CASA to respond to such breaches of legislation. In this case, CASA considers that the interests of safety will best be served as a first option, by giving you the opportunity to address the breach and initiate action to ensure there are no similar occurrences.
Bet there's a few who would have relished that consideration, yes indeed.
A special audit was conducted on Pelair’s CAR 217 Training and Checking organisation, following up on October 2007 audit. This resulted in a Safety Alert being issued against the Fatigue Risk Management System. The FRMS had been in place for 11 mths. It was established that no initial or recurrent training of any flight crew had been conducted. The Safety Alert prohibited Pelair from using the FRMS and required them to revert to CAO 48. Pelair reacted positively by rearranging schedules and implementing an immediate training program. The Safety Alert was lifted flight crew were trained and they are currently operating under their FRMS. Management have been cooperative and the REX Board have launched an internal inquiry to ensuring a breach does not occur again. SYD Region is satisfied and are closely monitoring the operation.
My Bold..
Perhaps I'm just too old and cynical – but the line in the sand is obvious. The Senate report, now rendered useless to anything else except historical value, very nearly, but not quite nailed the plot down. All that was required was a bunny and in true magical style, McComic pulled one out of his hat; (which is an alternate spelling of Whazoo).
If, and it's a big IF Fawcett mounts another Senate inquiry into CASA behaviour, motivated by sheer anger, generated by 20/20 hindsight; the questions may just be a little 'sharper'. It's a reasonable bet to take; normally the Pollies, suitably intimidated through lack of expertise, beautifully baffled by pony-pooh, subdued by dismissive attitude and seduced by the 'mystique' give up after an inquiry. If they don't then the time warp machine is plugged in and important matters float away down the back passage of time. The problem for Sleepy Hollow is that Fawcett and Co. are, not only justifiably 'cranky' but have the expertise to see clear through the smoke and mirrors; and, even if they don't, there is a plentiful supply of 'industry' expertise available to provide a helping hand.
The only question remaining, to vex the SP bookie, is that of party politics versus personal integrity.
Selah.