Yes indeed top post Creamy...
Maybe should be FWD to the NXT party for consideration:
Nick Xenophon to launch new party, hopes to press reset on politics
Perhaps between you and KC (& the AMROBA Band) you could draft up an Act amendment for an NX private members bill, as you appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet:
2015—Don’t Expect Changes in GA
The economic and political environment that we are in will prevent the reforms that are highlighted in the ASRR recommendations being properly implemented.
At last, the CASA Board has been announced thus meeting another point of the government’s aviation policy.
The government has also endorsed most of the ASRR recommendations.
However, the Federal government is being very conservative in making decisions, especially now elections and polls are working against them.
It is recognised by all participants in aviation that aviation is over-regulated even when compared to Europe.
GA is way over-regulated when compared to America, NZ and the ICAO SARPs.
Until regulatory imposed costs have been drastically reduced to enable young people to obtain pilot licences, then GA will languish. There are other costs associated with all training that needs to be contained.
Today, commercial jobs in GA for young pilots are few and far between. Private use of aircraft is too costly.
The private use of non-transport aircraft is declining but controlling ‘gophers’ are doing what their leaders direct which is not in the best interest of a safe and viable GA industry. Safe but no one is flying.
Since the beginning of the CAA/CASA era, post the Department moving from Melbourne, GA has become more regulated and increasingly hit with more and more costs.
Until government reviews the Civil Aviation Act, CASA will continue to have the same approach as now.
9A Performance of functions
(1) In exercising its powers and performing its functions, CASA
must regard the safety of air navigation as the most important
consideration.
(2) Subject to subsection (1), CASA must exercise its powers
and perform its functions in a manner that ensures that, as
far as is practicable, the environment is protected from:
(a) the effects of the operation and use of aircraft; and
(b) the effects associated with the operation and use of
aircraft.
And, the main object of the Act makes participants wonder whether their survival & jobs are ever considered.
3A Main object of this Act
The main object of this Act is to establish a regulatory framework for maintaining, enhancing and promoting the safety of civil aviation, with particular emphasis on preventing aviation accidents and incidents.
With that anchor around your neck, the new CASA Board and DAS Skidmore are fairly restricted.
Change must come eventually but when? Next election?
Basically, the view of Parliament is that a regulatory framework that prevents aviation accidents, incidents and making no effect on the environment is the main reason for developing aviation regulations.
Until we have a Parliament that has a priority to develop Australian jobs and de-regulate GA to the same level as the ICAO SARPs, USA and even NZ, then sensible, workable regulatory reforms will not happen.
The ASRR Report, prepared by a Canadian, Englishman and an Australian, after consultation, gives some hope.
The foundations for job growth in general aviation and charter sectors is about enabling those that hold licences, delegations or authorisations issued by CASA to hold the same responsibilities as they hold in the USA FAR system.
To enable the creation of jobs, it is pressing that Australia’s future [aviation/aerospace] regulatory system must be completed within 2 years based on ASRR principles; using performance-based regulations (PBR), supported by all aviation safety compliance requirements documented in regulations/standards that receive Parliamentary scrutiny. That is, a return to “rule-of-law” principles.
Another reason that 2015 will not see any changes is that there is still no Ministerial Strategic Direction yet written to the CASA Board and CASA itself.
There are many jobs that can be created, especially in regional Australia, not only directly in aviation but in other associated activities, if the government’s strategic direction includes the ASRR & red tape reduction program.
The Minister’s strategic direction must require Australia & New Zealand to have common Australasian aviation standards, to enable better trade within a single aviation market. New Zealand aviation regulatory development is years ahead of Australia’s regulatory development.
Immediate adoption of the FAA system for GA, in a like manner as has been done in New Zealand, will see investment in GA because of long term certainty.
The longer government, government departments & its agencies procrastinates over aviation the longer it will be before positive action is taken to stabilise rural Australia.
A positive is the Department sets policy, Board will direct CASA, Government supports most of the ASRR Report.
However, a badly structured Civil Aviation Act is still fundamentally what is wrong with the current system.
{Reference:
AMROBA Newsletter Vol11/issue12}
MTF...