Updates continue .....
30 Oct ’15. AM hours. Steve Creedy, Aviation Editor, The Australian, in his regular Friday Column, wrote:
Urgent call for task force on aviation regulations.
The Australian Aviation Associations Forum has expressed concern at the slow pace of reform. Aviation groups have called for an industry task force to deal with the continuing damage caused by regulatory glitches and want the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to withdraw new fatigue management rules.
The Australian Aviation Associations Forum, which represents a wide cross-section of the industry, fired another broadside at the authority yesterday, expressing “considerable concern” at the slow pace of reform and the ongoing cost impositions from new regulations.
The communique comes as aviation organisations gear up their campaigns for the next federal election, and new TAAAF chairman Greg Russell is moving to ensure the umbrella organisation has more political clout.
“Recently introduced CASA regulations are threatening the viability of industry and especially general aviation operations, with millions of dollars required to be invested for no commensurate safety gains,’’ the statement said.
The association said it fully supported a directive from CASA director of aviation safety Mark Skidmore on development and application regulations that were risk-based and cost-effective.
It called for the directive to be applied to recently introduced CASA regulations, as well as those about to be introduced, but noted this would require cultural change within the authority.
The association urged CASA to withdraw Civil Aviation Order 48.1 (flight and duty times), arguing it was against the objectives of DAS directive 01/2015 “in that hard evidence has not been provided to justify it, it ignores decades of safe operations under previous rules, and imposes massive unnecessary costs and complexity’’.
The issue was among several hot topics discussed by more than 300 industry representatives at last week’s Regional Aviation Association of Australia national convention in the NSW Hunter Valley.
Civil Aviation Order 48.1 has been a lightning rod for controversy, with the Regional Aviation Association of Australia and the Aerial Application Association of Australia among those wanting the rules halted and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots criticising the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for delaying the changes.
CASA has extended the transition period from last April to next May to allow about 25 changes to the new rules to be considered.
The authority says the proposed changes will ease the regulatory burden of the new fatigue rules and potentially reduce costs for air operators and flying training organisations.
TAAAF also wants to establish an industry task force to propose urgent exemptions and amendments to controversial Part 61, 141, 142 regulations covering pilot licensing and training.
It said CASA should introduce revised transitional arrangements to allow the industry to operate, with firefighting training and the issuing of new air transport pilot licences for general aviation pilots the priorities.
“Both these essential functions have virtually ceased under the new regulations,’’ it said.
Also on the agenda was a proposal to reform Australian aviation manufacturing regulations to better harmonise them with the US system and a call to reverse the damage caused by new maintenance training regulations that had seen the loss of three TAFE providers.
“While there is some good work being undertaken by CASA, it is being hindered by the massive problems caused by legacy regulations only now coming into force,’’ the communique said.
“TAAAF believes that now is the time for definitive action before the new regulations cause irreparable long-term damage and the loss of jobs and businesses.’’
Mr Russell said the communique underpinned real concern within the industry about the pace of reform within CASA and the consistency of its actions.
He said regulatory changes already made and those coming into effect were creating major costs and seriously disrupting the industry. “And I’m not sure that message is well understood in government,’’ he said. “Yes, it’s been going on for a while but … I’ve never seen such angst.’’
Mr Russell said the industry understood the expectations of Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss in the wake of the Forsyth aviation safety regulation review and the commitment of the CASA board and chief executive to that direction. But he said this was not being matched by the actions of some CASA line staff and the industry believed this pointed to major cultural issues within the organisation.
“We’ll be writing to the board chair and the aim is to work closely with the board and management to address is what we think is this serious and ongoing cultural issue, which is effectively creating this regulatory impasse in terms of the relationship between industry and CASA,’’ he said.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia chief executive Paul Tyrell said opposition to the CAO 48.1 had been a major issue at last week’s RAAA convention.
CASA said it was actively consulting with the aviation community on a range of issues including proposed new aerial work regulations, proposed new operating rules, the best ways to implement future regulations and the development of Flight Plan 2030.
It said the consultation would continue and it would look carefully at all constructive suggestions from the industry.
A request for feedback from pilots on the new licensing rules produced more than 100 responses and CASA had been working methodically through the issues raised and addressing unintended consequences.
“Changes have been made to address specific issues such as firefighting operations,’’ a spokesman said. Because the ATPL flight test is a new requirement, CASA flight training examiners are available to facilitate the conduct of these tests while industry delegates transition to gaining the required privileges and the tests are built in to industry training and checking programs.’’
AHIA is a member of TAAAF.