Thanks CASA

[strim]

:D Well they've done it again.

Today my school received a large tube in the post from our regulator, enclosed were the following:

- 2 Full size colour posters covered in artsy BS and very small text down the bottom informing the reader of the introduction of new language proficiency standards. One poster is red, one is blue. They are exactly the same otherwise.

- 4 full colour brochures detailing the new standards. Again, one is blue one is red. The formats however are different yet contain exactly the same info

- 14 lollipops (yes, the sweet on a stick) each individually wrapped with a small sticker stating "CASA English Language Proficiency"


So they charge $40 to fax through a medical, $25 for a print out of updated licence, etc, etc...

Can anyone see any educational benefit in the above? Surely a black and white letter to the CFI would suffice.

P.S. The lollipops taste like sh!t

[slackie]

I think the "lollipops" were actually suppositories...you weren't supposed to eat them!:bored:

[VH-FTS]

Me finx da english profesciantecy is being aimed at us ppruners

Sounds like some recent marketing graduate is putting their degree to good use...:hmm:

[flyingfrenchman]

Another complete waste of money by the regulator that gouge us for vaste sums of our hard earned at every opportunity! In a similar vein:

2 weeks before christmas I trotted into the Adelaide CASA office with my $100 to submit my ATPL application. After mentioning that I needed it back sooner rather than later I was told it would be there overnight. Not totally trusting the kind CASA lady I called to check the next day and was told it hadn't arrived. The next day the receipt for the $100 came in the post. Naturally I assumed they had received the application but called anyway just to check. Not received! 3 days later still not on the system! Call again and ask if it has arrived, it has (yay!) but not on the system! The lovely CASA people head off on holliday for the festive season while we pilots continue to work, no doubt flying most of them back to family and friends. I call when the CLARC office reopens on the second, still not on the system. Finally get upset and point out they dont get that many ATPL applications a year and that surely its not that hard. Next day get a call saying "we see you dont have a current ASIC and can not continue your application until criminal checks are carried out" I tell them I have an ASIC through a major airport and that I can forward the details. So sitting here stewing over the incompetence and clearly lazy attitude at the clarc office I have 2 questions:

Why does CASA get holidays over the Christmas period when all other aviation continues? Should have done all that illegal stuff I have always wanted to!

How on earth do these jokers not have an Australia wide database of ASIC holders that all providers can add to?

Security, accuracy, speed and CASA -- oxymorons!!!

Rant over!

[apache]

so.... a big promotion re english standards constitutes a "proper allocation of funds" ie affordable safety????

someone PLEASE let Dick Smith know about this one!!!

[Islander Jock]

c'mon CASA I know you blokes read this forum. What the hell is going on sending out this worthless paraphenalia and at the same time charging us exhorbitant rates for licencing services?

How on earth are we supposed to treat this orgainsation with any respect or credibility when they come up with these idiotic exercises?:ugh:

[WilliamOK]

Why does CASA get holidays over the Christmas period when all other aviation continues? Should have done all that illegal stuff I have always wanted to!

More to the point, why does CASA get holidays when they do SBA (Sweet Bugger All) thoughout the year?

It seems CASA are on vacation 365 days of the year. The lights are on, but nobody's home.

The question we need to ask is: what can we do to get a proper regulatory body?

[apache]

Can we also presume that the posters telling us about proper English... were actually IN English?

ie: the people who probably NEED to know that they must lift their game re English, probably cannot read these posters ?

[Jabawocky]

so they should print them in ENGRISH:confused:

J:E

[sprocket check]

All of this complaining is for nothing unless you ladies and gentlemen write a letter to your representative in Parliament, preferably the Senate explaining your grievance and asking them to kindly investigate further and question CASA management in the Senate Estimates Committee.

On the upside it might just result in a better CASA for all, on the downside you might be hated by CASA forever. I don't know, does CASA have a Little Black Book?

[Jabawocky]

Yes they do......it may not be a book, but some folk are known to have long memories.......and apply injustices accordingly.

List starts.............
1. Sprocket Check
2. FTDK
3. Jabawocky:uhoh:

J:E

[Pinky the pilot]

does CASA have a Little Black Book?

Like Jabawocky said, with an addition......

Every Pilot in the country!!:E:eek::uhoh:

[Jabawocky]

List revised

List starts.............
1. FTDK:E
2. Sprocket Check
3. Jabawocky:uhoh:
4. Pinky the pilot:}
5. All other pilots:{

[Mr. Hat]

Fools of the highest order using government clout to intimidate those that pay their salary (the tax payer).

[slackie]

Not that you're bitter or anything, Dr!!:}

[Jabawocky]

From an outsiders view of the incident, albeit a close ringside seat, I do not think it is about being bitter. Its more the stupidity of it all.

For goodness sake......all that Bullying Behaviour, over a series of events, that were technically a breach, but resolved, long before any harm could be done is a bit like getting a ticket for turning your indicator on a few metres later than the driving guide says you should before turning a corner, rather than the coppers searching out drink drivers!

Sure if during an audit they discove a simple anomoly like the Mad Dr was involved in, it would be far more prudent, and more encouraging to the offender to write a polite letter, make a phone call and just raise the matter as a "educational" experience. With a clean slate that is, a habitual offender may be another matter.

Its the gross waste of CASA resources, taxpayers funds and then pi$$ing what are generally good law abiding folk .........and not gaining one ounce of safety benefit from it. If the Boeing Sales Manager found his salesman was trying to sell 787's to the Timbucktoo Ultralight Club as a trainer.......would you not sack him!

The reality is that the regulator in this case (and a few others in that region) have been found wanting, and LHR is a classic example.

Lets see them looking for the "drink drivers" not the "3m late indicators" and when they come accross a simple matter like the one the Dr talks about, deal with it in a manor with which will encourage safety and a better image of the regulator.

J:ok:

[Capt Fathom]

Language proficiency standards (http://www.casa.gov.au/fcl/language/index.htm)

More burden placed on an already struggling industry!

No wonder no one wants to take up aviation for fun or a career! :ugh:

[Mr. Hat]

FTDK, what goes around comes around my friend. Good things will come your way.

As for the letter writer....

[chainsaw]

FTDK.............

Sounds as though you could probably do with a loan of my Glock 17 to sort out your problems, as per my suggestion to Jabawocky in post#24 at:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=296859&page=2 :ooh:

Dunno about the good things coming your way if you do though, apart from a certain self-satisfying warm glowing feeling inside that you will have actually achieved something outrageously POSITIVE for Australian Aviation that the rest of us thought about, but weren't game to do!!! :uhoh:

[Jabawocky]

Chainsaw,

with the equipemt list and good logic you do remind me of VH-XXX:E

J:ok:

PS I know....you are not.......but some similarities:}

[chainsaw]

Thanks Jabawocky :}

The equipment list as previously suggested could maybe be expanded (if required of course) to perhaps include some MP5's and a Barrett 82A1/M107 or two?????? :)

There's just SO much MORE that FTDK could....well....ummm....errr....achieve with such an 'expanded' set of 'tools'! ;)

[Towering Q]

I didn't realise those lollipops were suppositories....I gave one to my 4 year old daughter.:eek:

[pg casa]

Guys

In response to recent posts re CASA services to industry over the Christmas/New Year period, a clarification is required.

Contrary to some statements, CASA staff from flight crew licensing, aircraft registration, aviation medicine, maintenance personnel licensing and front line telephone sections continued to provide services between the Christmas and New Year period.

Staff responded to between 60 and 80 calls and emails over this period that required action to assist the aviation community with licenses, certificates and medicals.

This is the first year that CASA has continued service provision across this period, and wedid so in response to feedback received in previous years.

In response to the criticism of the English Language Proficiency Standards:

It is worth emphasising here that CASA is implementing the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) language proficiency standards which have been promulgated as Amendment 164 to Annex 1 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Annex 1). The purpose of the new standards is to raise the level of language proficiency, leading to enhanced flight safety through improved radiotelephony communications. The date selected by ICAO for international implementation of these standards is 5 March 2008. Although many ICAO States sought an extension to this date given the relatively short time-frame for introduction, this was refused by ICAO.

Both Airservices Australia and United States Federal Aviation Administration identify runway incursions as a number one risk to safety. A recent review of de-identified confidential ATSB reports for 2007 indicates that the standard of English language is of some concern. We therefore view English language proficiency as a critical safety factor and there is a strong case for improvements to the current standard in Australia.

Regarding the comments about the distributionof lollipops , Effective communication was identified as A vital componentin Australia’s efforts to comply with the ICAO directive on English language proficiency. Our research showed that a major impediment to informing the Australianaviation community of the new language standards was the perceived lack of relevance in an essentially English speaking country.

CASA recognised from the outset that its education campaign about the standards would need to have something special to enable it to ‘cut through’ to a largely complacent and disinterested audience and that a mail out might be ignored. Creatively strong and attention grabbing images were used for the campaign posters and brochures advising of how the standards were to be complied with. The idea of an ‘English proficiency lollipop’ was developed as a low cost way of bringing the issue to audience attention. The lollipops were distributed widely along with the campaign literature to stimulate discussion.

[Jenna Talia]

The lollipops were distributed widely along with the campaign literature to stimulate discussion.

With the bull**** charges that are forced down our throats and basic incompetence, this has got to be windup. :ugh:

[flyingfrenchman]

Thats fantastic if that was the case and shows some good service! However it does not explain why staff members of CLARC, up until the just before Christmas were stating that the office would be closed until the 2nd! Even when asked about a rumour I had heard that someone would be working during the period the response was "we will be closed". Maybe the effective communication needs to happen in house before trying for the whole industry.

I commend CASA and CLARC if there were people working, shows a big step forward.

[Capt Wally]

.........hey Dr:8 if yr on CASA's offical 'hate' list via their little black book which must be damn huge by now........!!!! everyone that has said hello to you in the past in a favourable manor must be on the list also !:bored:

I would hate to be a part of any regulatory body that controls the strings for us guys/gals. We (as pilots, engineers etc.) know they are less than helpful most of the time but we also know we are the end 'user' of their system & it seems that we can do bugga all about it. But if there was some collective way we could take effect/control to reverse their poor handling of all things aviation the cue to join would wind around the planet !!!:bored:.
Keep the good work up Dr:8, as long as they hate you they are leaving the rest of us alone:}

CW

[Towering Q]

pg casa...first of all, thanks for joining the discussion, and please, don't take the following personally.

Our research showed that a major impediment to informing the Australianaviation community of the new language standards was the perceived lack of relevance in an essentially English speaking country.


You spent time researching this?:eek:
The perception is correct...it is irrelevant.

The idea of an ‘English proficiency lollipop’ was developed as a low cost way of bringing the issue to audience attention.

Or treating the aviation community like children.


Bureaucracy gone mad.:(

[Jabawocky]

PG CASA

The idea of an ‘English proficiency lollipop’ was developed as a low cost way of bringing the issue to audience attention. The lollipops were distributed widely along with the campaign literature to stimulate discussion.


As much as I hate to say it......seems that "lollipops" have actually worked.:D

You seem to actually have to generated some level of awareness, probably by those who have no Enlish problems.

Have to be fair and say all the CASA folk I have had to deal with have been great.......registration medicine and licensing......but as for some others I have seen 2nd hand its a worry!

keep up the good work, its not you personally....rather the system.

As for runway incidents, I am not surprised when i hear some of the "English" spoken.

J:ok: