Maintenance issue uncover? - Today Tonight - 7th Sept 09

[capt_akun]

Something of interest..

A story about maintenance issue cover up by the airlines will be aired tonight on Today Tonight. I wasn't paying much attention to the advertisement, but you can catch a glimpse of it tonight!

PS: I don't like ACA, or TT, but it is just something of interest that I thought I might share who didn't know it's on.

:} aku

[Wiley]

Ohh Mick (Quinn)... Before you faced the cameras, you should have called in the CASA PR chick to give you a briefing on how to handle that style of television journo and her attack dog questions.

I suspect you will before you face the cameras again.

[industry insider]

He didn't do well, did he?

1 Auditor, 2 places at 1 time...ah yes, just a typo.

What happened to the peer review of the Auditor's report then?

Slack CASA and poor PR for the national brand.

[Spikey21]

If you want to see how CASA conduct audits see the link, read and then click on the link to the Senate Commission, scary stuff.

Aircraft for Sale, Plane Sales, Planes for Sale – Aviation Advertiser ? – Online Magazine There’s Still a Mouse in the House at CASA (http://www.aviationadvertiser.com.au/2009/02/theres-still-a-mouse-in-the-house-of-casa/)

[SRM]

Sounds like some people in the Melbourne Office.

[White and Fluffy]

1 Auditor, 2 places at 1 time...ah yes, just a typo.

My guess is after clicking "save as" on the the first report he forgot to change the dates. He probably didn't even do the second audit, just change a few sentences here and there and no one will know the difference.

Like most government reports its probably a standard format that has a few "insert comment here" sections. You cann't make it too hard or complex a task for these guys.

As for Mick, he couldn't have dug a bigger hole if he had wanted to. With comments suggesting that errors and mistakes are commen in aviation. Even if they are, you don't say that kind of stuff on national TV.

[Cactusjack]

An audit is simply a snapshot of an organisation. The reporter may have grilled Mick and naturally people are questioning the relevance or validity of two or three day audits, but if the amount of time was to be spent condcuting audits that most people think should be spent, then CASA would require a yearly budget of a billion plus dollars, and I am sure that the critics would then moan about that too.

[flying-spike]

With comments suggesting that errors and mistakes are commen in aviation. Even if they are, you don't say that kind of stuff on national TV.
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/statusicon/user_online.gif http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/buttons/report.gif (http://www.pprune.org/report.php?p=5174209)

That was too easy. But are you suggesting that the regulator keep such knowledge out of the public domain and only let it our under freedom or information? You can't have it both ways.

[Engineer_aus]

Hmm At my workplace at Bankstown there should be a audit carried out every year with a major 1-2 week audit every 5 years. Hmm I think the last one was well over 3 years ago now! Go figure. Perhaps CASA should cough up and release the documents. There is a lot of information there that they don't want anyone to know. I am sure they would have handed the documents out if they had nothing to hide, yet they have to go to court. Something smells fishy.....

[The masked goatrider]

They have something to hide. As it stands they have released 50 pages out of 1600. They assumed there was nothing to see in the ones released. One auditor was supposed to be in 2 places at once, according to the official audit reports.

but if the amount of time was to be spent condcuting audits that most people think should be spent, then CASA would require a yearly budget of a billion plus dollars

The CASA airworthiness Inspectors have reduced in number from over 100 five years ago, to 61. They also failed the ICAO audit in the area of staff training.

Lesson 1. You can only do one audit at once.

The auditor in question was from the Sydney field orifice.

[Cactusjack]

The Regulator cant be eveywhere all of the time,it is simply impossible, so most audits within industry are carried out through a 'risk based approach'. In other words if your organisation ranks high on a risk matrix then audits and surveillance will be more frequent. Conversely if your risk ranking is low, then audits won't occur as frequently.
Its interesting, everybody blames the Regulator when something goes pear shaped, yet not many Operators are willing to wear their own share of blame for doing something that contravenes the law or regulations ?

[Cactusjack]

For the past two years generally, audits are performed not by one Auditor, but by a team of auditors.
An Air Transport Inspector leads the audit and inspects Safety Systems ,an FOI inspects flying ops, AWI inspects Airworthiness, plus when or where required a DGI who inspects Dangerous Goods and a CSI who inspects Cabin Services.The group attend entry and exit meetings together, but split up during the audit, each into their own technical field.So it is quite plausible that components of the final audit report are dated with the same time,because several Inspectors may have interviewed several 'operator representatives' at the same time and in different locations,so the final report doesnt necessarily mean that only one auditor was involved in the audit.The final report is written by the Lead Auditor after lengthy discussions with the entire team.

[The masked goatrider]

Thank you Cactus for trying to clear things up for the pprune readers. It sounds like you could star on the next edition alongside Mick. I have read the audits in question, give me some time and I could even post them here.

At the front of every audit is a declaration of the Lead auditor then all the Audit team members. There was only one team member and he was the lead Auditor. On the 16-18 July 2007, he carried out 2 audits. One at SIAEC, the other at ST Aero. The opening meeting at SIAEC was at 0930 AM. The opening meeting at ST Aero was at 0930 AM.

Paperwork stuff up? Maybe and from what was said on the box, they explained that some dates may have been wrong. What else are CASA stuffing up? They did not find one thing wrong in either of the 2 audits. Highly unlikely when the SIAEC facility had dozens of errors noted in a Qantas self audit.

[rudderless1]

CASA,
Cash And Stamp Authority.

You people must accept, the audit and inspection is not part of CASA's core business, to make money your need to focus on your core business!:ok:

After working in the industry for so long you are all really quite thick.
You must know airlines just sell tickets, the rest can be and usually is outsourced. CASA audited the airline when they gave them the tickets, there where no spelling mistakes on the ticket, what's the prob? Lucky it was an E Ticket, you only need to print the first pg.:yuk:

On ya CASA

[desmotronic]

So what does it cost to run a legal campaign/cover up opposing numerous media FOI requests???? What have they got to hide????

What happened after senate inquiry? That was bizarre but this is hilarious.

[aussie027]

They said the FOI reporter at station had never seen such a along hard FOI legal battle to get documents.
2YEARS LONG!! :mad::ugh:
What are they trying to hide from media and public if everything is as it should be.???:mad:

So I'm sure we can figure many 100,000 dollars,at least, in CASA legal fees that the govt, ie the taxpayer, had to pay out to see documents that should have been freely available with a simple FOI request.:mad::ugh:

[lame1]

Does anyone know where Mick Quinn was previously employed before he joined CASA.Maybe he does have some experience.

[catseye]

ex fixed wing rpt, can't remember type maybe diesel 9 but got grounded possibly medical. ( it was a while ago).
then went to QF working for Ron Gates then Ken Lewis in flight safety. Departed for the sand pit them came back to OZ with CASA.

Think this all right.

The eye

[Cactusjack]

Why thank you goatrider for your kind sentiments and your confidence in my ability to front a television camera !!
I must say it is a tempting offer, and I will think about it. However, it is I who must thank you for your clarification and explanation of the audit in question.Obviously it is a subject 'very close to you' and perhaps it is you who could front the media and explain the whole process ?
Cheers

[my oleo is extended]

And he is also now a TV star thanks to Today Tonight !!!!
Perhaps his next gig will be to join 'Dancing With The Stars' and partner up to D.Smith ?
Or a gig on 'The Apprentice', or perhaps Big Brother ??

All the 'top brass' are overseas at present, so I am sure he will be recieving some 'acting lessons' upon their return........

[Mainframe]

Had his first TV acting experience during the Senate Inquiry into CASA, now very experienced at defending the ineptitude of the team.

Why hasn't CASA applied the blowtorch to QF as it did to AN?

At that time CASA ran a fully briefed press gallery and leaked photos etc as well.

Interesting times ahead with rumours of byron's purges soon to be undone,
and some of the misfits to re enter the non ICAO compliant sheltered workshop.

Guess there will be some axes to grind soon.

[rudderless1]

Why hasn't CASA applied the blowtorch to QF as it did to AN?

Why victimise anyone person or airline, CASA should set the benchmark where it is supposed to be and regulate it!

The problem is CASA does not do their job and for some reason attacked Ansett and gave cotton wool gloves and nurtured VB into the market with all its shortcomings at the time.

All carriers have their issues now, whilst people suggest QF is poor, now reflect on the fact that it is by far the best of a bad bunch when it comes to maintenance.

If no one sets the bar, costs get chopped regardless of need.

No thanks to Little Johnny H and workchoices, atleast the LAME's at QF don't have a red dot on their foreheads anytime they raise issues and maintain the standard.

Hopefully for the sake of all travellers and LAME's we can rid the industry of muted contract labour and red dots on their foreheads and restore the possibility of breaches of the regs being reported.:ok:

I am sure a different perspective of a competitive player would then arise.

I just wish QF could rid itself of the Jetstar leech. No offence intended at the employees, but the umbilical cord needs cutting. Only then will reality be known, sorry seen.:yuk:

VB's engineers pay was top of the pops a few years back, now look.

[my oleo is extended]

We Aviators are a funny bunch !
Qantas people whinge about Virgin Blue priveledges. Ex Ansett people whinge about the government and CASA.Virgin Blue people whinge about the good old days.Nobody whinges about Compass 1 and 2, and CASA doesnt whinge much at all as it sits in the box seat !!