Flying Blind story- CASA & Qantas maintenance investigation
I read this as being CASA being poor in its role for air safety, not the airlines. I believe this is supported by QANTAS documents showing their concerns with a facility, whilst CASA could not find anything. I believe some of us are misunderstanding the story. This misunderstanding appears to be causing some angst among us. An amount of overseas maintenance will always occur. That is the nature of the beast.
Without an independant and credible air safety regulator, companies will run to the cheapest facility and attempt to dilute regulations. Double standards will prevail between operators and it will have very bad effects on the industry. In a nut shell, CASA need to be more vigilent and get out of bed with the operators they like and treat all operators equally. Did not the FAA recently get a wake up call (within the last 2 years) when they were found in a cosy relationship with operators?
I hope this helps in my FAA comment;
Culture clash strains FAA/airline oversight
and another, I'm getting excited!
FAA's 'culture of coziness' targeted in airline safety hearing - Travel - LATimes.com
Sorry, I'll stop after this one, it's everywhere!
MRO USA: FAA dissolves carrier customer service mentality
Without an independant and credible air safety regulator, companies will run to the cheapest facility and attempt to dilute regulations. Double standards will prevail between operators and it will have very bad effects on the industry. In a nut shell, CASA need to be more vigilent and get out of bed with the operators they like and treat all operators equally. Did not the FAA recently get a wake up call (within the last 2 years) when they were found in a cosy relationship with operators?
I hope this helps in my FAA comment;
Culture clash strains FAA/airline oversight
and another, I'm getting excited!
FAA's 'culture of coziness' targeted in airline safety hearing - Travel - LATimes.com
Sorry, I'll stop after this one, it's everywhere!
MRO USA: FAA dissolves carrier customer service mentality
Last edited by LAME2; 13th Jul 2010 at 23:06.
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Steve
if nothing else this matter has highlighted the need for articulate FOI lodgement strategies - it's kind of the sidebar issue, but it is an important one that all aviation unions need to clearly understand.
It also underscores the need for ensuring Safety Management Systems are not as one Union eloquenty described as "being dumbed down" through poor/divertede/filtered/complacent inputs.
The Regulatory environment should not be the new frontier of cost cutting
AT
if nothing else this matter has highlighted the need for articulate FOI lodgement strategies - it's kind of the sidebar issue, but it is an important one that all aviation unions need to clearly understand.
It also underscores the need for ensuring Safety Management Systems are not as one Union eloquenty described as "being dumbed down" through poor/divertede/filtered/complacent inputs.
The Regulatory environment should not be the new frontier of cost cutting
AT
rmm, I believe the bulk of the VB stuff is now being done by JHAS, with some work still going to ANZ.
I think for CASA to have a relationship with anyone they need to get out of their offices and actually do some inspections, rather than take money for jam.
It still can takes months to get a SOE and licence approved by this pack of imbeciles, but they like to charge your credit card and make you wait.
I think for CASA to have a relationship with anyone they need to get out of their offices and actually do some inspections, rather than take money for jam.
It still can takes months to get a SOE and licence approved by this pack of imbeciles, but they like to charge your credit card and make you wait.
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Bootstrap,
It's good to hear that they are onshoring some stuff. I had heard that the E-jets were at JHAS but I wasn't sure about the 737's.
As for the SOE/Licencing issues, been there many times over the years and nothing's changed since the 80's (except the price of course)
It's good to hear that they are onshoring some stuff. I had heard that the E-jets were at JHAS but I wasn't sure about the 737's.
As for the SOE/Licencing issues, been there many times over the years and nothing's changed since the 80's (except the price of course)
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This is not a loaded question....
Has there ever been an overseas MRO that QF have had major maintenance carried out at that did meet the expectations of the QF oversight team, QF, and the ALAEA?
It would be interesting to know if there has been, and if so, where was it/were they?
GB
Has there ever been an overseas MRO that QF have had major maintenance carried out at that did meet the expectations of the QF oversight team, QF, and the ALAEA?
It would be interesting to know if there has been, and if so, where was it/were they?
GB
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I can't believe the short sightedness of many of the responses here. An MRO has been caught red handed employing standards that do not align with those required in order to protect the travelling public.
Yet people come on here and try to justify this behaviour and have a go at shooting the messenger.
On top of all that a government body set up with tax payers money to protect the tax payer by ensuring their safety is failing in its duty.
When things go wrong at 35,000 feet you can't just ring the bell to get off.
Well done ALAEA you have my vote. Safety should always be paramount.
Some of you dudes out there need to wake up
Yet people come on here and try to justify this behaviour and have a go at shooting the messenger.
On top of all that a government body set up with tax payers money to protect the tax payer by ensuring their safety is failing in its duty.
When things go wrong at 35,000 feet you can't just ring the bell to get off.
Well done ALAEA you have my vote. Safety should always be paramount.
Some of you dudes out there need to wake up
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I am not so sure about the relationship between CASA and Virgin. Two events come to mind though. I understand Virgin were told a couple of years ago to ramp up employment of Lames as they didn't have enough of them. More recently CASA approved a varied system of maintenance that allows unlicensed staff to sign for certain aspects of maintenance that they loosely categorise as servicing functions.
Good overseas MROs used by Qf? Without the data before me, not in the last 3 or 4 years. They have however successfully engaged some in the past in NZ, Amsterdam, Ireland and from memory some 330 work in Switzerland.
Good overseas MROs used by Qf? Without the data before me, not in the last 3 or 4 years. They have however successfully engaged some in the past in NZ, Amsterdam, Ireland and from memory some 330 work in Switzerland.
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FedSec,
Thanks for the reply. Were the MRO's you mentioned in NZ, Amsterdam, Ireland and Switzerland used for scheduled heavy maintenance checks that QF decided to have carried out offshore instead of inhouse (such as the recent examples in the Phillipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore), or were they facility's that predelivery checks were carried out at when QF were expanding there fleet?
GB
Thanks for the reply. Were the MRO's you mentioned in NZ, Amsterdam, Ireland and Switzerland used for scheduled heavy maintenance checks that QF decided to have carried out offshore instead of inhouse (such as the recent examples in the Phillipines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore), or were they facility's that predelivery checks were carried out at when QF were expanding there fleet?
GB
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The QF A380s will start to have C checks in the coming months and they are being done in Germany by Lufthansa Technik.
I believe that although Singapore was considerably cheaper ,QF doesn't want any bad publicity by using them considering the previous bad press etc.
I believe that although Singapore was considerably cheaper ,QF doesn't want any bad publicity by using them considering the previous bad press etc.
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QF doesn't want any bad publicity by using them considering the previous bad press etc.
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Jetstar (Australia) are currently having some of their A320 heavy maintenance done in the same facility in Singapore as the QF jets. Does anybody know whether the same concerns have been raised by Jetstar regarding the quality of the maintenance done at this facility as those raised by QF, or are the maintenance concerns peculiar to QF aircraft?
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I agree with you Jabbawocky about Sydney Heavy being a great asset.
At least the Geoff Dixon puppet a.k.a David Cox and things are changing in QF engineering. Some good, some not so good.
But with those 2 gone and the Leprechaun running the show 330 maintenance and Dash8 -400 work is now being done in house.
The 5% being done out elsewhere is now down to 380 heavy work, and maybe when we have a fleet of 20 or more some management type with some foresight and testicles might even bring that in house. We can only wish.
Also good news that H191 is being given a tidy up so bring 767 half C checks back to Sydney, now all they need to do is tidy up 245 so that 744 Super A checks can also be done in Syd.
At least the Geoff Dixon puppet a.k.a David Cox and things are changing in QF engineering. Some good, some not so good.
But with those 2 gone and the Leprechaun running the show 330 maintenance and Dash8 -400 work is now being done in house.
The 5% being done out elsewhere is now down to 380 heavy work, and maybe when we have a fleet of 20 or more some management type with some foresight and testicles might even bring that in house. We can only wish.
Also good news that H191 is being given a tidy up so bring 767 half C checks back to Sydney, now all they need to do is tidy up 245 so that 744 Super A checks can also be done in Syd.
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But hang on.... Keith Clarke told everyone they had to move out of 271/245/191/96 because they would need to be demolished for expansion of the domestic terminal?
Or was it say what needs to be said to justify the cause at the moment in question?
Or was it say what needs to be said to justify the cause at the moment in question?
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H96 was about to go for domestic expansion, the rest were not on Sydney Airport Corp master plan. All hangars were to go... Thank goodness they are still here.
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One of the significant reasons for lower cost these asian MRO's have is the relatively low wages/conditions for hangar ancillary staff. Cleaners, drivers, storemen, T/A's, office staff etc. The licenced wages are comparable to Aus in so far as Aussies work there as expatriates.
The quality, or lack of, is another scenario. Inexperience, the asian loss of face debarcle, financial deadlines overiding all others, rigid timetable agenda's with an inability to cope with changes, numerous public holidays when dealing with outside contractors, and others come into play.
QA departments are approximately 6 times larger than Aus, so are obviously ineffectual.
In the long term, heavy maintenance done in house in Aus is the best option by far.
The quality, or lack of, is another scenario. Inexperience, the asian loss of face debarcle, financial deadlines overiding all others, rigid timetable agenda's with an inability to cope with changes, numerous public holidays when dealing with outside contractors, and others come into play.
QA departments are approximately 6 times larger than Aus, so are obviously ineffectual.
In the long term, heavy maintenance done in house in Aus is the best option by far.
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Oh, McClown - whose stooge are you ? Are you perhaps all 3 of the stooges ?
Am I playing the man rather than the ball ? If so, you taught me how.
Begone McStooge, you add nothing to the debate
Am I playing the man rather than the ball ? If so, you taught me how.
Begone McStooge, you add nothing to the debate
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hcmcmcclown you justify my post.
Why have you gone off at a complete tangent and changed the actual subject.
We are not talking about me, the situation seems quite clear, we are talking about protecting safety and LAME's.
What is so difficult to understand with that?
If you understand that yet still come and post unrelated nonsense, I have to question your underlying motives.
Perhaps you work for one of the establishments mentioned. If so, you seem to have missed the point completely and taken the report personally.
Why have you gone off at a complete tangent and changed the actual subject.
We are not talking about me, the situation seems quite clear, we are talking about protecting safety and LAME's.
What is so difficult to understand with that?
If you understand that yet still come and post unrelated nonsense, I have to question your underlying motives.
Perhaps you work for one of the establishments mentioned. If so, you seem to have missed the point completely and taken the report personally.
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SQ vs LHT
The QF A380s will start to have C checks in the coming months and they are being done in Germany by Lufthansa Technik.
I believe that although Singapore was considerably cheaper ,QF doesn't want any bad publicity by using them considering the previous bad press etc
I believe that although Singapore was considerably cheaper ,QF doesn't want any bad publicity by using them considering the previous bad press etc
In saying that I agree with your sentiments.