This is a favourite.
Santa has had CASA in, they've checked the paperwork, recency, load sheets, etc and are walking out to the sleigh for the check flight. Santa notices the examiner is carrying a shotgun and asks what for. The examiner says " Santa, I really shouldn't tell you this but you're going to lose an engine shortly after take-off"

Boom-boom!!

The Inquiry needs to be open permanently. The more the Senator sees the longer it goes the better. This is the tip of the iceberg.

Spoke to a CSM recently who had been 'told' by ops that his sign off time was 15 minutes after on chocks despite the fact the door didn't open for another 20 minutes and the last pax didn't disembark for another 30 minutes after that (issues with stairs, wheel chairs, etc). He queried it nicely a few times indicating that due to the 'min rest' slip his departure time the next morning needed to slide to the right and eventually called the manager who sorted it out. I encouraged him to write to Sen X and let him know that despite the fact that AJ and BB talk about there being no coercion regarding fatigue that the lower level certainly don't get the message and that fatigue is something that can be argued away on the basis of blox time rather than what time crew actually finish work. I also encouraged him to include the concerns he raised that he had no confidence in CASA dealing with the situation appropriately and that Sen X was the only person with the clout at the moment to deal with the information appropriately! :E

Handbrake,

Senator Heffernan issued an interim report on the 4th of May to ask for an extension for submitting the report till the 17th of June. The reason was to hear more evidence.

Cheers

Sarcs

By the way has anyone been monitoring this: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committe...w/hearings.htm

It has been on today but unfortunately it is audio only:
Parliament of Australia: Live Broadcasting

cheers

Sarcs

This enquiry is just going to continue to get delayed and stretched out until they find evidence that supports their theory and only then will any announcments be made. The longer it goes on the worse it looks for them, if the had sufficient evidence they would have already made an announcement of findings by now. They arent going to end it and just say well that was a waste of time and tax payers money we didn't find anything, apologises for the inconvenience airlines.

If anyone is currently monitoring that audio you will hear CASA getting ripped a new one:ok::D

Good advice Keg - but I was told that the international CC sign off times dont reclaculate for some reason but only for the pay i s the extra time recorded???

As for fatigue a CSM mate of mine says their union is not interested?????

The whole duty hour thing is a mess as so much is not taken into consideration (transport pick ups long drives to hotels transits etc etc etc )

Lets hope the Senate Inquiry gets something done

AT

The audio feed today is the House of Reps Inquiry into crew ratios

CASA Update
 

Well well folks, here we are again. As a reminder of what has been happening in regulatory purgatory and before we update you all, here is an important reminder -


Below is an extract of an article written by Paul Phelan, 22 October 2009, which pretty much covers this fact;
Industry identities this week were dismayed at a reported CASA decision to establish an in-house “Ethics and Conduct Committee,” apparently either bypassing or replacing the regulator’s Industry Complaints Commissioner (ICC).
CASA will not comment on details of the new group, understood to have been instituted by order of CASA Director John McCormick,
We asked CASA today: “I am aware that the Director has ordered the formation of an ‘Ethics & Conduct Committee’ within CASA and that the committee’s membership includes Messrs:

• Terry Farquharson, who has recently been appointed Acting Executive Manager of the Office of the Director of Aviation Safety;
• Jonathan Aleck, currently Head of Legal Services; and
• Gary Harbor, Executive Manager, Corporate Services.

CASA advised it “can’t offer anything.”
We had also asked for missing details which would have defined the committee’s total membership, terms of reference, reporting lines, responsibilities in terms of published CASA policy, and means of ensuring its decisions will be able to be made independently of the committee members’ employers.
AviationAdvertiser holds ample documentation that reveals that at least two of the committee members we’ve named are the subject of numerous grievances currently under the scrutiny of the ICC, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Federal Court, the Commonwealth Ombudsman and possibly other agencies – as well as a small mountain of even more unresolved issues.
Complainants cover the entire spectrum of industry activity within CASA’s responsibility. However we’re not identifying any of these at the moment because of the need to confer with each of the many victims, some of whom fear further adverse reactions from the regulator or from individual officials. They cover aircraft maintenance & overhaul services, aircraft and parts manufacturers, airworthiness issues, flight operations, AOC and workshop approval holders, and individual license and approval holders.
Other victims of alleged CASA abuses whose businesses and lives have been damaged by over-zealous and/or inadequately overseen, trained and supervised officials, say they are watching one of these matters – the events surrounding Polar Aviation’s lawsuit with great interest. See:
In 1996 the Attorney-General’s Department provided CASA with a legal opinion that (in part) warned that in relation to various legal actions which may be brought against CASA – such as negligence, including negligent misstatement, breach of confidence, injurious falsehood or misfeasance in public office – the government indemnity will not apply in favour of a CASA officer, where that officer is guilty of serious or wilful misconduct. “The likelihood that such actions would be brought, not only on the grounds of defamation, appears very high,” said the advice.
The Polar Aviation lawsuit, which was scheduled to be the subject of a directions hearing today, seeks unquantifiedd damages from three named CASA officials including Mr Farquharson, from three former officials, and also from CASA itself .industry figures believe the environment for generating further complaints is now increasing and that the risk exists, that members of the new committee may find themselves investigating complaints against themselves, many of which are already published documents. END.
Now, please go the the following link and read this submission from 5 years ago which was written by Joseph Tully, another victim of the CASA empire and of course Gary Harbor -



http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/rrat_ctte/casa/submissions/sub10.pdf



So, what do you notice from the link and your Google search of the name Joseph Tully ? That is correct, nothing has changed in the past 6 years or so at CASA. Senate enquiries are a waste of taxpayer money.
So there you have it, the latest offerings.

Now HR have already embarked on a witch hunt and are reeling in staffs laptops, paying for I.T investigations, have involved the AFP and possibly commenced P.I surveillance on some individuals they suspect of leaking information. Obviously the truth hurts, and the dirty secrets must be aired at all costs.
So Senator Xenaphon, your challenge is to open up this can of worms, clean out the ****e and push for an open and transparent inquiry at the very top. The question being 'are you up to the challenge' ?
To be continued

There's a lot to chew on there John!

You certainly are a complex personality and make cranky Franky seem like a normal functioning human being. However, there is a certain logic to keeping the others on their toes.

Sorry, but I already know the ending which spoils the story for me somewhat. Bbut like a good novel it is always worth a second look.

Smart money says the post will be expunged within four hours of the well paid lawyers office opening up tomorrow.

I may be cranky but seldom wrong.

Cranky Franky:(

I just read Paul Phelans submission again.

Parliament of Australia:Senate:Committees:Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport:Inquiry into the Administration of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and related matters - Submissions received

It would appear, if his submission is factual, that there is a better chance of getting justice from the traffic operations police than CASA.

Reading that and attending a course on Maintenance Procedure Law (CAR's CASR's, CAAPs, etc., etc.) has cured me of the desire to either own, build or fly an aircraft, since it appears that anyone with a will can find something wrong with your activities which then becomes a criminal offence.


By way of example, pilots are required to record their flight time details in their log at the end of every flight and before their next flight. Is this in effect an instruction to record each sector separately? Is YMMB - YSWH -YBHI One flight or Two?

I am advised the next sitting, may be worth watching at Senate Estimates if only to see how CASA react when questions "taken on notice" may be seen for the tactic it is and a demonstration of why it won't work all the time. This Friday I think.

As expected Tiger 1st, CASA 2nd!

Parliament of Australia:Senate:Committees:Rural Affairs and Transport: Inquiry into Pilot training and airline safety including consideration of the Transport Safety Investigation Amendment (Incident Reports) Bill 2010

cheers

Sarcs

Back to top
Final Senate Enquiry Hearing tomorrow, Fri 27 May starting 0900 EST.

Here is the link for the live feed
Parliament of Australia: Live Broadcasting

Is anyone intending to post on YouTube as previous?

The Kelpie would appreciate it if someone could as I am going to miss it due to other commitments.

Cheers in advance

The kelpie

I will do my best to capture the stream Kelpie, a quick show of hands for either for audio only or video+audio (parliament internet video stream is pretty scratchy).

BB.

Many thanks. Video would be amazin'. But audio just as good.

Cheers again

The Kelpie

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be shown on FOXTEL (Apac Channel) as the Christmas Island Tragedy seems to have preference. It maybe shown later.

Follow CASA on Twitter
 

Follow CASA on 'Twitter'
25 May 2011
You can now follow CASA on Twitter. Get regular updates on what's happening in aviation safety regulation. Follow CASA: @CASABriefing




Perhaps CASA can 'tweet' updates.

Thanks L and F for the offer. Copying the stream is beyond my level of technical savvy too. But am always willing to learn!!

Cheers

The Kelpie