Hardy's Aviation Grounded?
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"Naturally the Civil Aviation Safety Authority regrets any inconvenience to Territory air travellers ... "
Unbelievable!!
Since when did CASA give a sh..t about to anything except directors bonuses?.
The rumour mill has it that this came about because an ex employee, now working for CASA had a disagreement with the head of check and training over whether the CP under check passed his IR or not,
So the disgruntled ex employee failed them both.
Much the same technique used to shut down Airtex at BK and tiger, knock out the key persons and their screwed.
I think this whole thing has suddendly been resolved because CASA realised there was going to be some rather bad press coming their way.
Why anyone would invest money in Aviation in Australia under the current arrangements fails me. Which perhaps explains the stampede of aviation business to NZ.
Unbelievable!!
Since when did CASA give a sh..t about to anything except directors bonuses?.
The rumour mill has it that this came about because an ex employee, now working for CASA had a disagreement with the head of check and training over whether the CP under check passed his IR or not,
So the disgruntled ex employee failed them both.
Much the same technique used to shut down Airtex at BK and tiger, knock out the key persons and their screwed.
I think this whole thing has suddendly been resolved because CASA realised there was going to be some rather bad press coming their way.
Why anyone would invest money in Aviation in Australia under the current arrangements fails me. Which perhaps explains the stampede of aviation business to NZ.
Last edited by thorn bird; 8th Dec 2012 at 20:50.
Much the same technique used to shut down Airtex at BK
Last edited by Trojan1981; 8th Dec 2012 at 21:51.
From the outside looking in I wonder how much of this is a knock on effect of the Pel-Air Senate enquiry.
Top job JH called their bluff and made them back down!
Guess the story line and fill in the gaps….
Once upon a time in the bureaucratic HQ of Oz…Scene: FF executive meeting where nearly all members are left smarting from the negative implications constantly coming out of a certain Senate enquiry.
The members of FF executive management all agree something needs to be done…“ we need to make an example of some reasonably high profile midlevel operator that has only a small risk of political implications and adverse public backlash (i.e. we don’t want to embarrass the minister). Pass the word around the troops and see if there are any individuals with an axe to grind with an operator with the right profile. That way if it all turns to mud we will have a sacrificial lamb.”
Note: Then we have all the dramas of the past week with Hardys leading up to…
Date 08/12/12…John Hardy decides to ground his own operation. Which, as it turns out, is a shrewd, pre-emptive approach. It puts Fort Fumble on the back foot and given the Pel-Air example means it will keep things out of the ‘show cause’ process and leaves it up to the regulator to present their safety issue findings to JH in a timely manner.
This reverberates around the halls of FF (on a Saturday no less) because; given the Pel-Air example, by rights these ‘safety issues’ should automatically trigger a ‘special audit’. FF are very loath to deploy a special audit team this close to Xmas but given the bad press that they are now going to receive they almost have to….
Which ultimately leads to FF backing down. Well done JH no wonder your business has remained successful over a good many years!
Postscript: If FF still decide to special audit Hardys then JH would be wise and quite within his rights to ask for, on grounds of impartiality, a special audit team from another regional branch (excluding Bankstown).
Hardy Aviation planes will return to Northern Territory skies today after what the airline says was a misunderstanding with regulators over its licence.
All Hardy flights were cancelled yesterday when the airline thought it had been grounded by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
But Hardy says it misread a letter sent to it by CASA, which outlined concerns about its pilot training.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson says the regulator has raised concerns with Hardy but did not force it to ground flights.
"We've given them until Monday afternoon to respond so we can work through this in a constructive manner [and] can reach the right safety outcomes," he said.
"Naturally the Civil Aviation Safety Authority regrets any inconvenience to Territory air travellers."
Hardy says it will work with CASA over the coming weeks to resolve the safety issues the regulator raised.
Hardy's subsidiary, Fly Tiwi, remains grounded after two senior pilots failed a qualifications test.
The airline is confident safety issues with that service will be resolved soon.
All Hardy flights were cancelled yesterday when the airline thought it had been grounded by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
But Hardy says it misread a letter sent to it by CASA, which outlined concerns about its pilot training.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson says the regulator has raised concerns with Hardy but did not force it to ground flights.
"We've given them until Monday afternoon to respond so we can work through this in a constructive manner [and] can reach the right safety outcomes," he said.
"Naturally the Civil Aviation Safety Authority regrets any inconvenience to Territory air travellers."
Hardy says it will work with CASA over the coming weeks to resolve the safety issues the regulator raised.
Hardy's subsidiary, Fly Tiwi, remains grounded after two senior pilots failed a qualifications test.
The airline is confident safety issues with that service will be resolved soon.
Guess the story line and fill in the gaps….
Once upon a time in the bureaucratic HQ of Oz…Scene: FF executive meeting where nearly all members are left smarting from the negative implications constantly coming out of a certain Senate enquiry.
The members of FF executive management all agree something needs to be done…“ we need to make an example of some reasonably high profile midlevel operator that has only a small risk of political implications and adverse public backlash (i.e. we don’t want to embarrass the minister). Pass the word around the troops and see if there are any individuals with an axe to grind with an operator with the right profile. That way if it all turns to mud we will have a sacrificial lamb.”
Note: Then we have all the dramas of the past week with Hardys leading up to…
Date 08/12/12…John Hardy decides to ground his own operation. Which, as it turns out, is a shrewd, pre-emptive approach. It puts Fort Fumble on the back foot and given the Pel-Air example means it will keep things out of the ‘show cause’ process and leaves it up to the regulator to present their safety issue findings to JH in a timely manner.
This reverberates around the halls of FF (on a Saturday no less) because; given the Pel-Air example, by rights these ‘safety issues’ should automatically trigger a ‘special audit’. FF are very loath to deploy a special audit team this close to Xmas but given the bad press that they are now going to receive they almost have to….
Which ultimately leads to FF backing down. Well done JH no wonder your business has remained successful over a good many years!
Postscript: If FF still decide to special audit Hardys then JH would be wise and quite within his rights to ask for, on grounds of impartiality, a special audit team from another regional branch (excluding Bankstown).
Interesting that in previous threads, Hardy did not feature as Mr Good Guy. Now that he has copped a bashing from CASA suddenly he is flavour of the month. Of course it is very Australian to back the underdog and I am all for it. Just an observation, is all.
Re senior pilots failing CASA check rides. Endemic in GA is a lack of recurrent training. The Check and Training manual will no doubt have lots of nice words about how much and when recurrent training is required and, as wrong as CASA is about many things, if that is in the manual they have every right and indeed responsibility to enforce it.
But CASA should be aware (and would be if they got out in the field a bit more)
that GA pilots typically go a year with maybe a 45 minute base check at the six month point, then struggle through an instrument rating renewal at the 12 month point.
Try telling the boss that you are taking his Metro or King Air out with a couple of pilots for an afternoon's recurrent training! Or that you are going to flog his turbo charged engines with asymmetric work. "Toy" simulators can only do so much to keep a pilot proficient and unless pilots are rostered for simulator, very few will attend in their own time.
Not saying that this is the case at Hardy, but it if was it would be fairly typical of the industry.
Once CASA get an operator in their gunsights, the easist way for them to make life difficult is to home in on the check and training system.
This is not intended to be a judgement on Hardy here; the reasons and facts for CASA 's action have not really been put out there, just some mealy-mouthed 'concerns' It will be interesting to see if a law suit for loss of revenue follows........
Re senior pilots failing CASA check rides. Endemic in GA is a lack of recurrent training. The Check and Training manual will no doubt have lots of nice words about how much and when recurrent training is required and, as wrong as CASA is about many things, if that is in the manual they have every right and indeed responsibility to enforce it.
But CASA should be aware (and would be if they got out in the field a bit more)
that GA pilots typically go a year with maybe a 45 minute base check at the six month point, then struggle through an instrument rating renewal at the 12 month point.
Try telling the boss that you are taking his Metro or King Air out with a couple of pilots for an afternoon's recurrent training! Or that you are going to flog his turbo charged engines with asymmetric work. "Toy" simulators can only do so much to keep a pilot proficient and unless pilots are rostered for simulator, very few will attend in their own time.
Not saying that this is the case at Hardy, but it if was it would be fairly typical of the industry.
Once CASA get an operator in their gunsights, the easist way for them to make life difficult is to home in on the check and training system.
This is not intended to be a judgement on Hardy here; the reasons and facts for CASA 's action have not really been put out there, just some mealy-mouthed 'concerns' It will be interesting to see if a law suit for loss of revenue follows........
Last edited by Mach E Avelli; 9th Dec 2012 at 00:26.
Mach you make some good points especially in regards to:
Which is especially relevant with Hardy given that for at least 6 months of the year in the topend you're lucky to see a cloud let alone shoot an approach in anger. The rest of the time the clouds you do see are ones that you'll do best to avoid.
Most midlevel GA operators margin for loss/profitability is so small that management are reluctant to pay for anything but the bare minimum for crew recurrency training and so you inevitably end up with the status quo that Mach suggests.
That maybe true but surely if there were compliance issues with the T&C system those issues should have been picked up in the last AOC or spot (surveillance) audit?
Audits are supposedly designed to capture safety cultural shifts within a company's SMS and the operating environment before they become significant safety issues.
So did that happen and subsequently these non-compliances weren't adequately addressed? Or did the previous audit totally miss these issues and are they now only discovering what the previous audit team missed? Or is there some other agenda at play?
But CASA should be aware (and would be if they got out in the field a bit more)
that GA pilots typically go a year with maybe a 45 minute base check at the six month point, then struggle through an instrument rating renewal at the 12 month point.
that GA pilots typically go a year with maybe a 45 minute base check at the six month point, then struggle through an instrument rating renewal at the 12 month point.
Most midlevel GA operators margin for loss/profitability is so small that management are reluctant to pay for anything but the bare minimum for crew recurrency training and so you inevitably end up with the status quo that Mach suggests.
Once CASA get an operator in their gunsights, the easist way for them to make life difficult is to home in on the check and training system.
Audits are supposedly designed to capture safety cultural shifts within a company's SMS and the operating environment before they become significant safety issues.
So did that happen and subsequently these non-compliances weren't adequately addressed? Or did the previous audit totally miss these issues and are they now only discovering what the previous audit team missed? Or is there some other agenda at play?
I have heard rumours about a 19-30 seat RPT turboprop operator using a C152 to keep a C & T captain night current.
...THAT's a quality operation.
...THAT's a quality operation.
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"that maybe true but surely if there were compliance issues with the T&C system those issues should have been picked up in the last AOC or spot (surveillance) audit?
Audits are supposedly designed to capture safety cultural shifts within a company's SMS and the operating environment before they become significant safety issues.
So did that happen and subsequently these non-compliances weren't adequately addressed? Or did the previous audit totally miss these issues and are they now only discovering what the previous audit team missed? Or is there some other agenda at play? "
I don't know what you guys are on but I think you need to lay off it a bit.
It started with the CP failing a rating check probably followed by the deputy doing the same. Which would have instigated a "show cause" or in other words "you have got until Monday arvo to tell us why we shouldn't stop you flying IFR."
As far as hidden non-compliances and the SMS, this has all stemmed from a planned IFR renewal, not an audit.
JH admits to a misunderstanding and consequent over reaction and recommences operations. I don't see that as calling anybody's bluff.
Don't get me wrong, I have known JH for nearly 25 years and he is a smart and honorable person.
As far as the daggers being thrown at Darwin CASA people, I think you will find the audits are done by Brisbane people. At least that was the case until a year or so ago.
Audits are supposedly designed to capture safety cultural shifts within a company's SMS and the operating environment before they become significant safety issues.
So did that happen and subsequently these non-compliances weren't adequately addressed? Or did the previous audit totally miss these issues and are they now only discovering what the previous audit team missed? Or is there some other agenda at play? "
I don't know what you guys are on but I think you need to lay off it a bit.
It started with the CP failing a rating check probably followed by the deputy doing the same. Which would have instigated a "show cause" or in other words "you have got until Monday arvo to tell us why we shouldn't stop you flying IFR."
As far as hidden non-compliances and the SMS, this has all stemmed from a planned IFR renewal, not an audit.
JH admits to a misunderstanding and consequent over reaction and recommences operations. I don't see that as calling anybody's bluff.
Don't get me wrong, I have known JH for nearly 25 years and he is a smart and honorable person.
As far as the daggers being thrown at Darwin CASA people, I think you will find the audits are done by Brisbane people. At least that was the case until a year or so ago.
Last edited by flying-spike; 9th Dec 2012 at 02:28.
As far as the daggers being thrown at Darwin CASA people, I think you will find the audits are done by Brisbane people. At least that was the case until a year or so ago.
no rumour about it, the guy who did the test is DN based and ex Hardys.
...from an impeccable source.
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Regardless of whether Hardy's sinned or not, CASA always look for a 'soft target' at times when they are being scrutinized. I wouldn't be surprised if they are merely flexing some muscle in their time of need? It's happenned many times before. It is a tautological method tried and tested by the CASA throughout history.
DD I am informed that yes it is that same individual and Im also informed that wasnt his first "engine management" issue with the death pencil. Pure speculation tho
On topic Im glad to hear Hardys are back in the air and hope this hasnt affected too many people Im told it was utter chaos with the other Darwin operators yesterday scrambling to meet the incoming job requests from the affected clients.
On topic Im glad to hear Hardys are back in the air and hope this hasnt affected too many people
Im told it was utter chaos with the other Darwin operators yesterday scrambling to meet the incoming job requests from the affected clients.
At this point Hardy Aviation does not have an approved replacement chief pilot.
No approved chief pilot = no current AOC. Clear and simple.
However, if CASA meant to say "the company cannot conduct IFR ops because the CP does not have a current IR", they should have said that.
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Hardy's would still be the safest GA operator in darwin. But it must be pretty hard to be a chief pilot and focus on safety, when the chief pilot is too busy making sure he is lining his pockets with dosh. Conflict of interest I say.
Sounds like Hardy's isn't a GA company and now an airline and if they want to compete with the other airlines they need to act more like an airline.
Back in my days up in the NT they were the company to work for.
I hope they get it all sorted out and make some changes to improve the company.
Sounds like Hardy's isn't a GA company and now an airline and if they want to compete with the other airlines they need to act more like an airline.
Back in my days up in the NT they were the company to work for.
I hope they get it all sorted out and make some changes to improve the company.
Last edited by trainconductor; 11th Dec 2012 at 02:02.