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Hardy's Aviation Grounded?

Old 10th Dec 2012, 01:43
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Hardy Aviation involvement in Aviation

NT RAPAC

Meeting: 2010-3
Date: 9th September 2010
Time: 1400 hrs
Venue: Darwin CASA Office
2 Fenton Court
Darwin Airport, NT
Minutes
NT Convenor: Ron Lawford

9.2. Attendance List

Robert Graham RAAF ATC Darwin
Ron Lawford Convenor – AOPA- SAAA
Damien Fairhurst RAAF ATC Tindal
Melissa Sanders Chartair
Ben Coombe Barrier Air Charter
Thyjs Bors Barrier Air Charter
Greg Imlay CASA
Sally Cutter BoM
Peter Ball CASA
Andrew Sparrow Airservices Australia
Ian Smith Airnorth
Bob Calaby NT Airports
Jared Higgerson Vincent Aviation
Greg Hardy Hardy Aviation
Mark Brindell RAAF ATC Darwin
Alan Bridges Chair - CASA

and the most recent RAPAC:

NT RAPAC

Meeting: 2012-3
Date: 27th September 2012
Time: 1400 hrs
Venue: Rydges Darwin Airport 1 Henry Wrigley Drive
Marrara NT 0812
Minutes
NT Convenor: Ron Lawford

9.3. Attendance List


Gregory Hardy Hardy Aviation
Ron Lawford RAPAC Convenor
Robert Karlson Chartair
Peter Ball CASA
Bob Calaby Darwin International Airport
Robert Jackson Defence
Andy McWatters Defence
David Dean Defence
Scott W Airnorth
Kent Quigley Airservices
Steve Allen RA-AUS, Topend Flying Club
Robert M Pearl Aviation
Graeme Rogers – chair CASA

Last edited by Up-into-the-air; 10th Dec 2012 at 02:02. Reason: More information
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Old 10th Dec 2012, 09:08
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Mate,
pardon my ignorance but what does RAPAC stand for?
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Old 10th Dec 2012, 10:28
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RAPAC = talkfest of no real importance and questionable outcome.
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Old 10th Dec 2012, 18:28
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Thorn Bird: RAPAC = Regional Airspace and Procedures Advisory Commitee.

U-I-T-R, you'll find Greg has had more than a passing interest in it for much longer than that.

Ever had cause to attend one T28? By the sounds of things I doubt it. Yes sometimes the wheels turn slowly but they would almost if not grind to a halt without it. Get involved and make it better if you feel so passionately about it. You might be surprised at some of the "interesting" ideas that were were nipped in the bud (for good reason) in days gone by. Of course they weren't always able to completely stop every hair brained idea...

We were talking about Hardy's...
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Old 10th Dec 2012, 19:20
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Better off sticking to trains

"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."

What a load of waffle, every pilot has to focus on safety otherwise every flight would finish with a smoking hole in the ground.
If I can quote the RAAF "Mission First, Safety Always"
What can be difficult is when the Chief Pilot has to cover for any inadequacies in the SMS/Safety Manager. I am not saying this is the case with Hardy Aviation. What is also difficult in a place like Darwin is keeping not only himself but all of his IFR crew IF proficient and this can be a real problem if you don't have access to a decent synthetic trainer or aircraft hours for training and recurrency. That may be the problem in Darwin.
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Old 10th Dec 2012, 23:28
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What a load of waffle, every pilot has to focus on safety otherwise every flight would finish with a smoking hole in the ground.
If I can quote the RAAF "Mission First, Safety Always"
What can be difficult is when the Chief Pilot has to cover for any inadequacies in the SMS/Safety Manager. I am not saying this is the case with Hardy Aviation. What is also difficult in a place like Darwin is keeping not only himself but all of his IFR crew IF proficient and this can be a real problem if you don't have access to a decent synthetic trainer or aircraft hours for training and recurrency. That may be the problem in Darwin.
What a load of waffle.

Taking junior pilots from other operators where they've actively been trained to break the rules "if you write it up, you'll have to leave the aircraft parked there and make your own way back to civilisation, just keep flying with the missing window and we'll fix it at the 100 hourly" ... "everyone up here flies through cloud VFR, this is Territory VFR"

Giving those junior pilots all the stick time when in the aircraft - they don't know what they don't know about flying IFR, and while they came with a valid CIR/ME, very few if any of them would be IFR current or have any experience flying IFR.

Having 32 aircraft fly well over 1000 hours/year, and a lot of the pilots sitting around the 800 hrs/year mark.

Competing against other operators that do bend the rules and cut corners to save money and the only advantage you have in your corner is scale of economies.


It would be very hard as a Chief Pilot of such a large organisation to not only keep yourself current, but keep an eye on the 50 or so other pilots some of whom have come with some very interesting ideas about how to comply with the legislation. It would also be hard to ensure all 50 are getting in to the synthetic trainer regularly over the dry season.

The organisation hasn't shrunk recently either. CASA have gone about this completely the wrong way and blatantly obvious they haven't done a risk analysis to determine the possible outcomes of CASA's actions. From a safety and a financial perspective I would say it's time to think about splitting the AOC in two - have a separate chief pilot for the smaller aircraft with more junior pilots, and one for the more experienced guys on the turbine. A little bit of pain involved with separate Ops manuals, 20.11's, CAR217 systems, etc. But a second (or third and fourth if you include HOTAC) set eyes of to keep an eye on the operation and ensure everything is by the book wouldn't go astray with such a large, busy organisation with a diverse fleet. Also may limit the damage if CASA takes an interest in a particular AOC.
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Old 11th Dec 2012, 02:25
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I'm still curious how you mis manage a Garrett?
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Old 11th Dec 2012, 04:54
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Competing against other operators that do bend the rules and cut corners to save money and the only advantage you have in your corner is scale of economies.
Hush! You will have all the DRW FOI's trawling through Poohtube now, looking for footage of 'rules being bent'.
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Old 11th Dec 2012, 05:52
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Obviously up with proposed changes

The organisation hasn't shrunk recently either. CASA have gone about this completely the wrong way and blatantly obvious they haven't done a risk analysis to determine the possible outcomes of CASA's actions. From a safety and a financial perspective I would say it's time to think about splitting the AOC in two - have a separate chief pilot for the smaller aircraft with more junior pilots, and one for the more experienced guys on the turbine. A little bit of pain involved with separate Ops manuals, 20.11's, CAR217 systems, etc. But a second (or third and fourth if you include HOTAC) set eyes of to keep an eye on the operation and ensure everything is by the book wouldn't go astray with such a large, busy organisation with a diverse fleet. Also may limit the damage if CASA takes an interest in a particular AOC.

I can imagine operators embracing your mandated structural change. They would love to have to pay for it as well and then have to change it all back when Part 119 kicks in. You should get a hold of JH and put your proposal forward but let me know when you do, I would love to watch.
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Old 11th Dec 2012, 06:04
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I can imagine operators embracing your mandated structural change. They would love to have to pay for it as well and then have to change it all back when Part 119 kicks in. You should get a hold of JH and put your proposal forward but let me know when you do, I would love to watch
I think JH would take the suggestion of 2 AOC's and feed it to the local Croc population!
Imagine that, 2 AOC's means double the attention from Fort Fumble. Double administrative costs for AOC renewal, double the silly paperwork involved in dealing with Fort Fumble and double the mistakes made on behalf of the silly Regulator!
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Old 11th Dec 2012, 06:04
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Ooo trust me, it wasn't my idea
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Old 12th Dec 2012, 08:46
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The story goes something along the lines of during a taxi an FO accidentally shut the fuel off and after a few seconds of starvation the "accused captain" reengaged the fuel leading to a good over temping.

I how ever have no real understanding of the type so dont know exactly of the details, it is however reasonably well known around the Darwin GA ramp as its not the first time Ive heard it. Said individual regardless of his role in this Hardys issue is not the most popular of chaps in the top end, that I do know.

On topic though, good to see them back in the air and this mess being cleaned up!

Last edited by SpyderPig; 12th Dec 2012 at 09:44.
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Old 12th Dec 2012, 09:35
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Dabz,

wouldn't hold my breath mate.
Trouble is Hardies out maneuvered CASA. CASA cannot lose.
Expect a football team of auditors to turn up shortly and
"Serious Deficiencies" going back to when Hardies first started
to be trotted out, followed by another 1655PM Friday letter under the
door and Bob's your uncle CASA was right all along.
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 03:26
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And how exactly did Hardys out manoeuvre CASA?
From the CASA Media Release

At this point Hardy Aviation does not have an approved replacement chief pilot.
Technically on the wording of the Press Release they could not operate.

So they ground the aircraft and cease to operate.

Then clarification by CASA? What was communicated?

Then Hardys are operating again

??
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 04:50
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As my young bloke would say "My Bad"

I thought it was the season to be jolly, I must have been mistaken

It is the season to blame every operator's stuff ups on CASA conspiracies without ever referencing the facts to the contrary.

CASA is far from perfect but you can't blame them for everything every time.

Last edited by flying-spike; 13th Dec 2012 at 04:51.
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 05:35
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Is Ray V still doing Metro C&T for Hardey's?
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 05:55
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RV comes up from time to time. Not often enough!
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 08:09
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Is Ray V still doing Metro C&T for Hardey's?
I guess this should answer that question

SEEK - Metro training and checking Pilot Job in Darwin
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Old 13th Dec 2012, 18:30
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It is probable that CASA forced that advert. The 217 check and training manual should specify a minimum ratio of checkies and trainers according to number of pilots. Operators will run below these minimums as long as they can, but eventually an eagle eyed auditor will call it in. Depending on the size of the organization they can require these people to be full time employees, not contractors.
A salary of $150k is a big overhead for a Metro operator, for what would be mostly administrative and training, i.e. the checkie probably doesn't get to do too much pure revenue flying. But that's the price of doing business at this level of aviation.
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Old 14th Dec 2012, 00:46
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Brief article on ABC Radio News this morning that Hardy's is taking legal action in the Federal Court against CASA over the grounding of Tiwi Air.
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