For Once I Agree With AOPA
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For Once I Agree With AOPA
[The simple and inconvenient truth is that the loss of VH-FYM was directly attributable to CASA’s inflexible aircraft maintenance regulations and the inability for aircraft owners or pilots to obtain a simple over the phone approval to ferry an aircraft for the purpose of maintenance. Had such a facility been in place, the pilot would not have been under any pressure to undertake the accident flight.
Absolute tripe.
You can’t possibly blame Casa in any way for this crash.
If the weather is unsuitable, don’t take off, or turn back when required. Pressing on is the PIC’s choice.
If you are alive, you can always fly another day. You can never fly again if you’re dead.
You can’t possibly blame Casa in any way for this crash.
If the weather is unsuitable, don’t take off, or turn back when required. Pressing on is the PIC’s choice.
If you are alive, you can always fly another day. You can never fly again if you’re dead.
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It isn't that hard to get approval, is it?
I had to fly a 172 which was about a month over due on the annual. I called CASA, they pointed me to the correct form. Once the form was submitted, I had approval the same day. I wasn't happy at the cost mind you (about $200 from memory), but it wasn't my money so I didn't give it a lot of thought.
The LAME even told me that he didn't care how it got there, he'd still do the work. I didn't want to bust regs and it was easy not too.
I had to fly a 172 which was about a month over due on the annual. I called CASA, they pointed me to the correct form. Once the form was submitted, I had approval the same day. I wasn't happy at the cost mind you (about $200 from memory), but it wasn't my money so I didn't give it a lot of thought.
The LAME even told me that he didn't care how it got there, he'd still do the work. I didn't want to bust regs and it was easy not too.
Having obtained a Special Flight Permit (is what you're talking about) once, to move an aircraft 25 miles from a private strip to an airport, it was not an over-the-phone 5 minute job, and took about a week or two to arrange via an obliging non-CASA person who needed various information about the aircraft to be satisfied that it was in a safe condition to be operated. It wasn't any great drama, I did 90% of the work for the guy, but he had the magic ticket to write it up. He gave us a seven day window to move the aircraft which was plenty.
An over-the-phone or online to get such a permit within an hour would certainly be a good thing, but someone has to sign their name to it in the end, and if it goes to schnitzel, they are on the chopping block.
I can go to Vicroads and just buy a permit to drive my unroadworthy car all over town for repairs for 28 days, or a one off trip to move it. No questions asked.
An over-the-phone or online to get such a permit within an hour would certainly be a good thing, but someone has to sign their name to it in the end, and if it goes to schnitzel, they are on the chopping block.
I can go to Vicroads and just buy a permit to drive my unroadworthy car all over town for repairs for 28 days, or a one off trip to move it. No questions asked.
Done it a few times; phone call to CASA to get the correct form, and approval granted later that day.
That was probably your problem.
If your car breaks down, you pull to the side of the road. End of story.
If your aircraft packs up enroute, slightly bigger issue for you, the aircraft and whoever or whatever is below ...
non-CASA person who needed various information about the aircraft to be satisfied that it was in a safe condition to be operated
I can go to Vicroads and just buy a permit to drive my unroadworthy car all over town for repairs for 28 days, or a one off trip to move it. No questions asked.
If your aircraft packs up enroute, slightly bigger issue for you, the aircraft and whoever or whatever is below ...
This is why I have so little time for AOPA, this sort of nonsensical hyperbole. The reason was apparently VFR into IMC. That was 100% the responsibility of the pilot in command. AOPA don't even have the callsign correct in that quote.
Hold CASA responsible for things they are responsible for and hold pilots responsible for things they are responsible for.
Hold CASA responsible for things they are responsible for and hold pilots responsible for things they are responsible for.
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Absolute tripe.
You can’t possibly blame Casa in any way for this crash.
If the weather is unsuitable, don’t take off, or turn back when required. Pressing on is the PIC’s choice.
If you are alive, you can always fly another day. You can never fly again if you’re dead.
You can’t possibly blame Casa in any way for this crash.
If the weather is unsuitable, don’t take off, or turn back when required. Pressing on is the PIC’s choice.
If you are alive, you can always fly another day. You can never fly again if you’re dead.
Hard to believe that pilots have to be spoon fed to make a command decision!
Again absolute tripe! Cant blame CASA at all!
I don't think private pilot's are subject to Human Factors or Threat and Error Management programs during their training. Some may be lucky enough to encounter it during other non-aviation activities.
Overpowering 'the urge to get there' requires a lot of patience, discipline and practise.
It's easy to make comments like 'What were they thinking? I'd never do that.'
Nobody goes out there to injure or kill themselves or others, but unfortunate decisions can lead to that.
Happens in motor vehicles everyday, but we still don't get it.
Overpowering 'the urge to get there' requires a lot of patience, discipline and practise.
It's easy to make comments like 'What were they thinking? I'd never do that.'
Nobody goes out there to injure or kill themselves or others, but unfortunate decisions can lead to that.
Happens in motor vehicles everyday, but we still don't get it.
So we have an average GA aircraft that has an MR that’s about to expire. What actual risk arises in the real world the day after the MR expires, which risk did not exist on the day before the MR expires?
What is it that CASA does, in considering whether to issue a special flight permit or not, that mitigates that risk? How does the turning of some bureaucrat’s mind to the question whether an aircraft should lawfully be allowed to fly, and the decision by that bureaucrat to issue a special flight permit, mitigate any real risk that exists in the real world.
Walk me through the causal links.
What is it that CASA does, in considering whether to issue a special flight permit or not, that mitigates that risk? How does the turning of some bureaucrat’s mind to the question whether an aircraft should lawfully be allowed to fly, and the decision by that bureaucrat to issue a special flight permit, mitigate any real risk that exists in the real world.
Walk me through the causal links.
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Fly any A/C with an expire MR then you do so at your own risk. Forget the chances of the wings falling off its the INSURANCE that would be void! Imagine the legal hassles the deceased family/s would have if God forbid a plane crashed which should not have been there in the first place! That would be a legal minefield!
Get an M/R extension then great but don't forget the Insurance angle!
Get an M/R extension then great but don't forget the Insurance angle!
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I don't think private pilot's are subject to Human Factors or Threat and Error Management programs during their training. Some may be lucky enough to encounter it during other non-aviation activities.
Overpowering 'the urge to get there' requires a lot of patience, discipline and practise.
It's easy to make comments like 'What were they thinking? I'd never do that.'
Nobody goes out there to injure or kill themselves or others, but unfortunate decisions can lead to that.
Happens in motor vehicles everyday, but we still don't get it.
Overpowering 'the urge to get there' requires a lot of patience, discipline and practise.
It's easy to make comments like 'What were they thinking? I'd never do that.'
Nobody goes out there to injure or kill themselves or others, but unfortunate decisions can lead to that.
Happens in motor vehicles everyday, but we still don't get it.
So we have an average GA aircraft that has an MR that’s about to expire. What actual risk arises in the real world the day after the MR expires, which risk did not exist on the day before the MR expires?
This is all just science and in no way represents my support or non-support to CASA, AOPA, or the accident findings.
Last edited by TempoTCu; 18th Mar 2019 at 22:49.
It would be good if there was a buffer like when you ring your LAME if your engine hours are about to go over.
I am not sure if they have a similar thing for annual inspections, I haven't dug out the regulations to check.
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In the US you have til the end of the month for your annual, or you can fly to maintenance if you have time before you depart but will overrun enroute. But if you leave it a bit too long in the hangar after the annual you will be in a would of hurt to get to your maintenance shop. Ferry permits in the US system are a very expensive exercise. But once we adopt the US system all will be good.👍🙈
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
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The following anecdote may be of interest to some;
Another lifetime ago on one pre wet season PNG day I was tasked to fly a 'Bongo Van' from Port Moresby to Kerema, do whatever flights were scheduled from that malarial infested swamp
to the various bush strips inland of it, and once scheduled flights were completed or weather intervened, I was to return to Moresby.
After one or two sorties inland and having landed back at Kerema, whilst the refueller was going about his business I attended to paperwork which included checking the Maintenance release. To my surprise I found that there were only 10 minutes left on the aircraft before the 100 hourly!
Upon phoning the Chief Pilot, explaining my predicament and asking something along the lines of "wtf do I do, " his droll and calm reply was
"Well, your return flight to Port Moresby cannot take more than ten minutes now, can it?"
On paper it didn't, did it!
Another lifetime ago on one pre wet season PNG day I was tasked to fly a 'Bongo Van' from Port Moresby to Kerema, do whatever flights were scheduled from that malarial infested swamp
to the various bush strips inland of it, and once scheduled flights were completed or weather intervened, I was to return to Moresby.After one or two sorties inland and having landed back at Kerema, whilst the refueller was going about his business I attended to paperwork which included checking the Maintenance release. To my surprise I found that there were only 10 minutes left on the aircraft before the 100 hourly!
Upon phoning the Chief Pilot, explaining my predicament and asking something along the lines of "wtf do I do, " his droll and calm reply was
"Well, your return flight to Port Moresby cannot take more than ten minutes now, can it?"
On paper it didn't, did it!
Fly any A/C with an expire MR then you do so at your own risk. Forget the chances of the wings falling off its the INSURANCE that would be void! Imagine the legal hassles the deceased family/s would have if God forbid a plane crashed which should not have been there in the first place! That would be a legal minefield!
Get an M/R extension then great but don't forget the Insurance angle!
Get an M/R extension then great but don't forget the Insurance angle!
I'm no professional, just a relatively inexperienced recreational pilot, but this accident resonated with me as I fly 172s usually and I know this area pretty well. The weather is renowned for changing very quickly in the Byron hinterland...
It seems a lot of you may be more experienced pilots who are judging the accident pilot fairly harshly. Perhaps it was a poor command decision to continue into poor weather, but there's no denying that he had put a lot of pressure on himself to get there, and the deadline of the MR would have only added to the pressure.
One other thing which is touched on in the report is that he had issues accessing NAIPS on the day before and day of the accident flight. If we presume that he almost certainly wouldn't have departed if he had known the weather at Ballina was that bad, so what caused the problem logging in? Was NAIPS down? If so, what a tragic misfortune. Yes, there were other ways he could have obtained a weather briefing, but as a day VFR pilot who might be thinking he is just on a quick jaunt down the coast, if it is CAVOK and good conditions at Southport he may have just assumed that he could easily turn back if the weather went to ****e.
It seems a lot of you may be more experienced pilots who are judging the accident pilot fairly harshly. Perhaps it was a poor command decision to continue into poor weather, but there's no denying that he had put a lot of pressure on himself to get there, and the deadline of the MR would have only added to the pressure.
One other thing which is touched on in the report is that he had issues accessing NAIPS on the day before and day of the accident flight. If we presume that he almost certainly wouldn't have departed if he had known the weather at Ballina was that bad, so what caused the problem logging in? Was NAIPS down? If so, what a tragic misfortune. Yes, there were other ways he could have obtained a weather briefing, but as a day VFR pilot who might be thinking he is just on a quick jaunt down the coast, if it is CAVOK and good conditions at Southport he may have just assumed that he could easily turn back if the weather went to ****e.
1. The pilot had other pressures on him that day; one was a social commitment and one the fact that his wife was driving down to Ballina at the time to pick him up, I was told.
2. Would the permit to fly have been granted if it was known that there was a maintenance organisation at the Southport Flying Club that was quite capable of doing a 100 hourly on a Cessna 172?
3. Despite his reported difficulties in logging on to NAIPS, the Maclean's Ridge webcam Australian Weathercam Network - Mcleans Ridges Webcam was working and had photos and archived photos available from early morning that day showing the cloud sitting on the ground before and at the time of the accident. The archives, like most of this site, don't work any more as the site(originally a storm chaser's site) has largely been abandoned but they were working on the afternoon of the accident when I checked. This camera site is the only one in Northern Rivers area that I know of at the time and is about 7km from the crash site. Whether the site was live and working prior to the flight and could have been accessed and used as part of the pilot's flight briefing, I don't know.
The Murwillumbah Aero Club cameras have been put online more recently but they weren't operational at the time.
2. Would the permit to fly have been granted if it was known that there was a maintenance organisation at the Southport Flying Club that was quite capable of doing a 100 hourly on a Cessna 172?
3. Despite his reported difficulties in logging on to NAIPS, the Maclean's Ridge webcam Australian Weathercam Network - Mcleans Ridges Webcam was working and had photos and archived photos available from early morning that day showing the cloud sitting on the ground before and at the time of the accident. The archives, like most of this site, don't work any more as the site(originally a storm chaser's site) has largely been abandoned but they were working on the afternoon of the accident when I checked. This camera site is the only one in Northern Rivers area that I know of at the time and is about 7km from the crash site. Whether the site was live and working prior to the flight and could have been accessed and used as part of the pilot's flight briefing, I don't know.
The Murwillumbah Aero Club cameras have been put online more recently but they weren't operational at the time.
Last edited by Possum1; 19th Mar 2019 at 23:50. Reason: punctuation
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...........................more experienced pilots who are judging the accident pilot fairly harshly. Harshly???...….He died, judging harshly won't bring him back but it MIGHT make some other PVT VFR pilot think twice about doing the same thing!!!!! As sad as it is this death was totally avoidable!