Email from CASA.

[straitman]

A few interesting notes from CASA. I especially like the one about not being a 'Nanny Regulator'

It's also worth looking at the cost recovery information. CASA now charge you a lot for absolutely everything. e.g. $130 to process a medical and many other charges listed in the links. They've got to be running at a profit!



The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

October 2006
From CEO Bruce Byron

Please subscribe now!
Welcome to the first edition of CASA's new monthly email newsletter - The CASA Briefing. This email newsletter is a quick and easy way to stay in touch with what is happening in CASA and aviation safety regulation.

If you subscribe to The CASA Briefing you will get an email newsletter at the end of each month containing essential information for everyone in aviation. All you need to do is fill out the subscription form to stay informed about your aviation industry. CASA will not pass your email account details on to any other person or organisation.

But please remember you must fill out the subscription form to keep receiving this newsletter. You have been sent this first edition because you have supplied CASA with your email address. We will not send you another newsletter unless you subscribe now.

We're not a 'nanny' regulator
I have released an important statement setting out a new direction for the relationship between the aviation industry and CASA. The statement sets out the changes CASA is making to the way it works and the expectations we have of industry in return. CASA must no longer be seen or act as a 'nanny-regulator'. Safety is not just the concern of the regulator and the regulations - it is the responsibility of people and organisations in the aviation industry. Industry must manage its own safety risks, with support and oversight from CASA. CASA will still provide entry control and enforcement but our main emphasis will be on helping organisations and people to manage their risks, by using motivation and education.
Read the statement about the new direction for CASA and industry.

Your comments welcome
CASA is always keen to hear from people in the aviation industry with suggestions for improvements to the way the regulator is working, or with ideas to address safety risks. Please send any comments by using The CASA Briefing feedback form.
Bruce Byron
CASA CEO

GA self administration?
More work on the idea for self-administration in the general aviation sector will get under way in November. This follows a successful meeting convened by CASA in late September to examine a wide range of GA self administration issues. The September meeting attracted key groups such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Leisure Flight Australia, the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs and Recreational Aviation Australia.

CASA emphasised that for GA self administration to go ahead the industry must develop a safety case to show how risks will be managed and at least an equivalent level of safety maintained, as well as a business case to demonstrate the viability of new arrangements. CASA has pledged to help industry groups take this next step. Several specific proposals will be considered at the November meeting, including the classification of operations and a US-style model for GA commercial operations.
More details on GA self administration.

Better training for airline pilots
CASA says there will be clear safety benefits from a proposed new category of pilot licence. Work is under way to develop regulations to introduce multi-crew pilot licences in Australia - in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. The multi-crew licence will deliver competency based training to people learning to become a co-pilot for an airline. This training will focus on the skills required to perform in a multi-crew environment, rather than traditional training where the focus is on single pilot operations.

CASA's group general manager Personnel, Licensing, Education and Training, Graham Edkins, says: "The skills learned in single pilot operations, while important, are not necessarily centred on the threat and error management skills required in a team based environment. The challenge for airline flight crews of today is to work cohesively as a unit, to anticipate and manage threats to the operations, and to identify and capture any errors made. The multi-crew licence is designed with this targeted training in mind and is an important step in recognising that competency based training is the way of the future". Consultation with the industry on the proposed new licence has begun.
More details on multi-crew licences.

New deputy CEO wants to talk to you

CASA has a fresh member of its leadership team - Shane Carmody. Shane has taken up a new position known as deputy CEO Strategy and Support. Reporting to him are the Personnel, Licensing, Education and Training group, the Information Services group, Legal Services and Planning and Governance. Bruce Gemmell is now the deputy CEO Operations - responsible for the Air Transport group, General Aviation group and the Manufacturing, Certification and New Technologies office.
Shane Carmody comes to CASA after five years as a deputy secretary of Defence and ten more years at senior levels within the Australian Government. Shane was an Army officer before joining the Defence department in 1989. Shane says: "I'm not afraid to make a decision but I'm very keen on having the right sort of information to make a decision, which means I place a great deal of weight on having the relevant data. I firmly believe in getting out of my office and talking with the people who are affected by our work, so it is a big priority for me to meet aviation industry people".
View CASA's new organisation chart.

Fees and charges are changing
More than 250 people attended seven forums held recently to look at new CASA cost recovery proposals. Feedback from industry people was frank and valuable - no-one is happy about paying more for CASA services but if it has to happen services must be delivered efficiently. CASA was able to explain that fees for regulatory services are being set at a level to simply cover the costs of those services, not to fund other CASA activities such as surveillance or safety education.

With cost recovery for services an Australia government requirement, CASA is now analysing all industry feedback in detail before finalising a new set of fees, due to be introduced from 1 July 2007. It is expected adjustments to the current proposals will be made in a number of areas, including that of recovering CASA travel expenses.
More information on cost recovery.

Help for aircraft manufacturing sector
CASA has a set up a new section dedicated to supporting Australia's aviation manufacturing industry. The Manufacturing section is a part of the Manufacturing, Certification and New Technologies office. Ten people have been recruited to staff the new section, which has its headquarters in CASA's Moorabbin office, with people also located in Sydney and Brisbane.

Section head John Niarchos says staff have been located to be as near as possible to Australia's major aviation manufacturing operations. John says: "Our aim is to provide safety guidance and education to the aviation manufacturing industry, as well as oversight through surveillance and audits. We assess new applications for manufacturing approvals. Our team is dedicated to improving the delivery of services to the industry and to have good working relationships with industry people". In 2007 people in the manufacturing sector will be invited to meet the new CASA team at a series of seminars. Contact John Niarchos for more details: [email protected]

Medical fees review - update
CASA is about to publish a report on feedback to a set of proposals for changes to the way the class 2 medical certification system operates. Comments closed at the end of July on a discussion paper which set out four options for the management of class 2 medicals. The options ranged from retaining the current system where CASA charges a flat fee for all medicals to delegating class 2 medical certification to designated aviation medical examiners.
A total of 628 responses to the discussion paper were received and these are being analysed by CASA. Further consultation is also being carried out with the aviation medical community and other parties. The discussion paper and responses have raised a number of complex issues which must be resolved before any recommendations can be made for change.
More information on the medical fees review.

We've got safety advice for industry
CASA has recently appointed a six-member team of field safety advisors to work closely with people in the aviation industry to improve safety. The advisors all have broad experience and expertise in aviation and will help strengthen communication and consultation between the industry and CASA.
Each field safety advisor has their own geographic area of responsibility. For the moment these are concentrated in the eastern states, but could expand in coming years. David Pattie, Manager Safety Promotions says: "The safety advisors will often be found on the road helping industry fully appreciate its safety obligations and minimise its safety risks". Our field safety advisors will shortly have their own section on the CASA web site.

CASA commits to quality
CASA has shown its commitment to business improvement by gaining membership of the Australian Organisation for Quality. The not-for-profit organisation provides support and training for organisations in business management and improvement. The Australian Organisation for Quality's chairman of the Aerospace Division, Dale Armstrong, has welcomed CASA's membership. Mr Armstrong says the organisation already has a strong defence aviation involvement.

CASA moves its head office
If you are travelling to CASA's head office in Canberra soon, please check the address with the person you are visiting. CASA is moving to a new location in the commercial centre of Phillip. Our new street address is:
16 Furzer Street Phillip ACT

Phillip is a major ACT town centre, about 10 minutes south of the city centre. It is about a 15 minute taxi ride from Canberra airport, although allow a little longer in peak traffic times.

CASA's mail address stays the same:
GPO Box 2005 Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone numbers are unchanged. Full CASA contact details.

 

[stryker]

A few interesting notes from CASA. I especially like the one about not being a 'Nanny Regulator'

It's also worth looking at the cost recovery information. CASA now charge you a lot for absolutely everything. e.g. $130 to process a medical and many other charges listed in the links. They've got to be running at a profit!

Not sure what you are trying to say here, Bill.

I also received this email (as I am a pilot). Don't blame CASA, blame Little Johnny (if it's in you to do that).

 

[straitman]

Not sure what you are trying to say here, Bill.

I also received this email (as I am a pilot). Don't blame CASA, blame Little Johnny (if it's in you to do that).

No blame intended, no comments made. Just posted as most here wouldn't see or have ready access to this information.

 

[serfty]

Thanks Bill for the info, quite some interesting stuff. As not all of us are able to be pilots it's good to get that sort of information.

 

[Yada Yada]

I also received this email (as I am a pilot). Don't blame CASA, blame Little Johnny (if it's in you to do that).

If I had the time I'd be spamming Little Johnny every day.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

isnt that what spambots are for?

 

[Yada Yada]

isnt that what spambots are for?

I guess so, but ain't got one.

 

[straitman]

The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

April 2007
From CEO Bruce Byron

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final report into the accident at Lockhart River in far North Queensland in May 2005 was released earlier this month. The report makes it very clear that, tragically, mistakes were made on the flight deck. Descent and approach speeds were excessive and about 28 seconds before impact the aircraft descended through the minimum safe altitude, which at that point, was 2060 feet. Descent was at a rate up to 2500 feet per minute when altitude was less than 2000 feet. Mistakes may have been made due to confusion about where the aircraft was on the approach track, confusion about the true altitude or attempts to get through the low cloud cover. In other words, there was a loss of situational awareness. While the investigation was not able to find enough evidence to come to a firm conclusion about the immediate cause of the accident it is clear that the standard, published approach was not being followed.

If the aircraft had been in this same situation today it is highly likely the pilots would have taken corrective action, as since 1 July 2005 aircraft of this type have been required by CASA to be fitted with Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems, rather than the more limited Ground Proximity Warning System that was on the Metroliner at the time. CASA has already acted on a number of the ATSBs earlier recommendations in relation to the accident and we are now actively analysing a further set of recommendations. I can assure the aviation industry and the community that safety improvements will be made as a result of the lessons taken from the Lockhart River tragedy. Improvements have already been made to the way CASA conducts the oversight and surveillance of regional airlines and further positive changes are being planned. However, on the available evidence there is no reasonable basis to make a direct link between CASA and the failures that occurred on the fli ght deck on the day of the accident.

I believe the lesson every pilot must take from this accident, and from the ATSB's report, is the absolute importance of following published procedures. If this aircraft had been following the published procedures for the RNAV instrument approach it was making into Lockhart River aerodrome the accident would not have happened.

Classification of aviation activities
A fresh way of classifying Australian aviation activities has been announced by CASA. The new system will replace the old categories of regular public transport, charter, aerial work and private operations. Instead the focus will be on the safety of people on board aircraft. Under the new system there are clear categories of people carried by aircraft - passengers, task specialists and participants. In addition, there are aircraft crew.

Passengers are people who are not expected to know about or have control over their aviation risks. Operations carrying these people are CASA's highest priority. Task specialists are people who have in-flight duties associated with the flight and who know and accept the level of risk is different to a passenger flight. Participants are people who voluntarily take part in aviation and who explicitly know and accept the risks. The highest safety standards and rules will apply to aircraft carrying passengers, with rules for crew-only flights to the base-line.

Under the new system there will be three broad classes of operations: passenger transport, aerial work and general and freight activity. Passenger transport will cover what are now known as regular public transport and charter flights. These will continue to require an air operators certificate. Aerial work will cover operations such as emergency and medical flights, law enforcement, aerial survey and aerial agriculture. Some of these activities will require an air operators certificate, while others will be regulated using other permissions or operational limitations, depending on the level of risk. General and freight only will cover most private flights, flying training, freight-only flights and others where only the crew is on board an aircraft. Air operators certificates will be required for some activities in this class, such as large freight operations, while others will not require a permission from CASA.
The policy will be implemented as CASA issues new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. Until these regulations are in-place all current regulatory requirements continue to apply.
Read the full policy.

Australia-US cooperate to make GPS better
Australia and the United States have formally agreed to meet annually to work towards improvements for the civil use of the Global Positioning System and regional augmentations to GPS. Officials met in Canberra in late April to discuss a range of GPS related issues. Areas identified for cooperation between Australia and the US include: enhanced mechanisms for notification of GPS satellite operational changes, promoting broader utilisation of augmentations to the Global Navigation Satellite System, coordinating radio frequency spectrum used by GNSS, encouraging access to information needed to develop and build future generations of GNSS and encouraging international mechanisms to promote the use of GNSS. A formal statement issued after the meeting said that Australia and the US have a shared interest in space-based positioning, navigation and timing systems for civil, commercial and scientific uses.
Read the joint Australian and US delegation statement on GPS.

Changes to CASA fees
The fees CASA charges for regulatory services are changing on 1 July this year. This is so CASA meets the Australian Government's requirements for cost recovery for services. While the complete list of fee variations has not yet been finalised, many changes have been determined. For pilots, many fees for flight crew licences will in fact go down. However, there will be some new fees or changes to existing fees. These include a $25 charge for printing a flight crew examination record and $25 for printing a copy of a flight crew licence. The cost of renewing Aviation Security Identification Cards will also increase, due to a rise in the charges by security agencies for doing background security checks.
The good news is the cost of pilot medicals will drop from $130 to $75.
Find out more about changes to fees.

New training packages for regional operators
CASA will be rolling out several training and support packages later this year aimed at regional airline and charter operations. This follows an identified need to provide additional safety and risk management resources to the smaller, regional passenger-carrying sector. CASA will develop training materials for pilots in areas such as situational awareness, threat and error management, fatigue, safety and error reporting, perceptions and illusions and stress. The training will be both self and class based instruction, using DVDs, information booklets, checklists and presentations. CASA will make this package available to flying schools as well.

Smaller, regional aviation operators will also get more support. These operators can face financial, technological or workforce pressures, particularly when expanding or changing operations. CASA will develop a Safety Management Toolkit that builds on existing education and training material on safety management systems. There will be written material giving advice on change management. This will look at important issues such as changing equipment, personnel, classification of operations, organisational structures and new routes.
Find out more about better regional aviation safety.

Flying hours on the up and up
The flying training industry is leading the way in the strong growth in the general aviation sector, with an increase in hours flown of more than 18 per cent in 2005. The latest official figures show that overall general aviation flying hours increased by 4.7 per cent in 2005 - the first rise in GA activity since 1998. Hours flown in aerial agriculture were up by 9.8 per cent in 2005, while business rose by 4.3 per cent and aerial work 2 per cent. GA charter operations recorded a 0.3 per cent increase in hours flown. Private flying hours dropped in 2005 by 3.2 per cent. In the sports aviation sector, ultralight use increased by 6.7 per cent, hang gliding by 1.7 per cent and gyroplane activity by 12.2 per cent.
Read the full report on GA activity by the Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics.

Find out more about rule changes
CASA is about to offer a set of streamlined web pages that will keep aviation people informed about the development and implementation of new regulations. The comprehensive and informative web pages that currently cover rule changes and regulatory reform projects will be more closely integrated with the rest of CASA's web site. This will include a design and navigation revamp, all aimed at making it easier for people to move across the entire CASA web site. All of the information on regulatory reform will be retained, although the way it is accessed may change.
Watch out for changes to the way rule change information is communicated.

R22 and R44 rotor blade action
CASA has advised operators and owners of Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters to follow a manufacturer's safety alert on main rotor blade skin disbonding. Several R22 main rotor blade skins have been found disbonded at the outboard tip lower surface where the skin butts up against the spar. Several similar disbonds have occurred on R44 blades. The disbond may occur when the paint is eroded enough to expose the leading edge of the lower skin bondline. When the bondline is exposed, erosive material such as sand or dust causes rapid erosion of the bondline and subsequent lifting of the skin. Once the skin has lifted a small amount, airflow causes the skin to continue to peel back. Pre-flight inspection of this area will allow early detection of a disbond before it progresses. Robinson has produced service letters setting out the actions to be taken by maintainers if a blade requires refinishing.
Read the Airworthiness Bulletin and service letters.

Lithium battery warning
Everyone in the aviation industry is being warned to be aware of the risks Lithium batteries can pose when carried in baggage or as freight. Earlier this year the US Department of Transportation issued new advice on the safe transport of Lithium batteries and battery powered devices. This followed two incidents on board commercial aircraft this year. In the first incident a fire broke out in an overhead baggage locker and the preliminary investigation indicated one or more loose batteries may have caused the fire. The second incident, in March this year, involved a battery overheating or igniting. In both cases aircraft crew quickly extinguished fires and the aircraft landed safely.

Lithium batteries are used in many mobile telephones, laptop computers, cameras and other portable devices. Spare batteries must be kept in their original packaging, loose batteries should be covered with insulating tape to stop contact with metal or carried in a plastic case. Batteries should also be transported in aircraft carry-on baggage rather than checked baggage.
Find out more about dangerous goods.

GA people: have your say now
The Australian Government is urging people who are part of the general aviation sector to have their say on the future of the industry. A new paper has been issued that examines a range of key issues for the future of GA. These include airport access, safety and security regulations, economic issues, changing technologies and education and skills for pilots and engineers. The paper has been released as part of the Government's General Aviation Industry Action Agenda. Transport Minister Mark Vaile says: "the General Aviation Industry Action Agenda aims to foster industry leadership, help the industry develop strategies for growth, agree on priorities and make commitments to change. This issues paper is a starting point for the General Aviation Action Agenda to build on. I would encourage the members of this vital Australian industry to support the Action Agenda by continuing to share their views and ideas about the future of the industry through the submiss ion process."
Find out more about the GA action agenda.

 

[Commuter]

Flying hours on the up and up

The flying training industry is leading the way in the strong growth in the general aviation sector, with an increase in hours flown of more than 18 per cent in 2005. The latest official figures show that overall general aviation flying hours increased by 4.7 per cent in 2005 - the first rise in GA activity since 1998.

Just my guess but I think a lot of the growth in flying training industry is to do with overseas students. It won't really help the domestic situation of (longer-term) pilot shortage, I guess.

Anyway, looking at the initial post, it made me chuckle to see 'better' training for airline pilots when speaking of MPL. I don't object to the concept of MPL but whether it's 'better' or not is yet to be seen.

As for the 'we are not a nanny regulator' in the initial post, that's great in principle but I am not quite sure whether it will work in reality because it relies on the premise that people would try and do the right thing - not always the case as evidenced by Lockhart River.

 

[QF WP]

Thanks for the details Bill. I used to get Air Safety Australia (courtesy of a former tenant who didn't change his address for over 2 years), so I've been missing reading stuff like this

 

[straitman]

I'll try and make sure I post this each month in future.

 

[QF WP]

Oh, BTW Bill, I used my moderatorial hat and tidied up the two posts to make them read a little better - I hope you didn't mind

 

[Commuter]

Thanks for the details Bill. I used to get Air Safety Australia (courtesy of a former tenant who didn't change his address for over 2 years), so I've been missing reading stuff like this

If you are talking about Flight Safety Australia, it's available online on CASA website

 

[QF WP]

That would probably be the one commuter - 6 months since I read it so was a little rusty with what I though it was called...

Hmmm, is it in an area that the general public can access, or behind a password protected members' area??

 

[ColinP]

Seems to available to all.
The current one is here Lindsay -- Flight Safety Australia - March-April 2007

 

[Commuter]

That would probably be the one commuter - 6 months since I read it so was a little rusty with what I though it was called...

Hmmm, is it in an area that the general public can access, or behind a password protected members' area??

Totally accessible to the general public.
Follow this link:
Flight Safety Australia

The email posted on this thread (called the CASA Briefing) is also here:
The CASA Briefing - April 2007
See Subscribe menu on the right if you want it delivered to your email.

P.S. I don't work for CASA!

 

[QF WP]

Thanks to straitman for starting the thread as well as Commuter and ColinP for answering my question.

I have always enjoyed reading (in particular) the sections "What Went Wrong", "Flying Ops" and "Statistics". Now I have bookmarked it to read further editions as they are published. I wasn't aware that non-pilots were able to access them. I am not a pilot but have a healthy interest in flying (and like watching Air Crash investgation on Foxtel).

 

[straitman]

CASA media release - Monday 14 May 2007

New policy puts passenger safety first

The safety of people on board aircraft is the focus of a new key-stone policy issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Under the policy aviation operations that carry passengers are given the highest safety priority, standards and regulatory oversight.

CASA will allocate the majority of its resources to the safety of passenger carrying flights, including safety audits and surveillance.

The focus on passengers is contained in CASA's Industry Sector Priorities and Classification of Civil Aviation Activities policy.

The policy creates three board classes of aviation activities for the purposes of safety regulation.

They are: passenger transport, aerial work and general and freight-only activities.

The passenger transport class covers flights that carry passengers in large or small aircraft, scheduled or non-scheduled. In other words, this class covers operations CASA has previously described as regular public transport and charter flights.

The aerial work class covers a wide range of activities where aircraft are involved in specialised activities and may carry people who are not crew, known as task specialists under the policy. Aerial work activities include emergency and medical flights, law enforcement, aerial agriculture and aerial survey.

The general and freight-only class covers most private operations, flying training, freight-only operations and other activities where only the crew is on board an aircraft. It also includes people who choose to fly on aircraft where they know and accept the level of safety provided, such as recreational and sports aviation.

CASA's chief executive officer, Bruce Byron, says the policy is important because it clearly sets out how CASA and the aviation industry will manage safety.

“Passenger carrying flights get the highest priority in terms of safety because the people flying on these aircraft are not expected to know about or control safety,” Mr Byron says.

“Passengers quite rightly rely on the aviation industry and CASA to manage safety on these flights.

“People who are flying on aircraft operating in the aerial work class, called task specialists, are knowledgeable about the safety of these flights as they have assigned in-flight duties. This higher level of safety knowledge and involvement places these operations in the middle of the safety hierarchy.

“People flying in the general and freight-only class are involved in aviation as pilots, crew or as a participants who understand relevant safety issues.

“The policy will be implemented as CASA issues new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. Until these regulations are in-place all current regulatory requirements continue to apply.”

Find out more at: Classification of Civil Aviation Activities



Media contact:
Peter Gibson
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0730

 

[straitman]

The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

May 2007
From CEO Bruce Byron

Work to set up the new Office of Airspace Regulation within CASA is well advanced. We are on track to have the Office up and running from 1 July and have appointed the manager. I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit an experienced and senior aviation professional, who has broad international experience. Peter Cromarty will join CASA in mid June, bringing a background of 30 years in aviation as a pilot, air traffic controller and air traffic services manager. Peter's most recent position has been as a senior manager in Air Traffic Support International – a not-for-profit, wholly owned subsidiary company of the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.
I intend to work closely with Peter Cromarty, particularly as we establish the new Office of Airspace Regulation. A key task for me will be to introduce him to people across all sectors of aviation so that he has an early opportunity to hear views and understand the background to issues. The responsibility the Federal Government has given CASA in relation to airspace regulation is both very welcome and a challenge. The new Office will have the task of delivering the Government's airspace policies, as well as setting standards for airspace classifications and services. There will also be a role to play in the finalisation of the new National Airspace Plan, which will guide all future decision making on the management of airspace.
I certainly believe that the creation of the Office of Airspace Regulation offers everyone in the aviation industry the opportunity of a fresh start in the sometimes vexed area of airspace reform. I would like to see less emotive arguments about airspace issues and more debate based on facts and data. You can be assured CASA will consult effectively on changes and decisions will be taken based on sound safety analysis.
New Complaints Commissioner

CASA has appointed a new Industry Complaints Commissioner. Taking up this important role is Michael Hart, who has an extensive background both in aviation and the public service. Michael has previously worked with the Australian Defence Force, Australian Customs Service and the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. He is the permanent replacement for the inaugural CASA Industry Complaints Commissioner Arthur White. The Commissioner is the central co-coordinating point for all complaints made to CASA. Anyone who has a genuine complaint about the action or behaviour of a CASA employee which they have been unable to resolve with that employee or that employee’s manager will have their matter reviewed by the Commissioner. Not all complaints will be investigated – only those where there is genuine reason to believe injustice has been done or an unacceptable mistake may have been made. The Commissioner can make recommendat ions for changes to CASA practices and procedures where complaints highlight ongoing problems.
Last year more than 350 complaints were received by the Commissioner, with more than 140 requiring some form of investigation. Find out more about CASA's Industry Complaints Commissioner.
Changes to CASA fees

From 1 July there will be a range of changes to the way CASA charges for regulatory services. Some fees are going down, while others will rise. The cost of pilot medicals drops from $130 to $75 and the charges for pilot licences are also reduced. In addition, all pilots who complete medicals during June will be eligible for the lower fee. However, getting an Aviation Security Identification Card will cost more and there is now a wider range of hourly rates. From July there will be four CASA hourly rates - $100, $130, $160 and $190. Fixed fees still apply to a range of services, starting from $25.
In total CASA will be charging for 231 regulatory services. This includes licences and ratings, examinations, medicals, aircraft registration, certificates, permits, exemptions, approvals and authorities. CASA has been progressively introducing cost recovery for regulatory services, which is a Federal Government requirement for all agencies. The new charges have been approved following extensive consultation with the aviation industry, with hundreds of people providing comments and suggestions.
Find out more by reading a comprehensive set of questions and answers on CASA's charges.
AOC survey

Every holder of an air operator's certificate is to be asked to take part in a new on-line CASA survey. CASA will launch the survey later this year after first contacting all air operators by email and through the post. The survey aims to capture a larger quantity of accurate information about the size and nature of aviation operations. In particular, CASA needs to get better information on the scope and type of passenger carrying operations, ranging from regular public transport to occasional passenger charter flights. CASA has some of this information, but not in a consolidated format based on information direct from air operators.
The data collected from the AOC survey will be used to guide CASA's surveillance activities, as well as to develop a picture of national trends in aviation. CASA will make much of the data available to air operators, as it is likely to be very valuable in commercial and operational decision making. It is expected the survey will be carried out at least once a year to ensure data is up-to-date.
Engineers graduate to new standard

Forty three aircraft engineers have graduated under new world-class maintenance standards introduced by CASA this year. They are the first group of engineers to be trained according to European-based maintenance licensing and training standards, which CASA has implemented using a special Civil Aviation Order (CAO 100.66). Engineers working for Virgin Blue took part in an intensive 15 week course before being awarded B1.1 and B2 aircraft engineers certification. Brisbane-based training organisation Aviation Australia provided the course, after gaining accreditation from CASA.
CASA has described the graduation as marking the start of a new era in aviation maintenance in Australia. CEO Bruce Byron said: "The Australian maintenance industry will be more competitive internationally, opening up more business opportunities for a range of organisations". CASA is working to finalise a complete new set of maintenance regulations by the end of 2007, with standards being developed by small CASA/industry team.
More information on new maintenance standards.
Warbirds self administration

The Australian Warbirds Association has been given approval by CASA to administer aircraft operating with a Limited Category certificate of airworthiness. The Limited Category covers historic, ex-military or replica aircraft – many commonly known as Warbirds. The Warbirds Association has been working for more than six months to demonstrate capability and gain approval to become the self administration body for these operations. It means that owners and operators of Limited Category aircraft should be registered with the Australian Warbirds Association to ensure they can continue to fly their aircraft legally.
The Warbirds Association acknowledged the "very positive approach, help and assistance provided by CASA" in gaining approval for self administration. "Community administration of Limited Category aircraft by the Australian Warbirds Association Limited will further improve on our longstanding record of high safety standards in the restoration, operations and maintenance of rare, valuable and often unique aircraft," the Association said in a statement.
More information on warbirds.
Budget boosts CASA

The Federal Government allocated an extra $12.8 million over the next four years to CASA in this year's Budget. Transport Minister Mark Vaile said: "The new funding will increase CASA's ability to work with the airlines to develop their safety management systems. It will also enable CASA officers to spend more time on the tarmac and in the coughpit carrying out inspections and audits. The Australian airline industry is becoming larger and more complex, so we have decided to provide CASA with more resources."
CASA's CEO Bruce Byron said the extra funding demonstrated the Government's confidence in CASA. "The new funding will allow us to recruit additional safety systems specialists, field safety advisors and safety and risk analysts. By increasing resources in these areas we will be able to more rapidly integrate safety management systems into airlines to mitigate the changing safety risks associated with growth in the industry, as well as changes in technology. It will also allow us to establish a more comprehensive and sophisticated aviation safety oversight model, including increased safety advice, surveillance and audit capabilities."
More on the budget.
Drug and alcohol testing

The Federal Government has confirmed its target of having drug and alcohol testing underway within the aviation industry by the end of this year. In the Budget a total of $9 million was allocated over three years for mandatory aviation drug and alcohol testing.
Transport Minister Mark Vaile said: "Companies in the industry will be required to have drug and alcohol programmes in place as a condition of their certification. Their programmes will have to be approved by CASA and will have to include drug and alcohol tests, education and support for their employees. These corporate programmes will cover up to 60,000 people working in safety sensitive positions in the industry, including flight crew, cabin crew, air traffic controllers, baggage handlers and ground staff. In addition, CASA will carry out its own random testing programme. CASA will need to do its own tests to cover people in the industry like private pilots and contractors, who have safety sensitive jobs but do not work for companies that will have their own programmes. The CASA testing programme will cover an additional 60,000 people in the industry."
More on drug and alcohol testing.
Safeskies conference

Making safety management systems work in large and small aviation organisations will be the focus of this year's Safeskies conference. Safeskies is Australia's peak aviation safety conference, attracting speakers from across the industry and delegates from around the nation and the Asia-Pacific region. CASA's CEO Bruce Byron will be one of the keynote speakers at this year's conference, to be held in Canberra at the end of October. Steve Tizzard from CASA will also be making a presentation.
Other keynote speakers at the conference include chief of the Air Force Geoff Shepherd, the CEO of Airservices Greg Russell, the secretary of the Transport department Mike Taylor, former British Airways chief Rod Eddington, the head of Qantas safety Geoff Satori and Roger Gault from the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The conference will run from October 31 to November 2 in Canberra.
More Safeskies details.
APEC Sydney airspace restrictions

Sydney airspace will be subject to a number of restrictions and requirements during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in early September this year. All aircraft planning to operate within 45nm of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport below 28,000 feet will be required to obtain an approval. There will be a temporary restricted area from 30 August to 10 September where permission to operate will be limited to traffic arriving or departing Kingsford Smith Airport, emergency service operators and other approved operators. There will also be a high density airspace control zone, which must be avoided by all non-essential aircraft.
Pilots wanting to operate in the temporary restricted area must register with the Defence Force's Air Battle Management Coordination Centre and attend an APEC airspace users briefing on 20 July at the Bankstown District Sports Club.
Full details in AIP Supplement H23/07.
More time to comment on sport and rec rules

CASA has again extended the comment period for the proposed rules covering sport and recreational aviation operations. These are the drafts for Civil Aviation Safety Regulations parts 103 and 105. Notices of proposed rule making have been issued for both parts and are now open for comment until 2 July 2007. The NPRMs cover sport and recreational operations and parachuting operations from aircraft. The extra time for comment will mean people will be able to consider another related notice of proposed rule making due to be published soon. This will cover the proposed part 149 - recreational aviation organisations.
Find out more: sport and recreational operations.
Parachuting from aircraft.
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CASA has issued guidance on the design of air traffic control towers. For the first time an advisory circular has been issued which looks at where control towers should be located on an aerodrome, building design and eye levels. Read the advisory circular here.
Pilots can find out how to protect themselves from accidental laser beam strikes near aerodromes. A new advisory circular has been published.
Owners and operators of Tiger Moth aircraft are being reminded to make sure maintenance requirements in relation to lower fork bolts in the undercarriage are being met. Read the Airworthiness Bulletin.
Do you know the easiest way to find the CASA office closest to you? Simply go to our national map and click on your region. Use this link.
Owners and operators of Cessna 180 aircraft must be aware of a new Airworthiness Directive issued to prevent a fire caused by fuel line chaffing. This can result from interference between the ground power electrical cable, the fuel strainer cable and the fuel line. Read the Directive.
CASA's head office in Canberra is located at 16 Furzer Street Phillip, ACT. Phone 131 757. Full CASA contact details.
Owners and operators of Hughes and Kawasaki helicopters have been told to prevent the risk of the loss of the tail rotor blade by inspecting the tail rotor blade root fitting. This follows an accident reported to the US Federal Aviation Administration. Read the Airworthiness Directive.
If you have a question or request about licensing or aircraft registration remember you can email the CASA Licensing and Registration Centre:
[email protected]



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The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

June 2007
From CEO Bruce Byron

A revised set of principles to guide the development of new aviation safety regulations has been issued. The new principles address a number of concerns being voiced by people across the aviation industry, particularly the need to avoid unnecessary costs imposed by new regulations. I formally signed off on the Development of Regulations and Regulatory Framework directive last week, which replaces an earlier version released in 2004. Key points are:

• Aviation safety regulations must be shown to be necessary to address known or likely safety risks
• If a regulation can be justified on safety grounds, it must be made in a form that provides for the most efficient allocation of industry and CASA resources
• The regulations must not impose unnecessary costs or unnecessarily hinder high levels of participation in aviation and its capacity for growth
• Where appropriate regulations are to be aligned with the standards and practices of leading aviation countries
• Regulations must be drafted to specify safety outcomes, unless more prescriptive requirements are required in the interests of safety
• Regulations must be drafted to be as clear and concise as possible.

I am confident these principles will ensure all the new regulations being developed achieve the safety outcomes the Australian aviation industry requires, without placing additional burdens on organisations and people. The directive has been issued at the same time that the Aviation Regulation Review Taskforce has been considering a range of issues. The Taskforce is the high-level group set up by the Minister For Transport earlier this year to provide advice on key directions and priorities for regulatory reform. It has asked the Standards Consultative Committee - the CASA/industry group which looks in detail at new regulatory proposals - to review the large amount of work done to date on the development of Part 91 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. Part 91 covers general operating and flight rules and is the key set of rules on which all the other operational regulations will be based. In particular, the Taskforce wants the Standards Consultative Commit tee working group that is responsible for Part 91 to make sure it is aligned with the principles in the new directive, especially in relation to unnecessary costs. I expect this review will be done quickly and will not add significantly to the time taken to finalise the Part 91 draft.
Read the new CEO directive.
Extra airline surveillance

CASA has been carrying out additional and varied types of surveillance of airline operations in recent months. This is the practical implementation of CASA's operational priority policy, which directs a majority of resources and activities to the safety oversight of passenger-carrying sectors. Late in May CASA deployed 32 staff across six aerodromes to conduct inspections of high capacity flights and related operations during the course of one day. There were more than 150 individual inspections carried out on airlines, aerodrome facilities, air traffic control and maintenance facilities. Aerodromes covered on the day were Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Cairns and Avalon. Feedback from airlines and passengers was very positive and similar exercises are planned for the future. Data collected on the day is still being analysed and will be used in risk assessment and future surveillance planning.
Four CASA flying operations inspectors also recently conducted more than two dozen flight deck observations during flights on major domestic airlines. The inspectors were focussing on threat and error management, using a methodology based on Line Operations Safety Audits. The data is being de-identified and will be used to better target future surveillance activity.
Safety management on fast track

All passenger-carrying operations will be required to implement safety management systems for their organisations, as well as delivering crew resource management and human factors training for pilots. CASA has flagged the new requirements by setting up a project to fast track amendments to Civil Aviation Order 82. The Order - which covers air operator's certificates - will be amended to require safety management systems, and additional training for pilots, in high and low capacity regular public transport operations and passenger charter operations. CASA is moving to implement the requirements through amendments to CAO 82 due to significant and unexpected delays in developing Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 119. Since around 2002/2003 both CASA and air transport operators have been working in anticipation of Part 119 being enacted into legislation, with safety management and additional pilot training requirements specifically defined. To avoid further del aying the safety benefits of the requirements, CASA will now progressively make amendments to CAO 82 in relation to passenger-carrying operations. These amendments will be consistent with planned requirements being developed for the future Part 119.
For nearly ten years CASA has been encouraging operators to adopt safety management systems and a large amount of education and training has been provided to the aviation industry. In recent years CASA has also been assessing safety management processes and systems put in place by air transport operators under general provisions of the Civil Aviation Act. Find out more about the new requirements.
Read guidance and support material.
Approach revalidations

CASA is revalidating instrument approaches across the nation. The first stage of the exercise involves revalidating instrument approaches at 40 aerodromes and locations - which should be completed by the end of June 2007. Over time instrument approaches at more than 280 locations will be checked. This process is required under Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 173, which covers instrument flight procedure design. The provisions require CASA to conduct a flight validation of approaches after they have been designed or redesigned. A CASA staff member who is a qualified validation pilot flies the approaches with the designer to check for obstacles, assess 'flyability' and verify other database information. So far corrections have been required at most locations, many resulting from confirming the position of obstacles and terrain with modern navigation equipment such as GPS.
Find out more about instrument approach design.
New boss for licensing, education and training

CASA's Personnel Licensing, Education and Training group has a new general manager. Greg Hood took up the new position during June. Greg comes to CASA with a strong aviation background spanning 26 years, the last nine years in senior management roles. While Greg's early career was in the RAAF, the last 16 years have been spent at Air Services Australia. His recent roles have included manager Melbourne Centre, manager Regional Services and manager International Business Development. The Personnel Licensing, Education and Training group - known as PLET within CASA - covers a wide range of important functions. These include flight crew and maintenance licensing, aircraft registration, aviation medicine, safety promotion and flying training support.
Find out more about PLET.
Proposed rules for night vision goggles

A set of proposed rules to cover the use of night vision goggles in specialised helicopter operations has been released by CASA. A notice of proposed rule making for Civil Aviation Order 82.6 establishes operational and airworthiness standards and requirements for the use of night vision goggles. A trial of the goggles - limited to emergency medical services, search and rescue, marine pilot transfer, police and aerial fire fighting - has been underway since earlier this year. CASA has been working closely with the Helicopter Association of Australia on both the proposed rules and the trial. Under the proposed rules night vision goggles will only be available to holders of air operator's certificates and will require an approval from CASA. They will also be limited to specific types of helicopter operations.
The aviation industry is being asked to comment on the draft night vision goggle rules, with the comment period closing on 16 July 2007. Full details.
Aircraft registration gets easier

CASA has streamlined many of the procedures that must be followed when registering an aircraft or transferring registration. The changes cut down the size of registration forms by up to three pages, make them easier to fill in and eliminate a number of requirements for documentation. The requirement to routinely provide certified true copies of documents to provide proof of identity or eligibility when making aircraft registration applications has been removed. Instead of having to send in documents to CASA, applicants can now state they comply with the eligibility requirements and that no false or misleading statements have been made. CASA will still require certified documents in some cases, such as during registration audits or when additional proof is required. The changes mean registration applications can now be sent by email and fax, as well as through the post.
Find out more about registration changes.
Aussie takes ICAO post

Rod Graff has been appointed deputy regional director to the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) regional office in Bangkok. Rod is currently working as manager Safety Programs at Airservices Australia. From 2001 to 2005 Rod worked at the ICAO Montreal office on the Air Navigation Commission, taking on the role of president for the last of his two years there. Rod will take up his new role on 9 July 2007 for a three year period and will manage the technical work of the Asia-Pacific office, which is one of seven regional ICAO offices. Within the Asia-Pacific office there are ten technical officers and twelve support staff, as well as the deputy and regional directors, who look after a total of 35 ICAO member states within the region.
Bell 206L warning

Owners and operators of Bell 206L helicopters are being warned about an increase in the number of defect reports. The defects relate to disbonding at the tail rotor root end doublers. CASA has issued an airworthiness bulletin recommending careful pre-flight inspections in the area of the leading edge root end doubler plate for evidence of disbonding. If evidence of disbonding is found CASA recommends removing these tail rotor blades from service. It appears that corrosion between the doubler and the end plate may be causing the blade disbonding.
Read the airworthiness bulletin.
Focus on Pacific safety

Representatives from more than 15 nations came together in Canberra in June for a Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) council meeting. The meeting was hosted by the Department of Transport and Regional Services, with support from CASA. Members discussed the Council's progress, recruitment issues and general business. PASO was formed following the recognition that Pacific nations had difficulty in developing and maintaining their own skill bases for aviation safety inspection and certification. The first meeting of the PASO Council of directors was held in August 2003 and members have been working since then to review current safety arrangements across Pacific countries and establish the framework for PASO operations. Member states include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Niue, Nauru and Australia.
Reminder: New fees start July 1

From 1 July 2007 a range of changes to CASA's charges come into effect. Some fees are being cut, while others will rise. CASA will now be charging for a total of 231 regulatory services - which includes licences, ratings, exams, medicals, aircraft registration, certificates, permits, exemptions, approvals and authorities.
Full details of the new fees.