The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

 Civil Aviation Safety Authority

May 2007

From CEO Bruce Byron

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 recommendations 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 cockpit 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.