The CASA Briefing
Your monthly CASA update

 Civil Aviation Safety Authority

October 2007

From CEO Bruce Byron

CEO Bruce Byron

During the first quarter of next year CASA will be putting in place requirements for all passenger-carrying operators to implement safety management systems. This will apply to high and low capacity operators, as well as passenger-carrying charter operations. These requirements will be implemented through amendments to the Civil Aviation Orders - 82.1, 82.3 and 82.5. We are taking the approach of using the Civil Aviation Orders to introduce this requirement due to the identified need to bring in safety management systems ahead of the making of rules under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. There is a clear and undisputed view amongst the aviation industry in Australia and around the world that safety management systems provide important and practical improvements to the management of aviation risks. As I have said many times in recent years, it is the job of the aviation industry and CASA to identify, manage and minimise risks. CASA has been committed to taking a risk-based approach to safety regulation for some years and we expect all sectors of the aviation industry to follow suit - particularly the passenger-carrying operations.

However, I am very aware that for some operators the requirement to introduce safety management systems will mean additional work. In the smaller end of the passenger-carrying sector of the industry I understand that the new requirements may initially be a challenge. Naturally, that is not a reason to avoid or delay the introduction of an important safety improvement - rather it is a trigger for CASA to offer the industry extra help. We will do this by providing operators with a 'document authoring and assessment tool'. This will be an application operators can access via the CASA web site which will take them step-by-step through the process of creating all the documentation to support a safety management system. It will provide guidance and sample text for safety management system manuals. The time it takes to produce a manual will be reduced and CASA's assessment of manuals will be streamlined and consistent. The application will be easy-to-use and mean safety management system manuals can be produced in-house without the need to pay for a professional writer. Importantly, CASA will make sure the new tool is ready when the safety management system requirements are introduced next year.

Read more about the safety management system project.

CASA engineer wins international acclaim

A teaching tool developed by a CASA engineer to help the aviation industry keep aircraft safe from fatigue cracks has won an international award. Steve Swift won the Whittle Safety Award from the International Federation of Airworthiness. Steve is the first Australian to win the Federation's highest award, which honours the co-inventor of the jet engine, Sir Frank Whittle. Steve Swift is the principal engineer airframe durability, in CASA's Airworthiness Engineering branch.

The damage tolerance teaching tool is known as the 'diamond'. Steve says: "As a tool it is teachable, memorable, simple, and includes core concepts that can be easily passed on. I wanted to let people in on some of the secrets of designing maintenance programs. It helps designers design the structure and maintenance without missing critical steps, helps operators do the maintenance more willingly and intelligently, and helps the regulators enforce structural design and maintenance more flexibly and cooperatively. It's childishly simple, but it is powerful. World experts agree it can save time, money and - most importantly - lives. Although I am grateful for the award, I don't deserve it on my own as the diamond was the result of teamwork. I am especially grateful to Wayne Jones, a CASA air transport inspector, and Bob Eastin, my counterpart in the United States Federal Aviation Administration."

If you have a problem, please complain

Formal complaints from people in the aviation industry about CASA's performance are now running at about four each month. These complaints are examined in detail by CASA's Industry Complaints Commissioner, Michael Hart. The office of the Industry Complaints Commissioner was established in early 2006 as a central coordinating point for all complaints against CASA. The services of the Industry Complaints Commissioner are available to 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. Not all complaints will be investigated - only those where there is genuine reason to believe an injustice or mistake may have been made.

Most genuine complaints are resolved within a month and where shortcomings are identified within CASA recommendations for improvements are made by the Industry Complaints Commissioner to CASA's CEO, Bruce Byron. Anyone in the aviation industry who has a genuine complaint about CASA's actions is encouraged to come forward with details. Complaints can relate to the provision of regulatory services, compliance or regulatory action or the performance of CASA. Naturally, CASA can't examine and resolve potential problems unless formal complaints are lodged.

Contact the CASA Industry Complaints Commissioner:
complaints@casa.gov.au
02 6217 1717
http://www.casa.gov.au/corporat/complaints.htm

Let's streamline the AD system

The aviation industry is being asked to comment on proposed changes to the way airworthiness directives are mandated in Australia. CASA has issued a notice of proposed rule making which sets out a system of automatic compliance with overseas airworthiness directives. Currently, CASA must issue Australian airworthiness directives to mandate directives issued by aviation authorities in the nation where an aircraft was designed and approved. This process imposes a workload on CASA which does not add any safety value and can slow down the adoption of airworthiness directives.

Under the proposal CASA will no longer issue Australian airworthiness directives that mirror State of Design directives. To achieve this, aircraft models entering the Australian register for the first time will be required to comply with all State of Design directives. Existing aircraft models on the Australian register will be required to comply only with State of Design directives issued after the implementation date of this proposal. To ensure a smooth transition CASA will assist by providing the necessary information on the CASA website to ensure that registered operators and maintenance organisations can readily access State of Design airworthiness directives. Where an emergency airworthiness directive is issued CASA will provide a notification page on the CASA website and mail, fax or email the directive to registered operators.

Full details of the NPRM

Aviation students targets of new safety campaign

The future leaders of Australia's aviation industry are the target of a special new air safety campaign being run by CASA. University aviation students are being given intensive training in identifying and managing air safety risks. Hands-on workshops spell out the dangers of mistakes in aviation and how errors can be prevented. The centrepiece of the workshops is the analysis of a 1993 accident in which six people were killed. Students are asked to identify the mistakes that contributed to the crash made by the pilot of the doomed aircraft and other people involved in the flight. During the three hour workshop the students learn about risk identification, decision making and safety management.

CASA field safety advisor, Andrew Warland-Browne, says the new safety campaign is aimed at the people who will become the commercial pilots of the future. He says: "We are working with universities that specialise in aviation to teach students fundamental lessons in air safety in a practical and vivid way. The aviation students we are targeting will be the leaders in aviation in 10 or 15 years and we want them to start their careers with the best possible understanding of the science of safety. The first workshop was held in Perth early in October, with the next being held in Brisbane at Griffith University on 31 October. It's open to aviation students and any other interested pilots."

Full details of the Griffith University air safety workshop and registration information: www.casa.gov.au/csi

Australia elected to top ICAO position

Delegates from 190 countries convened last month for the 36th session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly. Held every three years, the Assembly reviews ICAO's activities and sets the strategic direction and priorities for the next three years. The Australian delegation consisted of representatives from CASA, the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services, Airservices Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australia's Montreal-based ICAO representation. Australia was re-elected as a group one member of the ICAO Council. Members of group one are the nations of chief importance in air transport, and Australia has been a part of that group almost continuously since ICAO was established in 1947.

Major issues discussed at the ICAO Assembly included aviation safety, security and the environment, as well as a range of budgetary and administrative matters. In the area of safety, the focus was largely on the ongoing implementation of ICAO's Unified Strategy Programme to resolve safety deficiencies.

Read working papers and reports of the Assembly on ICAO's website.

Learn more about non-destructive testing

Anyone with an interest in non-destructive testing in aviation is urged to attend a special aerospace seminar next month. The NSW branch of the Australian Institute of NDT and CASA are holding the seminar in Canberra on 13 November 2007. NDT practitioners and providers, people working for maintenance organisations, aviation quality and compliance managers and anyone else with an interest in this specialised area of aircraft maintenance will benefit from attending. Topics to be covered include NDT in general aviation, training opportunities and pathways, human factors and NDT, visual inspection, the physiology of vision and bearing analysis instrumentation. CASA will also explain the impact of new maintenance regulations on NDT in general aviation and changes to relevant Civil Aviation Orders.

Full details and registration form

US ends ability to degrade GPS

The US government has announced it will not include the capability to degrade the accuracy of Global Positioning System signals in the next generation of GPS satellites. In a White House statement the US said this would remove a source of uncertainty about GPS performance that had been a concern to users across the world. The US President accepted a recommendation from the Department of Defense to end procurement of GPS satellites that have the capability to intentionally degrade the accuracy of civil signals. The statement said: "This decision reflects the United States strong commitment to users of GPS that this free global utility can be counted on to support peaceful civil activities around the world. This degradation capability, known as selective availability, will no longer be present in GPS III satellites. Although the United States stopped the intentional degradation of GPS satellite signals in May 2000, this new action will result in the removal of SA capabilities."

Get up-to-date on manufacturing and certification

People involved in aviation manufacturing and certification in Queensland are being urged to attend a free CASA workshop in November. The workshop provides a familiarisation with all the regulatory requirements relating to aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturing and certification. There is no charge for the day-long workshop, being run by CASA's Manufacturing section. Topics to be covered include quality system requirements, conformity, design data assessment and how CASA carries out surveillance of production approval holders and authorised persons. Information will also be provided on policies and standards in relation to aircraft and aeronautical products certification, management of type certificate projects, design approval procedures and changes to the way CASA manages design approval delegates and authorised persons. The workshop is being held on 14 November 2007 at Caloundra. Registration for the event closes soon.

Full details and registration

New rules for low visibility operations

CASA is moving to improve the safety requirements and guidance covering low visibility operations at aerodromes. A rule change project has been set up to develop better regulations and guidance for take-off and landing minima, standards for aerodrome facilities and air traffic control standards. CASA allows instrument flight rules (generally RPT) aircraft to take-off with 500m visibility at any aerodrome that has 60m spaced runway edge lights - controlled or non-controlled. Major airlines have also been given exemptions in relation to low visibility operations. The exemptions are granted to airlines subject to a range of requirements on the flight crew, but no specific requirements on air traffic control or the aerodrome operator. CASA has no guidance for issuing such approvals and tying together the aerodrome operators, ATC and the airline operators. A similar situation applies to the runway holding positions used in low visibility operations.

CASA also needs to develop guidelines to allow airlines to undertake operations known as Special Cat II operations. These are operations where appropriately equipped aircraft operate below the Cat I minima at Cat I equipped aerodromes. To allow early introduction of the Special Cat II operations in Australia CASA needs to clearly set out the requirements for airline operators, air traffic control, instrument procedure designers and aerodrome operators.

Find out more about the project

Amateur-built aircraft in the spotlight

A special survey is being conducted to collect information about amateur-built and experimental aircraft. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is running the survey and asking people who own aircraft in these categories to participate. The ATSB says it is the first time in Australia that data has been systematically collected from the growing amateur-built and experimental segment of general aviation. An ATSB statement says: "This survey was developed with the assistance of members of the ABE aircraft community and we thank them for helping us to construct this simple but informative survey. In the coming months, the ATSB will collate the survey responses and using other data held by the Bureau, build a picture of the health of ABE aircraft in Australia. The survey will only take about ten minutes to complete."

Find out more and complete the survey.

Review of CASA/ATSB relationship underway

Transport Minister Mark Vaile has commissioned a review of the relationship between the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The aim of the review is to identify potential areas for improved aviation safety outcomes through better co-operation and co-ordination between the two bodies. Mr Vaile said the review was an important part of the Government's response to the Queensland Coroner's Inquest into the aircraft crash at Lockhart River. Russell Miller, a senior partner with Minter Ellison, is undertaking the review.

Mr Vaile said: "I am pleased to announce the appointment of an eminent aviation figure and legal expert to implement the Coroners recommendation. Russell Miller has extensive experience in aviation and administrative law, and in working with aviation agencies. He was a founding Commissioner of the International Air Services Commission, a former Chair of the International Bar Association's Aviation Committee and has held a series of directorships and government appointments. The review is part of a series of measures aimed at ensuring improved safety outcomes." A report will be delivered to the minister in December. Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 39.004 and 39.005 are also proposed to be amended. CASA will still have the ability to issue airworthiness directives but can approve an alternative means of compliance with a directive.

Read the terms of reference

Election could delay new rules

The federal election could have an impact on CASA's implementation of new rules. With the House of Representatives dissolved, the 'caretaker period' of government has begun. Executive Council meetings, where regulations are approved by the Executive Council and made by the Governor-General, are rarely held during the caretaker period. This means it is unlikely that any amendments to the Civil Aviation Regulations or Civil Aviation Safety Regulations will be made until the new government is sworn into office. This may impact the implementation of CASR Part 99 - the part dealing with Drug and Alcohol Testing. Although drafting of this part is nearing completion, the federal election could delay the making of the part until the next year.