Plan to cut air accident costs
The cost of Australia’s aviation accidents can be cut by tens of millions of dollars a year under reforms being proposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
CASA has released a detailed proposal for an overhaul of the safety regulations covering all commercial passenger carrying aircraft.
A focus for improvement is small charter operations, where accidents currently cost about $31 million a year.
The proposed new rules will also deliver a safety dividend for small and large scheduled airline services. Accidents in these categories currently cost about $18 million a year.
Details of the safety initiatives have just been released by CASA in draft regulations that cover the certification of commercial air transport organisations.
An analysis of Australian aviation accidents released with the draft regulations shows over the long term tens of millions of dollars a year in accident costs could be saved by the proposed new rules.
CASA wants to lift the safety standards of charter operations by creating a new air transport category to cover most small passenger carrying flights. Charter flights will have to meet higher safety standards in areas such as pilot experience and training as well as maintenance of aircraft.
A range of other safety improvements are proposed for most commercial passenger carrying operations. Initiatives include:
- A new requirement for a safety management, accident prevention and flight safety system;
- Designating a safety manager to oversee and administer safety management;
- Making chief executive officers responsible and accountable for everything relating to safety and compliance with the regulations; and
- Clearer requirements for operations and maintenance manuals.
While large airlines and a number of small operators already meet some of these requirements, putting them in place across the aviation industry will provide significant safety benefits. Small operators with less than four aircraft will be exempt from a number of the requirements.
CASA has released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making for aviation industry comment on the proposals by the end of July.
All industry comment will be carefully considered before CASA moves to the next stage of making the new regulations.
Media contact
Peter Gibson
ph 02 6217 1015
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0207