CASA Media Release - Thursday, 22 August 2002
Timetable for new air safety rules
A timetable for the update of Australia’s aviation safety regulations has been confirmed in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s latest Corporate Plan.
CASA is aiming to submit all new aviation regulations to Federal Parliament by the end of 2003.
The reform of the air safety rules seeks to clarify and simplify regulatory requirements and bring Australia into line with international best practice.
The latest Corporate Plan also commits CASA to a comprehensive strategy to manage the implementation of the new rules by ensuring a smooth transition by the aviation industry.
CASA’s Chairman, Ted Anson, says the rewrite of the aviation rules will provide very positive outcomes for aviation safety and the aviation industry.
“CASA will be taking the opportunity to review its processes and upgrade supporting infrastructure, especially information technology,” Mr Anson says.
“CASA’s planning must also take account of the changes that have been taking place in the aviation environment.
“The demise of Ansett and the emergence of a new airline structure in Australia has created additional challenges for CASA and will continue to do so.
“So has the need to ensure that regulatory requirements do not unreasonably affect essential rural and regional aviation services, but at the same time provide regional fare-paying passengers with the level of safety enjoyed by their city-based counterparts on similar flights.”
The Corporate Plan shows CASA’s surveillance of the aviation industry is on target, with 485 scheduled audits completed of air operators and maintenance organisations in the first nine months of 2001-02.
A further 420 risk based audits were completed during the same period.
The clearance rate for Requests for Corrective Action, which flow from audits, has steadily improved over the same period.
Media contact
Peter Gibson
ph 02 6217 1015
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0238