AOPA Australia today called upon CASA CEO Shane Carmody to release a risk assessment that showed it was safe for holders of Recreational Pilot Certificates to fly on self-certified medicals but not for holders of Recreational Pilot Licences or Private Pilot Licences.
RPCs are issued by Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) for two-seat aircraft up to 600 kg MTOW, whereas the RPL and PPL are issued by CASA for VH-registered aircraft.
"If CASA considers it safe for a private ‘recreational’ pilot to operate in small aircraft with one passenger outside of controlled airspace, then why has CASA denied all government regulated RPL and PPL holders of this risk-appropriate permission?", AOPA CEO Ben Morgan asked in the letter.
"Why has CASA implemented aviation medical safety standards that serve to force RPL and PPL holders into a private business (the Recreational Aviation Australia Limited) that exposes them to unregulated monopoly fees and charges? Why are Australia’s aviation safety regulations being used to benefit one specific private business, whilst denying all CASA RPL and PPL holders of their rights?"
In July this year, CASA introduced the medical reforms that created the Basic Class 2 medical, which enabled PPLs to have medicals done by general practitioners to an Austroads standard, rather than by a DAME to a CASA standard. At the time, AOPA described the reforms as a "thundering success" to the general aviation industry, but of late has become concerned that the desires of the PPL population of Australia was not properly represented when the reforms were considered.
During an AOPA internet podcast last night, Morgan accused Carmody of obscuring the truth about why self-certifying medicals have been denied to CASA-regulated pilots.
"The real villain in this is in fact CASA," Morgan said. "The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has been very dishonest, and I'm going to call it out. Shane Carmody ... you've been incredibly dishonest with the people of this country. You need to come clean now and own-up, and put it on the table.
"What are you are doing to Australia's general aviation industry? Are you supporting our industry, or are you selling us out? I think the community are owed some honesty and transparency in what's going on, if in fact it's your intention to privatise our aviation sectors, then come out, come clean and let everyone know.
"But if it's not, then answer the question: why have you denied CASA-regulated RPL and PPLs access to private driver's licence medicals, whilst at the same time you're allowing the glider community and RAAus to do it? Something has to be answered here."
CASA has declined to address Morgan's accusations of dishonesty, but issued the following statement to Australian Flying.
"CASA considers self medical certification to be appropriate for recreational pilots operating in small aircraft (weighing no more than 600kg) with one passenger and outside controlled airspace under licences issued by Recreational Aviation Australia.
"CASA considers medical certification based on an assessment by a medical professional to be appropriate for pilots flying in all classes of airspace, including controlled airspace, under a CASA issued licence."
There has been no indication of whether or not CASA intends to release the risk assessment.