Australia's aviation associations have signed-up en masse to attend a summit in Wagga Wagga with the aim of instigating changes to the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
The summit, organised by the Australian General Aviation Alliance (AGAA) was orginally planned for early June, but has been put back to 9-10 July to accommodate both Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Shadow Minister Anthony Albanese.
According to Ben Morgan, CEO of AOPA Australia, 28 associations have registered to attend the summit.
"The participation of the vast majority of Australia’s general aviation industry associations conveys a clear message to both the Minister and Government, that our industry is determined to end aviation decline, seeking a co-operative transition towards growth and opportunity through a positive change to the Civil Aviation Act," he said.
The summit is to be chaired by former Regional Express Manging Director Geoff Breust.
The Civil Aviation Act contains a directive that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority must regard safety as the absolute priority when creating regulation, which disregards the cost impost on the general aviation community. It is this that the AGAA summit is looking to change.
At a meeting between the minister, Ben Morgan and Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) Executive Director Ken Cannane two weeks ago, Minister McCormack indicated he might be open to making changes if the industry could reach a consensus on the nature and intent of the changes that need to be made.
The cause was supported by aviation activist Dick Smith in a speech made in Wagga Wagga in April, in which Smith proposed new wording for the Act that removed the safety imperative.
Associations that have expressed interest in attending are:
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia (AOPA Australia)
- Sport Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA)
- Aircraft Maintenance Repair Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA)
- Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA)
- Aircraft Electronics Association – South Pacific Region (AEA)
- Australian Aircraft Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
- Australian Business Aviation Association (ABAA)
- Experimental Light Aircraft Association of Australia (ELAAA)
- Recreational Aviation Australia Limited (RAAus)
- Australian Warbirds Associations Limited (AWAL)
- Australian Women Pilots Association (AWPA)
- Seaplane Pilots Association of Australia (SPAA)
- RotorTech
- Australian Aero Clubs Alliance (AACA)
- Royal Federation of Aero Clubs (RFAC)
- Airtourer Association (AA)
- Cessna 182 Association of Australia (C182AA)
- Cessna 200 Association of Australia (C200AA)
- Cirrus Owner Pilots Association (COPA)
- Lancair Owner Builder Organisation (LOBO)
- Australian Beechcraft Society (ABS)
- Australian Mooney Pilots Association (AMPA)
- International Comanche Society – Australia (ICS)
- Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (HGFA)
- Gliding Federation of Australia (GFA)
- Australian Parachute Federation (APF)
- Your Central Coast Airport (YCCA)
- Regional Airport User Action Group (RAUAG)