The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has issued a statement refuting the claims by AOPA Australia that the regulator failed to consult over the ADS-B issue.
Sent out today, the statement was in response to AOPA CEO Ben Morgan who claimed in a letter to CASA Acting Director of Aviation Safety, Shane Carmody, that CASA had not genuinely consulted the general aviation community.
"CASA has consulted comprehensively with the aviation community on the introduction of ADS-B over more than nine years, including with AOPA," the statement says.
"It was agreed by aviation industry representatives, including AOPA, that ADS-B would be phased in over a three year period commencing in December 2013.
"AOPA wrote to CASA in 2012 and congratulated CASA on its consultation process for ADS-B implementation, including the mandate for all IFR aircraft to be fitted by February 2017.
"The recent changes announced by CASA to the ADS-B fitment deadline for private operations was a positive initiative developed in response to feedback from the general aviation community. CASA listened to this feedback and developed a package of changes that maintains operational safety while allowing more time for private IFR operators to fit the equipment.
"This initiative provides relief to private operators and will allow for the orderly fitment of the remaining IFR aircraft."
CASA also explained why the ADS-B deadline extension was limited to IFR aircraft operated in the private category only.
"The ADS-B extension does not include commercial operations as the fitment rate is already very high. Eighty-nine per cent of IFR flights are already conducted in ADS-B equipped aircraft, with this predicted to rise to 95% by February 2017.
"CASA thanks the many IFR operators and more than 300 VFR operators who have already fitted ADS-B and are reaping the safety and operational benefits of the equipment."
AOPA Australia has called on CASA to meet with them in Canberra next week to further discuss the issue.