– Steve Hitchen
Nervousness in the general aviation community is increasing that the government will push ahead with their aviation white paper rather than take the immediate action needed to revitalise sectors of the industry. That fear was put into words this week by the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA), which released a plan of seven recommendations to do something about the engineer shortage now rather than wait two years or so for the outcomes of a white paper. Angst about the ALP's determination to push ahead with their white paper is two-pronged: the time it will take to complete and the outcomes themselves. One of the basic precepts of flying aircraft is to correct a deviation as soon as possible and not wait for it to get worse, so the industry's nervousness that government policy is to let the engineer shortage worsen is a fair reaction. When things get worse, the remedial action needed is always larger. The second prong worries that the white paper will only deliver the same lack-lustre and ineffective actions that it did last time. If that happens, the industry will be left with a band-aid that is supplied to heal a broken leg. Most aggravating is that if the white paper has any integrity at all it will only produce outcomes that are already known and have been articulated many times in submissions, consultation and so, so many studies.
Respect and trust are values that almost every company or organisation in the world has adopted as aims or part of corporate philosophy. The problem is that they can't be asked for, bought, demanded or regulated; they can be only earned, and even then only after they are proven to be deserved. CASA Chair Mark Binskin has talked up four things as his weapons for earning respect and trust for CASA: transparency, collaboration, focus on the aviation community and a determination to make a difference. The second two are somewhat vague sentiments, but the first two have some real substance to them. Transparency and collaboration. These two are so strongly interconnected that they might actually be the same thing. But what is transparency? If I may be able to thrust forward some personal philosophy, transparency is explaining issues before sending out the Show Cause Notice. Transparency is not redacting pretty much everything requested under Freedom of Information just because the laws allow you to. Transparency is speaking in plain English rather than some language that sounds like a Biblical tongue. Transparency is not putting up the ramparts to protect yourself even though you know you are wrong. CASA has been characterised by a lack of transparency in the past, and calling for transparency will remain nothing but motherhood should none of this change. And collaboration? Collaboration comes only after transparency is achieved. People will engage if they think CASA deserves their time and effort, and that the time and effort will be respected and do some good. Secrecy is the enemy of co-operation, and it's also the enemy of respect and trust.
The Australian International Airshow was launched last Monday with promises of being the biggest ever and sentiments of being happy to be back together after 2021 was canceled thanks to COVID. Tickets went on sale yesterday with free entry for under 15s and free parking for everyone. This is a great initiative by AMDA to try to encourage young people to be inflicted with a passion for aviation. But for some reason, unlike just about every other year, there will be no public viewing area in front of the chalets; the land is planned to have nothing on it. According to AMDA, the decision was necessary "to provide a larger buffer between the crowd line and the runway, which is now an aviation safety requirement." Avalon has for years operated with an exemption to the rule that the crowd must be 150 or 200 m away from the display runway. So why has CASA denied that now? In fact, they haven't. According to CASA, AMDA has applied for an exemption to bring the safety buffer down to 120 m, the same exemption they were granted in 2017 and 2019. A decision on the exemption hasn't yet been made, but it seems AMDA is planning for the worst case. This may appear trivial, but when the people swarm through the gates in March they will be expecting to be able to see the show from the centre of the display line like they always have, and will be confused and disappointed by the bare paddock in front of the chalets. Here's hoping this gets sorted with a positive outcome soon.
This is your 12-day warning. The 2022 CASA Wings Awards are closing on 26 October. We have had a healthy number of responses already with some good strength in many submissions, so it's very unlikely that we'll be offering an extension of time like we have done in past years. What that means is that for your nominee to have a chance you have to get it done by Wednesday week. The time for mucking around is gone; the time for action is near. Make sure you tidy up your submission and get it into the online nomination system before close of business Wednesday 26 October.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch