– Steve Hitchen
I have used this column several times to cajole the government into getting out the aviation white paper that was promised mid year. I predicted early July, but here it is mid August and nothing yet. Agents within Canberra have hinted that the reason why it hasn't yet been tabled even though a final version was delivered to the minister, is that some new bits needed to be added. But now it is likely to be delayed even more by REX going into voluntary administration. People in the know have whispered that the original paper probably contained nothing for regional aviation other than platitudes and continuing subsidies for some routes. REX getting the financial wobbles may have caused ripples within the department and resulted in the white paper reverting to draft mode ... again. The public statements of support and understanding coming from the minister would look like political whitewash if the white paper then contained nothing of substance. Right now, the department could do a lot worse than re-engage with the Regional Aviation Association of Australia to sort out a holistic solution that keeps regional airlines healthy, retains connections for communities and provides an important link in the career chain for aspiring ATPLs.
It's a rare moment when a technical working group (TWG) rejects proposed regulation outright and wholesale, but that's what happened with the CASR Part 103 Manual of Standards back in October 2021. Without a MOS of any sort, recreational aviation has had to benefit from a number of exemptions from the CAOs to make it legal. Since that happened, the TWG that threw back the MOS hasn't been reconvened. From my understanding, CASA's proposed MOS was overly prescriptive, ignored the concept of informed participation and watered down the administrative responsibilities of the Approved Self-administering Aviation Organisations (ASAO). If that's right, rejecting the MOS was probably the right thing to do, and in the circumstances, hardly a surprising move. What is surprising, is that the draft MOS got to that state in the first place. My first reaction (and first reactions are often wrong because they are based on incomplete information) was that somewhere in Canberra two connections are not meeting up: CASA's sense of what an ASAO is for, and the ASAOs' idea of what an ASAO is for. CASR Part 149 was supposed to make the ends meet, but somehow has failed. Hence, the MOS gets thrown back at CASA in a flurry of fluttering paper. So, it's a logical and smart move for CASA to reconnect the ends via consultation with the industry, and reconvening the TWG. The only snag is that the whole of Part 103 and its MOS will be torched when CASA accepts and moves to implement the new MOSAIC rules currently being developed in the USA. To that end, are we better off falling back on the exemptions for the time being and waiting to see what comes out of MOSAIC?
And just to add further to the register of rickety regulation, people and organisations that once whole-heartedly supported the introduction of CASR Part 43 on GA maintenance are starting to rethink their positions. The Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA) very publicly reversed their direction on Part 43 from "yea" to "nay", which may be a dagger in the heart of the proposed regulation. With that imprimatur in the bin, other organisations are wondering if persisting with Part 43 is simply pumping air into a punctured inner tube. Even if CASA implements a regulation that stands to reduce the maintenance burden for private and airwork aircraft owners, the MROs can simply refuse to do the work to that standard, making Part 43 a duck on crutches. It has been six years since this was first proposed, and now the GA community is perhaps further away from maintenance reform than ever before. At a time when engineers are scarce, parts are expensive or simply unobtainable, commercial and flying school aircraft get maintenance priority and aircraft are getting more complex, I find I need to pose one question: if not CASR Part 43, then what will be done to prevent this spiral dive?
On a sunnier outlook, I am getting more excited the closer we get to the 2024 Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) induction dinner at Shellharbour Airport on 26 October. One of the big drawcards is the Southern Cross Award being handed to the Australian Women Pilots Association (AWPA), which has seen a rash of bookings from members wanting to witness their association being honoured. Not only is this recognition of the AWPA well overdue, but also Australia's women aviators know how to party, and this is a great opportunity to join them. And there is the added attraction of seeing two of aviation's more contemporary icons being inducted into AAHOF: George Morgan and the late Peter Furlong. As the founders of GippsAero, these two showed the world that despite the discouraging aviation manufacturing culture in Australia, we could still design and build a classic aeroplane with amazing capability: the GA8 Airvan. I will be adding my applause to the ovation when their names are read out and encourage everyone else to do the same. If you're up for a great night of aviation with a bit of glitz and glamour thrown in, get yourself to the AAHOF webpage and book a chair for the night. I have been told there are spots left, but not a whole lot.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch