– Steve Hitchen
The aviation community probably has a right to expect that the saga of the Norfolk Island ditching has finally been put to bed with the release of the second investigation report. Fat chance, Charlie; all the indications are that the war is set to continue. After copping it in the neck from the senate and the Canadian TSB over the standard of their initial report, and having then Chief Commissioner admit that he was not proud of the report, the ATSB has looked under every rock imaginable with the re-issued report, perhaps too many rocks. The 531 pages released stands to be one of the largest reports ever done on an Australian accident, and slaps on the wrist have been handed out liberally to just about everyone involved. So, we may (or may not as some people still think) now know what happened between Samoa and Norfolk island that night back in 2009, but what will fuel new fights is that we don't know what happened since. How is it that the original report and this one are so far apart? Even the ATSB admits that they gathered a lot more info about the accident during the second investigation, which leaves us asking why that information had not been gathered for the first one. Conspiracy theories aside, it is plain that something happened in the halls of Canberra to produce a report that was, at best, sub-standard. We need to find out what that was, and prevent it from happening again, because whatever it was, it clouded safety messages and prevented positive action from being taken. Look what happened when that influence was removed ... 531 pages compared with the original report's 78. Nope, the book isn't closed on this story yet; you can bet on a sequel.
CASA's proposal to allow Part 141 helicopter schools to teach a 105-hour CPL is the sort of news story that impacts only a small section of general aviation, but if you read the CASA statement thoroughly, you will come across this line, which is one the entire industry needs to sit up and take notice of: "The new regulations would be based largely on those that existed prior to the introduction of Part 61". I want to go through my understanding of this line again; is CASA saying that they are ditching this section of Part 61 and going back to the way it was before, which is what the industry always wanted? If so, let the bells ring out! Yes, this is only a small win in a niche sector, but it looks to me like a crack has opened in the brick wall and some light is shining through. If this crack can open, then others can, leading eventually to the wall CASA has presented over Part 61 collapsing completely. Even the most cynical of GA analysts is writing this one down in the "Win" column of the scoresheet. It does make you wonder, though, how this is different from allowing Part 141 fixed-wing schools from teaching the 150-hour CPL. What's good for the Bell is good for the Bonanza, and if a Part 141 school can teach helicopter pilots to be good, efficient and safe helicopter CPLs in 105 hours, surely they can do it for fixed-wing pilots in 150.
Kyneton Aero Club, in the Macedon region to Melbourne's north-east, invited me out to their Open Day last Sunday and to witness the presentation of the their Aero Club of the Year Wings Award. It's always good to visit vibrant, healthy aero clubs, as I believe that they are one of the main pillars that support GA in Australia. My point is that most people who get pilots' licences stop at the PPL level, so they are in this game for the pure delight and exhilaration that it brings. However, so many of them drop off over time, and I believe that is because they struggle to find things to do with their flying privileges. That's where aero clubs come in. The cameraderie they provide, the seminars they organise and the events and fly-aways they hold are the things that will keep PPLs coming back on weekends. We need good, healthy clubs and more of them to keep people wanting to learn to fly, and to give them a reason to fly once they are qualified. Kyneton is an exceptional example of that theory in practice, and their Open Day was a brilliant way to connect with the community around them. Thanks to Warren, Mark and the team at KAC. It was a great day ... and the snags weren't half bad.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch