The fallout from the resignation yesterday of CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore has seen an abundance of questions matched with a dearth of answers, and even those answers have no more integrity than blind guesses. Leading the pack of questions is "did he jump or was he pushed?" The house is split down party lines, with Skidmore detractors using the word "dismissal" like it was 1975, and Skidmore supporters equally adamant that he left because he couldn't defeat the bureaucracy; a tactical withdrawal if you like. The question coming in second place is "was he sacked because of the poor customer satisfaction survey?" For that to be even considered, you have to be on the "dismissal" side of the house.
Personally I believe the connection between these two events is weak; although the survey was made public only last Friday, it has probably been sitting with the CASA board for a few months, and I don't believe there was anything in the survey that the board didn't already know. In summary: I don't believe it is a strong enough reason to sack someone. There is another reason to believe that this is a genuine resignation: if you've been unceremoniously dumped, you collect your stapler and your Minion stress toy and march out the door; you don't agree to hang around until October, and the board doesn't want you there either! No, I believe this is a genuine resignation, and I suspect it has been caused by a failure to get the bureaucracy to change to the point that Skidmore felt he was just wallowing in frustration. As a retired AVM and respected aerospace expert, he has other options that would be more satisfying personally.
It will be awhile before we can assess exactly what Skidmore's departure means for general aviation, but it would be a fair guess to say there'll be a lot of projects on hold, and that includes RAAus' push for a 1500 kg weight limit. I find it surprising that RAAus wants a limit so high. If you consider the types of aeroplanes they are wanting to capture, they'd do it with a limit around 1200 kg, and CASA might feel more comfortable about that. RAAus' desire to expand is understandable when you consider they've restructured to become a corporation. Any corporation needs to grow and to do that you have to seek new markets if you've maxed-out your own. What they are after is to take administration business from CASA and the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA), which is responsible for most home-builts. If the new limit is granted, civil aviation administration will become a market economy. Very interesting indeed, as CASA stands to lose business themselves if they agree to the new limit.
Following on, AOPA is also going to have to cool its heels on the demand for Class 2 medical reform. In their letter to Minister Darren Chester, AOPA opens with the fact that other National Aviation Authorities are considering similar reforms, which is true, but CASA has never shown an inclination to follow the world, so the value of saying "but they're doing it!" is questionable. That's not to say the basic premise of what AOPA is asking is wrong, or that they won't get it. Dropping the need for PPLs to have Class 2 medicals would be a genuine reform that stands to benefit general aviation on a number of levels. However, asking and getting are two different things, and getting this one requires more than just a legislative instrument; it requires a complete overhaul of the AVMED branch and for the minister to be prepared to cop slings and arrows in the house from those who stand to score points from making accusations of tampering with aviation safety.
I'd be very interested in hearing what people think of Christian and Kirsten Uhrig's ÜberAir Flightsharing idea. Using an iPad to check who's going where and when, then jumping on board to share the costs is a great idea. Aero clubs and flying schools encourage cost-sharing where they can to lower costs for their members and customers with the hope the cost of flying won't discourage them. There's one sticking point: CASA is unlikely to tell them whether or not it's legal to advertise a private flight through an app until a considerable amount of development money has already been spent. If I was the Uhrigs, I'd be pursuing that now through CASA in Canberra, not the local field office, and I'd be getting something in writing.
Lachie Smart has but a 45-minute flight to complete his record-breaking solo circumnavigation of the world. Right now he's in Bundaberg, QLD, and is due in to face the media circus at Sunshine Coast at 0730 tomorrow morning. When he steps out of SR22 VH-IBC, he will be the youngest person ever to make the trip. It's been a rocky journey for Lachie (but it was always going to be that) with delays in departure and fuel deliveries dogging him at several points, not to mention the long, lonely stretches across the briney deep. If you can get to Sunshine Coast Airport tomorrow morning to welcome him home, I suggest you do so; this young man deserves a great reception.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch