Page 112 - AA 2018_09

A simplistic view
AIRPORTS
CAROLINE WILKIE
CEO – AAA Ignoring the economic reality of regional airports

he newly formed Australian aircraft owners have a safe and secure investment.
General Aviation Alliance’s place to land. They are the lifeblood of their
(AGAA) first summit in July They’ve done this despite battling communities and must be kept to a
Treflected the genuine passion and tough economic conditions themselves, standard that allows them to comply
interest in general aviation across the with many regional airports struggling with safety and security requirements
nation. to make ends meet and having few while also facilitating RPT and general
In such a sparse country, general external funding sources available to aviation services to meet the needs of
aviation holds a unique place in our them. local residents and businesses.
community and is a highly valued part In many cases, the ratepayer has Aircraft owners should expect to
of the industry, particularly in our been forced to subsidise their airport’s pay to land and park at a local airport,
regions. operations, drawing limited funds away just as regional airports know and
The summit was a great opportunity from other community projects. understand that those charges must be
to bring together all participants in this The AGAA could have supported reasonable.
important part of the aviation industry. meaningful dialogue and insight on This is a long-established practice
Unfortunately, the AGAA instead how regional airports and aircraft – and one that’s worked well for our
chose to pursue the politics of division, owners can work together to ensure the regions for many years.
targeting airport operators as among sustainable future of our airports, while In overlooking this, the AGAA
those they claim exacerbate the cost keeping charges low for the general has laid some of the blame for the
and complexity burdens placed on aviation sector. costs of general aviation at the feet
‘That general aviation. view that ignores the economic reality of organisations that are striving to
Instead, it has taken a simplistic
support them.
That characterisation is wrong and
characterisation deeply unfair. of the industry. It’s time we work together as an
Our regional airports in particular –
Regional airports are complex
is wrong and most of which are operated by the local pieces of infrastructure, where the industry to protect the future of our
regional airports. It is only when we
deeply unfair.’ councils – have supported our general maintenance of runways, terminals and do this that we can achieve better
aviation industry for decades, ensuring
associated facilities require ongoing
outcomes for everyone.
A fresh perspective

FROM THE REGIONS
Changing the classification of civil aviation activities MIKE HIGGINS
CEO – RAAA
n late August the Department of will be repeated to the RAAA hope that CASA will also embrace this
Infrastructure is hosting a meeting Technical Working Group in Canberra technology. The regionals have already
of senior departmental managers on September 6. This meeting is done extensive work in this area and
Iincluding the ATSB, Airservices, open to all, so contact our office at recognise that even an apparently
CASA and key industry representatives administration@raaa.com.au. uncontentious prescriptive rule set
and associations to consider proposed Meanwhile, the volume of work can actually hide underlying medical
changes to the classification of civil underway within CASA, industry conditions that produce fatigue.
aviation activities. technical working groups and the Elsewhere there is great news
Governments have been struggling Aviation Safety Advisory Panel on the with the recent announcement that
with this concept since 1986 and the six main CASR Parts has been very approved testing officers will now be
time has come to grasp the nettle and time consuming, with release for final automatically transferred to hold a
resolve the legacy issues embedded public input due very soon. CASA flight examiner rating, with no action
in the traditional approach to the is planning on having these draft required by the holder. Better news
regulation of general aviation. Rather regulations ready by year’s end, an still is that professional indemnity
than being bound by the ‘commercial’ ambitious target indeed. insurance cover will remain in place. ‘Governments
or ‘hire or reward’ imperatives, a fresh The most contentious body of work These outcomes are due to the
look at a genuine risk-based approach has been the fatigue rules. The making great work by the Departments of have been
is required. of a prescriptive rule set would be so Infrastructure and Finance, which
A fresh perspective will give traction easy, particularly if it were to continue have understood the vital work these struggling
to the various CASA publications which to be based on industrial and rostering examiners do on behalf of CASA.
espouse a risk-based and outcomes- practices used in the first half of last Finally, we have opened up with this
focused philosophy. This will free up century. the generous RAAA members
both industry and CASA resources The RAAA welcomes the very aviation industry. Scholarships range concept since
scholarships to the entire Australian
from the burden of less than effective recent pilot union decision to engage
administration and cost. in the use of science in monitoring and from $5,000 to $7,500 but hurry, 1986.’
A presentation from the meeting managing pilot fatigue in real time. We applications close on August 31.

112 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION