Page 19 - AA 2018_09

Debrief

–
Veteran aviation executive Sir Rod
Eddington, former director of the
Bureau of Air Safety Investigation
(now Australian Transport Safety
Bureau), Dr Rob Lee, Qantas Captain
David Massy-Greene and airport slot
system developer Ernst Krolke have
been named as the 2018 inductees
into the Australian Aviation Hall
of Fame (AAHOF). Also, Mission
Aviation Fellowship Australia,
which provides aviation services for
people living in remote areas, will be
recognised with the Southern Cross
Award at the official induction dinner
on November 24.
–
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority
(CASA) has defended its record in
relation to general aviation and called
on those questioning its commitment
to the sector to look at its recent
actions. Writing in the July edition
of The CASA Briefing, acting chief
executive and director of aviation DEFENCE NEWS A3R development with Airbus. The Airbus and the RAAF have
safety Graeme Crawford noted the The first two aircraft for the Royal program aims to remove operator completed the first automatic
recent debate about the regulator’s Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) workload and improve safety. air-to-air refuelling (A3R)
relationship with the general aviation acrobatic display team arrived in – contact between two large
sector. “Implicit in this debate is Australia on July 21. The pair of In other KC-30A news, the RAAF aircraft. airbus
the suggestion by some people that Pilatus PC-21s, with registration has marked 100 million pounds
CASA does not support a sustainable HB-HWS and HB-HWT, landed in (over 45,000 metric tonnes) of
and viable general aviation sector,” Darwin from Kupang in Indonesia. On fuel offloaded during air-to-air
Crawford said. “I would like to assure July 22, the PC-21s flew from Darwin refuelling operations during the type’s
everyone this is simply not true. There to Adelaide via Alice Springs and the deployment to the Middle East under
is no CASA agenda against general pair reached RAAF Base East Sale the Operation Okra. Since September
aviation and we regard the sector following day. The PC-21 is replacing 2014, the RAAF had maintained a
as a vital component of the national the Air Force’s Pilatus PC-9/A, which single KC-30A from Amberley-based
aviation community.” General aviation has been in service since 1989. 33SQN in the Persian Gulf region
groups have said CASA was “out of – to support an RAAF Air Task Group
step with contemporary regulatory French Dassault Rafales, Indian and coalition aircraft on combat
practice” and contributing to the rapid Sukhoi Su-30s and Thai Saab Gripens operations up into Iraq and Syria.
decline of Australia’s general aviation were among the foreign aircraft –
industry. to have deployed to the Northern Airbus is evaluating a multi-mission
– Territory for the Royal Australian Air version of its next generation A320neo
Urgent action is needed if Australia’s Force’s major multinational large- narrowbody. The new variant has
aviation industry is to avoid force employment exercise Pitch been designated A320M3A, with
disruptions due to the shortage Black. The 2018 edition of Exercise new applications under consideration
of pilots and skilled maintenance Pitch Black featured up to 4,000 including using the aircraft for
engineers. That is the conclusion of personnel and up to 140 aircraft from ISR (intelligence, surveillance and
an expert industry panel’s review of 16 participating nations and was the reconnaissance) duties, particularly
the aviation training sector in this biggest ever conducted. A full report maritime patrol and anti-submarine
country. “Australia is experiencing a on Pitch Black 18 will appear in the warfare. It could also be outfitted
severe shortage of aviation personnel October issue of Australian Aviation. for military transport, with modular
and the situation is growing worse,” – roll-on/roll-off payloads for airlift
the report published on July 27 stated. Airbus and the RAAF successfully missions ranging from carrying
“The current shortage of qualified completed the first automatic air-to- passengers, troops and VIPs to
pilots and aircraft maintenance air refuelling (A3R) contact between medical evacuation and transporting
engineers is a global problem and a two large aircraft on June 20. An cargo. “Airbus’ consideration of the
major issue for Australia’s aviation Airbus A310 MRTT test aircraft A320M3A is in response to market
system. This is not a future threat, it is and an RAAF KC-30A MRTT made demand, spurred by the growing
a significant present challenge that is seven successful contacts off the coast use of more capable ISR systems –
currently disrupting the industry, and of Spain. This followed successful which require physically larger host
actions to address it need to include tests earlier in 2018 where the A310 platforms with increased electrical
immediate mitigations supported by successfully made A3R contact power and more efficient cooling
a longer-term sustainable strategy with a Portuguese air force F-16. systems than previously were the case
which involves many stakeholders.” The RAAF is collaborating on the for C4ISR aircraft,” Airbus said.
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