question Are any Flying Schools operating at the moment?

I know all the States have different lockdown rules at the moment, but are there any Flying schools that have managed to stay open and are still operating at the moment?

RAAus have not said any more than

As such RAAus strongly encourages pilots and flight training operators considering undertaking private, recreational, or flying training activities, to carefully review and to follow, the advice or regulations which have been published in relation to social distancing, travel restrictions, or any prohibited or restricted activity.

You should also consider your personal risk factors related to age, health status and other considerations, just as you would by using the IMSAFE check prior to flying. Flying is no different to any other activity and while it has not been explicitly mentioned as being exempt from any restrictions currently in place please keep these restrictions in mind when considering what to do.

COVID-19 advice and any associated regulatory requirements are made and published by Commonwealth, and/or State and Territory departments. Importantly, the advice and regulatory requirements may change very quickly and hence should be regularly monitored.

Different states and territories are enforcing these rules in different ways and the last thing we want to see is our members potentially receiving penalties a result of going for a fly. In NSW for example, if you travel to a regional location and you don’t live there or have business there (i.e. landing at an airfield just because you wanted to go for a fly) may see you end up with a fine of $11,000 if you’re an individual or $27,500 for your business. This was announced late into the evening of 30 March and we are sure there will be more announcements, both federally and in relation to individual states and territories. This rapid and frequent changing in policy makes it difficult to keep up.

Perhaps the safest thing to do is simply not go flying if you’re not sure. Our planes will still be here after this pandemic passes so let’s make sure we’re healthy and haven’t wasted valuable fuel money on pointless fines!

Michael Monck, Chair, and Michael Linke, CEO

RAAus

.....?

If two consenting adults are prepared to risk flight, then them same adults can work out for them-selves if they want to risk the ChiCom Virus..?

.

A quick check of flightradar24 shows business as usual for many large schools.

the ChiCom Virus

MODERATOR WARNING.

If you keep referring to the COVID-19 virus as "ChiCom" or "Chinese Virus" you can expect to be given a time out for offensive behaviour.

I know all the States have different lockdown rules at the moment, but are there any Flying schools that have managed to stay open and are still operating at the moment?

 

RAAus have not said any more than

As such RAAus strongly encourages pilots and flight training operators considering undertaking private, recreational, or flying training activities, to carefully review and to follow, the advice or regulations which have been published in relation to social distancing, travel restrictions, or any prohibited or restricted activity.

 

You should also consider your personal risk factors related to age, health status and other considerations, just as you would by using the IMSAFE check prior to flying. Flying is no different to any other activity and while it has not been explicitly mentioned as being exempt from any restrictions currently in place please keep these restrictions in mind when considering what to do.

 

COVID-19 advice and any associated regulatory requirements are made and published by Commonwealth, and/or State and Territory departments. Importantly, the advice and regulatory requirements may change very quickly and hence should be regularly monitored.

 

Different states and territories are enforcing these rules in different ways and the last thing we want to see is our members potentially receiving penalties a result of going for a fly. In NSW for example, if you travel to a regional location and you don’t live there or have business there (i.e. landing at an airfield just because you wanted to go for a fly) may see you end up with a fine of $11,000 if you’re an individual or $27,500 for your business. This was announced late into the evening of 30 March and we are sure there will be more announcements, both federally and in relation to individual states and territories. This rapid and frequent changing in policy makes it difficult to keep up.

 

Perhaps the safest thing to do is simply not go flying if you’re not sure. Our planes will still be here after this pandemic passes so let’s make sure we’re healthy and haven’t wasted valuable fuel money on pointless fines!

 

Michael Monck, Chair, and Michael Linke, CEO

RAAus

When the State of Emergency was declared in each State certain Powers shifted to the Chief Medical Officer/Chief Health Officer for that State. The RAA statement above is quite reasonable and at arms length from the sometimes daily changes made by the Chief Medical officers. The penalties have come in to deal with the people who just can't help themselves. The State Premiers have announced the decisions very clearly and unambiguously. In the words a Victorian Assistant Commissioner "You would have to have been living under a rock, or an idiot not to understand."

The NSW Commissioner of Police explained their approach this morning.

The Queensland Premier explained this morning why she had to have the Gold Coast beaches and several thouands car parking spaces blocked off.

The mood is rapidly changing against the clever dicks inventing ways to go outside the lock down conditions

No non-commercial flights should be taking place in Australia right now.

A quick check of flightradar24 shows business as usual for many large schools.

Business as usual at Mangalore...lots of them doing touch and goes at Shepp.

When the State of Emergency was declared in each State certain Powers shifted to the Chief Medical Officer/Chief Health Officer for that State. The RAA statement above is quite reasonable and at arms length from the sometimes daily changes made by the Chief Medical officers. The penalties have come in to deal with the people who just can't help themselves. The State Premiers have announced the decisions very clearly and unambiguously. In the words a Victorian Assistant Commissioner "You would have to have been living under a rock, or an idiot not to understand."

The NSW Commissioner of Police explained their approach this morning.

The Queensland Premier explained this morning why she had to have the Gold Coast beaches and several thouands car parking spaces blocked off.

The mood is rapidly changing against the clever dicks inventing ways to go outside the lock down conditions

No non-commercial flights should be taking place in Australia right now.

I agree but I don’t think SA have such strict laws as the others do at the moment with a max of 10 people per gathering, rather than 2 in VIC, NSW and QLD.

It would’ve been easier if all States had the same rules and timeframes. Easier for the police to enforce too.

I overheard two people talking outside Aldi asking why people were still flying (someone flew overhead) when they weren’t able to do anything. It’s only a matter of time before someone complains to the police and then they will follow up with fines

W.A. Aviation College is still only just operating, but only on the basis of following all Govt social distancing and travel restrictions. Ground training is being undertaken.

https://www.waaviationcollege.com.au/

The W.A. Royal Aero Club is operating on a similar basis - effectively shut down, apart from very basic activities that can be carried out according to COVID-19 restrictions. No flight vouchers are currently being honoured.

https://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au/

Aviassist, drone trainers - also effectively shut down. Message on their blog as follows;

"The COVID19 pandemic is untimely, students can not complete the theory component of the Remote Pilot Licence in the current format, and the practical component in the new format. In the current climate, Aviassist could not guarantee the safety of our students and elected to suspend operations until such time as we can. The suspension is only a temporary measure and we are working to ensure delays in licensing are kept to a minimum."

https://www.aviassist.com.au/blog/

China Southern West Australian Flying College says precisely nothing about any flying training restrictions due to the COVID-19 virus.

As the whole operation appears to be like a small portion of China transported to W.A., maybe they feel no need to stop what they're doing. Maybe they're already immune to the virus.

The students are not allowed to drive whilst here in W.A., not allowed to travel away from the college, not allowed to stay away overnight, they have all their meals provided by catering, and they obviously operate as one big happy family.

http://www.cswafc.com.au/faqs/

MODERATOR WARNING.

If you keep referring to the COVID-19 virus as "ChiCom" or "Chinese Virus" you can expect to be given a time out for offensive behaviour.

ChiCom Virus or CCP virus is what many in the world are calling it so I’m a bit mystified why it is offensive. Unless, yer a supporter of the Chinese Communist Party ?....?

.

ChiCom Virus or CCP virus is what many in the world are calling it so I’m a bit mystified why it is offensive...

Donald? Is that you?? ...

...?

“...Discharged CCP virus patients reinfected. Student disappears after calling Xi Jinping to step down...”

.

Onetrack I see on fr24 four of the AC scout aircraft up this afternoon south of Perth, what would they be doing this time of year?

Thruster, we are still in bushfire season here, had a big bushfire S of Perth a couple of days ago, and we currently have a bushfire going in the Youraling State Forest, near Mt Cooke, SE of Perth.

The restricted burning period usually ends 1st April - but the end of the restricted burning season has been pushed back to 1st May, due to excessively dry conditions - with warnings that we don't need any bushfires right now, with current virus restrictions hampering every type of operation.

The Dept of Parks & Wildlife run a number of AC Scouts for fire spotting.

https://www.emergency.wa.gov.au/#

https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/bushfires/47-equipment-used-for-bushfire-suppression?showall=&start=2

https://www.americanchampionaircraft.com/post/new-8gcbc-for-dpaw

One track sorry to here that, it has completely turned around on the east coast, very green and a good start for the cropping season.

One track sorry to here that, it has completely turned around on the east coast, very green and a good start for the cropping season.

I cut my stock by 80% to be sure of weathering the drought without hand feeding, and two weeks later the green shoots started, now the remaining 20% are walking around wondering what to do with knee high grass.

Hope you get some rain soon.

No non-commercial flights should be taking place in Australia right now.

I went for a fly this morning to my Wife's family farm, please explain to me what regulations I'm in breach of.

My hangar is in my backyard, the private residence I'm going to has it's own airfield.

I went for a fly this morning to my Wife's family farm, please explain to me what regulations I'm in breach of.

My hangar is in my backyard, the private residence I'm going to has it's own airfield.

A Queensland State of Emergency Health Direction which overrides the regulations you are thinking about.

A lot of people have pulled the "going from a to b by myself" Your Premier patiently explained that this morning as we saw video of idiots sitting on the beach "practising social distancing" sittin all by themselves as the cops moved through them, and the message was driven in by complete closure of the beaches and thousands of car spaces for Easter just in case some more comedians showed up.

If you happen to have an accident en route you put at risk emergency personnel and take up hospital space needed by people doing the right thing.

You could be asymptomatic positive, they could be asymptomatic positive, one of them could infect the others, and so on.

You beat me to it, Turboplanner. I was going to post this as an example but I think we’re waisting our breath.

TRAVEL INDUSTRY UPDATES

Recreational Boating in Queensland

As from Sunday, 29 March federal government direction is that public gatherings are restricted to no more than two persons, excluding household members, and that people should stay home unless they are shopping for essentials, receiving medical care, exercising or travelling to work or education. This applies to all activities that are not specifically exempted – boating is NOT.

In line with this, the Queensland government has advised that all non-essential gatherings should not go ahead and the government’s Chief Health Officer has directed that, as from 11.59 pm on Sunday, 29 March a person who resides in Queensland must not leave their principal place of residence except for, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to accomplish an itemised set of permitted circumstances.

The only ‘permitted circumstance’ in line with the Government which might reasonably be considered to include recreational boating is that of physical exercise. Unless you intend to go onto our waterways as part of your overall physical exercise regime, which is most reasonably interpreted as boating in a non-powered craft (ie paddle or such) you should not be undertaking any non-essential movement in line with government directions.

A few days ago the Qld government put plastic barriers across the highway to stop motorists driving across the border from NSW to Qld.

The clowns drained the barriers and dragged them out of the way.

This morning workers were laying concrete barriers.

These loophole chasers are actually potential killers; if they were dealing heroin they'd be going straight into the slammer.

What's going to happen shortly (we are only in week 2 of Community Transmission) is that someone's grandpa is going to die, and the neigbour who caught the virus out fishing is going to get shot.

I followed all of the requirements as per the Queensland directive.

Home Confinement requirements in Queensland

1. A person who resides in Queensland must not leave their principal place of residence except for, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to accomplish, the following permitted purposes:
   

e. to visit another person’s residence in accordance with paragraph 9;

Receiving up to 2 visitors at a residence

1. Subject to paragraphs 10 to 12, a person who is an owner, resident, tenant, occupier, temporary occupier or person in control of a residence may allow up to two visitors who are not ordinarily members of the person’s household.
   Examples of visitors – Family members and close friends
   

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers/home-confinement-movement-gathering-direction

AOPA has posted this

COVID-19: NO RESTRICTIONS ON FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOLS

April 3, 2020 By Benjamin Morgan

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AOPA Australia CEO BENJAMIN MORGAN reports.

During this past week, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia (AOPA Australia) has received numerous requests from flight training school business members seeking clarification with respect to the Coronavirus COVID-19 restrictions.

AOPA Australia has today received advice from Senator Susan McDonald, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister, confirming that there are no specific restrictions or prohibitions placed on the operation of flight training schools, but notes that the COVID-19 situation in Australia remains fluid and the situation may change.

Flight training schools are reminded of the need for personal protective equipment and are urged to maintain strict transmission reduction measures at all times.

Flight training schools are also reminded of the need to remain up-to-date with their respective State Government and work place health and safety requirements.

Flight training schools seeking further information are invited to contact AOPA Australia CEO Benjamin Morgan – [email protected]

It doesn’t mention any social distancing requirement, which SAFA (after checking with their insurance brokers) quotes as the reason their members cannot take up passengers at the moment (thereby effectively closing their schools for the time being)

Over here in the UK - virutally all GA airfields are closed to everything except emergency services. Therefore, all instruction - ground or air looks to be off.

Yesterday evening, I saw a C150 in the air. Today, at 16:35Z (17:35 local), there is a single Jodel 1050 that looks to have taken off form a private strip (see FR24 pic, below). Notice, there are only 2 rotors airborne in all of Scotland and it looks like a taxying aircraft at Glasgow (found out, it too is a rotor). My guess is these are for North Sea oil rigs... No CAT/RPT.

The second picture shows Heathrow and Gatwick (and covers the Heathrow stacking area). No aircraft at Gatwick - just a couple of ground vehicles; Heathrow unbelievably quiet..

AOPA has posted this

COVID-19: NO RESTRICTIONS ON FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOLS

April 3, 2020 By Benjamin Morgan

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

AOPA Australia CEO BENJAMIN MORGAN reports.

During this past week, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia (AOPA Australia) has received numerous requests from flight training school business members seeking clarification with respect to the Coronavirus COVID-19 restrictions.

AOPA Australia has today received advice from Senator Susan McDonald, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister, confirming that there are no specific restrictions or prohibitions placed on the operation of flight training schools, but notes that the COVID-19 situation in Australia remains fluid and the situation may change.

Flight training schools are reminded of the need for personal protective equipment and are urged to maintain strict transmission reduction measures at all times.

Flight training schools are also reminded of the need to remain up-to-date with their respective State Government and work place health and safety requirements.

Flight training schools seeking further information are invited to contact AOPA Australia CEO Benjamin Morgan – [email protected]

 

It doesn’t mention any social distancing requirement, which SAFA (after checking with their insurance brokers) quotes as the reason their members cannot take up passengers at the moment (thereby effectively closing their schools for the time being)

Could be interesting to see who's running things, the Chief Health Officers or two Nationals.

Wrt recreational flying activities, rusty planes & pilots, as well as student pilots these Crossbenchers call for change to 'nonsensical' coronavirus restrictions & Do driving lessons count as 'essential'? raises some interesting possibilities perhaps individually we could check with appropriate police and state health officials although membership association such as the RAA, SAAA, APOA, and others making these representions on our behalf may provide an integrated response.

Wrt recreational flying activities, rusty planes & pilots, as well as student pilots these Crossbenchers call for change to 'nonsensical' coronavirus restrictions & Do driving lessons count as 'essential'? raises some interesting possibilities perhaps individually we could check with appropriate police and state health officials although membership association such as the RAA, SAAA, APOA, and others making these representions on our behalf may provide an integrated response.

I wish RAA, SAA and SAFA would lobby on our behalf. After all RAA have 11,000 members, haven't they? They could do it on mass and through CASA, but nothing so far.

The following extract is from an Airwaves received by SAFA (used to be HGFA) on Monday 30th March

Tandem & Dual Occupant Operations:

The Federal Government has put in place and is now enforcing Social Distancing requirements, through the State bodies. Our insurer has advised that under the circumstances, Tandem and Dual Occupant operations are no-longer acceptable and therefore not covered under our insurances.

Fines for breaching these requirements are significant for an instructor (Business) and for the passenger (Client).

Insurance:

Further advise received from our insurers stipulates that SAFA insurance policies require pilots to adhere to legal directions or requirements from the various levels of Government. SAFA insurance coverage (all policies) is not valid for operations or activities that breach government directions.

It is a pilots responsibility to ensure that all facets of any intended flight operation are compliant at all levels.