From the Director of Aviation Safety

[Admin]

A major milestone in the revision of Australia’s aviation safety regulations was reached this month. The maintenance suite of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations was formally endorsed by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, then approved by the Federal Executive Council and made by the Governor General. These steps have paved the way for CASA to begin a comprehensive program of communication and education for the aviation maintenance industry on the new regulations. This program will begin early next year in preparation for the introduction of the new regulations in late June 2011.

 

It is important to remember the new maintenance suite of regulations does not apply to all sectors of the aviation industry. The two parts of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations covering continuing airworthiness requirements (Part 42) and approved maintenance organisations (Part 145) apply only to the regular public transport sector. In other words, these new regulations cover the management of airworthiness by regular public transport operators, as well as the conduct of maintenance by organisations that maintain regular public transport aircraft or supply aeronautical products for these aircraft. Air operators and maintenance organisations covered by the new rules will have two years to make the transition to Parts 42 and 145. The current maintenance regulations covering other sectors of operations, such as charter, general aviation and aerial work, will be revised at a later date.

 

The other half of the maintenance suite of new regulations covers maintenance personnel licensing (Part 66) and maintenance training organisations (Part 147). All current licensed aircraft maintenance engineers will have their licence privileges moved across to the new licensing system so they can continue to undertake their work. CASA will write directly to all LAMEs during the first half of next year to trigger this process, which CASA will complete by 27 June 2011. Naturally, it would be wise for all LAMEs to check now to make sure CASA has their current address and other contact details. It is a requirement under the Civil Aviation Regulations that licence holders notify CASA immediately of a change of address. The new rules for the maintenance training organisations will take effect from June next year, with two years to obtain approvals under the regulations.

 

The maintenance suite of regulations will bring a range of benefits to the aviation industry. I believe people in aviation maintenance will find the new rules easier to understand, making compliance more straightforward. The safety standards and outcomes CASA expects are clearly set out and industry can take advantage of the outcome-based approach of the regulations to find an optimum means of compliance. This means safety is maintained at the highest possible levels, while a new degree of flexibility is introduced. This flexibility will position Australia well to meet the challenges of developments in technology and aviation innovation in the future.

 

As 2010 draws to a close I would like to thank everyone in Australian aviation for their efforts during the year to maintain and improve our air safety system. All of us play a role in one way or another in making Australia a world leader in aviation safety. Whether you are flying or maintaining a Cessna or a B747, your knowledge, skills and responsible decision making are critical to safety. Our safety system is also underpinned by the quality and performance of our air traffic controllers, cabin crew, managers, regulators, investigators and many others. I hope all of you have an enjoyable Christmas-New Year break and for those taking to the skies, please fly safely.

 

Best regards

 

John F McCormick

 

Our pilot training is world class

 

There is no intention to reduce the minimum flight hour requirements for gaining Australian flight crew licences. That’s the assurance given by CASA in its submission to the current Senate inquiry into pilot training and airline safety. In addition, CASA says there are no plans to reduce existing pilot currency or proficiency standards. In a detailed 31 page submission to the inquiry, CASA points out Australian licensing standards meet or exceed those set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and generally accord with standards in Europe, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Australia’s approach to pilot training combines a rigorous competency-based flying training program with a specified minimum number of flying hours. Competency-based training focuses on the objective assessment of skills, knowledge and behaviours which is measured against specified performance criteria. Most competencies relate to piloting skills, however, they include crew team work, human factors and decision making.

 

CASA’s submission to the inquiry says completing an arbitrary number of flight hours alone may not necessarily ensure pilot competency. For this reason CASA does not support proposals to increase minimum hour requirements for airline co-pilots to 1500 hours. It is pointed out that since 2001 the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has investigated five occurrences involving co-pilots where pilot experience was identified as a safety factor. Four of these co-pilots had well in excess of 1500 hours flying time. Overall, CASA says Australia’s pilot training system produces pilots well equipped to move safely and competently into the airline environment.

 

Read CASA and other

 

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submissions to the Senate inquiry.

 

CASA Christmas holiday arrangements

 

Leaving the present shopping until Christmas Eve is a choice some people make. However, no-one in aviation should wait until the last minute to arrange their holiday period CASA regulatory services.

 

CASA will be closed for normal business from close of business Friday 24 December 2010 until start of business Tuesday 4 January 2011.

 

This means regulatory services, such as licence or medical renewals or changes to certificates or other permissions, will not be processed during the holiday period. Anyone who knows they will need regulatory services during the holiday period must act now. Please contact the CASA Licensing and Registration Centre, the Permissions Application Centre or your local CASA office to arrange for the service you need to be processed now. Waiting any longer to request an essential regulatory service such as a medical certificate renewal will cause you problems.

 

Naturally, if you need CASA assistance during the holidays due to unforseen circumstances or an emergency there will be help available. A duty officer can be contacted between Christmas and New Year for urgent aviation safety matters. Just call the CASA switchboard on 131 757 and follow the prompts.

 

International operators who need CASA assistance between 24 December 2010 and 4 January 2011 should telephone + 61 4 03 367 497 (mobile 0403 367 497) or email

 

 

 

 

 

[email protected]

 

 

 

Find out more about the Christmas holiday arrangements.

 

 

 

A380 engines get new inspections

 

 

 

CASA issued a direction to Qantas earlier this month requiring further inspections of Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines fitted to A380 aircraft. Qantas was required to inspect an oil filler tube that feeds oil to the Trent 900 engine's high pressure/intermediate pressure bearing structure. The inspections were carried out in accordance with detailed technical information contained in a service bulletin issued by Rolls-Royce. A borescope was inserted into the oil tube to provide a view of the condition of the wall of the tube. Engineers were looking for any sign of the wall of the tube being out of tolerance and reduced in thickness, which could cause the tube to crack and leak oil. Evidence of a problem with the oil tube was found during the investigation into the Qantas A380 engine failure near Singapore on 4 November 2010. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau identified the condition of the tube as a safety issue and issued a safety recommendation to Rolls-Royce. CASA continues to liaise closely with Qantas, the European Aviation Safety Agency, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau over the Trent 900 issues and the investigation of the A380 incident. In monitoring developments CASA will take any further action that may be necessary in the interests of safety.

 

 

 

Wagga getting close to needing control

 

 

 

A report into the airspace surrounding Wagga aerodrome has found a level of air traffic control services will be required in the next few years. The report, issued by CASA’s Office of Airspace Regulation, says modelling has indicated the use of a third party flight information service should be considered before moving to full air traffic control services. A trial of an enhanced Unicom service was conducted at Wagga, concluding in early 2009. It is recommended the aerodrome operator investigates the introduction of a third party flight information service, which may initially only be required during peak regular public transport arrival and departure times. A further recommendation is for Airservices Australia and CASA to closely monitor traffic movement and incident data at Wagga with the view to re-establishing an air traffic control tower when movements exceed 60,000 a year.

 

 

 

The report also says consideration should be given to introducing Class E airspace at Wagga at lower levels. Currently Class E exists above the aerodrome from 8500 feet. Changes could be made to the airspace structure to introduce Class E in control steps from 8500 feet down to 700 feet above ground level. This would provide greater protection to regular public transport aircraft as all aircraft in this airspace would be required to use a transponder. In addition, the report says CASA’s aviation safety advisers should work with the aerodrome operator to establish a regular program of safety seminars at Wagga.

 

 

 

Read the Wagga airspace report in full.

 

 

 

Need to know about aviation dumb-bells? Read on.

 

 

 

Pilots and aerodrome operators need to know about aviation dumb-bells. In aviation, dumb-bells are a ground signal used at certified aerodromes, where there is not a continuous air traffic control service during the day, to show ground operations must be confined to hard surface areas. They are also used at registered aerodromes. It is a way of telling pilots that parts of the aerodrome movement areas are unserviceable because they are soft and wet. The use of the dumb-bell signal means the soft areas do not need to be individually marked out. The straight section of the dumb-bell must be 1.5 metres long, with the circles on either end 1.5 metres in diameter, and the whole sign displayed in a signal circle. When a dumb-bell is displayed at an aerodrome with sealed and gravel surfaces, plots should only travel on the sealed parts. Where there are gravel and natural surfaces, use only the gravel areas. Aerodromes with access to the NOTAM system must also ensure a NOTAM is issued where pilots carry out straight-in approaches that would not allow them to sight the dumb-bell. CASA has just published a draft advisory circular on dumb-bells.

 

 

 

Read thedumb-bell draft advisory circular.

 

 

 

ATC starts at Broome and Karratha

 

 

 

New air traffic control services began operating at Broome and Karratha in Western Australia last month. Seven air traffic controllers are based in Broome, operating across three shifts. Five controllers are based in Karratha and they work across two shifts. In Broome the Airservices Australia controllers are working from a temporary air traffic control tower, while in Karratha an existing tower has been recommissioned. When the Broome tower became operational the first aircraft to use the new services was a departing Cessna 206. At Karratha a BA-146 departing to Barrow Island was the first aircraft off the tarmac and the first arrival was a Boeing 737. When the towers are active both locations operate to Class D airspace procedures, with surrounding Class E airspace. Class D airspace extends to 5500 feet. Airservices has begun the construction of a new $20 million air traffic control tower and rescue and fire fighting facility at Broome, with the work scheduled to be completed by mid 2011.

 

 

 

New warning to pilots on fatigue

 

 

 

Pilots involved in aerial agricultural operations have been warned to be on the look out for fatigue. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau issued the warning to coincide with the busiest time of the year for most aerial agriculture pilots. The warning followed a report to the ATSB about an incident where a pilot fell asleep while carrying out locust spotting operations. An observer on the aircraft had to wake the pilot during the flight. In a safety alert the ATSB says pilots must remain aware of the fatal consequences of fatigue. The safety alert says pilots must remember fatigue is not only caused by flying and can be brought on by other work or activities, particularly where there is strenuous activity or long periods of concentration.

 

 

 

A self-assessment fatigue check list is provided for pilots to objectively identify their risk of fatigue before they fly. This includes periods of sleep, disruptions to sleep, extended wakefulness, illness or injury and the effects of medications, drugs or alcohol. The ATSB also provides 11 tips for countering fatigue. They range from arranging work and personal activities to ensure enough sleep is obtained to asking co-workers and family to keep an eye on your performance. If you are feeling tired naps during the day may help, as long as naps are limited to 20 to 40 minutes and you wait at least 30 minutes before flying.

 

 

 

Read the ATSB’s safety alert on fatigue.

 

 

 

Remember military airspace has changed

 

 

 

Pilots who are flying over the Christmas holidays need to remember there have been recent changes to the way military airspace operates. Restricted airspace has been reclassified to conditional status to give pilots a clear idea whether they can plan to fly through these areas. Airspace that is conditional status RA 1 is military airspace civilian pilots can plan to fly through when it is active. If this airspace is not open to civilian operations a NOTAM will state it is not available. Conditional status RA 2 is airspace civilian pilots should not plan to operate through when active, although it may at times be available and a NOTAM will advise. Conditional status RA 3 airspace is never open to civilian operations, except in emergencies.

 

 

 

If pilots cannot determine the conditional status of military airspace, it should be treated as RA 3 and the area should be avoided. CASA has sent information on the military airspace changes to all pilots through the mail, as well as providing posters to aero clubs, flying schools and sports aviation

 

 

 

clubs. Information is also being inserted into ultralight and sports aviation magazines.

 

 

 

Find out more about the military airspace changes.

 

 

 

Brush up your controlled airspace knowledge

 

 

 

The holidays are a great time to go flying. But for some pilots who don’t fly that often there may be the challenge of operating in and around controlled airspace. The answer is to brush up your knowledge and skills by using CASA’s on-line manual for operating at controlled general aviation aerodromes – OnTrack. Logging in to OnTrack allows pilots to learn all about the new Class D procedures and shows how to avoid airspace infringements. Aerodromes covered by OnTrack are Bankstown, Camden, Archerfield, Moorabbin, Parafield and Jandakot. Inbound and outbound tracks are shown and explained for each aerodrome, as well as hotspots for violations of controlled airspace. Video, pop-ups, photographs and animation make OnTrack effective and enjoyable to use. There is also a section that explains in detail all the new Class D requirements.

 

 

 

 

Visit OnTrack and refresh your knowledge of controlled airspace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest burbles1]

I hope that if they do establish CTA at Wagga, it is stepped airspace instead of one big exclusion zone 20nm out and down to the surface.

 

Why is this big grab of G airspace happening? Just seems like overkill.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

The docuemnt described what they intend, stepped levels (upside down wedding cake) from 8500 with the closest in class E down to 700ft above the field. The irony then is that 3 axis aircraft like jab's etc who will becuase of speed use 1000ft circuits wont be able to operate unless they have a transponder..... Trikes and drifters and such that becuase of speed can have the lower 500ft circuit wont need transponders..... Why not just take it down to gnd level and be done with it???? I suspect that a drifter or Trike would be just as concerning to an RPT dude as a J160 would be....

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest burbles1]

As I read, it's intended to have Class E down to 700' AGL, then Class D below that. This would exclude all pilots without a CTA endo/PPL, regardless of whether they are in a trike doing CCTs at 500'.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I would be suprised if they had class D from Ground to 700ft and usually where there is a class D (around a manned tower) above D is usually C not E.....but then I'd have been equally surprised to see class E at 700ft...Perhaps the thing is just expect the unexpected. The worst thing is I believe there is a fool somewhere who believes he's fixing a problem, and Im sure the RPT boys wont be fighting too hard to see sanity prevale....

 

Andy

 

 

[eastmeg2]

What good is ASIC then

 

I'm starting to wonder whether it is worth renewing my ASIC next year. I've probably used it more often at Wagga than any other RPT airport. Others have been Moruya, Mildura and Kingscote, which I visit very infrequently and all except Moruya have alternates not very far away in terms of x-country.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

.... Trikes and drifters and such that becuase of speed can have the lower 500ft circuit wont need transponders..... Why not just take it down to gnd level and be done with it???? I suspect that a drifter or Trike would be just as concerning to an RPT dude as a J160 would be....Andy

Actually XT912s with Streak-3 or SST wings have normal cruise of 60 kn or greater, so normally do 1,000' circuits.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Has anyone else noticed that a new Wagga CTA would likely join up with Albury CTA above 4,500ft.

 

Even though RAA may get 10,000ft, RAA would be restricted to <4,500ft in what then becomes a G-Class corridor between the 2 CTA's.

 

Hmmm, G-Class must be our Amazon rainforest . . . loosing xxx square km per day . . .