CASA Briefing Newsletter - November 2012

[Admin]

From the Director of Aviation Safety

 

John McCormick

 

A package of discussion papers is about to be released setting out a range of options for developing updated maintenance regulations for charter, aerial work and private operations. In other words, for operations other than regular public transport. The package covers maintenance providers, maintenance personnel licensing, continuing airworthiness management, maintenance programs and airworthiness reviews. This is the start of an extensive process of consultation with the aviation community about what the updated maintenance regulations for these sectors should look like. Everyone will be given plenty of time to read the discussion papers and send comment to CASA on the various options. While the discussion papers indicate CASA’s preferred options, nothing is locked in and all comments will be carefully considered before the regulatory development process moves forward. All proposed regulatory changes will then be published in notices of proposed rule making, which will give everyone another opportunity to comment before any new rules are finalised.

 

I hope the publication of these discussion papers puts an end to the spurious claims that CASA is intending simply to extend the new maintenance regulations which have already been introduced for regular public transport operations to the charter, aerial work and private sectors. The content of the discussion papers will show that this is not the case. Naturally, the overall scope of the options has been shaped to fit with the new regular public transport maintenance rules - to do otherwise would not make sense. But all of the options recognise the need for a proportional approach to the regulation of maintenance in the non regular public transport sectors. One size does not fit all, and the discussion papers reflect that fact. The updated maintenance standards will take account of the type of aircraft operation involved, the flying environment and associated levels of risk. Options have been developed offering a range of benefits and flexibility for charter, aerial work and private operators, while maintaining and enhancing safety. As with the development of all new regulations the aim is to create modern, logically organised, internationally aligned and technologically relevant rules to help everyone in aviation operate to the optimal safety standards. I urge everyone to read the discussion papers when they are released in the near future and provide comments to CASA.

 

Best regards

 

John F McCormick

 

Easier compliance with drug and alcohol rules widens

 

More small aviation organisations will be able to take advantage of a simplified and streamlined process for complying with drug and alcohol regulations. Aviation organisations with ten or fewer employees in safety sensitive positions may seek an exemption from the requirement to develop and implement a full-scale drug and alcohol management plan. Instead, these organisations may adopt a specially prepared and simplified drug and alcohol management plan developed by CASA. The CASA drug and alcohol management plan retains many of the key features of a full-scale plan, but with modifications to make it easier for small organisations to implement and run. Previously, aviation organisations with seven or fewer employees in safety sensitive positions could utilise the CASA drug and alcohol management plan. The increase from seven to ten follows feedback to CASA and brings the threshold in line with relevant international definitions for small aviation organisations. The exemption does not apply to aviation organisations engaged in or providing services to regular public transport operations. CASA is reminding small aviation organisations there are now no excuses for failing to fully comply with the drug and alcohol regulations. Audits and surveillance of aviation organisations by CASA will ensure appropriate drug and alcohol management plans are in place.

 

Find out more about drug and alcohol management plans.

 

Flight data and voice recorder warning

 

Owners and operators of aircraft fitted with flight data and cockpit voice recorders are being warned to ensure the systems are operating correctly. In an airworthiness bulletin CASA says problems are occurring due to inadequate maintenance programs for recorders. This is most prevalent in flight data and cockpit voice recorder systems installed after the manufacture of an aircraft under a supplemental type certificate. The airworthiness bulletin says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s experience over recent years is that recorder serviceability problems are still occurring. CASA has previously issued two civil aviation advisory publications providing instructions for the maintenance of recorders, and owners and operators are urged to follow this guidance. They contain information for the continuity of recording, data retrieval, the schedule for operational and functional checks and the requirements of a system of maintenance for recorders. In the new airworthiness bulletin it is pointed out that a single failure in one input to a recorder is a failure of the complete system. Operators are told they should be able to download data from recorders in a readable format at the request of CASA or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Defects must be reported using CASA’s service difficulty reporting system.

 

Read the flight data and cockpit voice recorder airworthiness bulletin.

 

We're closing for Christmas, so get your service requests in now!

 

Anyone in aviation who will need a regulatory service from CASA during the Christmas-New Year period needs to act now. CASA will be closed for all normal services right through the holiday period. The closure will start at end of business on Friday, 21 December 2012, and normal services will not resume until the start of business on Wednesday, 2 January 2013. Regulatory services such as medical renewals, aircraft registrations and air operator’s certificate variations will not be processed during the Christmas-New Year shutdown. All offices, including the CASA Licensing and Registration Centre, will be closed. If you think you will need regulatory services over the Christmas-New Year period you should act now to make the necessary arrangements. Contact the relevant area in CASA as soon as possible so that your service request can be processed before the shutdown. Leaving a service request to the last minute can lead to disappointment.

 

Naturally, CASA will have staff available over the holiday period to assist with urgent aviation safety matters. The best way to contact CASA will be through the switchboard telephone number - 131 757 - and then follow the prompts. Foreign air operators who require assistance over the Christmas period should contact CASA through Dean Robertson, team leader, international operations, by phone on + 61 7 3144 7400 or mobile +61 435 963 446 (mobile number 0435 963 446) or through the email address for International Operations of international_ops (and then the usual at sign) casa.gov.au.

 

Updated advice on flying at non-controlled aerodromes

 

Advice to pilots on good airmanship and safe operations when flying at non-controlled aerodromes has been updated. A civil aviation advisory publication on operations in the vicinity of non-controlled aerodromes now includes information on broadcast areas. These were formerly known as large Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) areas. Broadcast areas are Class G airspace with a discrete broadcast frequency covering grouped aerodromes and landing areas. They are based on the lateral boundaries of the old large CTAFs, but now with a vertical limit. Pilots need to make sure they check the relevant charts to determine the new vertical limit for each broadcast area, as this will vary depending on adjoining airspace or other factors. All flights in a broadcast area must use the discrete broadcast frequency and maintain a listening watch. When pilots are in the vicinity of any non-controlled aerodrome within a broadcast area they are expected to make a series of positional radio calls. These calls include before or during taxiing, before entering a runway, ten nautical miles or earlier when approaching an aerodrome, before joining the circuit and on final approach.

 

Read the updated civil aviation advisory publication on operations in the vicinity of non-controlled aerodromes.

 

Action to improve Torres Strait safety

 

Safety and air traffic management in the Torres Strait region has been improved by the creation of a new broadcast area. The Torres Strait Broadcast Area came into effect on 15 November 2012, covering an area within a 40 nautical mile boundary with the radius centred on the Horn Island aerodrome. This includes a number of aerodromes on Torres Strait Islands as well as the Northern Peninsula aerodrome at Bamaga. It covers Class G airspace from the surface to 8,500 feet. The Torres Strait Broadcast Area CTAF is 126.5 Mhz. CASA created the new broadcast area to deal with problems relating to radio frequency congestion, as well as an increasing number of aircraft proximity events. These issues have emerged as a result of the rise in the amount of air traffic in the region, changes in the mix of aircraft types and an increase in commercial operations. There are now large complex aircraft operating regular services in the Torres Strait area. CASA carried out extensive consultation with the local aviation community, with a seminar recently held on Horn Island. Pilots operating under both the visual and instrument flight rules must make a radio broadcast before entering the Torres Strait Broadcast Area, make radio calls when in the vicinity of aerodromes and maintain a continuous listening watch. The CTAF is not monitored by air traffic control.

 

Find out more at the Aeronautical Information Service.

 

Chlorides a danger to stainless steel components

 

Aircraft operators and maintainers have been warned about the dangers of allowing stainless steel components to contact any materials containing chlorides. In an airworthiness bulletin CASA says chlorides are present in fibreglass tape, neoprene tubing and packaging material such as PVC sheeting. Problems can arise when the chlorides in these materials break down and result in the formation of salts which are highly corrosive to stainless steel. This can then lead to stress corrosion cracking. The issue was first identified by an American turbine engine manufacturer who alerted air operators to the danger of wrapping stainless steel tube assemblies with neoprene tubing and fibreglass tape. Stainless steel tubes handled in this way are at risk of premature failure. Using PVC packaging can also result in chloride-based residue being left on stainless steel components. The risks of chlorides to stainless steel components affect both turbine and piston engines, as well as flight control terminals. Chlorides can also react with titanium when operating in temperatures above 150 degrees celsius. CASA strongly recommends operators and maintainers do not allow chloride-based materials to contact any stainless steel or titanium components, including flight control terminals.

 

Read the chloride hazard airworthiness bulletin.

 

Better support for helicopter instructors

 

Extensive feedback from the helicopter flying training sector has been used to improve the important Helicopter Flight Instructor Manual. A new edition of the manual is now available, covering everything from the principles and methods of instruction to mountain flying awareness. The 99-page manual provides examples of how to apply the psychology of learning in a practical way to helicopter training, while setting out how to teach the exercises a student must master to gain a helicopter pilot licence. A total of 28 ground and air instruction exercises are covered in detail, including preparation for flight, climbing, descending and turning, engine failure, autorotation, low-level operations, navigation and sling load operations. There are practical tips for instructors, as well as information on how to prepare for exercises. The manual says one of the important ingredients for a safe and viable aviation industry is a properly resourced flying training sector. Flying instructors need a basic guide to elementary flying training, which is delivered through the Helicopter Flight Instructor Manual. The manual was developed in conjunction with the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

 

Read the Helicopter Flight Instructor Manual.

 

All you need to know about aircraft log books

 

Aircraft owners and maintainers have been given updated guidance on how to properly maintain aircraft log books and how to develop alternative log books. A revised civil aviation advisory publication on aircraft log books has been released, the first update for 20 years. The Civil Aviation Regulations require the registration holder of an Australian aircraft to keep an aircraft log book and to make it available to CASA and maintainers. By following the guidance in the advisory publication people responsible for log books will be better able to comply with the relevant regulations. Log books must contain a range of information about an aircraft including the maintenance program, records of maintenance, records of time-lifed components and records of compliance with applicable airworthiness directives. Any log books that meet all the requirements set out in the Civil Aviation Orders do not need any specific approval from CASA. However, an alternative log book – such as computer software, card systems or other database – must be approved by CASA. The advisory publication sets out what is required for an alternative log book, covering subjects including engine records, propeller records, major assembly and component history cards and instructions.

 

Read the aircraft log book advisory publication.