Board Meeting Report Feb 2012

[Guest Michael Coates]

http://www.ragandtubeaviator.blogspot.com.au/

[cficare]

...interesting,,,,

 

 

[Guest DWB]

Thanks for the link Michael & the report John

 

 

[cficare]

from what i have heard there is a lot more happening....

 

 

[Guest DWB]

Pre purchase inspections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some years ago the Board brought in a requirement for pre purchase inspections to be conducted by a level 2. This created a legal issue with our Level 2 maintenance providers. The inspections were always meant to be a “condition report”, not a statement that the aircraft was fit to fly. There was a lot of uncertainty here. This also was against our policy of not being more onerous than GA. (GA do not require inspections) This requirement is now removed. It now comes back to the GA system of “Buyer beware”. By all means get pre purchase inspections done, but now you can use whomever you choose.

 

 

So my interpretation is when you buy a second hand plane now you just simply transfer the registration. No Condition Report required. Makes it easier & removes any possible liability on an L2. Of course one needs to know what you're looking at & if in doubt get a second opinion from someone who does know.

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

Hello Dexter, yes I also read this and I strongly disagree with dropping the condition report. The RAA should have been more proactive in getting liability insurance for the people doing the inspections in my opinion. You can imagine the rush of 40 year old aircraft like the Scout that could never be registered because the fabric had deteriorated etc etc and without a condition report some little bunny can buy one off eBay or the trading Post, put it together and go flying (without a licence or registration no doubt).

 

Safety is something which I take seriously and any aircraft we sell second-hand will still have a condition report by an independent level 2 person. It is amazing what a second set of trained eyes can pick up.

 

All just my opinion however and there may be other reasons other than liability that the condition report has been dropped which I am not aware of.

 

 

[Guest DWB]

Michael I'm a little lost here & I admit I haven't been around this stuff as long as you, however, a Condition Report is what you get to transfer Registration. It is not an Airworthy Certification. Even if one gets the Condition Report & it says that, for example, the skins on the Thruster need replacing, when you send your report in with your transfer documents, the aircraft is then registered in your name. It is up to you as the new owner to be responsible & replace those skins before you fly it. It is still registered. As for someone buying some clapped out relic on Ebay etc & run off & fly it without doing any paperwork including registering than they are beyond all help in my opinion & reserve a page in the Darwin Awards. You don't have to have a Condition Report to purchase an AC, you must submit one to transfer the registration (or use to, as the case may be)

 

I totally agree with you that this is all about safety but the Condition Report was not about approving an AC as airworthy. Maybe it should have been that all AC on transfer must be signed off as airworthy before Registration was formally transferred, however, once again as pointed out in the Board Meeting report even GA aren't required to do this & RAAus was supposed to be less restrictive. Catch 22.

 

Similar to you, I say this also is just my opinion (& take) on the matter. I congratulate you on your treatment of secondhand planes & this should auger well with any prospective customer.

 

 

[Flying Spanner]

I agree I have had 2 guys that have purchased eBay specials more lately that I can remember. One was great the other a shocker. They expect me to fill out the ACR and get on their way! Until I discover some nice little secrets like a welded up boom that's not straight in this case.

 

I said I am happy to do the report but I will be writing it in the report. The guy never came back and I have not heard otherwise. This situation on its own proves its worth in safety. I think having the document makes things a little more formal. All the L2 has to do is note safety defects that a purchaser may not see or want to see as a safety risk. If the L2 is not comfortable they can simple refuse to sign any paperwork. If the owner knows about a defect and still chooses to fly the A/C it also shows pure negligence if an accident occurs. The owner can also opt for a second L2 if not happy with the report. As an L2 I back the ACR.

 

 

[Guest avi8tr]

The condition report should be mandatory and will help to protect those that don't know enough about aircraft to make sure they don't miss something. No different to a roadworthy being required when selling a car. Sure it's buyer beware but this is a couple of hundo's that could save lives. Last thing we need is bad press.

 

That aside I'm sure these arguments came up at the board meeting and there was likely some logic to it.