[Peetwo]

Interested in the C.172 incident off Byron I went onto the UP, just to see if any ‘facts’ had turned up and stumbled over this posted by ‘glenb’

We are from CASA and we are here to "help"
________________________________________
I'm the Chief Pilot and Business Owner of an AOC that was recently involved in an Accident. I would rate myself a very vocal critic of CASA. Not the individuals within CASA, but of the CASA created situation the Industry is now in. I retract nothing I have said or written previously.

As with every time CASA walks into the Building of any AOC holder, they could most likely create a "situation" that could make an interruption to Business imminent. That "situation" could potentially be triggered from almost any level within that Organisation, and could stick for some time if required. Especially, after an Accident of an AOC holder that can be a tad "difficult".

It was the first time I have experienced one of these "engagements" and will be working hard to make it my last!

How did it go? EXACTLY, as I would have expected it to go, when dealing with the Regulator that is "banging heads" with me.

It worked as it should. Fortunately I don't have a past experience to compare it with so I cant say if it is better or worse. I can say, I do have a higher expectation of CASA now than in the past and they met it.

CASA chose, to miss their opportunity to "nail me". I reiterate I stand 100% behind every other public comment I have made, but they say Trust is earned. For the first time in years, I actually feel it is within reach.

Some excellent CASA generated products to support Schools were released in the last couple of days. Maybe all the fertiliser that has been dumped, and a good Groundsman is actually resulting in fresh growth. Lets pray and hope for a good season.

It is an interesting post, for several reasons; not least of all being the fact that Glen can countenance the notion of trust.  One swallow does not a summer make, however I can’t help the small glimmer of hope that popped up when I read it.  Can you imagine it, an operator, pilots and CASA working together to prevent another, similar accident occurring.  Identifying all the elements, fixing up the system and then CASA reaching for the ‘breach’ book’ as a last resort, rather than the first thought.

A simple cultural change from a simple act of good faith i.e. CASA doing their job properly as a safety regulator, not a quasi police operation and execution squad.

Let’s hope this attitude is here to stay, it would be a refreshing change to find good things to say, even better if some of the old McComic school of bastardry and embuggerance had departed the fix.

“This is no flattery. These are counselors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.”
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

On the positivity of the 'glenb' UP post,  maybe this is truly a sign that CASA are finally embracing their 'new culture' philosophy. However call me a cynic but when you read the following from my post off the AVMED Proctology forum, quoting a Courier Mail article published today, you get the sense that perhaps there is another dimension to CASA being all touchy, touchy, feely, feely, to 'glenb' over this tragic accident:

QANTAS cleared international pilot Paul Whyte to fly one month before police believe he deliberately crashed his light aircraft into the ocean off northern NSW.

The Lennox Head man passed a mental health check in February even though he had been struggling to deal with a marriage breakdown for nearly a year.

Qantas confirmed the father-of-two had flown Boeing 747 aircraft with a capacity of 467 passengers on the Brisbane to Los Angeles route as a first officer in the weeks before his death on Monday.

The Australian and International Pilots Association has repeatedly declined to comment saying ‘we are not obligated’ to speak about the incident, despite Mr Whyte officially representing the union at Civil Aviation Safety Authority meetings in recent years.

Revelations Mr Whyte was cleared for duty have raised questions from mental health experts about the quality and frequency of checks.

Griffith University psychiatrist Harry McConnell said mental health checks could not pick up sudden changes in stability and called for pilots to more readily report warning signs of their peers to managers.

“Even if he had a mental health screening, it would only have been valid at the time,” he said.

“Even if he wasn’t suicidal a month ago, obviously there was something that happened in the interim that has changed his way of thinking and his mental state.

“These peer programs like they have in North America are good for that and lets mates to look out for mates.

“It would allow airlines to keep track of mental health on a more immediate level.”

A Qantas spokesman said all pilots had annual health checks which involved “a number of physical and psychological tests”.

The tests rely heavily on pilots themselves reporting any “significant” change in their health to obtain a medical certificate.

“Pilots who have a history of psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, personality disorder, mental abnormality or neurosis are disqualified from holding a Class 1 medical certificate — therefore cannot be a commercial airline pilot,” he said.

“As per CASA regulations, all Qantas pilots undergo annual medical evaluations in order to maintain their flying licence.

“This includes a number of physical and psychological tests conducted by a designated aviation medical doctor in a process overseen by CASA.

“Paul passed his annual medical check in February this year. He also passed his proficiency check in November 2015, which includes simulator testing.”

The spokesman added: “There are a number of failsafes from a safety of flight perspective, including the ‘two in the cockpit’ rule that was introduced last year.
“On most international flights there are generally four pilots on board each flight.”

Qantas Chief Pilot Captain Richard Tobiano told the Gold Coast Bulletin the tragedy was “very upsetting” for Mr Whyte’s “family, friends and colleagues”.

“It is with great sadness that I confirm that an off-duty Qantas pilot was flying a light aircraft which went missing off the northern coast of New South Wales on Monday evening,” he said.

“As you can imagine this is a very upsetting time for his family, friends and colleagues, and we’re providing them with as much support as we can.
“I ask you to respect their privacy at this time.

On Monday the father of two rented a Cessna 172 from the Northern Rivers Aero Club in Lismore, sent a final text message to his family and crashed the plane six nautical miles offshore from Byron Bay. Qantas has confirmed he was in cleared for active duty on the day he died.

MTF...P2