[Peetwo]

Latest on uniquely Australian ADSB debacle. 

From off 'CASA meets the Press' thread:

Skid'Mark;

“The pace of change may not be as fast as some would prefer, but real change is underway,” he said. “Like any worthwhile task everything cannot be achieved at once and foundations must be laid before the structure can be constructed.”

Horsehit mate. 28 years + $300 million dollars, hundreds of lives lost, businesses going broke, billions of potential economic dollars lost over the decades, G.A dead and the future of potential aviation apprentices lost forever! We've been more than fuc#king patient mate.

Off with their heads

The aviation industry says it's going to the wall because of over regulations by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Around 300 pilots and members of the industry met with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and the Minister for Transport Darren Chester on Friday afternoon to raise their concerns.

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 Geoff Boyd CASA.

Hitch yesterday in Oz Flying regurgitated some of the more significant statements made from BJ, DC, JB & Dick Smith - Inside Tamworth: What they said. From that here is part of what Jeff Boyd said on the ADSB issue in regards to Skidmore's comments at Estimates (note the word CAN'T ):

"..I know Mark [Skidmore] copped a hard time for holding the company line last night in Senate Estimates. I think he was a bit set-up there, which was unfortunate, because we had a conversation as recently as yesterday about what we can do to alleviate the problems of ADS-B being brought in. When I was chairman of the RAAA [Regional Aviation Association of Australia], I was one of the biggest protester of ADS-B. I think it's a stupid idea to bring it in three to four years ahead of the country that manufactures this kit. But, I came in afterwards and now I'm trying to unpick it. Things have happened; things are moving. Just rolling it [the February 2017 mandate] back doesn't work; it's impossible, it can't work.

There are people who are co-operative in the organisation [CASA]. You bring the case [for ADS-B exemption] to us, we'll look at the case, and providing we can make it work, we'll make it work. We're not in the business of putting people out of business ... I want to see this industry prosper.." 

Skidmore ambushed by Xenophon? - BOLLOCKS Jeff  If you or "Mark" had done your homework and considered the previous Estimates & QON, you would have noted that NX has fielded many questions on behalf of Dick Smith & industry on the subject of the ADSB rollout.

Now I can understand the Skidmore attitude for he has shown nothing but contempt for industry concerns, ever since he said that the Forsyth review was "just another person's opinion..", that was despite the massive uptake by industry (269 submissions representing 1000's of stakeholders) on providing input to the Reverend's 'opinion'.

However coming from the industry - "Great White Hope" - for a true industry advocate finally at the helm of the CASA board, I'd expect much..much better -

It is worth reflecting on the Hitch quote statement from Dick Smith:

Dick Smith - Aviation identity and former Chairman of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Jeff [Boyd], you've made the same error that I made when I was Chairman, and that is you've been told that this mandate is some requirement from Airservices, and in fact, the predecessor of Mark Skidmore, John McCormick, told the industry that in fact the particular mandate would not come in; he'd make sure it didn't come in because there was no safety reason for it. And Airservices wouldn't budge. Now, I've really studied this, I've really looked into it, I have a lot of inquiries with Airservices ... I've spent a lot of time with them and I really believe the only reason they're doing it is so some of their boffins can win an international award for being the first country to introduce ADS-B.

If it does come in in February, it will completely destroy the general aviation industry. 

  

Show us your safety case?

"..Skidmore ambushed by Xenophon? - BOLLOCKS Jeff ...If you or "Mark" had done your homework and considered the previous Estimates & QON, you would have noted that NX has fielded many questions on behalf of Dick Smith & industry on the subject of the ADSB rollout..."

To back up my statement above, the following is copied across from the latest PAIN email chain...

I am reliably told that Boyd no longer replies to or acknowledges any form of telecommunication messages or even written correspondence. However maybe someone may bring this to his attention. The following is Hansard from the February 2016

Senator XENOPHON: Can I just go further to Senator Sterle's line of questioning about the ADSB. I spoke to Dick Smith—the solvent one—earlier today.

CHAIR: You mean that quiet young bloke that has a farm out here and flies occasionally?

Senator XENOPHON: Yes, that is the one. Not to be confused with the company. He is concerned about the implementation of the ADSB. Within 12 months—as I understand it, by February 2017—there is a requirement for ADSB to be fitted to every small plane that flies in cloud. Is that your understanding?

Mr Skidmore : February 2017 is the mandate for all IFR aircraft to be fitted with ADSB, yes.

Senator XENOPHON: Does that include small planes?

Mr Skidmore : All IFR aircraft.

Senator XENOPHON: Dick Smith advised me earlier today that it is in the region of $49,000 for that for a small aircraft.

Mr Skidmore : I do not know the numbers. I have seen the quote that Mr Smith has provided to me several times for his Citation jet. That is in the order of $55,000. I do not know the numbers for other small aircraft.

Senator XENOPHON: I am just relaying a conversation I had. I have his permission to relate it. He says, 'This will be the death knell of general aviation.' He goes on to say that there is no safety case, because this relates to avoiding collisions in cloud. Is that right? That is what it is about.

Mr Skidmore : It is an enhancement to a surveillance system. You can use a number of different methods to do surveillance. Radar is one of them, but we do not have radar all over Australia. ADSB is another way of providing it, by having stations around Australia. I understand—you would have to get the exact number from Air Services—there is in the order of 73 ADSB stations around Australia providing coverage anywhere from 20,000 upwards or thereabouts, but it will drop down to 10,000 in most areas and down to the ground in a lot of areas. So we are starting to get a surveillance system around this great country that will actually be providing us with information to be able to do air traffic management.

Senator XENOPHON: Because I have a whole range of other questions, could you take on notice the safety case? Mr Smith advises me that he does not think there has ever been a case of two aircraft colliding in cloud in this country.

Mr Skidmore : And let's stop it. Let's make sure we have a system in place that stops that from happening.

Senator XENOPHON: But it has not happened because, and the point was made by Mr Smith to me, there are already rules in this country in that you have to do a flight plan if you are flying in light cloud and you have to give full position reporting—something that does not happen in other countries. There are whole range of safeguards in place.

Mr Skidmore : There are currently procedural methods in place—and, again, this is more a discussion with Airservices, I suspect, to talk about how these things work—that operate in regard to an area without surveillance coverage. We are trying to provide surveillance coverage for Australia.

CHAIR: If I have Cherokee 140 or a Cessna 150, I am not likely to want to do IFR in cloud with that equipment on board, am I?

Mr Skidmore : If you are flying in instrument-flight conditions, I think you would like to have a surveillance system on board. As of February 2017, you will have to have it on board.

CHAIR: What proportion of people who have a Cessna 150 do IFR now?

Mr Skidmore : I do not have that figure.

CHAIR: I do not think there would be too many. Dick might, but I don't think I would.

Mr Skidmore : I do not think he flies a Cessna—

CHAIR: No, he does not—but a very nice caravan.

Senator XENOPHON: Perhaps I could ask you on notice about the safety case. My understanding is that we have procedures in place for flight plans in cloud and full position reporting and the like which is different from other countries such as the US and other vast countries. Dick Smith and others have questioned the safety case for that and also the impact on general aviation.

Additional Estimates:

In that passage, in typical arrogant contempt by this individual, Skidmore  effectively ducked the QON, NX QON 165: http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/Committees...AE1516.pdf

Senator XENOPHON: Because I have a whole range of other questions, could you take on notice the safety case? Mr Smith advises me that he does not think there has ever been a case of two aircraft colliding in cloud in this country.

Unfortunately due to the DD & the inept Department this QON is yet to receive an AQON. Therefore maybe we can get a straight answer from Chairman Boyd on the documented safety case for the ADSB being necessarily implemented at least 3 yrs before the rest of the aviation 1st World?

Next, apparently after having no heart or justified safety case for inflicting ADSB (3 years ahead of the US on an already struggling GA industry), the Australian Strategic Air Traffic Management Group (ASTRA) has finally made a concession for VFR aircraft owners to only voluntarily equip their aircraft with ADSB - UFB!

The Australian Strategic Air Traffic Management Group (ASTRA) has proposed that aircraft flying under Visual Flight Rules be encouraged to fit ADS-B Out systems voluntarily.

Under the current regulations, ADS-B is being mandated from February 2017 for only IFR aircraft.

In an ASTRA paper developed in March 2016, the group states that fitting ADS-B to VFR aircraft would increase safety because the aircraft would be visible to ATC, on traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS) and to other aircraft fitted with ADS-B In.

The paper also acknowledges that VFR aircraft owners are unlikely to fit voluntarily unless the systems got a lot cheaper to buy and install.

"Maximising voluntary fitment of ADS-B technology in VFR aircraft will enable air-air traffic awareness methods and technologies, and significantly improve aviation safety," the ASTRA document states.

"Whilst regulated mandatory fitment is not indicated, widespread equipage can be encouraged through the adoption of appropriate standards and installation process simplification.

"The CASA Director has instructed staff to examine means to encourage voluntary installation of ADS-B into the general aviation (GA) fleet and reduce the costs of equipping GA aircraft with ADS-B.

This is ongoing work but the findings to date have been included in this paper for completeness."

ASTRA proposes that CASA should accept FAA Technical Service Order (TSO) C199 as acceptable for VFR, or that CASA allows non-TSO approve avionics in VFR provided the manufacturer has a statement of compliance with the TSO.

Most importantly, ASTRA has proposed that CASA changes the requirements for installing some avionics to lower the cost of design, installation and maintenance, which is sees as vital if ADS-B Out is to become widespread in VFR aircraft.

"Alternative approaches, based on TSO approved equipment and individual installations being subject to modification approval, seem certain to ensure that ADS-B fitment does not become widespread – and the benefits of widespread equipage and air-air awareness will not be provided," the paper states.

"By bringing ADS-B OUT fitment within reach for VFR aircraft, the approach proposed in this paper enables ADS-B IN technologies and methods for traffic awareness and alerting by pilots of all equipped aircraft. It is expected that products which combine ADS-B OUT and IN functions, including those with wireless links to handheld portable tablets and EFBs, will proliferate in GA markets."

It is believed the ASTRA paper is being circulated to selected aviation associations for comment.

Full ASTRA proposal

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...wbqkiJL.99

   
Well that's big of them because the word is if the status quo remains till 2020, it will all be over for GA by then - FDS!



MTF...P2