Warped; or, just bent out of shape?
It seems to have been a week related to not only ‘timing’ but to time itself. The much vaunted, fabled process of true regulatory reform has gone from nought to zero in the space of thirty years; industry being no better off now than it was at the beginning of ‘reform’. Some would say we are worse off now because of it. Except I note a couple of ‘new’ buzz word creeping into the vernacular. Used to be anything non airline was classed as General Aviation (GA). Now it seems we have a ‘new’ class’ – to wit; ‘Business Aviation’. Top end ‘charter’ flights, which ain’t; or, might be deemed ‘private operations’ or may even be classed as Regular Public Transport (RPT) - depending on the individual CASA ‘officer’s’ subjective interpretation of the ‘rules’. Watch carefully as the latest round of ‘reformed’ regulation wipes the ‘middle’ level operators off the board as medium weight ‘charter’ aircraft operations (business) become classified as ‘airline’ (Part 121) exponentially increasing operating, maintenance and compliance costs to point where the game ain’t worth the candle.
This angst over classification of operation was stitched up and put to bed decades ago by the grown up aviation authorities; like the CAA, FAA, NZ CAA. Yet, here we are, thirty years, hundreds of millions of dollars later and the best we can get is an unofficial buzz word ‘business aviation’. The fact that ‘business’ it is often classed as a ‘private’ operation becomes yet another example of the confused, politically obliging, money oriented, power through favour driven CASA mind set.
Conversely, we can have a situation where a simple ‘joy flight’ may be considered as a ‘scheduled’ service. This fits in with the endless wrangle over ‘tourism’ packages, which include ‘land’ content and ‘fixed’ departure times to the same destination. A ‘package’ can be deemed ‘scheduled’ and the operator deeply involved in endless ‘correspondence with the ‘authority’. It all depends on subjective opinion of the local field office wallah. Typical for a day at an Australian operations office.
I have just completed a re-reading of two missives from the inestimable Paul D Phelan. Lots and lots of reading; one from 2000 another from 2014. Paul was a long way ahead of his time, streets ahead of the purblind, vainglorious politicians and light years ahead of the CASA. Think on it; 18 long, weary ago, Phelan had it ‘nailed’. Four short, equally weary years ago, the good Rev. Forsyth brought in a government requested report in response to the Aviation safety Regulation Review (ASSR). This was treated more like a revue – rather than a review: comments on the band and dancing girls were passed and quickly consigned to the ‘opinion’ closet. Such is the muddled state of piss poor regulation and idiots writing the rules.
Of course, this current round of political upheaval plays to the CASA hand. A law unto themselves, able to stare down commissions, inquiries and Senate recommendations with impunity – even with strong, stable government looking on. The current situation will see them safely free of scrutiny (not that there was ever very much) and oversight, at liberty to continue on their merry way towards destroying any part of industry they don’t like, through rules they wrote to suit themselves. Aye, when cat’s away the mice will play.
"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war"
Toot – toot.
It seems to have been a week related to not only ‘timing’ but to time itself. The much vaunted, fabled process of true regulatory reform has gone from nought to zero in the space of thirty years; industry being no better off now than it was at the beginning of ‘reform’. Some would say we are worse off now because of it. Except I note a couple of ‘new’ buzz word creeping into the vernacular. Used to be anything non airline was classed as General Aviation (GA). Now it seems we have a ‘new’ class’ – to wit; ‘Business Aviation’. Top end ‘charter’ flights, which ain’t; or, might be deemed ‘private operations’ or may even be classed as Regular Public Transport (RPT) - depending on the individual CASA ‘officer’s’ subjective interpretation of the ‘rules’. Watch carefully as the latest round of ‘reformed’ regulation wipes the ‘middle’ level operators off the board as medium weight ‘charter’ aircraft operations (business) become classified as ‘airline’ (Part 121) exponentially increasing operating, maintenance and compliance costs to point where the game ain’t worth the candle.
This angst over classification of operation was stitched up and put to bed decades ago by the grown up aviation authorities; like the CAA, FAA, NZ CAA. Yet, here we are, thirty years, hundreds of millions of dollars later and the best we can get is an unofficial buzz word ‘business aviation’. The fact that ‘business’ it is often classed as a ‘private’ operation becomes yet another example of the confused, politically obliging, money oriented, power through favour driven CASA mind set.
Conversely, we can have a situation where a simple ‘joy flight’ may be considered as a ‘scheduled’ service. This fits in with the endless wrangle over ‘tourism’ packages, which include ‘land’ content and ‘fixed’ departure times to the same destination. A ‘package’ can be deemed ‘scheduled’ and the operator deeply involved in endless ‘correspondence with the ‘authority’. It all depends on subjective opinion of the local field office wallah. Typical for a day at an Australian operations office.
I have just completed a re-reading of two missives from the inestimable Paul D Phelan. Lots and lots of reading; one from 2000 another from 2014. Paul was a long way ahead of his time, streets ahead of the purblind, vainglorious politicians and light years ahead of the CASA. Think on it; 18 long, weary ago, Phelan had it ‘nailed’. Four short, equally weary years ago, the good Rev. Forsyth brought in a government requested report in response to the Aviation safety Regulation Review (ASSR). This was treated more like a revue – rather than a review: comments on the band and dancing girls were passed and quickly consigned to the ‘opinion’ closet. Such is the muddled state of piss poor regulation and idiots writing the rules.
Of course, this current round of political upheaval plays to the CASA hand. A law unto themselves, able to stare down commissions, inquiries and Senate recommendations with impunity – even with strong, stable government looking on. The current situation will see them safely free of scrutiny (not that there was ever very much) and oversight, at liberty to continue on their merry way towards destroying any part of industry they don’t like, through rules they wrote to suit themselves. Aye, when cat’s away the mice will play.
"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war"
Toot – toot.