Two aviation lobby groups, the Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) met representative of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Canberra on Wednesday morning.
Both groups released policy papers in April, and were given the opportunity to reinforce their positions in separate meetings chaired by department Deputy Secretary Shane Carmody. Executive Director Airports and Aviation Pip Spence was also present.
The CASA representatives included DAS Mark Skidmore, Stakeholder Engagment Group Manager Rob Walker and Aviation Group Manager Graeme Crawford.
Honorary Chairman Greg Russell headed the TAAAF contingent and later described the meeting as "positive". TAAAF canvassed many issues raised in their 2016 policy, including regulatory reform, progress on the Forsyth reforms, and the CASA board and its relationship with the Director of Aviation Safety.
AOPA's presence was as part of the group who collaborated on Project Eureka, which included AVM (Retd) Gary Beck, AOPA President Marc De Stoop, AMROBA Chief Exective Ken Cannane and new AOPA board member Ben Morgan.
Details of the discussions are expected to remain confidential until the official minutes of both meetings are made public.