A CASA survey of Australian air operators has identified adverse economic conditions as the greatest current risk to aviation safety.
Conducted earlier this year, the survey took submissions from a total of 789 air operators but excluded the 12 largest regular public transport operators. Most of the surveyed holders of air operator’s certificates flew less than 1000 hours per year, with 22 per cent operating just one aircraft and 20 per cent two aircraft. 58 per cent of survey respondents performed some type of passenger carrying activities.
The results of the survey suggest factors such as cost increases for fuel and maintenance can pressure some organisations to reduce safety standards. Nearly 30 per cent of survey respondents singled out economic conditions and profitability as a potential risk to safety, while the next highest ranked risk to safety at 20 per cent was identified as unsafe operators being allowed to continue operating.
Just over 15 per cent of air operators who responded to the survey felt issues relating to operational personnel could put safety in jeopardy, while more than 10 per cent nominated aircraft characteristics as a risk. Other issues identified as risks were aerodrome issues, airspace issues and a lack of understanding of safety management systems.
Despite these concerns, only two per cent of operators believe Australian aviation is not very safe, while 56 per cent believe aviation is extremely or very safe.
In a nod to that ageing GA aircraft problem that CASA is currently investigating, the survey found half of Australia’s fixed wing fleet of aircraft was manufactured before 1980, while the majority of the helicopter fleet was manufactured after 1990.
And in what could be viewed as a slight boost for the regulator-operator relationship, 42 per cent of survey respondents believed CASA was extremely or very helpful in identifying important safety issues air operators were previously unaware of, while only seven per cent felt CASA was not at all helpful.