The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) has released an aviation policy it hopes will foster and promote aviation in Australia and succeed in strengthening rural communities.
TAAAF is a co-operative group made up of Australia's peak aviation bodies designed to give the industry coherence when dealing with government and regulators.
TAAAF Chairman Chris Manning said the new policy identifies a range of initiatives that will help promote aviation in Australia.
"Aviation plays a critical role in providing rural and regional Australia with access to services that metropolitan Australians are fortunate enough to be able to take for granted," he said.
"The [TAAAF] policies call for ongoing access for regional services to capital city airports, improvement of support for remote-area airports and re-introduction of the En Route Subsidy scheme."
As well as tackling regional access issues, the TAAAF policy also suggests solutions for pilot and engineer shortages, the industry's lack of faith in CASA, the diminishing manufacturing sector, tax reform, airports, security and insurance.
It also advocates setting up a separate Department of Aviation, or at least a Parliamentary Secretary with specific responsibility.
“It has been decades since a single government agency has taken on the role of fostering and promoting aviation in Australia and governance and regulatory arrangements remain at the heart of restraints on aviation jobs and growth,” said Manning.
“At a time when regional aviation in particular is suffering from pilot and engineer shortages, there is a vacuum of policy aimed at addressing the medium and long term potential of the industry to make an even larger contribution to the economy and to sustaining satisfying careers."
The members of TAAAF are:
- Aerial Agriculture Association of Australia
- Australian Association of Flight Instructors
- Australian Business Aviation Association
- Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association
- Regional Aviation Association of Australia
- Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia
The full TAAAF policy document is available for download from the RAAA website here.