An aviation industry forum has expressed its enthusiasm for resetting its relationship with CASA in the wake of the Forsyth Report.
The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) has called for more co-operative interaction between CASA and the aviation industry, stating that the last five years have been damaging.
"The industry has a mature approach to aviation safety and recognizes that working with a regulator is far more likely to produce positive safety outcomes than the inappropriate aggressive regulatory stance identified in the Forsyth Report into CASA," Chris Manning, Honorary Chair of TAAAF said on behalf of the united associations.
"The Minister’s imminent announcement of the new CASA Board, the announcement of the successful candidate for the Director of Air Safety / CASA CEO position, the outlining of a new direction for CASA through the Government’s response to the Forsyth Report and the Government’s honouring of its pre-election commitments to an Aviation Industry Consultative Council and other measures represent a significant changing of the guard.
"Industry stands ready and enthusiastic to bring in a new era of enlightened regulation for aviation safety in Australia to repair the damage of recent years."
As well as expressing a desire to improve the strained relationship with the regulator, TAAAF also took aim at the new regulations scheduled to become effective on 1 September. Among those is the 1500-page CASR Part 61, which deals with a new licencing scheme, and Part 141, which details the requirements for non-integrated flying training.
"Many industry participants have reasonably asked for the parts’ commencement to be deferred again as CASA – and consequently industry – is simply not ready," Manning said.
"Part 61 is an overcomplicated and overweight document that would benefit from an intense period of quality control. The likely impacts on training businesses are significant.
"The final Manual of Standards is apparently still under development."