Commercial Aviation Update

The aviation industry welcomes a fresh set of Government leaders while it is facing some of the biggest changes in its history. Senator Gareth Evans’ experience in legal and energy areas, both valuable to aviation, will no doubt be tested very early. Wholesale organisational, legislative and regulatory changes are already underway. They must be pushed through firmly, sympathetically and without delay to maintain the goodwill of the industry and the confidence of the public.

Previous Minister, Mr Peter Morris and Secretary, Mr Rae Taylor, deserve applause for the enormous amount of hard work put in to improve communication between all sectors of the industry during a very trying period.

Happily, new Associate Secretary, Mr Collin Freeland, is well known and respected by aviation people after his previous stint as Secretary of the separate Department of Aviation. Mr. Freeland and the new Portfolio Secretary, Dr. Peter Wilenski, now have the somewhat challenging task of demonstrating to the industry that the loss of its name and the fragmentation of its organisation will in no way diminish its importance in the eyes of the Government and the people of Australia.

National Conference Looks to Change

As the Prime Minister announced major upheavals in government departments, GAA’s National Conference at Noosa Heads, Queensland, heard calls for a turnaround in attitude and thinking in key areas of aviation. Seventy seven delegates attended the three-day event.

Conference Chairman, Mr John Mulrone, Hawker Pacific’s Queensland Manager, chose the prophetic theme of ‘Our Changing Industry’ to launch a programme of workshops and special addresses on technical, legal, industrial and regulatory subjects.

Developments to Be Stopped

Local Council rules and community objections will seriously hamper growing aviation demands, according to Mr Owen Lawry, Queensland Regional Director for Aviation.

On the Gold Coast, Council by-laws have already stopped the Bond airship from landing, while the purchase of the old racetrack site by nearby developers meant the loss of a valuable Authorised Landing Area (ALA) for local enthusiasts, Mr Lawry told the Conference.

“Very soon, there will be only three Shires in Queensland which have not introduced by-laws to stop development of ALA’s or aerodromes,” warned Mr Lawry. “This reaction follows an increasing tendency in recent years for groups of people to build their own facilities. We now have 609 ALA’s in Queensland alone. ”

Regular and early liaison with local authorities will be essential to satisfy environmental demands and meet the industry’s needs, according to Mr Lawry.

Challenge From Fac

It will not be a “hydra headed monster” says Barry Thompson of the Federal Airports Corporation. As its new General Manager – General Aviation, Mr Thompson says the FAC will make each airport a profit centre, encourage entrepreneurial management and provide decision-making.

The Corporation has attracted adverse publicity from the industry, much of it as a result of last-minute Government action to take away its revenue-earning international terminals.

That should not be an insurmountable problem, according to Mr Thompson, providing FAC’s asset base – ie. what the Government says its assets are worth – is set at a fair level. “In fact, our aim is to reduce landing fees below present levels,” said Mr Thompson, ”through greater efficiency and better use of resources such as vacant airport land”.

To do this, the FAC is challenging the industry to help it answer two questions: what functions can be eliminated, and how can processes be made more efficient? Suggestions should go to Mr Thompson at the FAC’s office at Rosebery in Sydney, phone (02) 697 7445.

Cut Maintenance Costs

Aircraft operators may be wasting maintenance dollars, according to Mr Scotty Farquharson, Assistant Regional Director, Flight Standards, for the Queensland region.

”There is a lot more flexibility in the Department’s maintenance requirements than is being used by operators,” Mr Farquharson said.

The Department believes that modern maintenance philosophies can be adapted to fit traditional General Aviation aircraft by making more use of condition monitoring or condition systems.

In Mr Farquharson’s view, progressive maintenance rather than major periodic work could better fit some operators’ needs and save money at the same time. Similarly, for example, an operator flying long average stages may cause less wear and tear on undercarriages, leaving the way open to apply to the Department for increased time between inspections.

He pointed out that the manufacturer’s recommended times were necessarily based on an average operation. “But there is no reason why those times cannot be varied if the operator does his homework and puts up a soundly-based proposal to us,” said Mr Farquharson.

GAA accepts the theory advanced by the Department but is less certain about its practical application. . Maintenance Committee Chairman Brian Nicolson says GAA has now convened a special task force to examine the proposals and negotiate further with the Department.

Comment

GAA’s commitment to better communications inside and outside the industry will be boosted by Australian Aviation’s positive policy to stimulate debate and improve knowledge through this column. Congratulations to Editor Jim Thorn in taking the initiative for making space available for this important job.