Haa Torque

Finding Some of the Restrictions on the National Parks and Wildlife Website Has Helped the Oar Look Into the Matter.

So Far I Have Not Heard Any Real Definitive Information About the Issue but Am Hoping That Soon We Will Have Some Light Shed on the Matter.

Laser Danger

Helicopter Pilots Are Now Facing the Real Dangers of Lunatic Elements in the Community Shining Laser Lights at Them. The Haa is Assembling a Team to Formulate Programs and Initiatives to Educate the Public to the Potentially Disastrous Outcomes of Such Grossly Irresponsible Behaviour.

In September a Nsw Air Ambulance Ems Helicopter Pilot Had a Laser Shone in His Eyes While Attempting to Land at a Hospital With a Critically Ill Patient Onboard. The Potential Result of Such an Activity is Beyond Thinking About.

Some of the Lasers Can Reach as Far as 10,000ft Into the Air. We Need to Speak to the Manufacturers of the Lasers and Gain More Information as to Their Accessibility.

The Haa Has Asked Its Members to Submit Any Stories of Instances Where They Have Experienced Any Kind of Outside Interference, Such as Lasers Being Shone at Them, in the Course of Their Operations. It is Important to Document the Extent of These Issues.

So Far We Have Had Responses From Members From All Over Australia Plus From New Zealand and the Us.

Fly Neighbourly

One of Our Members Submitted to the Haa a Fly Neighbourly Guide That Was Produced Back in 1999.

It is a 67 Page Document Containing an Enormous Amount of Valuable Information.

With This Information and Much More, a Working Group Will Formulate a Program Where We Can Go to Local Councils, the Federal Government, and Casa to Help Us Educate the Public as to the Importance of Our Helicopter Industry, How It is Very Much a Community Based Industry, and Why the Safe Operation of Our Industry is So Important to the Broader Australian Community.

Non Pilot Multi Crew

in September I Had a Meeting With Amanda Thomas of the Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council Regarding the Progression of the Recognition of the Non Pilot Multi Crew Environment. We Still Have a Lot of Work to Do in This Area, but It is Progressing Very Well. The Support From the Helicopter Industry and Other Areas of Aviation Has Been Tremendous. O Australian Aviation is Proud to Be an Official Supporting Journal of the Helicopter Association of Australasia. The Views in This Column Are Those of the Haa, and Not Necessarily Australian Aviation’s.