Avalon, ASICs and regulation…

Coming up this year is the Cessna 182 with the SMA diesel engine, an example of which was stand-mounted so one could see all around the unit. A tad different to a Continental or Lycoming.

Beech, Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, Vulcanair, Mahindra (nee GippsAero) were all there as were a number of RA aircraft, big jets and helicopters. What a great experience. What a great way to learn more about the aircraft that an aspiring pilot may soon be flying.

Avalon –a great living learning class room. Where you there?

Asic Cost Rises

A long-running thorn in the side of aircrew is the Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) and its cost.

CASA advised on February 1 that the cost of the card will rise on July 1, 2013.

The increase in cost is attributed to the Commonwealth security clearance agency, Auscheck, increasing its charge for doing background checks on people. As a result of this, private and commercial pilots now have to budget more for the privilege of flying in Australian skies. The cost of obtaining an ASIC does not help to increase pilot numbers.

As a comparison, the marine equivalent – the national Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) – can be supplied by at least three companies. One of the two offered an MSIC for two years at $240 and a four-year MSIC for $440. A second firm offered a MSIC for two years at $252 and a four-year MSIC at $502.

The ASIC, on the other hand, has a life of only two years.

The third company checked was a big firm well known in the security industry. Its website had many pages about the MSIC and said its MSIC ran for five years. Nowhere on its website could this writer find the application form or the cost of the MSIC.

The Power Of The Pen?

In the August 2011 issue of Australian Aviation this column ran an item regarding LAME taxi approval.

As an instructor this writer had conducted a taxi approval on a twin and signed off the engineer on his paperwork. After submitting the paperwork to CASA there was a three-month delay before the regulator replied saying that the engineer needed to be individually checked on each and every model of aircraft that he required taxi approval for and that each approval would cost $160.

That meant that for each C150, C152, C210 etc. there needed to be a check with an instructor and a sign-off for each aircraft model and a fee of $160 – for each approval.

This column suggested there had to be a better and cheaper way. Perhaps a one-off approval for piston singles and twins.

In mid-2003 CASA was already looking at changes to the ground taxying of aircraft by engineers. Mention was made at the time of the need to ‘not unnecessarily increase costs’. Now the soon to be implemented Part 64 CASA Ground Authorisations regulations have been released. Comment closed on February 14 and Part 64 will become effective December 4, 2013.

Part 64-040 Persons who may taxi aeroplanes – general, contains an interesting turn-around. In future engineers will be able to taxi aircraft legally without having an approval for each aircraft model.

The new regs allow for an approval by way of a certificate for ‘each class or type of aeroplane for which the person (engineer) meets the competency standards’. There is no mention of a fee. It will be satisfactory for the engineer to hold the certificate with his licence and produce it on request by CASA. The new approval certificates will have a sunset clause five year life.

“Engineers will be able to taxi aircraft without having an approval for each aircraft model.”

While CASA will discuss the fine detail of the new ground authorisation regulations with industry one could reasonably expect that a taxi approval certification could, for example, be like a pilot’s approval for aircraft. All single engine aircraft below 5,700 kg, and then individual approval for the more complex aircraft such as turbine powered single engine aircraft and any multi engine aircraft. Yes, that makes a lot more sense.

A flight instructor will be one person who can issue a ground taxi authorisation certificate.

Contact Dave by email at [email protected]