Looking forward

With Airservices, the ATSB and CASA all having new leaders appointed in the last 12 months the convention was an excellent opportunity to hear from these senior representatives and to allow them to catch up with industry representatives.

It was particularly pleasing to hear an update from Airservices on its ‘Accelerate’ program, which is seeing the reduction of the cost and size of its non-operational support functions (which had grown considerably over the last five years). The planned changes re-focus on its core air traffic control and ARFF services, which Airservices promises will not affect operational and rostered air traffic controllers and aviation rescue firefighters.

Airservices has stated that it has worked through a detailed and rigorous process which sees “every redundancy assessed individually to determine any potential impact on the safety of our air traffic control or aviation rescue fire fighting operations”. However, careful monitoring is required throughout the implementation of this Accelerate program to ensure it is managed in a way that assures operational safety is always considered as paramount.

Meanwhile with a new acting DAS now in the chair at CASA, next year’s convention should see some significant progress reported on outstanding CASR parts that have been stalled due to churn within CASA. With a combination of a steadfast and focused board, new leadership and a bedding down of the restructure, we eagerly await a fresh commitment and renewed partnership at all levels next year.

Other convention speakers and panels at the convention discussed pilot and engineering training and how to future-proof our sector in terms of skilled staff shortages. We also heard from a variety of subject matter experts ranging from resilience in human error, to ageing aircraft, airspace and the opportunity to introduce space-based augmentation systems to Australia, and examples of emerging successful partnerships between regional airports and regional airlines.

Ken Keech also gave a powerful presentation on the untold story of Hobart Airport’s role after the Port Arthur massacre 20 years ago.

Two popular workshops highlighted the great work CASA is doing in the risk profiles of various sectors within the industry and a new approach to pilot training with examples of exciting relationships some flight training schools have with regional airlines.

On the subject of airports, one issue discussed at our convention was the difficulty regional airlines are facing in accessing Sydney airport at reasonable times of the day. Government needs to review the movement cap and consider relaxing it for smaller, quieter turboprop-powered aircraft, perhaps along with the reintroduction of land and hold short operations (LAHSO).

The NSW government is doing great work in encouraging competition in intrastate routes and is pumping millions into upgrading regional airports. However, unless greater access is made available to Sydney Airport, then suboptimal return on investments will result.

More importantly, improving regional air service access to Sydney will improve health, education and employment benefits to NSW regional centres. Waiting for Western Sydney airport to open is an unfair and unrealistic approach to this growing problem and should be taken more seriously at the highest level.

In better news, the convention provided an opportunity to look to our future, and if our scholarship recipients are any indicator, our future looks bright.

Three RAAA member organisations – Ansett Aviation Training, Hawker Pacific and Jeppessen – provided generous scholarships to pilots and engineers in training, which were awarded at the convention’s gala dinner.

The two Ansett Aviation Training Scholarships went to Brenton Anderson from Airline Academy of Australia and James Trudgett from Moorabbin Flying Services. The pair will undergo endorsement training on either the Beech King Air 200 or Fairchild Metro.

The Hawker Pacific Avionics Scholarship was awarded to Karl Spiessl from Aviation Training Services Victoria, who will attend the AEA Convention in New Orleans next year. Spiessl also received the Jeppesen Avionics Scholarship worth $5,000.

Jack Wilson from the University of New South Wales received the Jeppesen Pilot Scholarship, also worth $5,000, while the $5,000 RAAA Hawker Pacific Airframe Scholarship went to Alexander Blanch from Sharp Airlines.

As well as our scholarships the RAAA has introduced a new initiative offering workplace experience to some UNSW students undertaking aviation management degree studies. This provides opportunities for students to observe and participate in real world operational environments. Four students have been placed already for the upcoming university break.

It is another benefit that our growing organisation can offer.

The RAAA has seen an unprecedented growth in members over the last 11 months of over 20 per cent. We now have over 100 members and still growing, from aircraft operators in the aeromedical, airline, charter, freight, helicopter, and training sectors, to regional airports and aircraft manufacturers, maintenance and parts suppliers, consultants, financiers, navigation product and software suppliers and higher education organisations.

As the increasing importance of the RAAA convention shows, it certainly proves that there is strength in numbers.

The convention provided an opportunity to look to our future.