Onward and upward

‘Low-hanging fruit was left untouched.’

Recognition of the AAAA AIMS program – a key test of the Forsyth recommendation for the recognition of independent third-party audits has been severely undercut by CASA wanting both the independent audit and then to conduct their own audits as well, despite a previous very thorough in-field review of the program by no less than six CASA staff plus management.

This is how disconnected the operational wing and senior management of CASA are from moving forward based on sound risk management – a concept that already supposedly has the support of the CASA board and the government.

Then there is the inability of CASA to grasp the power of assigning an appropriate regulatory stance to the classification of operations.

Surely the CASA board, with new leadership, can now set this strategic policy to work as it is empowered to do by the Act and the minister’s “Letter of Expectations”.

Again, CASA has built the tools to do this through the sector risk profiles, which are strongly supported by industry but remain outliers from the current safety business of CASA rather than informants and drivers. It is a simply unfathomable situation that ignores obvious advantages to the regulator as well as industry.

Most recently, CASA has announced it has a new audit approach featuring an algorithm to select companies for audit. As anyone with any experience of algorithms know, it is all about the input data and how it is manipulated – often hidden from view – that is the heart of the issue, however logically expressed by the algorithm.

Simplicity eludes CASA when obfuscation is available.

This will bring a federal election with the usual three to six month delay in getting anything done and the contingent uncertainty. Hopefully, the CASA board and senior management will improve their focus on positive outcomes.

Engine alarm

Push to find cause of cracking danger

Ahia Torque Paul Tyrell CEO – AHIA

The helicopter industry association is heavily involved in assisting industry, CASA and the ATSB to discover the cause of cracks in an alarming number of relatively new cylinders and valves leading to rough running and depleted performance. Thankfully, operators and workshops are reporting the problems in increasing numbers and the issue is now being taken very seriously by the government authorities. Information and data is being gathered from major fuel companies, distributors and engine manufacturers.

It appears the problem is isolated to R22s and R44s fitted with carburettors, and operating in hot to very hot climates. Fuel-injected engines seem unaffected at the moment. Manufacturer test kits are being fitted to a number of engines to obtain precise data while they are being flown in normal, hot climate operations. This data will do much to move the debate from informed speculation to causal analysis and, hopefully, fast, effective solutions.

The AHIA considers this issue one of the most serious affecting current helicopter operations and will be very active in encouraging CASA and the ATSB to continue to give these unexplained failures the focus they deserve.

Operators and workshops in northern climes have been strident in raising their concerns for more than six months and now is the time to marshal, and focus, all resources to finally get to the bottom of a very real safety threat.

Operators and workshops are again encouraged to report all relevant information to the nearest CASA office. Collectively, we need to solve this issue in the next few months.

‘This is one of the most serious issues affecting helicopter operations.’

You may have noted that our partners at the Avalon Airshow have announced a major helicopter industry event, RotorTalk, for February 27‑28, 2019. Mark it in your diaries. Industry participants attract free entry.

Manufacturers will be presenting, as well as AHIA sessions on major helicopter topics. Not one to be missed.