The fight goes on

The AAA has long campaigned for appropriate funding for our regional airports which are an essential part of our economy and community.

We have been pleased to have the support of a number of organisations over the course of the campaign as they recognise the importance of this issue.

The Federal Government’s 2018 decision to extend the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program (RAUP) was a welcome first step in ensuring regional airports have a sustainable future. There remains a long road ahead, however, with so many of our regional airports unable to access the RAUP because they are not classified as remote. Those airports are facing the prospect of putting a drain on limited ratepayer funds in order to remain compliant and safe.

The creation of a RAIF is urgently needed to help local councils grappling with these issues as they seek to address the $170 million aeronautical funding deficit faced by the regions.

‘Sustainable funding is absolutely essential.’

With airport costs expected to increase almost 40 per cent over the next decade, the challenge will only become greater with time.

The AAA’s proposal would ensure a dedicated fund to deliver repairs and upgrades of runways, taxiways, aprons and lighting systems.

These works include essential maintenance and upgrades to ensure safe airport operations. Without the funds to complete them, there is a very real risk of regional airports closing.

That would not just be a blow for the communities that rely on air services to connect with family, friends and access services.

It would also impact essential services. About 6,000 emergency evacuations are facilitated by regional airports each year, providing essential access to lifesaving healthcare for regional Australians.

In addition, 500 aircraft used in firefighting are housed at regional airports to ensure the rapid response to unfolding emergencies.

These are among the critical community services facilitated by regional airports in addition to the 15 million passengers they service each year and the 4,450 jobs they create.

Sustainable funding for our regional airports is absolutely essential to ensure they continue to support their communities for years to come.

Two Parts to every story

CASR Part 43 a win, Part 135 less so

from The Regions Mike Higgins CEO – RAAA

The RAAA is a key and vocal member of the CASA technical working group on the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 43. The new Part will deliver an improved method of maintaining aircraft operating in the private and aerial work sectors (not the RAAA world directly). Future compliance costs for existing maintenance providers will be reduced substantially through the removal of obligations to conduct internal audits and obtain CASA approval to expand or change the range of maintenance services they provide.

Importantly, for new maintenance providers, start-up costs will also be reduced considerably by the removal of CASA entry control requirements that can add as much as $25,000.

Aircraft operators will also benefit from more widely available maintenance service providers and their lower overall operating costs.

In a nutshell, the proposed rules are based on the general aviation safety standards found in the US. Therefore, we can expect the changes to either maintain or raise existing levels of safety and concurrently increase productivity because less time will have to be devoted to soon-to-be-redundant CASA red tape.

This is a great initiative for maintainers and aircraft operators based in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia. Congratulations to CASA on this one.

On the other hand, the new CASR Part 135, which affects every current charter operator in the country, is now law. But how can anyone have reasonably made such a momentous decision when 50 per cent of the picture – maintenance requirements and therefore costs – was not available?

To make matters worse, there is a rumour within CASA that CASR Parts 42 and 145 (currently applying to the largest aircraft operators and maintainers in Australia) will be ‘tweaked’ and pushed down onto current CAR 30 maintenance and charter organisations. This would be a disaster.

There is a way forward. Sector Risk Profiles (SRP) are collaborative meetings between CASA and experts in industry. They have shown they are an excellent vehicle for conducting objective, data-driven safety analysis of the relevant sector and are fully supported and endorsed by the entire aviation community. The RAAA has been represented in almost every SRP undertaken to date, and we urge CASA to pause and conduct an SRP on the CAR 30 rules and organisations.

‘This would be a disaster.’

A CAR 30 SRP would determine exactly what, if any, improvements need to be made in order for current CAR 30 organisations to continue maintaining charter operators under the new Part 135.