PAUL PHELAN / CAIRNS
Maker joins chorus of disapproval at CASA bid to implement European-style restrictions
Cessna has joined a growing number of angry general aviation (GA) voices openly opposing the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) new GA regulations, based on European Joint Aviation Regulations for air transport operations (JAR OPS-1).
The manufacturer, whose 208 Caravan I would be affected by the new rules, has publicly accused the regulator of "bureaucratic laziness, a lack of intellectual rigour and a disquieting lack of knowledge about Australian aviation".
CASA is being excessively harsh in its interpretation of a ministerial instruction to bring the rules for small charter operations closer to those of scheduled operations, says Cessna, and in doing so is breaking with practice in other Pacific nations. Cessna says CASA has abandoned the US Federal Aviation Administration Part 135 format and attempted to develop GA rules by adapting JAR OPS-1 for charter and low-capacity regular public transport operations.
The company objects that, under the proposed rules, its 12- to 14-seat Caravans would be limited to nine passengers when operating over water or under instrument flight rules, regardless of whether they are fitted with the expensive equipment prescribed by CASA's recently "approved single-engine turbine powered aeroplane" rules and the number of operating crew. Cessna says that this is unreasonable in the Australian operational environment.
Source: Flight International
