Aviation maintenance organizations and other segments of the aviation community have told the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that the agency should adopt “a simpler, more understandable set of rules” for general aviation maintenance, CASA says.
Of the 89 respondents to CASA’s request for feedback on general aviation maintenance regulations, 78 percent endorsed the adoption of rules resembling those now in place in the United States. Eleven percent said they preferred New Zealand regulations, which CASA characterized as “broadly based on the American approach.” None of the 89 respondents said CASA should retain its existing regulations.
CASA said that a technical working group reviewed the comments and endorsed adoption of new U.S.-based regulations. “This is seen as having the potential to deliver the best outcomes in cost savings to the aviation community while at the same time ensuring an appropriate level of safety is achieved,” CASA said.
CASA’s Aviation Safety Advisory Panel said earlier this year that it was seeking changes that would comply with International Civil Aviation Organization standards while also providing for a “minimum regulatory compliance burden consistent with ensuring a level of safety appropriate for the general aviation and aerial work sectors.”
Other criteria outlined by the panel called for changes to be cost-neutral or perhaps result in savings for the general aviation and aerial work sectors and for the new regulatory structure to be based on an established international standard.
CASA added that a final report from the working group will be published soon.
