SAFA Skysailor Magazine

40 SKY SAILOR March-April-May | AUTUMN 2025 The SAFA website provides various tools to assist you in this process. Although this action may not immediately eliminate the risks, it will aid us in identifying the pilot and implementing appropriate post-action measures. Site management If you have not done so already, I strongly recommend that all club officials have a read of the ‘SAFA Policy on Site Man- agement’, available in the ‘Documents’ section of the Members’ Area of the SAFA website . Look under ‘Policies and Safety Management’. Site managers should be concerned about unlawful or unauthorised operations occurring at their sites – it’s placing the site at risk. Doing nothing is just enabling the behaviour, is a significant indicator of a poor safety culture, and is putting your sites at risk of closure. If site managers are not getting a satisfactory outcome, then it’s time to report it to SAFA. Enforcement and disciplinary procedures Once Ops become involved, where substantiated in accordance with our procedures, there is a scaled response typically commencing with a warning letter (for first time occurrence). Subsequently, the process unfolds through CASA, and I can tell you that failing to comply with the Civil Aviation Act Section 20AB can be expensive. This may result in substantial financial penalties and, in severe cases, can lead to CASA choosing to prosecute the case, where a guilty finding results in a criminal conviction. As you can imagine, this process entails significant time and effort, which are collectively borne by all SAFA members – time and effort which is redirected from more productive tasks that would directly benefit all members. Unauthorised Aviation Operations