SAFA Skysailor Magazine

29 September | October 2023 SKY SAILOR former, off the top of my head, might involve a pilot flying a mini/speed-wing or a wing where the weight loading exceeds 5kg/m 2 without holding a ‘High Wing Loading (Freestyle, Mini, Speed or Acrobatic Wing) ‘endorsement. For a full understanding of the requirements associated with that endorsement, I direct your attention to the current ‘Qualifications & Training Manual’ (V20220328). When we receive a report that falls under the 1% scenario and we can identify the pilot, we will usually first offer a path back to compli- ance. If that offer of remediation is not taken up, then there is a prescribed path we must follow. For non-members of SAFA, whether they have never been a member or have not renewed membership, this will involve being referred to CASA for investigation. Let’s just recap why we go down that path. • • The regulations governing flight operations in Australia are the Civil Aviation Regu- lations (CARs), and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. We are given the ability to fly our aircraft under exemptions from these regulations. • • The mechanism for this to occur are the Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs). The CARs and CASRs are passed into Commonwealth Law by the Parliament of Australia. The CAOs are written and administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The three CAOs that apply to us are CAO 95.8, 95.10 and 95.32. • • CASA have decreed that the exemptions under these CAOs only apply to current financial members of the SAFA, and that they delegate responsibility to the SAFA to administer operations of aircraft covered by these CAOs. This is the current situation. In information I have previously presented in SkySailor, we are in the process of transition to administration of our aircraft under CASR Part 149. As I write this (mid-August), we are on the home stretch of completing our negotiations with CASA Sport around the composition of our Exposition. Under this administration regime, we will be obliged to refer matters involving the breach of the CARs and CASRs, particularly unauthorised flight operations, to CASA. The matter will be out of our hands and these matters will also be treated seriously. To reiterate, the role of AIRS reporting is not to punish pilots who make an honest mistake and hurt themselves or others. However, if there is willful recklessness or dangerous behaviour, then, yes, there are consequences. We want you to report what has happened, so that we can all learn from what has occurred and avoid recurrences. Please also remember, that if you witness something, it is also important that you report – as the other pilot may not. They may be injured and/or not in a position to do so themselves, or they may think that the big, bad folks in the SAFA office will growl at them – which, as I keep repeating, is not the case. We can handle receiving multi- ple reports of the same event, but we can’t do or learn anything if we never hear about it. That’s all for this time folks. Fly safe.