Australian Region News Letter September 2013

Transcription

1 A Livery Company of the City of London The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Australian Region Incorporated Patron: HRH The Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT Grand Master: HRH The Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO Australian Region News Letter September 2013 Welcome to the September 2013 Australian Region Newsletter. Your Committee Executive Councillor - Walter Dolman Walter Dollman grew up in Adelaide and was educated at Pulteney Grammar. At age 19, he embarked on a career in aviation when accepted into a two-year training programme for Air Traffic Control (ATC) by the Department of Civil Aviation. In those days the minimum age to hold an ATC license was 21. On completion of his training, Walter was appointed to Parafield Airport which was then a one man tower. In the first week he experienced three aircraft crashes on and near the aerodrome and began to wonder if he had chosen the right career. Notwithstanding, he took up flying training at Rossair and, by luck, survived a very nasty encounter with a thunderstorm updraft over the Barossa Valley on his first solo cross-country exercise. He later joined the Royal Aero Club; and the PA became his recreational aircraft of choice. After a few years at what was affectionately known as The Farm, he was posted to Adelaide ATC Centre and was rated in all positions including enroute sectors, approach radar and senior tower. He was also a search & rescue (SAR) drop-master, operating mainly from Fokker F28 aircraft, and flew the Department s V tail Bonanza on SAR activities. At that time, Adelaide ATC provided a Surveillance Radar Approach (SRA) service to RAAF ARDU Edinburgh, which was a good excuse for Walter to get some time in Mirage III and Macchi aircraft during training. In 1988/89 Walter became Ministerial Adviser to the federal Minister for Aviation, before returning to Adelaide assume the role of Adelaide ATC Centre manager. In the early 90s, the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, Dick Smith, embarked on a programme to harmonise Australian aviation with global practice and Walter was recalled to Canberra to redesign the airspace architecture beginning with the introduction of ICAO airspace classifications. He subsequently occupied a number of air traffic management (ATM) executive positions in Head Office and was appointed as the Australian Member and Advisor to several ICAO Panels in Montreal, including ADS-P and ATM-P, as well as to regional groups in Bangkok. He became a foundation member of ASTRA the Australian ATM Strategic Planning Group - which provides formal advice to aviation bureaucracies - and was joint architect of the first Australian ATM Strategic Plan. In 1999, he worked with Qantas in China to introduce Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS-C) and an RNP route (L888) over the Himalayas to Europe with a saving of 20+ minutes flight time and fuel burn. On implementation of L888, Walter left Airservices to become Manager Regulatory Affairs in Qantas where he refocused on Australian ATM issues. He also engaged in Asia/Pacific regional activities, particularly in the ICAO/IATA redesign of air routes from Europe through the Middle East to Asia/Pacific, based on area navigation, and developed IATA s global position on aviation English Language Proficiency, later codified by ICAO. In 2005, he was detached to IATA Geneva as Assistant Director (Europe) to represent airlines in the design of a new European ATM system under Single European Skies (SES). The design took two years to complete before he was back home; but he was then asked to return to support associated R&D activities at the European Commission offices in Brussels. Here he was engaged in refining the concept for the future

2 2 ATM system targeting the year He is still involved in SESAR projects related to environmental and human factors considerations. Separately, he has just completed a six month review of air traffic flow management for China s ATM Bureau. Along his journey, Walter has collected several tertiary qualifications including Master of Int Laws, Master of Policy & Administration, as well as degrees in Aviation and Arts (Honours). Academic posts included Senior Visiting Fellow at UNSW and lecturer at USA. He is currently nearing the completion of a PHD. He was awarded Aviation Laureate 2004 at the Smithsonian Air and Space Institute (Washington) and in 2005 was inducted into the Smithsonian Aviation Hall of Fame. Walter joined GAPAN in 2012 and now represents GAPAN on ASTRA Council. Walter s partner, Robyn, has had a parallel career in public health and his daughter, Alex, is a recently qualified medical doctor. Clearly, in an attempt to equally please both parents, she is currently engaged on a Masters Degree in Aviation and Space Medicine at Kings College London. Chairman s Update There has been a lot happening over the last three months and your Council has been kept very busy. Issues considered and responded to include: Detailed arrangements for the Master s visit in November. Detailed response to CASA regarding Part 61 Manual of Standards Preparation of recommendations for Australian Award winners Advertising and selection of scholarship winners. Preparation of the annual budget. Subscription arrangements for Australian resident members with over 40 years of continuous membership of the Guild. Follow up of the Change of Name of the Guild in London. [No further action is expected till after the Court meeting in London this month] Finalisation of Insurance arrangements Follow up of outstanding subscriptions Arrangements for participation in PACDEF and the Safeskies 2013 Conferences. Most of these issues are discussed in this Newsletter. As well as the above, individual Council members, particularly the Treasurer, Secretary and the Immediate Past Chairman have provided valuable and continuing service to the Council. As Chairman, I have really appreciated the help of all Council members, and a few others - particularly Sandy Howard - in keeping these issues moving. Andrea and I spent our usual winter [June, July and August] in warm Cairns and returned to Adelaide in our Cessna on 4 September. On the return trip we stayed overnight at Innamincka and stopped at the Burke and Wills Dig Tree. Well worth a visit, especially by ex Victorians. There is a good dirt strip within walking distance of the tree. To add to the Council s burden, Andrea and I are off overseas on 11 September. Among other places we intend to visit London and are looking forward to enjoying the Guild Trophy and Awards Dinner on 23 October. In my absence, although I hope to remain in touch through , Sue Ball has graciously agreed to coordinate matters that would normally require my attention. We will be back at the end of October and look forward to seeing many members during the Master s visit to Australia in November. Harold Walton, Chairman

3 Technical and Air Safety Committee Matters 3 Since the last newsletter, the T&ASC has responded to the proposed changes to MOS Pt 61. The Guild registered its disappointment in the difficulty involved in assessing the full impact of the proposed MOS, as at this stage it is still incomplete. Furthermore, the Guild advised the consultation process for this instrument has been inadequate and thereby, by the objectives of the CASA, inappropriate. That aside, the Guild supports the philosophy that ideally there should only be two tiers of legislation; the Act and the Regulations. The balance of information should be in the form of guidance material (ACs & CAAPs). Only where it is absolutely necessary should there be a Manual of Standards associated with the implementation of the Regulations. However, if a Manual of Standards is deemed necessary, it is essential that industry is appropriately engaged in the drafting of the standards as well as the regulations. Despite being less than four months from implementation, there are several sections within the draft MOS document annotated "Reserved" as they have not yet been written. These include the as-yet "proposed" Powered Lift aircraft category endorsement and the existing Airship category and almost-redundant (replaced by a sport aviation pilot certificate for most practitioners) Gyroplane category. In contrast to this, there are multiple flight activity endorsements created with detailed and extensive (but incorrect) elements of learning and performance criteria for glider towing and dropping of parachutists. Both these activities are currently carried out perfectly satisfactorily by the sport aviation organisations that are the users of the proposed ratings, to syllabus material that they have developed and had approved by CASA, when the only users of the activity (not really a new set of skills, but a way of applying skills that are already a part of a PPL or higher category licence) are those organisations. Is the extant CASA policy of not to providing a parallel CASA pathway to carry out those activities still in place? In sum, the Guild believes that appropriate consultation leads to better regulation. Glenn Elms, Technical & Air Safety Director Education and Training Matters The Guild is pleased to announce that the scholarship winners for 2013 are: ATPL Examinations Scholarship [2 ATPL scholarships have been awarded thanks to sponsors Assessment Services Pty Ltd (ASL). No CPL awarded this year.] Tim Kam Mr Timothy Kam, Doncaster VIC Mr Alexander Kiriczenko, Armidale NSW Cert IV in Aviation (CPL-H) Scholarship Mr Matthew Allen, Sydney NSW Peter Holstein, Chairman E&TC Guild Awards for 2012 Alex Kiriczenko The Guild awards for 2012 have been announced as per the attached press release from London. We are pleased to announce that the recipient of the Australian Bicentennial Award is Chris Sperou, the many times Australian Aerobatic Champion.

4 4 The Grand Masters Australian Medal has been awarded to Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue. The recipient of the Masters Australian Award is Sue Ball. All awards are very well deserved and details of the presentations will be advised shortly. It is expected that all will be present at one of the Australian Dinners planned during the Masters visit in November. Details below. Another Davenport Joins the Aviation Fraternity Matt Davenport, son of Phillip and grandson of Ken, completed his first solo on 3 August 2013 to become the 3rd generation of Davenports to gain their wings. Matt said: "I am 16 years old and started to fly on my 16 birthday. I was given a trial flight and loved it. From as early as I can remember I have loved planes and have spent many hours sitting with my father

5 5 watching planes come and go. I have 2 great mentors for flying. My dream is to fly with my father at Qantas just like he did with his father. I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to join the Guild and look forward to contributing as my Dad and Grandfather have over many years." A very welcome new associate member and for continuing the Davenport support for the Guild. Captain Steve Nelson Retires South Australian Member, Captain Steve Nelson, has retired from Cathay Pacific Airlines. He was given a great send off by his Cathay colleagues. Steve s last flight as Captain after 28 years with Cathay was from HK to Adelaide, arriving on Sunday 30 June. The well-organised Cathay ground staff prepared a welcome salute from the fire trucks. The airport firemen then lent Steve Buck the bear. Buck is named after our very own Captain Buck Brooksbank and belongs to the airport firemen. He is usually to be seen located somewhere alongside an Adelaide taxiway or runway, often dressed for the occasion eg. on a bicycle during the Tour Down Under. He is never seen indoors! This is possibly the first time he has been seen cross dressing the only Cathay uniform to be found was for a flight attendant but he did acquire Steve s cap! The group photo is with the flight crew and Steve s wife, Dominie, is beside him. Prior to joining Cathay, Steve flew in the RAAF and, while flying the RAAF VIP jets, has flown the Queen on two occasions. Steve is also a keen aero modeller and won his first major competition in the open class at age 12. He was presented a "retirement" cake which showed runway 28, marking his 28 years with Cathay. Members may remember that last year Steve flew the then Master, AM Spink, in his self-built RV-7A, and then flew him to Hong Kong in a B747. Strategic Planning Goals The September Report on the Strategic Planning Goals for 2013/14 is attached to this Newsletter.

6 Master s Visit 6 The Master, His Honour Judge Tudor Owen, and his partner Maria are currently planning to visit Australia in November 2013 arriving in Cairns on 4th November, before visiting each of the capital cities in Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and SA and departing for Hong Kong on Sunday 1st December. The detailed program is attached. Formal dinners are planned for Brisbane [9 November], Canberra [22 November] and Adelaide [29 November] and a Luncheon in Sydney [20 November]. A luncheon is also being considered for Melbourne [24-27 November]. This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Guild's Australian Bicentennial Award. Accordingly, it is planned to invite previous recipients of the Award to one of the dinners or luncheons mentioned above. A list of the previous winners is attached. It is hoped many will be able to attend. In addition, this year we plan to hold a formal dinner during the Masters visit in Canberra. This will be the first time such a dinner has been held there by the Guild and it is planned to invite the Heads of CASA, AsA ATSB and others who each year make time available in Canberra to meet and brief the Master. A brief background of the Master is attached. Subscriptions Members will be aware that the year for subscriptions in the Australian Region runs from October to September. Details of subscriptions for the year are yet to be determined by the Council but no raise in subscriptions are expected next year. You will receive your renewal notice in the coming month and your early payment would be greatly appreciated. Members with over 40 years of continuous membership of the Guild are entitled to have their future subscriptions waived. I have recently written to or called each of the 28 current members of the Guild resident in Australia who meet this criteria and advised London of their wishes to have their subscriptions waived. The Australian Region will not be required to pay capitation for these members in future. Good news for a group of very dedicated Guild members. VALE FAO [Tony] Gaze, DFC**, OAM It is with regret that we advise the death of long-standing member Tony Gaze who passed away peacefully on 29 July 2013 aged 93. Tony was a truly remarkable man, an Australian Spitfire ace and a racing driver. A very comprehensive biography of Tony was written by Stewart Wilson "Almost Unknown" and published by Chevron Publishing Group in A memorial service was held for Tony in Geelong on 15 August 2013 and was attended by Australian Region Guild representatives. Articles for this Newsletter Articles are sought from members for inclusion in this Newsletter. These may cover any subject that are judged to be of interest to Guild members in Australia and ideally should be limited to around 500 words. Pictures may be included and are encouraged. The Australian Region Chairman and the Editor reserve the right to refuse to publish any article offered, to make minor editorial changes or shorten the article.

7 7 Australian Region Contacts Our office Administrator is Mrs. Hayley Rodrigues who is based in Sydney. Mail should be sent to: PO Box 454, BEROWRA NSW The office phone number is: , the address: and the fax number: All the Executive members can be contacted via the Sydney Office. The Guild Australian Region website is: Any comments on this Newsletter should be addressed to the Editor, Harold Walton at **************************************************************************************************************************

8 8 PRESS RELEASE 21st August 2013 APOLLO 13 ASTRONAUT JIM LOVELL TO BE PRESENTED WITH GUILD AWARD OF HONOUR AVIATION HEROISM AND PROFESSIONALISM REWARDED BY GUILD OF AIR PILOTS AND AIR NAVIGATORS James Arthur (Jim) Lovell USN, who headed the crew of Apollo 13 to safety after an in-space explosion led to the immortal words Houston we have a problem will receive the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators premier award, joining aircrew across the whole spectrum of aviation at the Guild s annual Trophy and Awards presentations in October. The awards for courage, achievement and highest standards of airmanship are regarded among the world s premier aviation accolades. The nominees will receive their awards at London s medieval Guildhall on Wednesday 23 October Among those receiving awards are military aircrew, test pilots, flying instructors, private pilots and newly qualified trainees. All have been chosen for their commitment to the highest flying standards. The GAPAN awards are particularly noteworthy because the recipients are selected by fellow pilots. Captain Lovell initially served as a US Navy night fighter pilot and test pilot before being accepted as an astronaut for the Gemini programme. He flew as pilot on Gemini 7 in 1965 and was launched again as Command Pilot on Gemini 12. He is the only man to have flown to the Moon twice, but not landed on it. He orbited the moon in Apollo 8, helping pave the way for Neil Armstrong s first steps and as Commander of Apollo 13; his coolness under pressure gave us the immortal phrase known the world over: Houston, we have a problem. The Apollo 13 spacecraft had lifted off on April 11th 1970 to land Captain Lovell and Fred Haise on the Moon, with Jack Swigert to pilot the service module. An oxygen tank explosion two days later crippled the spacecraft 200,000 miles away from Earth, threatening to maroon the three men in space, far beyond the help of any human agency. Lovell and his crew, improvising under conditions of extreme hardship and pressure, brought Apollo 13 home safely, with Captain Lovell adjusting course by manually firing the lunar module s thrusters and engine, using his watch for timing. Other 2013 Guild Award recipients have shown equal fortitude and courage. They include RAF Sergeant Rachel Robinson, a winch woman on a Sea King search and helicopter who made six attempts in mountainous seas, before rescuing a seriously injured crewman from a French fishing vessel. So violent were the seas that Rachel was repeatedly snatched from the heaving deck as the boat plunged into wave troughs faster than the winch cable could be paid out. Other rescue crews recognised include Lieutenant Commander Vince Jansen, who was pilot in command of a US Coast Guard MH-60T which rescued four shipwrecked fishermen from the Gulf of Alaska in the face of twenty foot seas, near-zero visibility, blowing rain and icing conditions. Another crew, Rescue 912 from 103 Sqn SAR RCAF will be awarded the Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award after successfully retrieving three hunters from a Newfoundland ice flow in blizzard conditions with winds so strong that the helicopter flew the final two miles to the rescue point backwards, placing the nose into the storm to provide a more stable flying platform. Other awards include recognition of Squadron Leader Simon Mellor for his role in the success of the RAF s Sentinel R1 programme and BAe Systems experimental test pilot Peter Wilson for his work as Chief STOVL Test Pilot on the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. Flight training is recognised with awards to Andy Dunstan of CAE Oxford and to Peter Moxham for his role as flag carrier and ambassador for UK professional flight training within EASA, as well to the RAF Search and Rescue Training Unit in recognition of their 50 years of specialist training at RAF Valley.

9 9 Also recognised by a Master's Commendation is the British Helicopter Team, who returned from the 2012 FAI World Helicopter Championships in Moscow, with the Team Silver Medal. It is the best-ever placing by the selffunded British Team against often state-supported, world-class competition. One of the Awards youngest recipients this year is Miriam Gardeazabal, aged 19, who began the Integrated ATPL course at FTE Jerez in April She successfully exercised her leadership skills as President of the Students Committee at a time when a changeover to EASA regulation came into force, requiring the restructuring and rescheduling of training courses. Inevitably, the students became concerned about the changes but Miriam's calm, determined leadership and negotiating skills restored their confidence. Regional Awards reflect the equally diverse range of skills and expertise of Guild members worldwide. The Grand Master s Australian Medal is awarded to Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue in recognition of 34 years of outstanding professional performance and dedication. Most recently, during the devastating Bundaberg Floods of 2013, fifty individuals were rescued on a single day. Significantly, the Rescue Crew Officer (RCO) on the day had only recently received his qualifications and performed both his first and fiftieth operational winch rescue during this single task. A further ten night rescues were performed on the same night by another crew. The Australian Bi-Centennial Award is awarded to renowned aerobatic pilot Chris Sperou, who retired from display flying this year after flying career which began in He will be long remembered for his unlimited routine of low level aerobatics down to 50 feet in his Pitts Super Special and he is the only pilot in Australia approved to carry out the inverted ribbon cut cutting a ribbon stretched between 2 poles at 25 feet. Lewis (Lew) Jenkins is the recipient of the Jean Batten Memorial Award for an outstanding individual contribution to New Zealand aviation, in training and leading professionals in his chosen disciplines of air navigation services. A former navigator in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as an air traffic controller, he created a legacy of innovation and the pursuit of excellence in the sector. Most recently as Chief of Air Traffic services, Lew combined improved efficiency in international control towers in New Zealand with a strong personal awareness of customer safety and staff well-being, both at a strategic level and at times of crises like the volcanic ash events and earthquakes. (A full list of Award winners and citations is available on the Guild London website)

10 10 His Honour Judge Tudor Owen, FRAeS MASTER OF THE GUILD OF AIR PILOTS AND AIR NAVIGATORS 2013 His Honour Judge Owen has combined his passion for aviation with a highly successful legal career since learning to fly in Chipmunk aircraft with the University of London Air Squadron in the early 1970s. He subsequently gained his private pilots licence for helicopters in His Honour Judge Owen has owned and flown such exciting machinery as a Russian Yak-11 military trainer. An action-packed lifestyle has included racing historic Grand Prix cars and riding the Cresta Run at St Moritz. As a specialist in both aviation and criminal law when at the Bar, he represented airlines and the Ministry of Defence in multimillion pound civil cases as well as successfully defending a number of pilots prosecuted by the Civil Aviation Authority, often pro bono. Judge Owen was appointed to the Bench in October 2007 and sits Snaresbrook Crown Court in NE London, Britain s busiest Crown Court. In 2008, he highlighted the increasing use and danger of lasers to aircraft, when he sentenced two defendants to six months imprisonment for shining a laser light at a police helicopter. This was the first custodial sentence for such an offence. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence and repeated Judge Owen s warning that people caught shining laser lights at aircraft should expect to receive a custodial sentence. The Guild has a tradition of electing Masters annually from different spheres of aviation to ensure it has the widest range of expertise and experience.

11 11 THE AUSTRALIAN BI-CENTENNIAL AWARD An award established by the Guild in 1988 as an on-going commemoration of the Bicentenary. It is to recognise outstanding individual contributions to Australian aviation as recommended by the Australian Regional Committee. YEAR NAME 1987 Captain T Thom 1988 Keith Robey MBE 1989 WGCDR K C Andrews 1990 Captain J K Davenport 1991 GPCAPT J W C Baker, RAAF 1992 A J (John) Douglas Esq 1993 Captain A Wickes 1994 John R Colwell Esq 1995 Mrs Senja Raymond Robey 1996 Glenn Elms Esq 1997 Captain John W Kessey 1998 Langley Richard Kidby Esq 1999 Captain Philip Davenport 2000 Stephen Ingham 2001 Kay Corbin 2002 Not awarded 2003 Captain Peter James Raven 2004 Not Awarded 2005 Bill Bristow (Angel Flight) 2006 David E Lowy 2007 Not Awarded 2008 Peter Nottage 2009 GPCAPT Robert Lee, RAAFR 2010 Not Awarded 2011 Dr Carol Durkin 2012 Mr Chris Sperou

12 Australian Region of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Progress Report From April to 30 September - Strategic Planning Goals for 2013/14 1. External Goals Goal Measure progress Progress to 30 September 2013 Positively influence Government and its agencies in relation to aviation matters. 12 Record the number of Guild responses to Government aviation matters and subsequent outcomes Responded to CASA consultation on Part 61 MOS. Ensure that the Guild has representation at all meetings of the SCC, ASTRA, RAPAC, the Bureau of Meteorology and other relevant CASA, AirServices and Department meetings. Grow the membership generally and particularly target airline pilots, military pilots, flying instructors and younger people starting their careers. Positively influence pilot & instructor training. Distribute a minimum of 4 Australian Newsletters to members during Maintain working relationships between the Technical and Air Safety Committee and relevant Aviation Industry agencies (CASA, ATSB, Air Services, Govt. Departments). Record and publish attendance of Guild members at the respective meetings. Target of 3% increase in members in the Australian Region from April 2013 total by 31 March Promote or sponsor a Guild linked scholarship each year. Work on establishing more scholarships, particularly in relation to improving flying instructor training. Count of Newsletters distributed Maintain contacts and meet with heads of agencies at least once per year. RAPAC attendance in SA and ACT. (May & Aug ACT). Recruited new representative for VIC RAPAC. Attended 2 days of Met Bureau consultation. Attended CASA Standards Consultative Committee meeting + 1 subcommittee. Attended ASTRA meeting GAPAN becoming a full participant. Membership as at Mars = 220 New member = pending (+6) Resignations: -1 and 3 pending (-4) Deceased:. -4 Transfers: -1 Membership as at end Sept 13 = 217 (includes 4 applications pending for September Court and minus 3 resignations pending for September Court) Nett change in membership = -3 members. (- 1% on March 2013) Sponsored PAC EFF CRM conference, distributed recruiting material with 2 possible applications to come. Planning to sponsor and attend SafeSkies conference with promotional material to attract new members. 4 scholarships awarded: Aviation Management (Griffith University) 2 * ATPL theory exams (ASL) Cert IV Helicopter (Aero wasp Helicopters) June, September Newsletter distributed. Visits planned for Master s visit to Canberra: Secretary, Department of Infrastructure and Transport (TBC) Chief Commissioner, Air Transport Safety Bureau Chief Executive, AirServices Australia

13 13 Research the apparent decline of General Aviation, particularly low numbers of new students in Australia, provide comment on likely consequences and seek discussion with other Guild Regions. Investigate sponsorship to support scholarships. Promote the Australian Region of the Guild to benefactors for bequests to enable scholarships. Investigate the forming of Guild Affiliations with suitable not-forprofit organisations (Museums, military units, Angel Flight etc) Paper to be prepared by December 2012 Monitor number of new scholarship sponsors Monitor the number of bequests. Monitor the number and outcomes of any affiliations established during the year. Associate Director of Aviation Safety, Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Action on this item has been delayed. To be carried forward to 2013/14. Investigate the idea of member donations to form a scholarship fund. London approved a policy for Affiliated Units at the May Court meeting. The Council is considering whether to proceed at this stage. 2. Internal Goals Offer the option for all Australian Region members under 35 years of age to form an Electronic Young Members Group. New GYM co-ordinator approached to take on role. Design and purchase two new display banners for the Region. New design and quotes being investigated. Project on hold pending decision on the future name for GAPAN.