2021 was a tough year for the entire RAAus community. Whilst I’m not sure we will return to the normal we once knew, 2022 is looking better for recreational aviation than last year.
Our first “Fly’n for Fun” event was scheduled for the first weekend in April, the aim of the gathering was for aviators to enjoy each other’s company and stories – for the first time in a while! We have a few more smaller events that we are supporting to help people get back in the air and enjoying aviation.
The RAAus philosophy is a simple one: support reasons for people to go flying. If there is a barbeque, a breakfast or other flying-related event in your area, get in touch with the office and we’ll offer any assistance or support that we can.
We’re also very conscious of people returning to flight after a long break away from it all. Before you go for a fly, have a long hard think about you and your aircraft. Think about maintenance that might be due and other things that may have affected your pride and joy while it was sitting unused. Things like oil filters deteriorate over time when they are not in regular use, so consider giving your aircraft a 100-hourly before you set off. Check for things like insects and birds that may be present or have made a permanent home in your plane.
Likewise, ask yourself if you are OK to return to the skies. The safe thing to do is fly with an instructor or friend, who is more recent than you. Many hands make for light work, and why not make it a social exercise?
Our physical abilities related to flying return quite quickly, such as our stick and rudder skills. The area that requires more focus, however, is of a procedural nature: pre-flight inspections, in-flight checks and emergency procedures. These are the ones where we might be a little rusty, so perhaps a run-through on the ground or allowing ourselves a little extra time in the air to get these things done might be useful.
All of these things will add up to a more positive experience in the air. Plus, what is the harm in taking a little extra time? A few more minutes in your logbook won’t hurt!
On top of RAAus helping to create reasons to fly, we have also been working hard in the background to protect your organisation. We have recently been to the Sport Aviation Safety Forum and spent time with our colleagues in the other sporting orgs, which gave us the ability to share our experiences with others. Not only did we get to communicate our ideas to the other orgs, CASA, and the ATSB, we also learned a lot from our counterparts in the other organisations. This collaboration supports all of our interests.
We’re now talking with other organisations that may face challenges moving over to the new part 149 regulations, including the Australian Parachute Federation (APF). We are well placed to operate under this new system, but some other sporting bodies don’t have the resources to migrate as easily as us. We view it as our responsibility to assist and support the broader aviation community and help these bodies meet the requirements. As aviators, we’re all in this together.
A lot of time was also spent on ADS-B discussions and visibility of traffic in the air. As a collective group, I think the view was that CASA is listening on this front. We hope to make some progress in terms of the recently announced subsidies for this type of equipment. The main topic here is those subsidies being extended to cover less expensive versions that will further enhance situational awareness and safety, with lower cost imposition on our members.
With Pip Spence at the helm and Mark Binskin in the position of chairing the board, the approach to regulation from CASA is looking more positive than it has in many years. Both Pip and Mark are committed to aviation and helping it to flourish while meeting the objective of safety and this is great news for us.
2022 has started on a real high for RAAus. I am excited for the journey we’re on and to get out and see more of our members in the coming months to hear how the year is shaping up for them.
Fly more and fly safe.
