Opinion | GAA - Page 2

CAA Notices: The reinvention of a failed methodology

May 27, 2017

Since our last update, feedback shows that concerns are shared across the aviation sector about this matter. The introduction of CAA Notices would be a significant departure from the way aviation in New Zealand has been regulated for the past 25 years. Whilst the official comment period for NPRM 17-02 has closed, the following is a quick recap of what the CAA is proposing: …

Client Satisfaction Surveys in a post-factual world…

March 26, 2017

The CAA is either living in a fools’ paradise and thinks all its customers are happy, or it is deeply afraid to ask them. We can’t think of any other reason why the CAA refuses to hire a neutral organisation and tell it go to the customers and ask some honest questions. We also have convincing proof that no company or organisation can rely …

CAA Notices – The tentacles of regulation just keep growing longer

In mid-February, the CAA announced its intention to publish CAA Notices as a means of ensuring that “the regulatory framework remains responsive and adaptable to change.” On the surface, these objectives almost appear noble. But when we peel back the layers, what emerges is a worrying erosion of the checks and balances that have underpinned aviation rule-making since the early 1990s. A CAA Notice …

CAA funding review: Political leadership is now essential

September 26, 2016

Since our update last month, we’ve achieved much greater clarity around a few things: The Minister of Transport, Simon Bridges, is still waiting for the final Cabinet paper and Regulatory Impact Statement on proposed charges. He believes that these two papers are months away, not weeks. He has given an undertaking that the Chairman of the Board will respond to our letter calling for …

Ag pilot competency checks: CAA leaves a mess in its wake

August 21, 2016

The CAA is clearly in difficulties over its plans to reform the testing regime for agricultural pilots, particularly since the GAA pointed out that much of the proposed reform was not practical – particularly for the single-seat, single-control fixed-wing aircraft. Yes, it may be “legal” using the subtle differences in interpretation between a “passenger”, a“crew member” and a “required crew member”. However, legality does …

CAA Funding Review: Mud sticks – and so do promises

August 18, 2016

It wasn’t just former Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee who, in 2012 (when imposing those dramatic rises), promised to reduce or remove the need for increased CAA charges in the 2015-2018 triennial review. He spoke for every minister of the day. In 2016, that still involves at least 13 ministers in the present Cabinet. There seems to be an official reluctance to even acknowledge Mr …

Live within your means – Minister Brownlee’s promise after the 2012 review

May 31, 2016

I’ve already expressed my view that the CAA’s proposed new levies on commercial general aviation are some of the most draconian steps I have ever seen attempted, although I am assured they rank up there with the epic pricing debacle of the early 1990s. Well, it would appear our former Minister of Transport nailed the CAA’s feet firmly to the ground when he said: …

Class 2 medicals harm your wealth and add unwanted fat to the CAA

March 6, 2016

This article was written by Murray Shaw, a GA pilot, who originally sent it to the CAA I propose that the CAA eliminates the requirement for a Class 2 medical for Private Pilots, replacing it with the same medical requirement as that currently required for the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) while retaining the current privileges of a PPL, and removes any requirement for PPLs …

Letter from America: I don’t want to be like New Zealand…

March 1, 2016

This is from Paul Bertorelli’s Avweb.com site based in Florida… The other day, I was floating along in the Cub listening to the radio chatter when it occurred to me that I hadn’t heard a native English speaker for several minutes. I listened for several more and determined that, sure enough, there were no native English speakers on the frequency. Judging by the accents, …

First, they put your head in a cloud. Then they slip their fingers into your wallet

February 27, 2016

The last time we looked at the CAA’s current pricing review, we showed how the authority rewrote history to claim that it had discovered a public good element in the Medical Application Fee – and hip-hooray, folks! The fee looked as if it was coming down. But now we have discovered yet another piece of CAA sophistry: The secret art of increasing a fee …

Category: Opinion