New licence regulations for pilots signal demise of airshow

[HamiltonWest]

New licence regulations for pilots signal demise of airshow
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/2...-demise-airshow

[towerguy]

Good old Campaign Against Aviation strikes again

[nzav8tor]

It's not really that complicated or unreasonable. The requirement is for all display pilots to be issued a display authorisation by a part 149 organisation. This is not a new requirement however previously authorisations were generally only issued for aerobatics and low level work. This existing rule has been reinterpreted to provide for all display pilots. Currently only NZ Warbirds has a part 149 certificate and powers delegated by the director to issue low level display authorisations and other display/event approvals. The requirement is to have completed a display pilots course, which is a half day presentation and discussion of relevant and interesting information, bi-annually and to have demonstrated competency in the type of aircraft and display you plan to do. This is in the interest of safety and professionalism in the display environment and in terms of cost is only a couple of hundred dollars including the warbirds membership. Most pilots consider it a matter of pride to be officially recognised as competent to perform displays.

It's not a bad thing that pilots are required to have some form of oversight and assessment prior to conducting a display, theres more to it than just barreling up and down in front of a group of spectators. In fact an accident at an ad-hoc and unregulated type of event could end up ruining it for everyone.

We are fortunate in NZ to have a lively display and airshow scene and the recently introduced Part 115 adventure aviation rule provides a framework for commercial ops in special category aircraft (vintage, ex-military etc) among other things. This is somewhat unprecedented so it doesn't pay to look a gift horse in the mouth in my humble opinion.

[Bazza]

Nice to see a reasoned account of the matter without dramatics...thanks.

[Ian Warren]

Go with territory these days , rule laws and regulations , brother being in the building industry found he was put in the position and shunned a lot of them having to follow some stupid rules and the teaching courses he had to go to told them to stick it up their jacks'sy , today OSH go's too far in safety, rather the wider community they should look at the smaller industries and MAN I have seen some really stupid things.

Make rules up for the safer people who have sence to protect themselves, Others- send em to a Fletcher,s course to give them a ticket to say they are safe .... airshows makes for a good plan in checking .... Airshow ruling .. that all get discussed pre show - know the boundary's but frankly never heard of a Twizel stick show.

[nzav8tor]

Point taken Ian but the briefing is exactly that, not a lesson on the hows and where for's of display flying. My old man has thousands of hours top dressing yet he hates flying displays as he knows that's when you end up pushing things and can be pressured into a position you would not necessarily be in in real life. This is the concern with local, one off type of shows. Joe Blogs turns up in his homebuilt something or other and barnstorms his way through the display without the necessary experience or training. Sure he gets away with it, most of the time, but is this really the most prudent approach? Nothing to do with OSH and politics, it's common sense.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (nzav8tor @ Dec 22 2013,3:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Joe Blogs turns up in his homebuilt something or other and barnstorms his way through the display without the necessary experience or training. Sure he gets away with it, most of the time, but is this really the most prudent approach? Nothing to do with OSH and politics, it's common sense.

Your quite right , even the pro's get caught out Wanaka is an example , our Sir Tim Wallis , the passed famed names Mark Hanna , Tom Middleton , .... so i guess its best to shut Joe Blogs Down before he go's Up , sound like your father is a wise man !