A new Class 5 medical self-declaration scheme is now available to recreational and private pilots.
The new scheme will allow pilots to fly in aircraft up to 2000kg with one passenger if they self-assess and self-declare their health status, meet fitness and eligibility requirements and pass an online test.
Late last year we consulted on the draft policy proposal with feedback indicating that some of the operational limitations and excluded medical conditions were too restrictive.
As this is the first of its kind in Australia, we are taking an iterative and initially conservative approach.
The scheme is based on comprehensive risk analysis and a careful examination of what other safety authorities do overseas. It includes operational limitations on what you can do when flying with a Class 5.
We will also conduct a post implementation review and consider some of the current exclusions and effectiveness of the self-declaration scheme as well as progress a Class 4 certificate that will create more operational flexibility with the involvement of a GP.
To support applicants and healthcare practitioners, we have developed an online training module and comprehensive guidance material.
The RFDS was recently recognised as Australia’s Most Reputable Charity for the 12th time in Reptrak’s annual charity and not-for-profit study (2023).
Reptrak’s independent survey measures key areas such as trust, admiration, respect and overall esteem within the Australian charity sector.
Health and wellbeing remain a clear priority for all Australians with each of the five leading charities focussed on the physical health and wellbeing of Australians.
“A patient’s trust in their medical services is vital – particularly if they are living in locations that don’t have easy access to the services enjoyed in our cities,” RFDS Federation Executive Director, Frank Quinlan said.
“At the RFDS, we are humbled that we continue to earn the public’s trust in the provision of emergency medical and primary healthcare services to rural, regional and remote Australia. It gives us great pride to know that communities and families rely on us – and we are honoured to do such work. Our thanks go to every staff member, volunteer and supporter who is part of the RFDS team.”
This 2023 Charity RepTrak® survey result is testament to RFDS strong partnerships and relationships across the country, as well as the wonderful ongoing efforts of first responders, locals that clear and light dirt airstrips, long-serving custodians of medical chests, rural hosts for clinics, volunteers, fundraisers, sponsors, donors and supporters.
We thank them all for their tireless work to keep Aussies safe.
What is the Australian Charity Reputation (RepTrak®) Index?
For years, RepTrak (formerly known as the Reputation Institute) has published the Australian Charity Reputation Index, which ranks Australia’s 40 largest charities using a scoring system measuring areas such as trust, admiration, respect and overall esteem.
Measuring the perceptions of the community, the RepTrak index is focuses of seven drivers of reputation: Citizenship, Services, Innovation, Conduct, Leadership, Workplace and Cost Management.
This year, the RFDS scored a total of 96.6 points (out of 100), followed by Guide Dogs (93.3), The Fred Hollows Foundation (92.6), St John Ambulance (92.5) and Surf Life Saving Australia (92.3) rounding out the top five.
Welcome to the October edition of Maintenance matters – a newsletter to keep you up-to-date with the rules and safety topics for your sector. The consultation period on our proposed modular licensing structure is now closed. We look at what’s next. We have made things easier for maintenance organinsations to renew their certificates online. We provide you with an update on the progress made with the proposed maintenance rules for general aviation.
Industry feedback will help fine tune amendments to the MOS. Thank you for taking the time to submit feedback on our proposed modular licensing structure. It will help us make any final changes to the Part 66 Manual of Standards and the associated implementation arrangements. Read more
How to interpret your LAME licence – Category CY ou are now the holder of a Category C licence. This licence category can only be used for the issue of certificate of release of service (CRS) for large aircraft. As the holder of this Category C licence, you can issue a CRS following base maintenance on aircraft carried out by a Part 145 approved maintenance organisation. This privilege applies to the aircraft in its entirety. A Category C licence can be endorsed with specific aircraft type ratings. Read Part 2 (3.6) of AC 66-08
Renew your Part 145 certificate faster online. Did you know you can renew your Part 145 maintenance organisation certificate, without any changes, using myCASA instead of downloading and completing a manual form? We have moved renewals for more certificates into myCASA to make it easier for you to interact with us online. If you are an accountable manager and your individual ARN is linked to your organisation’s ARN, you will now see a Certificates section containing any certificates you are authorised to manage when you login into myCASA. You can renew these certificates online when they are due in just a few clicks. If you need to make any changes to your Part 145 certificate, you’ll need to complete and submit the traditional form.
General aviation maintenance rules – we are making progressAs part of our General Aviation Workplan, we committed to establish new Part 43 maintenance regulations specifically for general aviation. We’ve consulted extensively and have taken industry feedback, including feedback received through the Technical Working Group and Aviation Safety Advisory Panel on board. Read more
Safety Management SystemsSafety management is vital to keeping our skies safe. It involves managing your business activities and preventing accidents. Need to set one up or just reinforce that you are doing the right thing? We have the information you need on:what you should includehow to set it upwhat you need to educate your staff. Find out more
Link your ARN to your organisationHaving an organisational ARN means more than one person can interact with us on behalf of your company. Read more about organisational ARNs.
To link your individual ARN to your organisational ARN, login to myCASA, click Organisation Aviation Reference Number and follow the prompts. You will need to enter a code that is emailed to the organisation. You must be an accountable manager to interact with us on behalf of an organisation.
And the answer is!In the September edition we asked which Part 66 licence can certify an avionics system requiring only a simple test to prove its serviceability? While 66% of our readers told us the answer was a Category B1 licence holder, it was brought to our attention that our question may not have been clear enough for some. We acknowledge the question was a little ambiguous. Read more
Test your knowledge!
Which Part 66 licence do you need to hold to issue a CRS after base maintenance of large aircraft carried out by a Part 145 AMO? The correct answer will be published in the November edition.
It’s hard to believe we are almost at the end of another year. As 2023 draws to a close we reflect on what a great period it has been for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In this edition of the Flyer we hear from Rhonda Vickers, who was in such a severe condition when we picked her up from Broken Hill to take to Adelaide that there were fears she wouldn’t survive the flight. Having suffered a cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure, Rhonda’s family were ready for the worst, but we got her to Royal Adelaide Hospital, and she was able to pull through.
This month is Mental Health Month and the leader of our Mental Health Team Vanessa Latham has provided some top tips for how to overcome the pressure and stress of our busy lives.
We also speak to Brendan Cullen, one of our local advocates or “Champions” in the We’ve Got Your Back program. The Program trained people like Brendan, who lived experience of mental health issues, to enable him to support others in the community. It’s a program we are very proud of, and I’m sure you will moved by Brendan’s experiences.
In addition, you can read about the new world record the RFDS played a role in setting at the Mundi Mundi Bash, and the latest efforts of the incredible Silver City Bush Treadlers, who hold an annual ride to raise money and awareness for the Flying Doctor.
We hope you enjoy the contents of the Flyer this quarter. It’s our small way of saying thank you for your support and to help you keep informed with the latest news from around the service. We couldn’t do it without you.
Warm regards,
Greg Sam Chief Executive Officer Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section)
Welcome to the September edition of the Pilot safety hub newsletter focusing on non-controlled aerodromes.In this edition:watch a close call brought to life in our first animated crash comicsee how the right-of-way rules worklearn how to avoid loss of control accidentsdiscover the benefits of ADS-Bexplore new resources from around the worldfind out about a proposed new medical for private pilots.And don’t miss next month’s newsletter, when we turn our attention to weather and forecasting.
Crash comic close call. Like your safety messages with a bit of colour and movement? Try our crash comic animation.
Crash comics are a popular part of our Flight Safety Australia magazine – taking your stories of near disaster and revealing the safety lessons in a new way.
Now, we’ve animated one of those comics. It’s a timely lesson on the importance of good radio call procedures.
WATCH Explaining the right-of-way rulesAre you sure you know the right-of-way rules of the air?Get a fresh refresher with our animated explanation – straight out of the Visual Flight Rules Guide or VFRG.WATCHLoss of control lessonsLoss of control is the most significant cause of serious accidents for sports and recreational pilots.Watch a 3-part video series from Recreational Aviation Australia exploring the primary causes, contributing factors and how to avoid these types of accidents.WATCHNew resources from around the worldListen and watch the latest additons to the international section of the pilot safety hub:US video examining a fatal crash in high-density altitude conditionsNew Zealand podcast about poor radio callsCanadian video series on winter flying.EXPLORE
CASA is urging travellers to follow the rules and show consideration to airline and airport staff as well as each other during the upcoming school holidays.
To ensure safety and respect when travelling by air during this term break and beyond, we’re supporting the ‘No More Carry On’ campaign.
It’s a call for patience and preparedness as travellers, airline crew and airport teams once again face a peak in airline travel.
‘We’re really pleased to be involved again in this important safety initiative,’ says CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence.
‘We understand and appreciate people are excited to be travelling again ¬– especially during these school holidays – and that’s evident by just how full flights currently are.
‘But passengers need to be mindful they may sometimes face long waiting queues, flight delays, and missing baggage. And while that can be frustrating, it’s no excuse for bad behaviour towards airport and airline staff or other passengers.
‘It’s also against the law to behave in an offensive or disorderly manner on board an aircraft, or to disregard the safety instructions of airline crew.
‘Harmful and unruly behaviour puts everyone’s safety at risk and can disrupt the important safety duties of airline crew, cause distractions during critical phases of flight and jeopardise the safety of other passengers.
‘As the aviation safety regulator, our role is to help ensure that when passengers and crew board a plane they get to their destination safely. We want everyone flying these school holidays travelling or working in a safe environment.
‘Under our aviation safety rules substantial penalties can be imposed for offensive or disorderly behaviour on board an aircraft and for failing to comply with any safety-related instructions. This can include fines of up to $15,650 (per offence) and in some cases up to 2 years’ imprisonment.
‘So please don’t take your frustrations out on staff or other passengers.
‘While on board we also encourage you to listen to the safety briefings and follow all airline crew directions and requests.
‘Once again, we strongly support this campaign and we really want you to enjoy these school holidays and travel safely, wherever your exiting destination may be.
Steve Mogridge was driving on a lonely stretch of the Goldfields Highway when he instantly lost all feeling in the left side of his body. The 66 year old suddenly couldn’t move while behind the wheel of a manual car, travelling at 110 kilometres per hour.
“I was at least 50 kilometres away from Leonora Hospital, and I somehow had to keep driving. What choice did I have? If I had stopped, I certainly wasn’t going to get the help I needed,” he said.
Steve recognised that he was having a stroke. When he arrived at the hospital, he had to let the car stall to a stop in the carpark. He managed to drag himself to the front doors, where he was able to wave down a nurse inside to come over and assist him.
Shortly after, the Kalgoorlie resident was being flown to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor Service for treatment.
“It happened so fast. My job that day was going to be to driving a bus full of staff from the Jaguar Mine to Leonora Airport – instead I was at the Airport, being loaded onto a RFDS plane!” Steve said.
“The crew from Meekatharra were so cool, calm and collected. The pilot assured me they were going to make my flight as comfortable as possible.”
Steve spent two weeks recovering in the stroke unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, and had a stent inserted in his carotid artery.
After three months off, Steve is now back at work as a bus driver and says apart from a bit of instability on his left side, he’s feeling like himself again.
He says knowing the RFDS is there gives peace of mind to those living in regional areas.
“After my stroke, there was no MRI machine (at Leonora Hospital,) no adequate medication available and no neurologists on hand. The only option was to get to all of this help as soon as possible, it wasn’t coming to me,” Steve said.
“My only alternative to being flown to Perth was to be transferred by ambulance to Kalgoorlie and then driven to Perth. That adds up to more than 9 hours of travel time plus any stops along the way.
“Instead, less than one and a half hours after leaving Leonora Hospital, I was being positioned in a MRI machine at a hospital in Perth. The RFDS saved vital time, which ultimately saved my life.”
he Flying Doctor has embarked on a new era of healthcare accessibility, launching the RFDS Electronic Health Record (EHR) to further enhance patient care.
Designed by the RFDS to be compatible with every state and territory health system, the Electronic Health Record allows doctors, nurses and paramedics to share critical medical information in real-time – regardless of whether the patient is in the air and on the ground.
From a laptop or mobile device, RFDS crews can now digitally record a patient’s vital health stats during flight and share the data live with the awaiting receiving team on the ground, meaning life-saving decisions can be made even before the aircraft wheels touch down.
Critically, the EHR works even when offline, making it ideal for emergency health care in the middle of the Australian outback or 10,000 feet above sea level.
RFDS EHR Clinical Lead Dr Mardi Steere said the new technology served as an “extra pair of hands” for a doctor or nurse providing sole care in the back of an aircraft.
“When every second counts, the right information at the right time saves lives,” Dr Steere said.
“The EHR has a live dashboard showing real-time trends and inbuilt safety alerts around allergies and early signs of deterioration as well as guidelines around patient risk factors and medication dosages.
“Before the EHR, crews were committing all of this information on paper, which took more time and was more likely to have errors or be difficult to read.
“Now, our crews can spend more time with the patient rather than with paperwork, building upon the high quality standard of care the RFDS provides.”
Photo: RFDS Executive General Manager, Medical & Retrieval Services, Dr Mardi Steere with Flight Nurse, Jodie Hunter.
RFDS EHR Digital Lead Ryan Klose said the technology was developed using a world-class management platform from global provider Oracle.
“We approached Oracle in the first instance to tap into their data expertise currently used in the defence, banking and elite sport industries,” Mr Klose said.
“The way we are using the technology – in the rural health setting – is truly groundbreaking.
“Take the split-second decision-making of a motor-racing team with the layers of data protection behind every transaction you make at your local ATM. Then apply that to a medical emergency.
“Whether it’s being used in the back of an aircraft or in the back of a road ambulance, the EHR needs to provide information that is accurate and stays private.
“The RFDS employs leaders in their field that truly understand the complexities of working in remote settings and in this project, data experts worked side-by-side with clinicians to come up with a solution tailor-made for the outback environment and for the patients we will help.”
Photo: RFDS SA/NT Chief Information Officer, Ryan Klose.
The RFDS is currently undertaking a staged rollout – SA, NT and NSW are live and Queensland is set to adopt the EHR in coming weeks.
Seed funding for the EHR project was generously provided by Mrs Rinehart and the Rinehart Medical Foundation.
When Tony’s vehicle rolled off the Eyre Highway in one of the most remote areas of the country, he was trapped in his car clinging to life – needing the RFDS to land on the road to airlift him to safety.
After visiting family in Perth in late March, Tony Hudson set off on his way home to South Australia across the Nullarbor Plain.
It was a road trip the 53-year-old motorist had done “thousands of times”.
But on this journey, a large grey kangaroo leapt from the scrub. The roo clashed with the side of the car. The rest was a blur.
“The kangaroo came out of nowhere and I lost control – apparently the car rolled 50 metres,” he said.
Barely conscious, bones shattered and bleeding from the head, Tony was trapped. He tried to use his phone – but being so remote, there was no reception.
Using his CB radio, he managed to get hold of a truck driver, who called 000.
Graphic: RFDS Dr Edward James
“We received a 000 call and got some early information there was a single person high-speed car rollover.
“We quickly assembled a team with a critical care doctor, flight nurse and pilot, and started locating the closest airstrip so we could get to the patient as soon as possible.
“We prepared for every scenario, packing a range of equipment including our ventilator, blood supplies, spinal boards, extraction equipment, vac mats and medications.”
– RFDS Rural Generalist Consultant, Dr Edward James
Meanwhile, medical and emergency services crews came from near and far – nurses and Department of Fire and Emergency Services team members from the nearest town, Eucla, as well as paramedics from a nearby mine site.
Their expert care and immediate support was essential in extracting Tony safely from his car while the RFDS was on its way.
As the first responders came together, the RFDS team identified the accident location and discovered the closest airstrip was the road itself. Chadwick Airstrip is a designated 1,200-metre emergency highway landing strip on the Eyre Highway — one of just two such landing strips in South Australia.
Police and emergency services secured the highway, temporarily blocking traffic at both ends to allow the RFDS team from Port Augusta to land. For RFDS Pilot Matt Wedge, it was his first time landing an aircraft on a road.
Graphic: RFDS Nullarbor Retrieval
“At the RFDS, it’s always ‘go, go go’ – so this was just another challenge.
“After going through all the logistics of a road landing and ensuring the highway was ready to be secured, we had a discussion in the air with the crew about what needed to be done on arrival. You know generally what the doctor’s plan of action is and what they need, so I always just try and help out by making the journey as smooth and quick as possible.”
– RFDS Pilot, Matt Wedge
On arrival at the highway roadstrip, the local ambulance crew drove the RFDS team from the aircraft to the accident site, just 10 minutes away.
The RFDS team immediately identified that Tony had multiple life-threatening injuries. This included likely spinal injuries, a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and an obvious head injury. Roadside surgery was going to be the only way to give Tony a fighting chance at survival.
Graphic: RFDS Nullarbor Retrieval
“When we got to the scene, the car was only a couple of metres from where the patient was laying. He was in a ditch covered in blood and dirt just off the road – his personal possessions scattered everywhere.
“Our main concern was that he was struggling to breathe – he had some air in his chest that wasn’t in his lungs, so we needed to do a chest drain.
“A chest drain involves making a hole in the side of the patient’s chest, and you need it to be as sterile as possible. Trying to do that on the ground, surrounded by scrub and dirt with cars driving past at high speeds is not ideal.”
– RFDS Retrieval Rural Generalist Consultant, Dr Jess Martyn
The RFDS team, with the help of the first responders, transferred Tony from the ground onto a stretcher so they could carry out the procedures in the ambulance.
In addition to the chest procedures, Tony was then anaesthetised and intubated so a ventilator could take over his breathing during the three-hour journey to Adelaide.
Graphic: RFDS Flight Nurse Shannyn Fitzgerald
“We were fighting the sunset as we needed to get into the air before nightfall.
“I really don’t think the outcome would’ve been as positive if the first responders weren’t there and we didn’t arrive when we did.
“The first responders were fantastic, and really gave that initial care so everything RFDS Flight Nurse, was ready for when we arrived.”
– RFDS Flight Nurse, Shannyn Fitzgerald
On arrival at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, CT scans revealed the full extent of Tony’s injuries. Tony had multiple neck and thoracic spine fractures, significant rib fractures, a collapsed lung, injuries to his abdominal organs, as well as a concussion.
While initially expecting to be home in April, Tony finally walked through his front door in mid-June this year. He had endured three weeks in intensive care, an additional three weeks in general surgery, and almost a month in rehabilitation hospital. During this time, Tony’s partner, Trish, travelled between Kadina and Adelaide daily to be by his side throughout his recovery.
“Coming home was overwhelming. Managing to give Trish a hug and a kiss, and seeing my dog who I hadn’t seen in months – he was all over me like anything,” he said.
“Even though I’m still recovering, I feel like I’ve won the lotto.”
Tony was in utter disbelief when he eventually heard about the specifics of the roadside surgery and what was carried out to save his life.
“The first time I remembered anything was when I was in the ICU about a week and a half after the accident.
“If it wasn’t for the RFDS, I’d be dead right now. Hearing about the nurses and doctors basically operating on me on the road with all the dirt, dust, cars going by at high speeds, I can’t believe that.
“This was out in the middle of nowhere and people came from everywhere to help. It wasn’t one or two people, it was a whole group. I thank every single one of them – I can’t put it into words.”
Safety Management SystemsSafety management is vital to keeping our skies safe. It involves managing your business activities and preventing accidents.
Loss of control lessonsLoss of control is the most significant cause of serious accidents for sports and recreational pilots.Watch a 3-part video series from Recreational Aviation Australia exploring the primary causes, contributing factors and how to avoid these types of accidents.
New resources from around the worldListen and watch the latest additons to the international section of the pilot safety hub:US video examining a fatal crash in high-density altitude conditionsNew Zealand podcast about poor radio callsCanadian video series on winter flying.
