The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) will extend its Mental Health and Wellbeing Service with the launch of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Announced today, the Flying Doctor’s EAP allows organisations to offer counselling and wellbeing consultations to their employees, which are all provided under complete anonymity and free of charge for the individual.
The first organisation to enlist the new RFDS EAP is fellow Queensland country-minded institution, AgForce.
RFDS (Queensland Section) Manager Central West and Outback Mental Health Doctor Tim Driscoll said the EAP was designed to help bridge the gap in the accessibility of counselling and wellbeing services for those living and working outside urban centres.
“We all lead busy lives, which can make it difficult to find time for our health and wellbeing –particularly for those living or working in rural and remote areas where people often wait for things to get a lot worse before seeking help,” Dr Driscoll said.
“A conversation with a trained professional can help tackle common daily struggles – such as trouble sleeping, feeling down or long-term stress – helping to address issues and get support before things get out of control.”
In the past year alone, the RFDS provided more than 12,000 mental health consultations across the state’s regional, rural and remote communities. The extension of these services to target employee health and wellbeing via workplaces is set to provide an additional avenue to increase the accessibility and uptake across Queensland.
RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Meredith Staib said EAPs provide benefits for both employees and employers.
“Being able to work with corporate partners can help amplify the accessibility of our services, while also playing an important preventative role in the wellbeing of individuals across Queensland,” Ms Staib said.
“As well as the personal benefits for the individual obtaining support, an EAP promotes higher staff engagement, reduces absenteeism, reduces stress, and increases productivity as well as overall performance.”
AgForce CEO Michael Guerin said the organisation was delighted to have the RFDS design a bespoke EAP program for its 40-strong team of employees located across Queensland.
“As an organisation, AgForce is committed to providing our team members with all the resources they need to thrive both in the workplace, and in life outside of it,” Mr Guerin said.
“The trust we have in the RFDS as an experienced and qualified team is of utmost importance, but it’s also a great comfort to know that their experienced clinicians are deeply ingrained in regional communities and can truly understand the unique challenges our team may face.”
For information about the RFDS EAP, visit rfds.co/EAP
This photo of 22-year-old Jess was taken one hour before the moment she almost died. She looks happy and relaxed—a picture of health. It’s almost impossible to believe what happened next.
Jess went into cardiac arrest while attending a local rugby match. For 10 minutes, her heart stopped. For 22 minutes, bystanders did CPR in a desperate attempt to bring her back, before she was urgently taken to Gladstone Hospital by a QAS ambulance.
Jess’s mum Trudy’s phone rang at around 6.30pm.“I was told Jess had been brought into Gladstone Hospital and she was very sick,” remembers Trudy.
It was simply impossible for Trudy to understand. Jess was young, physically active and strong.
“At first, the doctor told me they were flying her to Brisbane, but then they called back to say they couldn’t stabilise her. I needed to come straight to Gladstone Hospital. They were basically telling me to come and say my goodbyes.”
As Trudy was on her way to Gladstone, every minute felt like an eternity. “I just wanted to get to my child,” she says.
At the same time, one of our aeromedical crews had been tasked by Retrieval Services Queensland and was flying up from our Brisbane Base.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) celebrates its proud history with Qantas, as the commercial airline celebrates 100 years of passenger flying.
On 2 November, Qantas will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first regular passenger air service between Cloncurry and Charleville.
Alexander Kennedy, an 84-year-old outback pioneer, was the first passenger back in 1922, who flew the Longreach-Winton-McKinlay-Cloncurry leg of the inaugural mail service.
On Sunday 30 October, the historic milestone will be brought to life at the Charleville airport through an interactive centenary celebration where guests can engage with historic memorabilia, competitions, activities, and auctions.
The Flying Doctor has a longstanding history with Qantas – having chartered the first ever RFDS flight in 1928 between Cloncurry and Julia Creek.
In the first year alone, 225 emergency aeromedical retrievals took place, inspiring a dedication to providing critical health services to the furthest corners.
Speaking of the milestone for Qantas, RFDS Charleville Base Support Manager, Liane Spencer, said it was as a reminder of the invaluable support Qantas had provided to the RFDS over its history.
“It’s incredible to think it’s been 100 years since the first ever mail flight from Qantas, as without them, the RFDS wouldn’t be what it is today,” Ms Spencer said.
“A century on and we are more dedicated than ever to provide leading emergency aeromedical retrieval and health care services to rural and remote communities across Queensland, and we continue to be supported by Qantas along the way.”
As part of Qantas’ 100 year celebration, the RFDS pilot simulator will be open to the public to experience a flight with the Flying Doctor. The event is set to bring the community together to celebrate a nation where all Australians have access to emergency healthcare – no matter their location.
“We are incredibly excited to celebrate 100 years since Qantas’ first mail flight and look forward to seeing members of the community experience the true essence of the Flying Doctor with exclusive historic memorabilia and a unique look at our history,” Ms Spencer said.
Canberra Airport is set to permanently displace the Runway 12 threshold, enabling the airport operator to activate further non-aviation property developments.“The displacement of Runway 12 results in an overall safety degradation and will negatively impact on operation of small to medium sized aircraft at Canberra Airport, ” Benjamin Morgan, CEO AOPA Australia.
“Lets be clear about what is going on at Canberra Airport… this is about non-aviation property development and the many millions of dollars of profit that it generates,“They’re displacing the Runway 12 threshold and shortening the runway, to enable them to erect buildings and structures beyond the end of the runway that would otherwise be prohibited so as to protect the safety of aviation users,“This is simply another stunning example of what airport privatisation has delivered for Australia’s aviation industry and community, its placed property development profits first and aviation capability and safety last. ” he said.AOPA Australia is calling on general aviation users to attend the upcoming briefing and to use the opportunity to raise your concerns:
Wednesday 26th October 2022 – 6pm to 8pm
ALASTAIR SWAYNE THEATRE
33-35 Brindabella Circuit Brindabella Business Park Canberra Airport ACTAOPA Australia has previously raised concerns for the future of Canberra Airport Runway 12/30, responding to the airport operators runway closure during COVID-19.
Getting young people interested in aviation and developing the expertise of those already in the industry is crucial to the wellbeing of our sector.
Every incentive helps so I was pleased to be able to announce at the recent Safeskies conference in Canberra that we are offering a new scholarship program for safety managers.
These are people who play a crucial role in maintaining our safety record and we will be offering 3 scholarships worth up to $5000 each to help them increase their knowledge and skills through professional development.
We are encouraging safety managers who are committed to the development of a healthy aviation safety culture to apply.
More specifically, we are looking for people with a minimum of 2 years’ industry experience who use their initiative and display a high standard of aptitude and leadership.
They must also be working in a key aviation position, or have worked in one previously, and if you’re in this category I would encourage you to apply.
We believe this this a great opportunity to help successful individuals build their aviation expertise in the same way our engineering scholarships have benefitted promising Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs).
We announced 5 recipients of the engineering scholarship at the Rotortech Conference in May this year. We received more than 100 high-quality applications and the winners from Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia demonstrated a commitment to achieving the highest professional standards in their chosen fields.
First alphanumeric aircraft registration marks out nowThere’s more than a Spring change in the air with the arrival of Australia’s new alphanumeric aircraft registration marks.
The first release of 1500 new marks went live on 23 September 2022 and was necessary because the existing registration system had reached its limit. Read more
Aviation medical consultation attracts big responseThe summary of consultation on our proposal to simplify and modernise our approach to medical certification has been published.
We received more than 600 responses to the consultation. The feedback received has been grouped into 5 themes. Read more
Read our latest RPAS advisory circularAn updated version of the Advisory Circular 101-01: Remotely piloted aircraft systems, licensing and operations is now available.
Changes to the document reflect updates that have been made to drone regulations and the supporting manual of standards over the past 12 to 24 months. Read more
Update on Mallacoota AirportReintroduced instrument flight procedures at Mallacoota Airport are expected to come into effect on 3 November.
We’ve been working closely with Airservices Australia and the East Gippsland Shire Council to re-introduce instrument flight procedures as soon as possible. Read more
Readers recommend Flight Safety Australia!Almost 95 per cent of Flight Safety Australia (FSA) readers would recommend the magazine to others.
We survey the readers of our flagship aviation safety magazine every 2 years to gain insights that allow us to measure its impact on safety and behaviour. Read more
Have your say on control tower visual surveillance systemsWe’re proposing changes to air traffic services standards to enable electro-optical technology such as video cameras to be used for aerodrome control services.
This will involve amending the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 172 Manual of Standards to allow visual surveillance systems (VSS) to be used at air traffic control towers, including remotely controlled facilities. Read more
FAA expands rotor blade checks on Robinson helicoptersAn Airworthiness Directive (AD) covering tail rotor blade cracks on certain Robinson helicopters has been superseded by a new version that covers R66 models and a wider range of blades.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released FAA AD 2021-19-08 last year requiring operators to check blades for cracking on some R44 and R44 II models. Read more
Discover how we ensure safety with a new airlineEver wondered what’s involved in approving an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for a new domestic airline?
Deadline approaches for medical records move to myCASADon’t forget to sign up to myCASA or review your login details before we move our online Medical Records System (MRS) later this month.
We are moving MRS to sit within the myCASA portal to make more of our online services accessible from the one place. Read more
CASA Wings Awards on againWe’re continuing our support of Australian Flying’s CASA Wings Awards through our sponsorship program.
The program aims to improve and raise awareness of the importance of aviation safety for the benefit of the wider aviation community. Read more
New AvSafety seminar: Mitigating risks at non-controlled aerodromes CASA’s aviation safety advisors will soon be flying into your community to deliver our latest safety seminar for pilots: Non-Controlled Aerodromes: Manage Your Risks.
You’ll hear about all the hazards of a non-controlled aerodrome – and listen to a vivid real-world case study of how things went wrong. Read more
Experts discuss accident investigationJoin our expert panellists as they analyse a collision on runway at Caloundra Airport in Queensland, involving a light aircraft and a helicopter.
See a visual recreation of the accident and the radio calls that led up to the non-fatal accident. Our expert panel will discuss what was going on and their own flying experiences. Read more
Upcoming webinars: Loss of situational awareness in the circuitExpand your piloting skills with our next online webinar series: Loss of situational awareness in the circuit.
Using real life examples, our industry experts and experienced pilots will help you build your situational awareness and learn how to consider decisions and workload while flying.
Register today for seminars on Tuesday 4 and 11 October.
If you’ve missed any of our previous webinars, you can catch up via our YouTube channel.
Helicopter pilots can now make use of a class-like system for flight crew licences relating to some multi-engine helicopters.
This follows feedback from industry that the current approach of requiring a type rating for each multi-engine helicopter was restrictive.
Changes will be made to the Part 61 licencing rules over time, but in order to make this policy available immediately, an exemption has been put in place through a legislative instrument.
What this means
Pilots that hold a type rating for a specific multi-engine helicopter can become authorised to fly other specified multi-engine helicopters in the same class without obtaining a type rating.
Flight instructors and examiners also won’t need to hold a training or examiner endorsement for each type of helicopter in the class.
Pilots will still be required to undertake type specific training and an assessment (equivalent to a flight review) in a similar way to prescribed fixed-wing aircraft.
Thank you to the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel and in particular the flight crew licensing Technical Working Group that assisted us deliver this general aviation workplan initiative.
It was while Brooke was working as a nurse in the remote Pilbara that she came into regular contact with the RFDS and was inspired to pursue a career as a flight nurse. Today, she is one of more than 50 RFDS WA flight nurses who provide critical support to rural and remote Western Australian women who are with child. Here is her story.
Q) What attracted you to a career with the Royal Flying Doctor Service? A. Early in my nursing career, I was practicing in a remote location in the inland Pilbara at a two-nurse hospital, with GP/locum support. In that time, the RFDS was a huge part of my day-to-day collaboration and in moving patients to the airstrip for retrieval. Relying on the RFDS for critical care support, prior to Emergency Telehealth Service (ETS) being established, set the foundation of my deep respect for the work they, and now I, do.
I found out that in order to be considered as a Flight Nurse for the RFDS by way of training and skills, registration to practice midwifery was an essential criteria, along with specific trauma and critical care courses. When I returned to Perth, I had my sights set on serving as a flight nurse with the RFDS and went about getting the necessary qualifications.
Since joining the RFDS, I have been based at Jandakot and can be tasked to respond to medical emergencies from anywhere across more than 2.5 million square kilometres of Western Australia.
Q) How empowering it is as an RFDS nurse to have midwifery skills under your belt too? A. It enables me to care for all patients within my full scope of practice. Whether it’s an early pregnancy loss or complication, or late-term or a post natal complication reason for transfer, I have the skill-set and confidence that I can provide the care required.
Q) What you do love about being a midwife with the RFDS? A. The midwifery I practice with the RFDS is unlike any other maternity care setting. There is a certain level of autonomy within my role that is difficult to achieve in a hospital setting. Being able to support rural and remote woman with competent and safe maternity care in what is often a scary, isolating and challenging time in their life is a privilege.
Q) What capabilities and capacities does the RFDS have to help pregnant women? A. RFDS midwives are trained in obstetric emergencies and neonatal resus with regular upskilling and re-certification. But we are also midwives trained in normal birth. Yes, the births we attend are likely pre-term, a complex-care scenario or in less than ideal locations, but ultimately when a baby decides it’s coming, it’s coming. Supporting normal birth physiology and the emotional and physical needs of the birthing woman is a fundamental aspect to the midwifery care we provide. This is then intertwined with our critical care training to ensure optimal safety for women and their babies during retrieval.
Q) How different is it being a midwife at a hospital in comparison to a flying ICU in the air? A. There is often you and a pilot and maybe a doctor. In the air, you are solely relying on your midwifery skill, encompassing all of the multidisciplinary aspects of maternity care with the added critical care skill-set and medical equipment should you need it. But you’re doing it all. It’s not for everyone, but I love it.
Q) Can you share with us a time where you had to help deliver a baby? A. Last August, I responded to a Priority 1 patient located in a country town north of Perth who was labouring pre-term with her second baby. I walked into the hospital and I knew by her vocalisations that baby was imminent. So I washed my hands, introduced myself and got close to the woman. In a low voice, I said: “My name is Brooke, I am a midwife and it sounds very much like we’re going to have a baby together.” Between contractions I encouraged her to move to a more comfortable position, take sips of water and we listen to the fetal heart rate which was super reassuring for her. I took the time to whisper to her: “You are safe, your baby is safe and we are all in this together.” Within 18 minutes, a beautiful, albeit tiny, baby girl was born. Baby arrived in good condition but we still needed to transport mum and bub to a regional centre for specialist care. A week later when I returned to retrieve another patient, she was able to provide me with an update on her baby’s progress and I was able to debrief properly with her about her experience.
Director of Aviation Safety, Pip Spence Are you up to date with the latest aviation safety developments? Do you want to refresh your knowledge or enhance your piloting skills?
We’re giving pilots a terrific way to invest in their ongoing development through a new national campaign backed by government agencies and aviation industry groups.
The campaign drives home the important message ‘your safety is in your hands’ and draws together a wealth of important pilot safety information on a new online hub.
Resources such as webinars, podcasts, videos and other safety-enhancing products are available in one easily accessible forum we believe will be an invaluable source for the piloting community.
In developing the campaign, we drew on research into pilot attitudes to safety information from CASA and other sources, as well as Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) occurrence data.
Our research showed that most pilots found that educational resources produced by CASA were helpful, but they were not always aware they existed or knew where to find them.
Safety topics are based on ATSB accident and incident data and we will focus on a new theme each quarter, starting last month with non-controlled aerodromes.
This is a significant and always relevant subject that emphasises the importance of radio calls, planning and situational awareness.
You can find useful tips from experts in informative videos demonstrating best practices in these and other key areas.
The campaign will run through to July next year and topics in future quarters will focus on forecasting and navigating weather, flight planning and using controlled aerodromes.
Our thanks go to Airservices Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology for contributing information and resources on operating at controlled aerodromes and forecasting and navigating weather.
Additional help came from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and industry bodies such as Recreational Aviation Australia and the Australian Helicopter Industry Association.
The associations will be helping to get the message out to members and we are particularly keen to see rotary wing pilots use these resources after a number of accidents this year.
We are providing resources to help the associations and local flying schools encourage involvement, particularly from recreational and private pilot licence holders.
This pilot group believes it is extremely important to keep up to date with developments in aviation safety and has positive views about aviation standards.
We want to reinforce the concept that safety is in their hands, as well as the importance of thinking ahead and maintaining their skills.
However, the importance of the campaign’s message cannot be underestimated for those who are more qualified.
While CASA provides the framework for maintaining Australia’s safety, it is also a matter of individual responsibility.
We can all get blasé about any function we perform over a lengthy period but in aviation nonchalance can be fatal.
Flight Safety Australia has published many sad stories where the worst has happened as well as numerous articles where veteran pilots urge colleagues to refresh and update their knowledge throughout their careers.
Pilots owe it to themselves to check out these resources and I hope as many as possible do so.
All the best,
Pip
Multi-engine helicopter rating now available
Helicopter pilots now have access to a class-like system for most single-pilot multi-engine helicopters.
This follows feedback from industry that the current approach of requiring a type rating for each multi-engine helicopter could be simplified.
Operators can seek flight examiner course approval
Operators will now be able to seek approval from CASA to conduct their own Flight Examiner Rating Course (FERC).
From September 2022, CASA-approved operators will be able to conduct training for flight instructors who want to gain a flight examiner rating and examiners seeking an additional endorsement.
We are moving our Medical Records System (MRS) to sit within the myCASA portal next month to make more of our online services accessible from the one place.
This means from the end of October, you won’t need a separate username and password to log in to MRS from casa.gov.au to apply for or renew your medical certificates – you will be able to do this by logging into myCASA.
Share your love of aviation with us. Send us your best aviation-themed picture and it could be included in Flight Safety Australia’s wall calendar for next year. Over $3500 in prizes!
CASA welcomes new safety panel membersWe’re pleased to welcome 2 new members to our Aviation Safety Advisory Panel.
Dr Tarryn Kille joined the Panel for its June meeting this year, and Shannon O’Hara is set to attend her first meeting in October. Read more
ADS-B windfallHalf off the price of anything is always welcome news but when it also enhances safety, it should be a lay down misere.
Eligible operators can now get an Australian government grant that covers up to 50 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing safety-enhancing Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment. The grant is capped at $5000. Read more
Review of flight trainingWe’re reviewing your responses to a General Aviation Workplan initiative that will see us expand the privileges of some flight instructors.
An advanced copy of the instrument allowing flight instructors with a grade 1 training endorsement to train, assess and grant a range of endorsements for certain activities was released for comment in August. Read more
SMS milestones: one down, more to goPart 119 air transport and Part 138 operators conducting more complex aerial work operations should now be working toward the next safety management system (SMS) milestone in early December.
Operators in these categories will need to provide an SMS implementation plan by 2 December with the idea of providing full documentation by the June 2024 and being ready to start by December that year. Read more
Progress on Mallacoota AerodromeStaff from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and East Gippsland Shire Council have been working hard to re-introduce instrument flight procedures at Mallacoota Airport.
Meetings over the past two weeks have established a clear plan to transition the airport to certification and to reintroduce the Terminal Instrument Flight Procedures. Read more
Have Your Say on Avalon airspaceGet your submission in by 23 September to have you say on changes to airspace near Victoria’s Avalon Airport.
We’re proposing to remove Class E airspace at Avalon and replace it with Class D airspace. Read more
Register for our free September aviation safety seminars.We want you to come and join us as our AvSafety Advisors fly into your community to deliver our latest safety seminars.
These friendly and supportive in-person seminars will enhance the safety skills of any aviation professional, no matter what level of technical knowledge, experience or flying time. Read more
Share your close call Have you had a close call?
A close call is an experience you’ll never forget and often you’ve learnt a valuable lesson. Why not share your close call so others can learn from it too? Read more
We’re excited to announce that Oceans to Outback has now launched! It is the newest fitness challenge in support of the RFDS.
During the month of October, participants will have the option to walk, run or cycle set distances and travel between the RFDS bases throughout Australia whilst raising funds for our Service.
A new national safety education campaign backed by major aviation groups and aimed at encouraging pilots to increase their skills and knowledge launches today.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is working closely with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Airservices Australia, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), and industry bodies to enhance aviation safety through the ‘Your safety is in your hands’ campaign.
The new campaign encourages pilots to keep up to date with aviation safety developments, refresh their knowledge, invest in their ongoing development and, most importantly, stay safe.
CASA Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety, Pip Spence, says the campaign was developed with input from pilots and using ATSB occurrence data.
“With the help from the ATSB, we’ve been able to build our campaign and safety topics based on accident and incident data. Each quarter we will focus on a new safety topic with information and online resources available through the new CASA pilot safety hub,” Ms Spence said.
The CASA pilot safety hub provides a range of safety resources and useful information including webinars, podcasts, videos and products to enhance pilot safety.
“Airservices Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) have also contributed to our campaign by providing information and resources on operating at controlled aerodromes and navigating weather and forecasting,” Ms Spence said.
“Aimed at the Australian pilot community, we’ve been working on a range of resources for local flying schools and industry associations to encourage their students and members to get involved.”
As part of the national safety education campaign, CASA is also working alongside industry associations including Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) and the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) to help spread these important safety messages.
RAAus Chief Executive Officer, Matt Bouttell, says providing the piloting community a resource hub for topics that affect all pilots when flying is invaluable.
“Having safety information and useful resources on-hand in the one place is an asset to our members and the wider piloting community,” he said.
AHIA Chief Executive, Paul Tyrell, said that they supported the campaign and would be looking at how to encourage their members to engage and think about aviation safety.
“Helicopter pilots face similar risks to traditional fixed wing pilots, and we welcome any activity or initiative to encourage pilots no matter what their aircraft type to think about safety.”
For more information about the ‘Your safety is in your hands’ campaign visit the CASA pilot safety hub – casa.gov.au/pilots.
