In 2014 ASRA wrote to the Hon Warren Truss MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. CASA sits in Minister’s Truss’s portfolio. The letter, in part, requested intervention to expedite the use of gyroplanes for contract mustering.

ASRA has been lobbying CASA for several years on contract mustering, however, we have not been successful in changing CASA’s view. Consequently, the ASRA committee decided to seek Ministerial intervention.

ASRA has now received responses from both Ministers. The letter from Minister Truss states that:

“the development of specific provisions governing the conduct of commercial aerial stock mustering in rotorcraft is being considered by CASA under the new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs).”

I do not hold out any hope that any change will happen soon. CASA has been reviewing this issue for several years and to date nothing has happened.

In the meantime Minister Truss encourages ASRA to provide evidence of illegal mustering to CASA so these pilots can be prosecuted. I want to assure members that ASRA will not be doing this.

It continues to deeply disturb me that Minister Truss’s letter indicates that CASA would rather prosecute than propose a sensible solution to the widespread practice of illegal contract mustering by gyrocopter.

Minister Truss goes on to say that CASA would welcome a proposal from ASRA to broaden our responsibilities to cover some types of commercial gyroplane activities.

ASRA is prepared to do this and will be discussing options with CASA.