President report
Here we are in 2016 the weather is settled, the farmers have had rain and we now have some great sunny days to enable us to go flying. It is only 11 months till Christmas so time to start thinking about the presents.
I got my RPL a month or two ago and did my BFR a couple of weeks ago so for the first time in 10 years I can fly a NZ registered aircraft in NZ. I am not rejoicing or complaining because for the last 10 years I have flown my Malibu on the USA register with an FAA licence and medical. I am happy though to be able to fly a C172 or C182 for a change and just to get to some of the fabulous strips that are available to us. I strongly suggest that if you have not done so already you get the RPL and have it validated with the DL9 medical. It is also timely to remind those that have theirs already to remember to send CAA a copy of your medical as soon as you have it. A quick look at CAA records show that only about 380 RPL’s have current medicals when about 680 RPL’s have been issued.
On Monday 1st February we had our last Executive meeting before the AGM. We are hoping for a big turnout this year at the AGM as we will explain some of the things that are going on with the funding review and bring you up to date with our plans to bid for the International AOPA (IAOPA) Assembly in 2018.
For now, I want to remind you that submissions to the funding review stage two must be in by 19th February. This can be done on line and I urge you to go to the CAA site and look at the proposals along with their analysis of a fuel levy. Then down load the submission form and fill it in with your submission.
Our AOPA submission, which is on the website ,
http://www.aopa.co.nz/page.php?id=168
will cover every question asked but we are going to concentrate on the CAA proposal to reduce the medical fee from $313.00 to $210.00. A reduction of $103.00. Look at this very carefully and instead of just saying “beauty we have a reduction” think about the reality and fairness of what they are offering. We are told that this reduction is the result of taking consideration of the Club / Private good ratio. Something we argued 3 years ago to no avail. That split has been set at 52% Private and 48% club which means the total fee must have gone up to $404.00 which is a 29% increase. We are not ready to accept that and have started some heavy discussions with CAA to be followed by our formal submission. Our aim is for a medical application fee of under $100.00 and in fact $80.00 is our considered amount. That includes us saying that we consider the one lump sum fee, which includes subsidising the Accredited Medical Conclusions (AMC) that some of us have to pay if we fail to meet the standards, should not be included in the basic application fee. If you need an AMC and 10% do, why should the other 90% have to subsidise you. Taking our arguments into account the fee could be $80.00 which is about what the Aussies pay.
The other thing that is “annoying” us (you can change that word to anything stronger you like and it would still not be what we really think), is the Ministry of Transport’s analysis of a fuel levy which is on the CAA site also. This was used to brief the Minister so that he could make an informed decision on how we should pay for CAA. The figures used and calculated in table 1 & 3 are so inaccurate that it must be seen as a misleading briefing. I point out that this is my opinion and based on figures that I have prepared as I am still waiting for more data from the Ministry which is now 2 weeks past their promised date. This week I will be getting an analysis done by a recognised Strategic Analyst so that if I am correct we can then alert the Minister to the errors. I am not talking about petty cash, as in one case I believe the cost of a fuel levy has been overstated by about 128% which is nearly $1M.
I have more on this in the upcoming Magazine.
To finish on a positive note there are a few events coming up quicker than you may thing. The Turangi Christmas BBQ on 21st Feb. AGM and safari starting 5th March, Blue Light 20th March, Hanmer Fly-in April 23rd – 25th which will be a spontaneous just turn up affair on the best day , and the winter fly-in a bit earlier this year because of the Hotel being renovated on 10th – 12th June.
Flying is what you belong to AOPA for so watch the website and come along to these events.
Fly safe, put in a submission and get your RPL.
Ian Andrews
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