Australian Flying — November-December 2017

The Bennet way
Navigating the rules to secure the
necessary approval for an air show
is a complex and intensive task,
requiring the ability to correctly
interpret what CASA wants, and
in some cases, even guessing what
they will want before even they
know. Experience is a weapon in
these cases, and that’s one thing
Australian air show stalwart Paul
Bennet has plenty of.
Knowing the issues facing
organisers, Bennet set up his
own air-show-in-a-box company
that provides not only some very
energetic aerobatic and warbird
displays, but also takes care of
the approvals and a lot of the
organising. But even with his
background, dealing with CASA
is still akin to running a gauntlet.
“There are many local
councils or aero clubs or similar
organisations that might be
wanting to hold an air show at a
particular venue, and it’s really
made quite difficult for them by

CASA,” Bennet says ruefully.

“Debatably, it’s almost too difficult

for them to get an air show across

the line.”

Bennet and his team have done

many shows across Australia, and

have been on the ground f loor

of organising several of those

including the recent Kyneton Air

Show and next year’s Tyabb Air

Show. Part of the problem, as

Bennet sees it, is the inconsistency

across the various CASA offices

that process approval applications.

“What we try to do is send

all the paperwork through the

Sport Office,” Bennet says, “but

that doesn’t always work because

some of the regional offices want

to get involved. So when we deal

with the Melbourne, Sydney or

Adelaide offices, it’s all totally

inconsistent; they want different

information.

“We’ve got a standard that

we use for every air show, with

modifications to risk assessments

and so on, but basically the same.

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Except, CASA wants different

information depending on what

office you deal with. If only we

could put it all through one office,

then it would make all of our lives

a lot easier!”

And given that CASA actually

produces a manual for air displays,

you would think following that to

the letter would guarantee a level

of consistency. Not so.

ABOVE: Slower planes

like this Fokker Triplane

are now allowed much

closer to the crowd

than faster and more

energetic aircraft.

australianflying.com.au 45