Folks

There has been quite a bun-fight over the last few weeks over a rewording of MOP019 from MAAA. Many people have read the revised wording and drawn a number of (widely different) interpretations from it, which has resulted in numerous individual questions, submissions, and probably the best example of "send three and fourpence..." that has been seen for many a year.

The following correspondence has been received from MASNSW and the attachments can be opened from the links below it:

"The attached correspondence has been received from the MAAA President with the request that it be circulated as a matter of urgency.  It is a matter that should be bought to attention of all club members, especially those with an interest in public flying displays.

The MAAA release will be discussed at the next MAS NSW Business Meeting to be held at “Workers”, Parramatta on the 10 February 2012, starting at 8pm.  At this time the executive will table all items of correspondence in relation to this matter and it will be open for discussion, review and subsequent inclusion in the minutes."

MAAA statement on MOP019

MAAA display statement

As a club, WRCS should present a common view on this issue to MASNSW and MAAA, leaving individuals to represent their personal views and ideas, separately and as individuals only, if they wish. Several submissions, of varying degrees of heat, were received by the committee and the MAAA MOP and CASA documents relating to this issue have been studied in detail. As a result, the committee has submitted the following letter to MASNSW. 

                                                                                                                                  31 January  2011

 Dear Tim

                 RE:  WRCS submission in the matter of the wording of MOP 019

Arising from our committee meeting last night you are advised:

 The WRCS committee is ambivalent about the wording of MOP 019, but in the knowledge that a considerable number of member submissions have been received by MAS/MAAA, the committee has the utmost confidence that the MAS/MAAA executives will reach a final wording of MOP 019 that will remove any perceived difficulties.

 The meeting unanimously expressed their admiration for the executive of MAAA and MAS for the amount of time they have had to devote to issues raised as a result of an application for a public air display.

 Arising out of our debate the WRCS committee also expressed an opinion that the MAS/MAAA ought to mandate that at every public display:

‘ Every aircraft, regardless of weight, must be MOP’d’      

Best wishes

Brian Porman

Secretary

To expand, briefly:

1. We have confirmation, in writing, that MOP019 does nothing to affect the events that WRCS runs at Belrose. These are not public displays despite the fact that members of the public are welcome to attend
2. Despite several interpretations that MOP019 was requiring a contest director and flight line director to ensure that all flights were safely completed, the actual obligation is about using reasonable judgement to satisfy themself on competence. At WRCS, our contest director and flight line director already do this and are always aware of their obligation. That's why the flight line director has absolute authority to ground pilots or insist that someone changes their flight path, for example
3. The words in the letter, above, were carefully chosen after very careful analysis of the documents. There is clearly some ambiguity which MAAA and MAS will be addressing, but the committee is satisfied that the changes don't affect our club events, don't place any further obligation on our contest and flight line directors, and that there is an appropriate governance programme in place to make sure that the comments and future changes will be considered
4. Finally, there is currently a requirement to MOP any model over 7kg and, in so doing, the pilot has to demonstrate their skill and competence and be signed off, as the model is, through the full flight pattern. The committee reached the view that doing the same (for public display purposes) with smaller models would assist in assuring pilot competence and model integrity.