The Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) is a non-profit organisation representing the interests of regional

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes airplane, fixed-wing and helicopter, rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as aerostat, lighter- ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

. RAAA has approximately 100 members and 2500 employees. They Provide air

transportation in Australia There are many forms of transport in Australia. Australia is highly dependent on road transport. There are more than 300 airports with paved runways. Passenger rail transport includes widespread commuter networks in the major capital cities wit ...

for more than 2 million passengers and 23 million kilograms cargo per year. It was formed in 1980 as the Regional Airline Association of Australia and amended its name in 2001 when its

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the re ...

was widened to include "aerial work operators" as well as

regional airline A regional airline is a general classification of airline which typically operates scheduled passenger air service, using regional aircraft, between communities lacking sufficient demand or infrastructure to attract mainline flights. In North ...

s and

air charter Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a ticket through a traditional airline). Regulation Charter – also called air taxi or ad hoc – flights ...

companies "and the businesses that support them". The members of Regional Aviation Association of Australia include "

airline An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...

airports An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfac ...

, engineering and flight training companies, finance and insurance companies and government entities".Quotes from th
RAAA homepage
/ref> Thomas Global System's CEO Angus Hutchinson stated "The RAAA plays a fundamental role in supporting the Australian aviation industry and linking regional communities and remote areas across Australia." The Charter of Regional Aviation Association of Australia is to promote a safe and viable region aviation industry, to achieve this goal, RAAA require:

Member Directory

The membership of the association is accessible to any organization that is able to actively participate in or support the regional aviation industry. There are four levels of membership, they are (a) Ordinary Members; (b) Associate Members; (c) Affiliate Members; (d) Honorary Members. Of which Ordinary Member is open to all organizations holding an

Air Operator Certificate An air operator's certificate (AOC) is the approval granted by a civil aviation authority (CAA) to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets, and system in plac ...

(AOC) including: • Aeromedical operators, • Airline Operators, • Charter Operators, • Air Freight Operators, • Flying Schools, • Other aerial work requires an

. RAAA allows all organizations, other than

holders, that demonstrate participation in the regional aviation industry to become Associate members, including: RAAA allows all organizations, other than

holders, or person does not intention to be an Ordinary Member, that demonstrate participation in the regional aviation industry to become Associate Members, including: RAAA allows all organizations, other than

holders, or person does not intention to be an Ordinary Member, that demonstrate participation in the regional aviation industry to become Associate Members, including: • Airports, •

Consultant A consultant (from la, consultare "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice and other purposeful activities in an area of specialization. Consulting servi ...

s, • Engine and Airframe Manufacturers and Distributors, • Equipment and Spare Parts Suppliers, •

Financiers An investor is a person who allocates financial capital with the expectation of a future return (profit) or to gain an advantage (interest). Through this allocated capital most of the time the investor purchases some species of property. Typ ...

, • Fuel and Oil Manufacturers and Distributors, • Insurers, • Law Firms, • Maintenance Organizations, • Some Government Agencies, • Trade Journals • Training Organizations. The Affiliate Member of Regional Aviation Association status is open to person other than

holders and associate members who remain directly or indirectly involved in or with the Australian Aviation Industry, including: The Affiliate Member of Regional Aviation Association status is open to person other than

holders and associate members who remain directly or indirectly involved in or with the Australian Aviation Industry, including: • Government Departments, •

Shire Council Local government is the third level of government in Australia, administered with limited autonomy under the states and territories, and in turn beneath the federal government. Local government is not mentioned in the Constitution of Australi ...

s, • Other similar bodies. The Honorary Members of Regional Aviation Association of Australia status is open to persons who could provide exceptional service to regional aviation industry or association. Thomas Global System announced its membership in Regional Aviation Association of Australia on July 21, 2015. Thomas Global System provides products and designs for

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and ast ...

and defense, they are leading position in the innovation and production of

electronic system Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...

s. The CEO of the Thomas Global System Angus Hutchinson believes that the Regional Aviation Association of Australia is the foundation of the Australian aviation industry and connects remote areas of Australia. He also believes that Thomas Global System work with Regional Aviation Association of Australia could achieve better air safety and operational practices.

The Australian Aviation Association Forums

Regional Aviation Association of Australia provides broad representation for the regional aviation industry through direct lobbying of ministers and senior officials, through submissions to

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

, personal contacts, and ongoing and active participation in several advisory forums. The Australian Aviation Associations Forum is a

coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

of Australia's leading Aviation Associations. The aim is to ensure the industry has a unified voice with the government on key aviation issues and policies. It is characterized by expertise and representation of a wide range of people and organizations committed to aviation. Participants in the forum represented most airline operators: aircraft owners, service providers, supporters and participants.

Major Conferences And Reforms

General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting is between 30 September and 31 December. The exact time and place are decided by the board of directors. The meeting notice of the Annual General Meeting will be sent to the members of Regional Aviation Association of Australia by

fax Fax (short for facsimile), sometimes called telecopying or telefax (the latter short for telefacsimile), is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material (both text and images), normally to a telephone number connected to a printer o ...

or email at least 28 days before the meeting. Meetings other than annual general meeting are called

Extraordinary General Meeting An extraordinary general meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body that occurs at an irregular time.' The term is usually used where the group wou ...

. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within 21 days after the joint request of at least five members. The content of the application must be clearly stated and legitimate. The meeting notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting will be sent to the members of Regional Aviation Association of Australia by fax post or email at least 7 days before the meeting. The Regional Aviation Association of Australia had canceled the Annual General Meeting in 2020 as the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

risk.

Technical Working Group

The Regional Aviation Association of Australia Technical Working Group (TWG) is a regular meeting event where Regional Aviation Association of Australia’s members discuss issues affecting the aviation industry. It aims to define, review, and find solutions to common issues that are encountered from a management and operation perspective. The Technical Working Group is responsible for advising the

chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the group ...

, directors of NASA, flight operations, maintenance, and safety standards. Regional Aviation Association of Australia technical working groups are also allowed to create sub-working groups to study some specific areas. Each sub-working group must be chaired by the Board member of Regional Aviation Association of Australia. The sub-committee has the right to nominate a coordinator to provide expertise in a specific area with the approval of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia Board.

Regulatory Services and Surveillance Transformation Initiative

The Regulatory Services and Surveillance Transformation Plan was developed in 2019. It is regarding Regional Aviation Association of Australia 's entry control and surveillance program, which aims to change the management style to a more targeted and simplified approach. The plan provides a new aviation policy that all decisions should be made by the command center. It also uses the program to review all "on- board" activities carried out by Regional Aviation Association of Australia 's intelligence agencies to maintain Australia's aviation safety record and attention to the some risks and passenger safety.

National Runway Safety Group

Regional Aviation Association of Australia is a member of the National Runway Safety Group. The National Runway Safety Group is a working group cooperate with transportation and aviation industry to improve the safety performance and

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concrete ...

safety in Australia.

Events

Early Career Pilot Attributes Study

Regional Aviation Association of Australia has launched Early Career Pilot Attributes Study to attract and retain pilots in the early stage. In 2014, Regional Aviation Association of Australia further cooperated with universities to provide technical and non- technical air transport training and understanding some shortcomings of Australia's professional aviation training program to provide appropriate guidance from an industry perspective. The event was facilitated by the Regional Aviation Association of Australia Training and Education Committee (TEC) and its members. This study provides insight into both technical and non-technical attributes of aviation managers for early career pilots.

Appeal For Government Assistance Under Covid-19

The Australian Regional Aviation Association encourages the Government to seek further emergency financial assistance for aviation organizations affected by the current

lockdown A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison ...

and travel restrictions (RCA). As a result, the Michael McCormack as Deputy Prime Minister of

Federal Government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...

has agreed to provide $198 million in route subsidies to regional airlines, aimed at providing reduced services to regional communities at risk of losing their current scheduled service, and an additional $100 million in direct financial support to smaller airlines facing collapse. The Federal Government of Australia released the new Aviation Recovery Framework on 20 December 2021. Its aim is to recover the aviation industry damaged by the

epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics of infectious ...

, which also means that the aviation industry has a potential role in

economic recovery An economic recovery is the phase of the business cycle following a recession. The overall business outlook for an industry looks optimistic during the economic recovery phase. During the recovery period, the economy goes through a process of e ...

. After the release of the New Aviation Recovery Framework, the CEO of Regional Aviation Association of Australia Steven Campbell said that the funds were used for Regional Airline Network Support program, and 15 million was used for remote airstrip upgrades and 6.6 million was used for remote air services scheme.

New Regional Roadshow Series

In 2020, due to the restriction of covid-19, the Annual General Meeting of Regional Aviation Association of Australia cannot be held normally. Instead, regional roadshows will be held, including aspects of convention and some aspects of technical working group. In March 2021, more than 80 members of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) gathered in

Mildura Mildura is a regional city in north-west Victoria, Australia. Located on the Victorian side of the Murray River, Mildura had a population of 34,565 in 2021. When nearby Wentworth, Irymple, Nichols Point and Merbein are included, the area h ...

for a two-day roadshow series. This is the Regional Aviation Association of Australia’s first regional roadshow to replace the organization's usual annual meeting. The event was supported by the City Council's Activity Grant and support Recovery Fund. The main aim is to discuss the latest situation on COVID-19 impacts and recovery of the aviation industry, including the Ministry of Infrastructure Transport, Regional Development and Communications. In December 2021, Regional Aviation Association of Australia announced they cooperate with AMDA to conduct the roadshow and aviation showcase across Australia. Both sides believe that this cooperation will achieve a win-win outcome and make the value of regional aviation in Australia even more significant. The regional aviation showcase cooperate with AMDA will be conducted during 28 February 2023 to 5 March 2023.

Scholarship

Due to the high barrier of the aviation industry, it usually takes a lot of time and funds to enter this industry and maintain skill in the later stages. RAAA and sponsors offer the Scholarships for qualified pilots and technical trainees. The sponsors include Ansett Aviation Training, Avsuper, JSSI, Hawker Pacific and MFS.

Challenge

The degree of attention by the government and various parties to regional airline is a severe challenge to the Regional Aviation Association of Australia. Some issues need to work together with the government to be solved more effectively. The

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Regional Aviation Association of Australia Paul Tyrrell said that even though regional airlines are important part of the Australian aviation industry, it still feels the neglect of the government and opposition, and many transportation policies could not help regional airline. As Australia's population grows and more migrants onboards, the demand for domestic aviation in Australia will become greater in the future. At the same time, these problems also cause pressure on

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...

. As the Asia-Pacific region with the most flights in the world, the supply of aviation will be much lower than the demand, more investment in the aviation industry in the future has also become a challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked a severe toll on the aviation industry. Even though the Australian government provided financial support to Australian Regional Airline, the future remains a concern. Australia's border blockade during the pandemic left many international students without entry, and these prospective pilots had to transfer their study destinations to other countries, such as the United States or European countries, which could create a shortage of future pilots in Australia. The Chairman of Regional Aviation Association of Australia Jim Davis in the context of COVID-19 epidemic said

Controversy of Regional Aviation Association of Australia

Airlines and other airport users have expressed concern that airport operators are privately controlled

monopolies A monopoly (from Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situation where a speci ...

with little regard for the welfare of airport users and communities. As a result, Regional Aviation Association of Australia members have had a largely negative experience with airports since

privatization Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...

, except for a few regional airports. Due to the Regional Aviation Association of Australia's considerable influence in the Australian aviation industry, they have seen the inappropriate use of

market power In economics, market power refers to the ability of a firm to influence the price at which it sells a product or service by manipulating either the supply or demand of the product or service to increase economic profit. In other words, market powe ...

to raise their prices to a relatively high level and no competitors can compete with them, and lack of adequate consideration of operational needs including security issues. Low level of security, comfort and negotiating power relate to leasehold. Regional Aviation Association of Australia supports the statement under “ Air Services and Facilities ” Part III A that the scope of "Air services and Facilities" needs to be expanded from the current definition to include all services and facilities essential to the operation of civil aviation services, including

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...

maintenance and

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including tra ...

operations. The inappropriate use of market forces by airports adversely affects the investment and long-term future viability of regional aviation, and thus adversely affects regional communities. Regional Aviation Association of Australia encourages the commission to conduct a "regional aviation" survey to investigate these and other pressing issues such as skills shortages.

Notes

External links

RAAA homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regional Aviation Association Of Australia Airline trade associations Regional airlines Australian airliners Aviation organisations based in Australia