Air Safety experts to check Regional Express maintenance facility

Air Safety experts have arrived in Wagga Wagga amid concerns about aircraft maintenance at bush airline, Regional Express. It comes after a report alleged a “culture of fear” within the organisation.

• Calls to ground REX fleet

Air Safety experts have arrived in Wagga Wagga amid concerns about aircraft maintenance at bush airline, Regional Express (REX).

It comes after a report from the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association alleged a “culture of fear” within the organisation, claiming management was intimidating maintenance crews out of reporting defects.

Air Safety experts will check heavy machinery maintenance in the Wagga facility.

The ALEA has asked the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to revoke REX’s authority to service its own jets which would effectively ground the fleet.

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the inspections today will help determine whether the allegations made by ALEA were true.

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“Today is about looking at the heavy machinery maintenance in the Wagga facility,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“We are looking at what is being done, how the staff operate, how the procedures and paperwork are sorted.”

He said the ALEA’s request to revoke REX’s authority of servicing their own fleet would ground the airline.

“Aviation organisations are normally set up in two parts, a flying part and a maintenance part,” he said.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators Aaron Holman (l to r), Greg Hood and Max Martin inspect the propeller that fell off a REX plane. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

“If the maintenance arm of REX was shut down they would not be able to get Qantas or Virgin to maintain their fleet as they don’t have the parts or expertise.”

Wagga City councillor Paul Funnell said the inspectors were speaking to REX.

“The safety inspectors are here this morning to inspect the place and hear REX’s side of the story,” he said.

CASA only recently completed a safety audit of REX - the fifth in 17 months.

In 2017 a REX flight from Albury to Sydney nearly ended in disaster when a 100kg propeller landed metres from southwest Sydney homes.

An investigation concluded that a fatigue crack was the cause.

REX operates 57 aircraft across 60 regional routes.

In a statement, REX has denied the ALEA allegations, saying they were sparked “entirely” by comments from a disgruntled former employee.

“REX believes that our safety management system, including our safety culture, is second to none in Australia,” it said.

“However, we invite all who have lingering doubts to talk directly to CASA which is the only authority that has all the facts and evidence, instead of giving credence to aviation amateurs who have an axe to grind or a personal agenda.”

REX said that CASA had conducted five “extensive” audits on REX in February 2018 which had examined all aspects of its safety management system, including culture.

“In addition, Rex has met with CASA on at least nine occasions since then to provide safety briefings and updates,” it said.

REX said at the end of this “exhaustive scrutiny” the surveillance report stated that REX’s safety management system was operating in an “effective manner” and that REX staff were appropriately trained.