Inexperienced pilots were allowed to fly unpaid to accumulate flying time by the aircraft operator involved in one of Australia's worst aviation disasters, an inquiry has been told.
Fiona Norris lost her husband Paul in the 2005 crash which claimed 15 lives when a Transair plane flew into a hill just outside Lockhart River in far north Queensland.
Ms Norris told a Senate inquiry into the Civil Aviation Safety Authority that pilots purchased their time to increase their experience, effectively working for nothing.
''I know many pilots who had bought time with Transair,'' Ms Norris told the inquiry in Canberra.
''There should be some regulation where a low-time pilot is not allowed to fly under RPT (regular passenger transport) conditions, especially when the operator was known to take money where pilots were actually able to buy their time on that type of aeroplane.'' CASA chief executive officer Bruce Byron said he was not aware the authority had received reports of operations like that.
''If it happens it is a shocking practice,'' Mr Byron said.
In her written submission to the inquiry, Ms Norris called for the families of victims of plane crashes to be compensated without questions.
''We recommend that an amount of $500,000 be paid per passenger death without enquiry as to circumstances within three months of the crash,'' Ms Norris wrote.
The allegation of pilots flying unpaid was just one of many air safety concerns the inquiry heard.
A representative from the Australian and International Pilots Association said CASA had failed to deal with pilot fatigue appropriately.
''Pilots have been providing documentary evidence of breaches in flight duty hours to CASA since 2005 but there has been no action to enforce the law,'' association president Ian Woods said.
Captain Woods said CASA showed every sign of being too closely aligned with the airlines and yet it was supposed to regulate from a distance.
''We know that CASA has got a tough job,'' he said.
''We want to see them better resourced.
The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association used the inquiry to raise again its concerns about the quality of overseas aircraft maintenance facilities.
Association representatives said an aircraft which returned from servicing overseas last week had 60 defects.
''That aircraft has had faults such as earth wires not being connected which caused an electric shock to flight attendants in the galley,'' association senior industrial officer Gary Norris said.
Mr Norris said it was a ''major concern'', given the work had been signed off by the airline, which had implemented a customer inspection requirement in its contract.
Deputy chief executive officer of operations at CASA Mick Quinn said he knew of the case.
The inquiry continues today. AAP