Oh, Bad Gentle!– naughty.
Try not to get him going on Sterle and the Estimates pantomime; not now. Some buffoon has hi-jacked an e-mail address and is posting rubbish on face-whats-it, using it!. The mood is grim and ever so slightly 'cranky' (just a bit)...
The best efforts of the Rev. Forsyth and the 'non partisan' crew you mention WRT the Pel Air debacle just adds fuel to the flame; but mention of 'One-Sky' will definitely tip the bucket over; and I need the lad sanguine for tonight's dart match – Kiwi's again – always a hard fought rubber and, the BRB indaba beforehand.
Two of the great losses we have sustained are Fawcett and Forsyth. Fawcett publicly stated that he did not wish to 'branded' as 'the' aviation Senator (furry muff) and I believe the loss of Forsyth to industry advocacy was just tragic. However there it sits alongside of the loss of folk like Ben Cook, Peter Foley and many other good men and true. But, the real tragedy lays with what was/is foisted on 'aviation' in the shape of Halfwit, Hood, Spence, Hood, Popinjay, Carmody, Dolan, Chambers, Campbell, Worthington, Crawford, Martin, Weeks, Hood, Spence, Halfwit and his tame bean counter, - I could go on, and on. Click./. ./ did I mention Hood?
There's no mystery to any of this current airspace mess: between Halfwit and his accountant, Angus Who's-to-blame and the Frog 'consultants'– a small fortune went South when the One-Sky wet dream was 'thrilling' the village idiots with notions of glory. Any study of 'Estimates' (and budgets) : (never forget the money) clearly, unequivocally, and undeniably sees the great holes appearing in the ASA ability to perform design function, in expectation of dreams coming true. If it seems to be too good to be true – it probably ain't. Many of us do wonder how the coal face ATCO's stick it out and manage to do today the job they do, as best that they can, with what they've got. Bravo the boys and girls on the consoles; not their fault and they are not to be barked at, not under any circumstance.
But then– I still remember the days when an F27 was 'big iron' and Flight Service was functional. We never seemed to have the problems we see today - mind you 'full reporting' was active then (+/- 2 mins on Pos Rep - or a bollocking). OCTA was much easier then, no confusion – in or out of CTA – there was always someone at the end of 'the wire'. Passing Coffs southbound – FS would advise that WLM had delays for IFR and often (or on request) pass along the latest WLM ATIS or BoM Tafor. If you were 'regular' they may even advise that Fred was still holding, awaiting clearance. It is far removed from the situations we hear about today from flight crew. But again, the ATCO's are not to blame, they are as hidebound as the crews are. My last arrival and departures from both Melbourne and Brisbane almost made me pray for the day I could hang up the goggles and helmet; seems like nothing has improved since. (i.e. Holding fuel {at an unknown altitude} equal to (or better than) flight fuel and weight constraints a problem, not to mention schedule delays due to needing fuel to continue etc.. .......
The Halfwit's focus on financial rather than operational excellence has played a big part in the messy, complex, lack of service to the travelling public and the operators bottom line – no reduction in fees for lack of service? Or blame for that lack due 'attitude' and arse covering - and bonus - and an inability to just declare its a mess; a big one.
Anyway – the BRB are assembled, I have an Ale, my darts and the Kid on a promise of best behaviour- no guarantees of course.