I’ve cribbed Thony’s post from the UP; it’s done very nicely and avoids dropping some poor bugger ‘right init’. The fear of retribution for speaking out, first hand against such aberrations keeps chief pilots all over Australia awake at night. Furious at the stupidity, hateful of the cost and outraged over the lack of any conceivable ‘safety benefit’ to themselves, their crew or their company. It is a national disgrace.
I wish, I’d a dollar for every hour I’ve spent discussing the mentioned and the many, many un-mentioned operational outrages inflicted on industry by CASA FOI and their managers with not only Thorny, but others. Until we can get this type of lunacy understood as the real reason for the demanded reform, beaten into the thick headed politicians limited comprehension; there is no hope of true reform. This is but one of 100 similar stories; all true; all provable, all detrimental. All untold, for fear of retribution from the perpetrators, in the full knowledge that CASA will lie, cheat and steal to deny any form of culpability or enjoyment in the way things really are.
The regulator needs to be reformed; NOW. Not the ducking regulations. These are Skidmore’s men, he approves and countenances this type of stupidity; whether through ignorance or by tacit agreement with is of no significance. This type of embuggerance is rampant, common and regular. Anyway – FWIW the tip of the iceberg – ala Thorny.
Quote:drpixie,
What you allude is small potatoes.
What about the operator attempting to gain an international approval on their AOC.
Requirement by their allocated CAsA FOI, despite the fact that among the companies senior pilots the total INTERNATIONAL experience amounted to over fifty thousand hours.
A proving flight?
The FOI required the company to ferry the aircraft to Darwin from Karratha, Pay for him and his AWI mate to fly from Adelaide to Darwin, business of course, pay for three days accommodation, 5 star of course plus their allowances etc.
Then operate empty from Darwin to Dilli with just the FOI and his mate the AWI on board, the proving part, land, then back to Darwin.
Total time in International airspace, about 40 minutes, from TOPD to land, and from Take off to TOPC
Among the raft of NCN’s issued….the FO had trouble gaining contact on HF and required retraining. Is there anyone in the world who have used HF never had trouble on occasions gaining contact?
The FO had trouble understanding “Singlish” by the Dilli controllers because he had to ask them to repeat instructions a couple of times. It was suggested that the Chief Pilot should have gone to Dilli prior to the “Proving flight” to lecture the controllers on correct English, alternatively, submitted a syllabus for approval for a course in “Singlish” for aircrew.
All the NCN’s were in a similar vein, not a single one addressing anything remotely connected with ‘safety’.
This -after expending estimated fifty grand on an AOC extension???
They receive an international approval that requires them to complete a “proving flight” before they can actually DO a flight.
And people wonder why the Industry is going down the gurgler. These sort of costs are unsustainable.
Should it cost a quarter million and over two years for an AOC to operate a light jet? and before you “experts” jump in, their manuals etc were produced by ex CAsA employees. The problem with that is you need to be a mind reader to know how, whoever is approving your manuals, interprets the rules, which is why the first question some of the pro manual writers ask is “Who’s your FOI”?. “Ah you need a Billy Blowfly manual” let us know if this changes we have manuals to cover most FOI’s in your region.
Should it cost a hundred thousand dollars and over a year to add another aircraft to an AOC?
Compare… In New Zealand you will be quoted a cost and a time to complete for an AOC, usually about eight grand and eight weeks.
In the US, about the same time, cost? Zilch.
EDN – all true and slightly ‘under done’ to protect the innocent. I hope, one day, to be able to write up some of the ‘true’ horror stories industry has lived through. Some do actually beggar belief; even when I have done the research myself and tested the results. I’d publish the whole lot, no holds barred if I’d my way – name and shame the whole sorry lot; alas. Skidmore needs a crash course in reality and a rose tinted glasses removal if he believes his men are all ‘good-guys’. But then again, denial is a good substitute for reality as the old super ticks over.
EDN – E Ducking Nuff of the PPP. -Purblind, poseur plonker. Pick one for a CF.
