#SBG 28/03/21: On the Gurney – before the journey.

Ref: Hansard out & The DARD and continued non-compliance with ICAO?? & CASA changing; & ASC (Iron Ring) revealed??

On the Gurney – before the journey. – AP forum version.

Strange start: but, as the title suggests, IMO it is an apt one. There you are, busted up, laid out on a gurney and in need some very serious, urgent medical attention – except, on the other side of the glass partition, the medico’s are talking – but; you can’t hear it. No idea at all what is going to happen. I reckon that’s where ASA, ATSB and CASA are at the moment, seriously damaged; but they cannot hear or really see what’s coming next. An imposed cone of silence surrounds them; and, they have zero control of what comes next. A major skid on the Buckley, AF, BRM and regulatory reform ‘black ice’. – Wake up in an ambulance. Black ice, as our Northern brethren will tell you is a right bastard – you can’t see the wretched stuff.

Wiki – “Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on roads. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it. The typically low levels of noticeable ice pellets, snow, or sleet surrounding black ice means that areas of the ice are often practically invisible to drivers or people stepping on it. There is, thus, a risk of slippage and subsequent accident due to the unexpected loss of traction.

We do try not to let imaginations get overheated. However, careful study of what is ‘between the lines’ leads to an inkling of what – exactly – is going on behind the scenes set for public viewing. One may, intuitively (with experience) catch a whiff of something ‘off beat’. Alternatively, one may study text and context, join the dots and make the dashes. No matter which way you do it; the conclusions drawn are almost identical. In short – the ‘agencies’ are being kept in the dark and have NDI about which way the shit is going to fall; but fall it will. Ministerial umbrellas are of little use, and they were only on loan until he needed them – and sacrificial goats, even those valued at a million bucks a hide are, in reality, two bob a dozen – when the devil drives.

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“Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.― Abraham Lincoln”

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We have watched some very nervous cats on the Senate hot tin roof. Halfwit almost wetting his britches; Hood not even invited; and that Scot’s git – Crawford, not even allowed an ‘opening statement’. Talk about rabbits in a spot light. Why? Well Master Atkinson’s troops – that’s why. Excellence and honesty (almost) from the DoIT crew. Take CASA for example. What a bunch of nervous Nellie’s. The wannabe DAS says ‘Em’ before daring to open his gob; then he looks to the unspeakable Aleck who walks straight into a quagmire. The CASA were on the paddock for only eight short minutes before being dismissed, out of hand: by a Senate team who could not give a fig for what they had to say. Sterle (legend) said it all. “I hope you get it”. Although he failed to define exactly what “it” was. The AP crew and many others hope Crawford ‘gets it’; as hard and as often as is permissible under the Geneva convention. 

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“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” ― Sophocles, Antigone

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So, what did actually happen at Estimates this week? Only a notion – but ‘we’ (BRB and IOS) liked it; very well. DoIT clearly back in the saddle. “We are changing” screams the headline; BOLLOCKS says the mob. Consider this – it ain’t CASA who have rung the changes; but the DoIT. ASA, ATSB and CASA shut down early, dismissed from Estimates and bidden fare-thee-well, though not a fond one. P2 has posted all the information you need this week; take the time; listen to Halfwit back pedal on the cluster duck Class E airspace management is becoming. He thinks the Senate committee can’t do the maths; maybe not, but the DoIT can. Watch Aleck weasel and wriggle about a 120,000 page brief. – There are; looking at my bookshelf 5x 500 pages in a box of A4. That is 2,500 pages per box; which makes it roughly 48 – (four dozen) – boxes of paper to be reproduced umpteen times. Hell’s bells it got to run a close second (or third) to the Nuremberg shindig. Then, when Aleck failed to qualify ‘the CASA’ case – Crawford weighed in to support the final ‘waffle’. Gad, I’ve seen some crawling pseudo support within the Sleepy Hollow archives, but non so pathetic as this last go-around. Eight minutes and dismissed, the team fielded irrelevant.

The point – dear heavens; (get to the bloody point fool). It is a simple one. To change the Act; change the system and to have a ‘sensible’ DAS – IMO the DoIT have to ‘go-around’ a useless windbag minister. “New arrangements” as of July 01 – this year. To do this some housekeeping is required. Watch the CASA brief appearance; carefully. Listen as the very professional DoIT lady step in to answer the DAS related questions. Seriously – CASA have just hit the ‘black ice’ – probably cleaned up a minister during the skid; and are now are awaiting a serious surgical event.

The ‘new’ DAS will be a department selection – with a brief – and a clean slate on which to begin the account. All that’s going to be left to do is to call a cab for those shell shocked trough dwellers leaving the building. No – boofhead; not Elvis, not quite yet.

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“The measure of a man is what he does with power.” ― Plato

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Just a little more, then I’m done. Buckley, FOI requests and the ASC. St Commodious formalised the legendary ‘Iron Ring’, gave it fangs and turned it loose. It appeared Buckley sent in his FOI – for a redacted response – and there is no more word available defining what this ‘committee’ has achieved after the period of the Buckley embuggerance – WTD? Redacted – all legal and as nice as you would like. Bollocks.

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“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” ― Albert Einstein

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Enough – Blind Freddy (sorry mate) and his three mice companions can see the writing on the wall; every thinking person can see it. The Act is going to be changed; CASA is going to be reformed and; hopefully (GWWP) the whole aviation industry can be rid of the incubus which stalks it day and night. The DoIT have what they need; they are keeping the lid on it; but with a little luck and some political muscle – who knows what will turn up? Aye; but, we do live in hope of sanity prevailing. 

Character; IMO – the lynch pin of all that matters. Many years ago I was pushing a wheel barrow through Grand Papa’s stable – it was (of course) filled with horse pooh. “Why” I asked; “is it all different colours?” “Don’t worry about the colour” came the growled response – “remember what it is”. Never forgot that; nor have I ever found it to be incorrect advice; humans, dogs, horses, even some aircraft. The inherent ‘character’ of a thing; what it does, not what it says is what matters. When you get down into the weeds and compare what our ‘aviation agencies’ have actually done – and compare it to what has been said; you will find on the debit ledger much more than on the credit side. Should the DoIT find a way around this useless bloody minister; sack the RAOz tea lady and bring in anyone (even the tea-lady) as DAS to rid us of this creature masquerading as a ‘director’ of civil aviation then their character will be revered and remembered. But, to land us in the same old pile of horse pooh – again – would be a grievous mistake (remember Forsyth) . Let’s all hope the clever lads and lasses at DoIT can swing the gate open and let the aviation industry realise it’s full potential. There; all done..

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Ref: https://twitter.com/PAIN_NET1/status/137…6489932803 & https://www.casa.gov.au/news-article/were-changing & CASA changing; & ASC (Iron Ring) revealed??

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” ― Helen Keller

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Did you ever see a cat attempting hypnosis? I have left over roast chicken from a birthday party – the dogs a little less subtle – pretending disinterest and ‘snooze’ – with one eye open. But the cat is determined – “you are feeling sleeeppy” etc. Character – true blue, top shelf integrity. The dogs just know that they will be sharing my supper; so does the cat. But being diabetic – always hungry; but too well mannered to be a pain – human hypnosis may be worth a try; I look into the amber eyes – and pass along a tiny bit – just a morsel – we both know that cat hypnosis hasn’t a prayer – but we both understand that effort and ingenuity deserve acknowledgement. I timed the dogs on the left overs – 17 seconds flat. Away now! The hour is late, a full moon to walk with, full tummies all round, a cigar, possums on the power lines; and, two fools woofing away at the flying foxes – Aye; you may well colour me happy.

Selah.-.