TGIF on the AP Forum: 16/02/24

Catch 22..sub para A-through -Z.

“You mean there’s a catch?” – “Sure there’s a catch,” Doc Daneeka replied. “Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn’t really crazy.”

Estimates; another round next week.

P2 – “Airservices up early (1245)? Don’t believe that’s a good sign for Harfwit and his fellow exec trough swilling mates..”

Beg to differ M’lud, the political ‘fix’ is already in. ‘Missy’ over on Pprune caught on to the government team reducing the opposition’s ammunition stock pile, _ HERE_.

Ref: Albo/Bandt Coalition vote down supporting GA industry??

It makes sense, there is no way ASA could withstand a direct assault from McKenzie’s crew. The ASA position is indefensible; if the facts related huge amounts of money wasted, the shortage of critical, essential manpower and infrastructure, if the sheer incompetence demonstrated was ever publicly exposed and forensically examined, well; I’ll leave that to your imagination. But I wonder that the media aren’t all over it; the delays, the addition miles, the complex departure routes and procedures, in place to pander to a loud minority add huge costs to the price of travel; this impacts across the board in many ways. The increase in miles and time translates into higher maintenance costs and fuel bills, this is simply passed along to the business and holiday groups. The additional costs in fuel, maintenance and overtime exponentially increase, the time ‘out-of-service’ due maintenance impacts across the network – why? That’s a no-brainer.

“In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.”

There are two spin off ‘burdens’ forced upon the travelling public; subtle but serious. The increase in ‘running time’ for an aircraft, decreases the the time it can stay in service before mandatory maintenance must be carried out, by qualified engineers. Which would not be anything other than a cost increase; IF we had the qualified manpower available to actually do the work. We ain’t got ’em. Despite all efforts, and much money being thrown at the problem; it remains. Slower turn around time due to staff shortages just add cost to the ticket price. AMROBA have been attempting to to bring a modicum of sanity (and compliance) into the training of LAME for a good long while now; getting nowhere fast.

“CASA senior management refuse to promulgate EASA Part 66/147 AME class hours. This also means the ICAO SARPs are not being met – not compliant with SARPs. This is the real reason why the shortage has happened.”

Once again, we find CASA senior management confounding sensible progression toward realism and world best practice. Now, you cold be forgiven for thinking that considering the vast sums spent on the ‘top and middle’ order batsmen; that at very least, good sense would prevail. But at every whip and stitch, we run into this ‘Kook-Aid’ induced torpor; a kind of dream like state, where the realities of the aviation world are but part of the dream like, slow motion state CASA operate in. For example: you would think that the top dog would, at very least, be politically ‘astute’ (savvy) and realise (early) that not everyone was thrilled at the appointment. Venal, vicious and unscrupulous is the ego driven kitchen crew. Take the way Spence was ‘set up’ for a tumble – from a chopper – without a HEC strap. Consider the naivete of the Holly-Hobby mind running the CASA. Several pieces in this jigsaw puzzle, so bear with me: the ‘management’ of matters aeronautical in Broome and the NT must have been fully aware of the ‘anomalies’ within the two outfits – no way they were not. Who set up the board and Spence to pay a visit, take a joy flight and walk away feeling good about the operation? Smiles and thank you all around, the operators high five-ing each other when the Board and Spence toddled off, replete. IMO, if Spence cannot see how the world she is tolerated in works, what right has she to be running aviation in this land? The short answer is — ? I reckon about as much use as three men away from home at harvest time.

“Is ours a government of the people, by the people, for the people, or a kakistocracy rather, for the benefit of knaves at the cost of fools?”

There is a short, easy to follow path for the less interested; that of aviation medicals. The rule of the pack in the trough, in the face of sound, medical evidence from peer aviation nations has beaten a DAS into submission to their barking and whining. Nowhere else, in the first (or even the second) world, has a simple matter of medical certification become a Frankenstein monster, ruled by mad, homemade science. Time to get a grip methinks. IMO – if you can’t manage the job – time to quit. In the real world; Spence would probably never have got the job; but even within the protection of the bubble; the lack of ‘control’ should lead to a ‘graceful’ exit. I have more control over the rate the earth spins at than Spence has of the aviation world..

“Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third is useless.”

Can’t see much value in mentioning the ATSB; its all there, in the media. I marvel at the media reporting of events; they just grab a few seconds, surround it with advertisement and wander off thinking they’ve done a good job. There is a real story behind all the twaddle and spin; bit of a travesty really, just from a value for money perspective alone; let alone the rest. Funny, no one seems to really give a monkey’s until its their loved ones tangled up in burning wreckage, wrapped around a tree. Aye, funny old world though; ain’t it?

“All is mystery; but he is a slave who will not struggle to penetrate the dark veil.”

No matter; Estimates will proceed as per usual; the cost simply ignored, the results will be more answers to QoN and nothing further will happen; time will pass by and nothing, SFA will happen to change the expensive dream time vision of Australia’s great aviation fiasco, pretending to be at gold standard. Good enough? Oh, I think not.

“The secret to success is constancy of purpose.”

Aye well, DT has a list pinned to my dartboard; the ‘or else’ unwritten but it is there. Best crack on, I noted the makings for sausage rolls during my last coffee run; a clear incentive to grab some tools. Fingers crossed for McKenzie and Fawcett – we shall watch with interest, if not hope.

Selah…

Next from Mount NCN and Senate Estimates: Back to the Future on non-standardisation and non-compliance with ICAO SARPs!! & Hansard published