All together now – “I’m forever blowing bubbles”

All together now – “I’m forever blowing bubbles”

Many ways of blowing bubbles. Mostly, for adults, the personal favourite is kept within the confines of the bath tub; unless of course you are a politician or a top dog aviation bureaucrat, then you can blow smoke filled bubbles all day long. Grand Mamma had the trick of it, kept us amused for hours. Raining cats and dogs, cold as charity and she would sit on a cushion in a big bay window seat and read to us; you had to wait for it. The cigarette would find its way (at a snails pace) from the box to the holder and be fitted precisely. Then from the beaded bag, the silver lighter emerged – click – and the heady perfume of American tobacco wafted by, at this stage we children were almost manic with anticipation; then from behind her, the old clay pipe would emerge, from which, she managed the most enormous smoke filled bubble, gently she’d launch it into the air. We sat enthralled as this dirigible ponderously rose toward the ceiling, bounced a couple of time before bursting; the swirling smoke, trapped within dissipating. She never said a word other than continue to read the story, then, she’d wink, smile and whisper “magic”. Aye, happy days when magic was contained in a bubble and we absolutely believed in it.

However, it is Sunday; and reality, perforce must prevail, lest I be accused of daydreaming and writing twiddles to baffle the mindless. We have had some really good smoke filled bubbles this week; the tragedy is I stopped believing in ‘magic’ many moons ago. Now, I just think who, in the seven hell’s, do these fellahin think they’re fooling. They all seem to have managed to fool themselves, very nicely: and, probably some of the electorate but have they managed to convince those who really matter?

There is a lovely big red shiny one from CASA which particularly amuses. CEO Carmody is pouring the good oil on the troubled waters, making all the right noises as you would expect from a dyed in the wool Canberra professional. He wants us all to dig CASA out of the shit pit they have dug for themselves, at great cost to the industry and taxpayer; which is all fine and dandy, if you conveniently forget the blood soaked history of such affairs.

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#SBG: 11 June ’17

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Meanwhile he has some of his trusty lieutenants off the reservation, trying to undo all his good work. The Sydney chapter of Sleepy Hollow is determined to follow the old Chambers system of twisted logic, as applied to McConvict edict. Totally convinced they cannot be held accountable for (a) allowing Pel-Air to get away without a scratch and; (b) keep piling their errors and actions up against the James account. The James embuggerance is not just for fun; it is to demonstrate that they will and can do any bloody thing which pleases them, outside the ‘rules’ and get away with it. The current action against James is a serious ‘get ducked’ message to CEO Carmody, a direct challenge to his authority and his spouted ‘philosophy’.  It is a classic, black hat v white hat contest, conducted in dark alley’s and coffee rooms. Watch as they pat CEO Carmody on the back – to find a nice soft spot in which to stick the knife. Yet Carmody wants industry experts to work for the common good in that atmosphere? Man, I’d rather chew my nuts off.

 

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“machinations, hollowness, treachery, and all ruinous disorders, follow us disquietly to our graves”― William Shakespeare, King Lear

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I particularly liked the ASA pie shaped bubble, although it was difficult to determine it’s actual colour, the constantly shifting shades of corporate indulgence green, air force blue and pale shades of promised economies made it difficult to track.

 

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However, we all knew it was safe once it entered the huge, empty wasteland areas of military airspace which costs us so much to maintain and even more to navigate around. I just don’t know how the major military nations manage with the small allocations they have, ‘tis a mystery. No matter, our commercial operators are all happy enough to clock up the thousands of additional track miles every year, then hold for half an hour while the highly efficient sorts out the landing sequence. I often wonder how our great ATCO’s would move traffic if they were allowed to. No matter, with Halfwit leading way I’m certain it will all be sorted out shortly and we can aspire to a level of service we find almost anywhere else on the planet; bar Australia.

 

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The really breath taking, eye catching bubbles were, of course, rainbow coloured. The ATSB broke the mold and went for many small ones, released in gaggles (giggles the wits say) at different times to amuse the crowd. They are keeping the really big one under wraps for the moment, though only the gods know why, for no one really cares what the second attempt at the Pel-Air ditching report says.

 

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Published on Aug 29, 2017
Yesterday in the Senate Drone inquiry public hearing Greg Hood indicated that the 1288 day old ATSB accident investigation, that saw a VARA ATR fly for five days and thirteen sectors with a structurally broken horizontal stabiliser, would shortly be producing a 3rd interim – WTD?

Ironically this quite obviously PC’d and Annex 13 compromised investigation was used as an example by Chief Commissioner Hood of how the ATSB, without fear nor favour, will pursue and highlight significant/critical safety issues when they are identified in the course of aviation accident/incident investigations – UDB!!

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There is some interest in what it doesn’t say, even more interest in the way it doesn’t say it (work it out; or, wait). I’ve closed off several lines on the tote board – the odds on for some categories are so ridiculously high that nobody with a brain would take ‘em. But what can I do? There is an interesting line (or three) developing in the future of the ATSB amongst the ATSB watchers. I’ve taken the bets, (il va sans dire); there is an element of doubt that Hi-Viz will survive the aftermath of the Pel-Air; not due to the report, but due to his total lack of compliance with any tenet of his position with CASA, with the exception of the McConvict dictates. The happy compliance of a willing accomplice come back to haunt? FWIW; I’ve opened a Hi-Viz tote board for the dedicated. Rumour, innuendo and speculation all accommodated; just for fun. All proceeds to the Guide Dogs this Christmas.

 

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There is a little more to consider – Hitch – in Australian Flying has penned an ‘interesting’ article; Nick Xenophon has announced his departure from the Senate  – he will be sorely missed; although, his guiding hand will, through his replacement we hope, still be felt. We can only wish him well and mourn his loss. Such is life. 6D AGAD gets a line or two – ignore. Then, history and logic meet in mortal combat. The line “People, it’s time to suit up! CASA has called for experts” etc. heralds the conflict.

 

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History says –  tell ‘em to Duck off: logic says “get in amongst it”. No wonder dear Hitch is confounded and conflicted. I reckon many of us would like, very much, to help, but until Carmody drains the swamps of Sleepy Hollow, cleans out the vermin and shows some solid proof that he means it; ……….Well; who takes a knife to a gun fight? TB, a fully paid up, senior member of the BRB, IOS and PAIN associate puts the whole thing into a Choc frog nutshell. 

 

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thornbird – “The danger in all this is CAsA, confronted by intransigence to their direction, may attempt to take out the core personnel and bring down the whole shooting match down. The commercial side of GA, even if everyone was on the same page, would not have the resources the big airlines do to face them down if it came to real stoush; and, unfortunately they know it.”

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And, that is definitely enough from me, for this day. Anyway – I must finish a job for a very dear, old friend – the timber arrived Friday and sits quietly waiting. Prosaic enough – he needs a couple of saw horses; but of the traditional sort. There are eight compound mitres to cut and eight housings to make; bugger them up or; mix the legs up; or, cut the wrong lump out and it’s new timber all around. I reckon I’ll manage (famous last words); coffee first; then dogs, and then: the quiet of the stable, the pleasure of making billets four square, marking joints and making complex cuts, breathing quietly as the parts merge to form a robust piece of essential equipment which will last two lifetimes and still serve a third generation very well indeed. Coffee first, from the highlands of PNG – priceless.

Selah.