[Kharon]

The quote from the P2 post – HERE - seems like a good way to introduce the unbelievable machinations of the Air Services Australia management. 

A couple of years ago Planetalking did a series of reports on the increasing number of loss of separation assurance & breakdown of separation incidents – that by their very nature classified them as serious incidents & therefore reportable to ICAO. Also – at that time – there was much commentary by Air Traffic Controllers on Prune/ Ben’s blog etc. that highlighted many instances where controllers forwarded incident reports either direct to ATSB or through ASA SMS on LOSA events, that received in some cases no response/ or response with no further action or no further investigation (reference: Thread titled – ASA does it again – 2011 OOL near miss investigation released ).

{Note: that even when the ATSB decide not to investigate further they are still required to notify ICAO of this fact} With further digging I was able to get a brief snapshot from the ICAO incident/accident database which in most cases showed no record for the many ATC notified LOSA/BOS incidents that didn’t escalate to a full blown investigation/prelim & final report. -

  
For those who routinely operate or travel by air in skies Downunder, the following links do provide an insight into just what the benighted ATCO are burdened with and who is running the show.



Start with –Sarcs - on the UP and finish up - HERE - with my own humble offerings, it's worth the time.

Then follow the bouncing ball to – HERE; it may amaze you, it may amuse you; but it scares me half to death.  All at great expense to the public, who provided a nice 100 million untaxed revenue to the Quango last year.

[Kharon]

Beyond the pale at the dizzy limits.

Good one P2, but do we now question the validity of ICAO?, their raison d'être.  We have the Norfolk ditching event, multiple separation events, Canley Vale, Botany Bay, the MH 370 embroiglio, the Senate inquiry, the TSBC review etc. etc. etc: all pointing to one inescapable conclussion. Something is very wrong with the ATSB, it's becoming farcical.  

If Truss won't, daren't or can't act then it's time to call in the grown ups to sort it all out, before it ends in tears.  As it stands, we may as well disband the ATSB, save the dollars and spend it on chocolate ashtrays for motor bikes.

[Peetwo]

Senate Estimates Hansard is out and the ASA session can be viewed from page 24 onwards here . Unfortunately the HTML version of Hansard for ASA appears to be missing..

Also in relation to ASA & the LAHSO incident in YMML, there was two documents tabled by Ms Staib:

ASA response to LAHSO review & Targeted Review of Melbourne LAHSO Safety Assurance

Sounds like Hoody might be on top of the LAHSO matter, not so sure about the BOC issue between YMEN & YMML towers for 3hrs??

MTF...you bet! P2

[Peetwo]

"From little things big things grow" - Paul Kelly 1991

From the Shame for Truss thread it would seem that the Dick Smith - "Wake up Wazza" - campaign has diverged somewhat and I get the feeling that Dick will very shortly be changing track to tackle Farmer Truss from a very different sector - "..bogies at 11'oclock...err..no hang on 6'oclock..." .

In one short week - from last week's Weekend Australian article by Ean Higgins - Dick has managed to ruffle a considerable amount of bureaucratic, fat pigeon feathers and has definitely notified his intentions to Cantberra that he is on a mission...

However it is interesting to see where Dick's first real foray has ended up?? Well from Ean Higgins article today I would say the matter has firmly landed in the nest of Ms Staib & her backstabbing, fellow trough feeding Executive...  : 

{Choccy Frog for DS: Love Dick's comment (in bold) & the ASA inevitable response..  }

Air controllers set to fight ground-staff help

• by: EAN HIGGINS
  
• From: The Australian
  
• June 06, 2015 12:00AM
  

Reporter
Sydney




Ballina Byron Gateway Airport on the NSW north coast. Source: Supplied
 
Air traffic controllers have vowed to fight a move to allow firefighters at regional airports to provide basic air traffic information to ­pilots, although pilots have ­received the idea warmly.  

As revealed yesterday, after years of campaigning by aviators including businessman Dick Smith, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued a statement to The Weekend Australian saying airports could apply on a case-by-case basis to have ground staff ­obtain training and a legal exemption to provide such services.

The move opens the prospect of Australian airports that do not have air traffic control towers adopting the American practice, where fire and rescue officers, mechanics, baggage handlers and check-in staff using the Unicom radio system give pilots observable information such as what aircraft are circling and on the runway.

Under CASA regulations, such information can be provided only by operators who have held an air- traffic controller’s licence in the previous 10 years, but CASA now says it could provide training and a “legal instrument” to other acceptable ground staff.

Civil Air, the union representing air-traffic controllers, yesterday registered its opposition, while Airservices Australia, which is funded by airlines and runs the fire stations at airports, indicated it would not adopt the system.

“Anyone exercising an air traffic function has to have the training and experience of an air traffic controller,” said Civil Air executive secretary Peter McGuane.

To devolve such responsibilities to firefighters and other ground staff, he said, would not be in the interest of air safety.

“Just because they do it in another country doesn’t make it right,” he said.

Australian Federation of Air Pilots president David Booth, who is an airline captain, said he would be open to fire and rescue crew at Ballina airport in northern NSW, for example, manning the Unicom radio service to provide local air traffic information, because they have a command structure, a professional culture and often an ­excellent viewing platform.

“If I’m flying into Ballina and a firefighter had received some training, and could give me a traffic picture of what’s flying around the circuit, that would be of some value,” he said.

He said such a system would help identify, for example, “a guy in an ultralight” who might not be using the radio as most pilots do in uncontrolled airspace to maintain separation through discussions among themselves.

The secretary of the aviation branch of the United Firefighters Union Australia, Henry Lawrence, said the union just learnt of the CASA policy and was yet to form a view on it.
Airservices Australia indicated it had no plans to have its firefighters provide air traffic information to pilots, saying radio services were a matter for airports.

..However, Mr Smith said Airservices, being funded by the airlines, was interested mainly in saving money and making profits, and its executives were rewarded accordingly. But an Airservices spokes­woman said senior executive remuneration was “linked to delivery of industry supported outcomes, with a priority focus on safety”..

           
While on ASA I also noted the following from yesterday's the "Strewth" , which was quite amusing but at the same time pathetic really... :

Just like Moz

In the US, at airports too small to have a control tower, the resident firefighters get to give basic air traffic control information to pilots via a system called Unicom. Not so here. But there’s a move afoot by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to change this and increase effective air control cover. In his role as the nation’s aviation enthusiast-in-chief, Dick Smith flew our colleagues Ean Higgins and Renee Nowytarger to Ballina in northern NSW, just one of the airports that would have been ideal to illustrate the story. There they chatted with the chief fire officer, who said his crew spent its time maintaining physical fitness and a high level of alertness, and an ability to get to any part of the airport — in full gear — in three minutes. He was invited to take some fireys to Smith’s plane for a photo. Jokingly, this invitation included the clause they be there in three minutes. Three minutes went by, then 10, then 20. A passing firey was quizzed — there was going to be no photo. Higgins has been chasing it up with Airservices Australia. It seems the lessons Scott Morrison imparted in all those grim media “briefings” in his former portfolio did not fall on deaf ears. Behold Airservices Australia’s Amanda Palmer: “In terms of your request for a photo, unfortunately, following further discussion with our Chief Fire Officer, we’re unable to provide access to the fire station. In terms of interviewing firefighters on station — it is also our policy to not allow our operational staff to comment on non-operational matters.” Take that, Higgins! (For the benefit of any interested government bodies, we are encouraging Higgins to take out Australian citizenship so that you have something to strip him of.)

MTF...P2

[P7_TOM]

There they chatted with the chief fire officer, who said his crew spent its time maintaining physical fitness and a high level of alertness, and an ability to get to any part of the airport — in full gear — in three minutes. He was invited to take some fireys to Smith’s plane for a photo. Jokingly, this invitation included the clause they be there in three minutes.

Three minutes went by, then 10, then 20. A passing firey was quizzed — there was going to be no photo. Higgins has been chasing it up with Airservices Australia.

It seems the lessons Scott Morrison imparted in all those grim media “briefings” in his former portfolio did not fall on deaf ears. Behold Airservices Australia’s Amanda Palmer: “In terms of your request for a photo, unfortunately, following further discussion with our Chief Fire Officer, we’re unable to provide access to the fire station. In terms of interviewing firefighters on station — it is also our policy to not allow our operational staff to comment on non-operational matters.

The really sad part of the ‘Strewth’ piece is that a Fire chief; leader of brave men and fearless rescue specialist was so pussy whipped, that he needed to call in to make sure it was OK with Mummy, to have a picture taken with Dick.  FFS, what’s this mad world coming to.... ....

[Peetwo]

While Dick Smith's "Wake up Wazza" campaign gathers further momentum, the aftermath of Dick's flying visit to Ballina continues to evolve - here is the latest from Ean Higgins (legend) in the Oz today.. : 

Air waves choked as pilots eye safe landing space  

• by: EAN HIGGINS
  
• From: The Australian
  
• June 09, 2015 12:00AM
  

Reporter
Sydney




Barrie Stark, the father of one of the passengers killed in the Benalla crash in Victoria in 2004, at Mackay. ‘It’s the old problem’. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen Source: News Corp Australia

The aviation watchdog is accelerating a new report into Ballina airport on the NSW north coast amid rising concerns a huge rise in traffic is rendering the uncontrolled airspace unsafe.  

Civil Aviation Safety Authority documents show worries about overloaded radio transmissions as pilots desperately talk to each other to work out how to avoid collisions. “All organisations and individuals consulted reported concerns about radio-frequency congestion,” one document says.

CASA recorded several safety breaches at Ballina, including one very close call. “In October 2013, a Fairchild SA227 ‘Metro’ aircraft … narrowly missed a Bell 47G helicopter that had stopped on the runway during circuit training for the instructor to brief the trainee,” one document says.

The new aeronautical study for Ballina is being pushed through for release in August. Recommendations could include bringing the airport under controlled airspace or installing ground radio operators to provide local air-traffic information.

Aircraft using another northern NSW airport, Coffs Harbour, which hosts 350,000 passengers a year, are guided by air traffic control from Brisbane, but those flying into or out of Ballina, which has 430,000 passengers a year and growing fast, are left to their own devices below 8500 feet even though Brisbane controllers still have them on radar.

Those campaigning for an extension of controlled airspace , who include businessman Dick Smith, point to the loss of a corporate aircraft trying to land in bad weather at Benalla in Victoria in 2004 with the loss of six lives, when air traffic controllers more than once received an alarm that the plane was off course, but did not alert the pilot.

Barrie Stark, the father of one of the passengers killed in the Benalla crash, former army- turned-commercial pilot Alan Stark, said: “It’s the old problem of light aircraft flying below 8500 feet, therefore, the air traffic controllers were not required to say anything to them.”

Speaking from his home in Mackay, Queensland, Mr Stark said Mr Smith’s proposal for firefighters at Ballina airport to be trained as radio operators — as are many of their counterparts at airports in the US — made sense.

“My attitude has always been that the more people you give ­radios to and get information from the better off you are,” Mr Stark said.

I also noted that in Farmer Truss's home turf, the article from the local rag The Fraser Coast Chronicle - Dick Smith predicts collisions if CASA won't allow warnings - has created some healthy debate with some of the miniscule's constituents

Dick Smith's predictions of an air incident divides readers

9th Jun 2015 5:00 AM

CAMPAIGNER: Dick Smith has been criticised for wanting ground staff to be allowed to give operational information to pilots.

AUSSIE tycoon Dick Smith is dividing Chronicle readers after his prediction of a major collision or deaths at the Hervey Bay Airport.

On Saturday, the Chronicle reported Mr Smith's comments about ground staff not being able to communicate with aircraft about hazards on the runway or in the aerodrome, and that by law ground staff cannot speak with pilots except to give basic weather information.

Mr Smith also raised concerns about commercial planes landing and departing from the Hervey Bay Airport using only a radio to recognise other aircraft in the area.

The businessman, recognised yesterday as a Companion of the Order of Australia, said a major collision would occur at the airport unless the Civil Aviation Safety Authority changed regulations.

But readers of the Chronicle were divided about Mr Smith's dire warnings.

"One has to agree with Dick Smith considering his experience and knowledge and if one wants to discuss CASA, there's enough material on that body which would indicate a change is needed," News Watcher wrote.

On the Chronicle's website, reader anti-dopes said Mr Smith should leave it up to the pilots.

"(I) usually agree with a lot of what Dick says - but not this one," she wrote. "Separating air traffic is not difficult if the pilots communicate."

Ben May from Urangan said the commercial flights were managing the airport fine.

"Like the majority of small regional airports like ours, doing a visual approach and operating without a tower is (as) common as day," he wrote.

Mr Smith will visit Hervey Bay to discuss his concerns at a date to be set.

& this..

Letters: Dick Smith’s campaign not supported by facts

Alan Betteridge | 9th Jun 2015 5:00 AM

DICK Smith's claim that if CASA doesn't allow ground staff to notify planes about obstacles or weather conditions at the airport then there will be people dying at Hervey Bay is rich in rhetoric but a bit short on fact.

The idea of allowing unqualified staff to give operational information to pilots is fraught with peril.

Incorrect, out of date or limited information provided on an ad-hoc basis is far more dangerous than no information at all.

What if the person involved is busy doing their primary job and is unaware of an aerodrome obstruction and then tells the inbound aircraft that all is well?

But the biggest risk to aircraft at Hervey Bay, or indeed any aerodrome where there is a high density of aircraft of varying performance and pilots of vastly different skill levels, is in the sky - not on the ground.

In 2009 Airservices Australia conducted a trial of Unicom at Hervey Bay.

This was in response to a high number of reported breakdowns in separation between aircraft (or "near misses" as some in the media would have it).

The trial, importantly, included a directed traffic information service, updates on weather and operational information.

Its hours of operation were based on the arrival and departure of RPT (airlines) aircraft.

It was conducted by three highly experienced aviation personnel (of which I was one), and all had the necessary CASA approvals to provide the service.

The Unicom staff were able to monitor the local airport radio frequency, note the aircraft positions, levels and intentions and then use this information to provide the traffic information service.

The carriage and use of radio is mandatory in the Hervey Bay/Maryborough areas, but this frequency is not monitored by Airservices Australia staff in Brisbane.

The trial was a resounding success, proving that the service was cost effective, needed and well received by the aviation industry.

Although the service had been proven, the arrival of the GFC and CASA failing to mandate it meant it was never implemented.

A Unicom service is needed now more than ever, but it needs to be a stand-alone service, preferably managed and provided by Airservices Australia using experienced, qualified and rated personal.

Mr Smith's wish that commercial jets using Hervey Bay be radar-controlled from Brisbane is impossible.

Due to the type of radar now used, not all aircraft are visible to the controller and the radio frequency in use cannot be monitored, so it cannot be known what other aircraft are there, what height they are at or what their intentions are.

ALAN BETTERIDGE,

Tinana

MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Dick is bang on the money on this issue. The problem is that there are a number of individuals out there saying 'we haven't had a mid-air at Ballina/Hervey yet', and 'we haven't had a RWY incursion multiple fatality at the airport yet'. Idiots!!! Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't happen!! Dick is simply highlighting a once latent condition that is now as obvious as the scabs on Farmer Truss's bald head! And who gives a fistful of monkey crap if it means spending up to a half a million more per year at several regional airports. It's chump change. Take some of the tens of millions of dollars that CAsA spends per year on goose chases and payback on some operators and use that money on safer infrastructure!!!

CAsA likes to piss and moan about risk, will here you go boys, Dick has identified a risk (a well known one at that) so what are you and your lapdog ASA going to do about it??

TICK TOCK

[Peetwo]

Dear Angus...??

 I know today's story in the Weekend Oz from that man again Ean (Star) Higgins..  will, amongst many others, personally anger the Ferryman for he has many fond memories of flogging across to Lord Howe island on an ad hoc charter or RPT run..

Pilots forced to weather cloudy service  

• by: EAN HIGGINS
  
• From: The Australian
  
• June 13, 2015 12:00AM
  

Reporter
Sydney




Clive Wilson says the civil aviation bureaucracy has done all it can to stop him from guiding pilots into Lord Howe Island. Picture: David Connor Source: TheAustralian




Extract from Dick Smith’s letter. Source: TheAustralian
 
For 60 years, Clive Wilson has helped pilots land on Lord Howe Island — one of the trickiest airports under the Australian flag — by providing them with critical weather information on the radio.  

In the first 50 or so of those years, aviation authorities, airlines, the RAAF and air ambulance services did everything they could to train, aid and encourage him to continue such a valuable service at the remote Pacific Ocean territory.

But in more recent times, Mr Wilson said, the civil aviation watchdog and air services ­bureaucracy have done everything to discourage him, including dropping his contact details from the pilots’ “bible” of airports, and demanding he meet new conditions so difficult and expensive on one of his licences that he could not afford to renew it.

According to businessman and aviator Dick Smith, it reflects an aviation bureaucracy so absorbed with rules and process that enforcing the letter of them has taken precedent over safety.

Mr Smith said one of the figures who bears responsibility is Angus Houston, who as air force chief more than a decade ago was one of the strongest advocates for introducing a US-style system of air traffic control.

Unlike in Australia, US airports which do not have control towers allow ground staff stationed there who are not air traffic controllers, such as firefighters, to use the Unicom radio service to provide pilots with basic local weather and air traffic information.

But Mr Smith said Sir Angus, as chairman of Airservices Australia, the government-owned but industry-funded body that runs the nation’s air traffic control system and employs the firefighters stationed at airports, had failed to implement key aspects of the US system.

“He should be out there showing leadership and insisting we have a radio operator at every airport for safety,” Mr Smith said.

While Mr Wilson did not make any adverse comments about Sir Angus, the issue is poignant because for many years the two met regularly.

“He used to come over and visit me occasionally because I represented the air force as a liaison officer,” Mr Wilson told The Weekend Australian.

“He was on the aircraft many times when I was talking, providing weather information to his crew.”

Before a runway was built at Lord Howe Island in 1974, Mr Wilson acted as a relief radio operator on a launch, advising incoming flying boat pilots of weather conditions and guiding them into the mooring in the lagoon.

For some years after the runway was built, the airport had a flight services officer performing the radio role, but in the mid-1980s the officer was withdrawn on cost considerations, and aviation authorities approached Mr Wilson to take over the job in an unpaid, volunteer capacity.

For some time the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Airservices Australia supported Mr Wilson, including giving him his own radio frequency.

But, he said, in recent years he had encountered opposition and local jealousies.
First, Airservices stopped listing his contact details in its En Route Supplement, which an Airservices spokesman said followed requests from airport management.

Then, last year, CASA would not renew what is known as his CAR 120 licence, which allowed him to provide detailed weather observations to pilots in a more proactive fashion, unless he took a $20,000 meteorological training course.

Mr Wilson still speaks to pilots on the Unicom radio for which he retains a licence, but the rules sharply restrict the weather information he is lawfully allowed to provide, and CASA has written to him spelling that out.

One of the regular flyers to Lord Howe Island was a senior, now retired RAAF officer, Air Vice-Marshal Greg Evans, who said Mr Wilson’s weather reports were excellent, accurate and invaluable when he was flying C-130s into what he described as a “diabolical” airport that had a short runway between towering peaks and often severe winds in which rain and water off the sea bubbled around.

He often used those flights to train pilots in night landings for air ambulance services.
“On a dark, stormy, rainy night with a person with compound fractures on the ground, I didn’t give a rat’s back crack about the rules, and Clive was wonderful,” Air Vice-Marshal Evans said.

Of aviation authorities’ efforts to smother Mr Wilson, Air Vice-Marshal Evans said: “It’s a great safety enhancement that isn’t part of the official safety environment, so the bureaucracy tries to kill it.”

An Airservices spokesman said Sir Angus was not available for comment.

       
..tick..tick..tick..tick...



MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Dear Angus, 

Extract from Dick Smith’s letter. Source: TheAustralian  For 60 years, Clive Wilson has helped pilots land on Lord Howe Island — one of the trickiest airports under the Australian flag — by providing them with critical weather information on the radio. 

In the first 50 or so of those years, aviation authorities, airlines, the RAAF and air ambulance services did everything they could to train, aid and encourage him to continue such a valuable service at the remote Pacific Ocean territory.But in more recent times, Mr Wilson said, the civil aviation watchdog and air services ¬bureaucracy have done everything to discourage him, including dropping his contact details from the pilots’ “bible” of airports, and demanding he meet new conditions so difficult and expensive on one of his licences that he could not afford to renew it.

According to businessman and aviator Dick Smith, it reflects an aviation bureaucracy so absorbed with rules and process that enforcing the letter of them has taken precedent over safety. Mr Smith said one of the figures who bears responsibility is Angus Houston, who as air force chief more than a decade ago was one of the strongest advocates for introducing a US-style system of air traffic control. Unlike in Australia, US airports which do not have control towers allow ground staff stationed there who are not air traffic controllers, such as firefighters, to use the Unicom radio service to provide pilots with basic local weather and air traffic information .But Mr Smith said Sir Angus, as chairman of Airservices Australia, the government-owned but industry-funded body that runs the nation’s air traffic control system and employs the firefighters stationed at airports, had failed to implement key aspects of the US system.  “He should be out there showing leadership and insisting we have a radio operator at every airport for safety,” Mr Smith said. 

While Mr Wilson did not make any adverse comments about Sir Angus, the issue is poignant because for many years the two met regularly. “He used to come over and visit me occasionally because I represented the air force as a liaison officer,” Mr Wilson told The Weekend Australian. “He was on the aircraft many times when I was talking, providing weather information to his crew.” 

Before a runway was built at Lord Howe Island in 1974, Mr Wilson acted as a relief radio operator on a launch, advising incoming flying boat pilots of weather conditions and guiding them into the mooring in the lagoon. For some years after the runway was built, the airport had a flight services officer performing the radio role, but in the mid-1980s the officer was withdrawn on cost considerations, and aviation authorities approached Mr Wilson to take over the job in an unpaid, volunteer capacity. For some time the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Airservices Australia supported Mr Wilson, including giving him his own radio frequency. But, he said, in recent years he had encountered opposition and local jealousies. First, Airservices stopped listing his contact details in its En Route Supplement, which an Airservices spokesman said followed requests from airport management. Then, last year, CASA would not renew what is known as his CAR 120 licence, which allowed him to provide detailed weather observations to pilots in a more proactive fashion, unless he took a $20,000 meteorological training course. Mr Wilson still speaks to pilots on the Unicom radio for which he retains a licence, but the rules sharply restrict the weather information he is lawfully allowed to provide, and CASA has written to him spelling that out.  

One of the regular flyers to Lord Howe Island was a senior, now retired RAAF officer, Air Vice-Marshal Greg Evans, who said Mr Wilson’s weather reports were excellent, accurate and invaluable when he was flying C-130s into what he described as a “diabolical” airport that had a short runway between towering peaks and often severe winds in which rain and water off the sea bubbled around. He often used those flights to train pilots in night landings for air ambulance services. “On a dark, stormy, rainy night with a person with compound fractures on the ground, I didn’t give a rat’s back crack about the rules, and Clive was wonderful,” Air Vice-Marshal Evans said. 
Of aviation authorities’ efforts to smother Mr Wilson, Air Vice-Marshal Evans said: “It’s a great safety enhancement that isn’t part of the official safety environment, so the bureaucracy tries to kill it.” 

An Airservices spokesman said Sir Angus was not available for comment.

       

Ben's (PlaneTalking) response to this article... :

Air traffic control absurdities highlighted by Dick Smith

Ben Sandilands | Jun 13, 2015 11:51AM |
inShare


Angus Houston chairman of AirServices Australia in an explanatory moment

Dick Smith has driven a long series of disclosures in recent weeks in The Australian of absurdities in the administration of air services and safety in this country, and this morning’s installment concerning Lord Howe Island air traffic issues is by far the most telling.

However it is behind a paywall, although there is no doubt it is being read by its targets, the inefficient and often parasitical bureaucracy that brings no value, and certainly doesn’t enhance safety, when it comes to general and regional aviation activity in Australia.

Inexplicably, Angus Houston, who prefers just to be called Angus without all this knights and dames nonsense, has chosen to remain silent over the issues in AirServices Australia,  where he is the chairman.

Angus is a distinguished figure in public life, and a person of great integrity, and his silence and apparent inaction, is a puzzle.

No one expects him to respond here, but it would be appropriate, if he could defend or explain why this lunacy in Air Services Australia is tolerated, even if for the sole edification of readers behind the paywall.

This is a Federal Government that has made much about reducing red tape and pointless counter productive regulation. Why is it so weak on reforming AirServices Australia, the industry funded air navigation service, as well as CASA the safety regulator and the embarrassing and compromised mess that its the safety investigation, the ATSB, given its shameful handling of the Pel-Air incident?

Is this another just another example of phony do-nothing-of-substance bravado by the Federal Government, which seems incapable of escaping from the grip of its bureaucrats, who keep telling it everything is just fine in aviation, like they did in the case of Pel-Air, or does it have the fortitude to pursue and deliver reforms, starting with a long overdue round of terminations of those who stand in its way?

Inefficient or self serving practices in public administration are similar to club like behavior over bank fees. They are a burden on the economy, and unjust impositions on enterprise. And in the case of air safety practices in Australia, often manifestly contrary to the pursuit of safer skies.

..tick..tick..tick..tick...



MTF...P2  

[P7_TOM]

Another fine example of our ‘experts’ at work.

Clive has saved much sweat, anxiety, uncertainty and adrenalin over the years, CASA should be hiring him to teach others the job, not playing at silly buggers.

IMO it is not just the mitigation of risk that made Clive (or whoever does the job) so very important, although it is a factor the ultimate safety of the flight depended on the pilot – but; and it’s a big BUT the saving in time and fuel that Clive helped make over the years is truly a BIG number. Just knowing what was occurring on the ground and the environs meant that an approach and landing could be ‘shaped’ to suit the conditions, turbulence could be avoided, rain showers passing through could be avoided, messages could be passed to the terminal crew; sea gulls on tip were noted and allowed for. A hundred tiny little clues which have saved millions and (touch wood) helped deliver many, many folk to one of the best places on the planet.

[Peetwo]

Not long after yesterday's PT post above Ben made another top post - More evasiveness by ATSB over two jet Mildura fog crisis - which included this excellent & very relevant statement:

"..Why are we a second rate state masquerading as a first rate country when it come to air safety administration, and when will an Australian government do more than produce reports that it usually ignores while pretending everything is good?.."

The following is my Sunday morning contribution to the ensuing commentary to Ben's excellent post...  

Confirmed Sceptic - “…and to add to that, I bet that the final report makes zero mention of mandatory alternate fuel like the ICAO standard, or CAT lll approach aids, both of which cost money. And yes, the BOM is really good except when they’re not, and you foolishly relied on the forecast…”


Ben’s quote may be “it in a nutshell” but the ‘elephants in the room’ are almost perfectly listed by Confirmed sceptic.

1) Mandatory Alternate fuel.
2) CAT III ILS (call that infrastructure or lack of)*; &
3) the BOM

(*May not be required so much, as new age technology (aircraft equipped)and flight crews are trained for MIN Viz (RVR)take-offs & landings)

Consider this youtube video from the PelAir Senate Inquiry:

or here: http://auntypru.com/forum/-The-search-fo...32#pid1032

Now the 2000 ATSB SR & BOM response can be read here: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/rec...00040.aspx
Effectively the SR was ‘closed – accepted’ in 2000, yet it was not properly & proactively addressed by either the BOM or CASA to this day, over 15 years later.

Now people will say that the SR was only to do with remote islands like NFI, but if you read the ATSB Mildura fog investigation page – https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/inv...3-100.aspx – and listen/watch the ASA Greg Hood explain here..

…you will see that the 2000 SR, the PelAir debacle & now the attempted obfuscation of ATSB outstanding investigation AO-2013-100 are very much related.

On top of that just think for a minute if there had of been a UNICOM operator on the ground in Mildura that day?

MTF...P2

[thorn bird]

"On top of that just think for a minute if there had of been a UNICOM operator on the ground in Mildura that day?"

Yup.

Big debate going on UP regarding UNICOM's.
Appears the same B,,sh..t thinking by our regulator and the ASA unions will relegate that idea into the too hard, too expensive basket.

Remember many moons ago calling our base station to organize fuel on arrival, asked the girl what the weather was like. She said "I cant tell you". "Why not" I asked.
"it's foggy, I cant see anything" she replied.
See what happens when you allow an "Untrained MET observer on the radio!!

[Kharon]

P2 - 

1) Mandatory Alternate fuel.
2) CAT III ILS (call that infrastructure or lack of)*; &
3) the BOM

(*May not be required so much, as new age technology (aircraft equipped)and flight crews are trained for MIN Viz (RVR)take-offs & landings)

Oh no. not the bogey man of CAT III and LVO - again.  CASA declared all that rubbish  ‘unsafe’ – years ago.  Now I know the grown up aviation nations have had such things for years; that modern aircraft since about 1970 (ish) have safely used auto land with few accidents; that the simulators can train pilots in the techniques and the aircraft are well capable.  Even the humble CAT II has been proven to be invaluable in the third world; but no, it’s not safe says CASA, not in Australia, we are unique – dontcha know.  

Then there’s the horrendous costs – airport to be upgraded, equipment to install, approval to be gained etc.etc.  Sydney airport don’t care a rats fart how many A380 have to divert due fog – could not care less; the airlines find it easier to algebraically work out the costs of diversion and simply absorb that cost through the bean counter magic and could not give a toss if 600 people have their day spoiled.  CAT II is a step too far; CAT III a pipe dream and CAT IIIB is an unthinkable myth, a dream of science fiction.

Someone ask Truss – is the ‘new’ Sydney airport going to be built for CAT III operations.  You know the answer – auto land is an emergency procedure only used at Perth as and when required; so the rumour goes.  

I wonder how much longer we will be able to drink the water?

Toot toot.  

[Peetwo]

The Trough Runneth Over...



From that man again - Ean (Legend) Higgins...

Dear Angus...err..Please Explain??

Angus Houston pushed to clarify $4m salary blowout

• by: EAN HIGGINS
  
• From: The Australian
  
• June 15, 2015 12:00AM
  

Reporter
Sydney




Airserv­ices Australia chairman Angus Houston is under pressure to explain a $4m remuneration blowout. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Corp Australia

The salary pool of fewer than a dozen top executives at Air­serv­ices Australia rose by more than 40 per cent last financial year to nearly $4 million, applying pressure on the organisation’s chairman, Angus Houston, to explain the blowout.  

The Australian can also reveal that the remuneration package of Airservices chief executive Margaret Staib, who came under pressure in Senate estimates hearings last year over her lack of detail concerning a $20,000 alleged credit­-card fraud by one of her staff, is $600,000.

Sir Angus and Ms Staib have been the targets of a renewed campaign by businessman and aviator Dick Smith over the failure of Airservices to extend its air traffic control and radio officer service when it has the capacity to do so. Mr Smith claims that Airservices, which is government owned but financed by charges on the aviation industry, lacks the financ­ial rigour of the private sector because, with careers purely in the air force as senior officers, neither­ ­Sir Angus nor Ms Staib have real-world business experience.

Bonuses for Airservices senior executives soared by nearly 60 per cent last financial year.

Mr Smith claims the bonus system encourages Airservices executives to maximise industry charges and minimise expendit­ure on safety measures, to improve the bottom line and boost their take-home pay, claims denie­d by the organisation, which insists safety is primary.

“How can you have bonuses in a monopoly?” Mr Smith said.

The Australian is not suggesting that Sir Angus or Ms Staib have acted inappropriately.
Airservices financial records show that in 2012-13 the organisation paid $2.2m in salaries to its senior executives and $495,000 in bonuses.

In 2013-14, the executive remun­eration pool skyrocketed to $3.1m in salaries, with $778,000 in performance bonuses.

The Australian put questions on the figures to Airservices which were handled by spokesman Graham Robinson, but the responses, according to corporate accountant John Leece from chartered accountants Boroughs Australia, did not add up.

In a statement to The Australian, Airservices said while there were 10 executives in the 2012-13 figures, including two who worked less than six months in that year, the 2013-14 figures covered 11 executives, only one of whom worked less than six months.

“Executive remuneration increase from 2012-13 to 2013-14 was an average of 2.25 per cent,” Airservices said.

“Airservices implemented an executive pay freeze for the current year.”

But even taking into account the particular factors Airservices listed, the average total remuneration package rose by over 20 per, and Mr Leece said it was impossible to reconcile that with the 2.25 per cent claimed.

“It was a nonsense,” Mr Leece said. “I took out 1.5 people — I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

“On a per-head basis it is a major increase, and to say it’s not is just not right at all.

“You can look at the bonus ­increase alone, which is considerable, for only a few people.”

Mr Leece noted that Air­services refused to answer several questions from The Australian which could have sorted out the inconsistencies, such as how much the additional employee got paid, and the highest individual salary percentage increase.

Sir Angus was unavailable for comment.

Errr...no comment P2

[Gobbledock]

This is the problem with these bureaucracies. Because someone like Staib and Houston have spent decades climbing government ladders in Defense and other areas, it automatically becomes a right of passage for them to be granted some executive role for the last few years of their careers, a so-called reward for decades of loyalty (and often bullshit and obsfucation), a thank you job and a chance to top up the final superannuation component. I don't rank Houston or Staib one iota. It's no different with Cosgrove. He was gifted a plum job at Qantas and what did the 'great Australian man' do? Approved Joyce year in and year out, as well as the loss of thousands of hard working Australian jobs as a result. Yep, some fuc#ing hero he was, standing by and allowing the Qantas troops to get burned in the trenches by the queer Irish import. Then he bailed when the heat was on and of course was gifted another plum job as Gov Gen for a few years so as to top up his retirement trough. It's a disgrace. I wouldn't piss on the lot of them if they were on fire. Nothing changes under their commands. There are still cost blowouts, calls for inquiries, credit card rorts and suspicious remuneration packages approved by them. As Peetwo says 'indeed the trough runneth over'. Oh well, at least someone doesn't have to struggle through life like the other 99% of society who live in the normal world.

Our pathetic Governments should put the fuc#ing top jobs out to tender, rather than give the jobs to some career bureaucrat pen pushers who have spent their lives in a sheltered government workshop eating from a silver spoon and kissing Prime Minsters asses and wouldn't know a real job from a Canberra posting. Get out into the real world you corporate grubs. We need real aviation industry experts with decades of experience in the relevant aviation fields running these organisations. Not a bunch of limp wristed medal wearing Government footstools.

"Mates rates and undeserved fatcat rewards for some".

[thorn bird]

Aww come on guys, your being a bit tough on these poor over worked Bureaucrats.

Only $778,000 in bonuses, chicken feed considering the $170 million odd they saved the Guvmint for new radar by prodding CAsA to mandate ADSB and forcing the Industry to pay for it.
  
Whoever silver tongued the Skull that if he jumped the gun on the rest of the world, he'd be a shoe in as the head sociopath at ICAO, was absolutely brilliant, a mandarins mandarin.

Poor old skull must be seething at being conned.

Now I have to admit the $300 odd million it cost CAsA to produce undoubtedly the worst rule set produced by any bureaucracy thus far anywhere in the developed world, might seem a tad over the top,  think how many numpies they'll have to hire to try and fix the unfixable.

I mean to say they only spent $90 mil of the fuel levee so far, by the end of the year that will have sucked $400 mil from the industry, so they are in front by ten mil or so.

Classic example of rule 101 of bureaucrats everywhere, "Never write a law that works", think how many unemployed lawyers there would be if that happened, my god Mercedes Benz would have to pull out of Australia!!

The knock on effect would be disastrous for the economy.

With GA all but dead (buggers just don't know when to quit)there's still RA left before finally Australia is finally rid of these vermin aviators and the property sharks can get on with some really serious money making development.

Bureaucratic Nirvana!!! Serious donations to re-election funds, retirement directorships, farms in New Zealand, so much choice so little time.

[Kharon]

Back at the beginning of this thread we hinted that there may well be some serious questions raised related to the obscene amounts of money made, squandered and ‘distributed’ by ASA.  A monopoly, fully protected and immune to scrutiny, a law unto itself and as greedy as sin.  The estimates panel went very close to exposing the well known gossip and hearsay regarding this outfit; there are tales that would make front page headlines in the Sunday newspapers.  There has been much said, but little done; nor is there likely to be much done – simply because the government of the day cannot and dare not expose the smallest scandal emanating from ASA headquarters; that would indeed open Pandora’s pretty little box.

Sad to see Houston getting measured for a set of clay feet though; perhaps he’ll use them to break open the snakes nest in self defence.  Who’d know, no bets taken though.

Toot toot...  ?  Oh yes.

[thorn bird]

"Sad to see Houston getting measured for a set of clay feet though; perhaps he’ll use them to break open the snakes nest in self defence.  Who’d know, no bets taken though."

Indeed ferryman,
also whispers that all is not well at Fort Fumble either, the Skidmark it would appear is not exactly enamored with his senior team, something about being set up all the time and growing tired of pulling knives out of his back.
Now where's Casaweary when we need some insight into the internal machinations of disaster Castle?

[Gobbledock]

Sorry boys, I know that Houston has a large fan base, it's just that I'm not one of them. I guess that in all fairness there could/would be worse out there than Houston, it's just that I believe the government rewards scheme for these senior bureaucrats is quite simply unjustified. I think it's a sham. But it's my opinion and I don't represent the entire IOS gambit.

Thorny;

"Also whispers that all is not well at Fort Fumble either, the Skidmark it would appear is not exactly enamored with his senior team, something about being set up all the time and growing tired of pulling knives out of his back".

Correct my thorny friend. It would seem that Skates is trying to some degree to fix the rot, but in true Fort Fumble style those who don't want change are sharpening the steak knives and want to drive them through the heart of Skates. He was entering shark infested waters from day one. And some of those same sharks covertly stitched up OAM Smith when he spent his 2 or so glorious years at Malfunction Junction many moons ago. Indeed there are many scared trough dwellers there, and I think you may see a robust shaking of the apple cart when the restructure is undertaken. But only time will tell. But for the moment there is certainly a number of mega highly paid incompetents fearing for their future, and rightly so! I just don't think that Skates and several before him realised just how dirty and dangerous the CAsA game is. He would have been better of staying in the Airforce having his loyal subordinates do push-ups and eating soggy biscuits, much safer. There is no honour among men at Fort Fumble, and if he thought he was going to receive some sort of Commander and Chief respect or admiration, he was very very wrong. Them CAsA boys will toast him down to the last blackened piece.

Sadly Fort Fumbles 20 plus year history is deplorable, the GWM rules. ASA's history is deplorable with the legacy of the Russell years living on and Staib being utterly useless. The last 5 years of ATsB decline under the rulership of the bearded one Beaker is deplorable, and the decline in its autonomous ability is frightening. These three alphabet soup organisations have sat under the umbrella of Pumpkin Head, who has sat beneath successive incompetent Miniscules. So you see the problems lead all the way to the very top. Unless the culture in the PM and PMC's office changes we stand not a hope in hell for decent change or reform. It's time to bring on people like Mike Smith and Alan Stray. Perhaps the Government will resort to paying the IOS to turn away from wanting aviation reform? Why not, it works with the boats........

More Thorny;

Now where's Casaweary when we need some insight into the internal machinations of disaster Castle?

Passing strange that one Casaweary. Seems to have earned some sort of weird UP protection? Only seems to pop up twice a year and when he/she does it is pretty damn funny, lethal and accurate. Me thinks he/she is very close to the Fort Fumble circle? Regardless it would be nice to see him/her take up residence on Autypru, perhaps a campaign of sorts and an offer of free chocolate frogs and unlimited hand relief might be the ticket!!!!

[P7_TOM]

We did, very earnestly and most sincerely warn Skates.  We did - but you only need to see the 'propellers' edict, closely followed by the Skidmore plea for sanity to realize the AVM is on a hiding to nothing.  Hire Mike Smith as deputy dog; let Mike pick a team and let's 'get it on' as the kids used to say.  That's CASA;  but ASA is seriously enmeshed at the top end and unless the ATCO kids know where we can find a Mike Smith look-a-like, to off side Hoody - this scandalous organisation is just going to keep sinking deeper in the soft, fluffy cushions surrounding their own personal cornucopia.

Was it the  "let them eat cake" attitude that kicked of that bit of French civil disobedience a while ago?