[thorn bird]

Rather surprised and puzzled by TV ad's on behalf of angel Flight on Skynews. Surprised because TV ad's are very expensive and that money could be better used to get some sick kid to their specialist.

Puzzled because I suspect, given the pogrom CASA is carrying out to shut them down, they feel the need to garner public support to face down the regulator. They lost in the courts because a dumb as batshit judge couldn't get his head around the issue, so I guess all thats left is the court of public opinion.

Having seen how successful Angel Flight USA and Canada are I wish them all the luck in the world.

[thorn bird]

Page 2 of Mondays Australian carried an interesting report by Geoff Chambers which could be equally paralleled by the administration and oversight of Australia's secondary airports.

Some key quotes from the article from witnesses at senate estimates.

"Coal miners have launched a campaign targeting the “non-existent” regulatory oversight of the Port of Newcastle, as Coalition MPs ramp up attacks on the key export facility's Chinese ownership structure."

"So they privatise a monopoly without any regulatory oversight."

"And what happened was as soon as they were privatised they ramped up fees by up to fifty percent"

Sound familiar? only difference is on the aviation side is that the ultimate goal is to completely remove aviation from secondary airports in favour of industrial development.

Secondary airports used to be managed by a government entity The FAC, who returned a modest profit of around thirty million dollars a year to the government, rents were affordable and lease terms long enough to provide security of tenure to grow a business. When privatisation was mooted industry was assured the airports act and the head leases would protect the airports for aviation use. What has occurred is so far from that notion as to be inutile.

The Airports Act prohibits foreign entities from owning airports, yet today they do.
The airport Act prohibits trusts from owning airports, yet today they do.
The airport Act Prohibits development sharks from owning or operating airports, yet today they do.

The head leases required the airports to be retained as they were when the leases were signed, yet today the are not.

Given the secondary airports were almost given away, and considering the billions of dollars to be made from their exploitation by development sharks, could one be forgiven for believing some pretty shady deals were done?

Three airports in the Sydney basin sold for about $250 million one of which was allowed to be sold freehold for around the same amount, so basically the Lease holders received all their money back getting two airports for free.
Bankstown Airport alone was valued by the State government at over a Billion Dollars. Was $250 million a fair price?
Is this an indication that the Commonwealth bureaucrats that signed off on the deal were unimaginably inept, or utterly incompetent, or worse corrupt?

The development sharks involved in the airports management and operation used their monopoly position to aggressively pursue rent increases, sometimes of thousands of percent, terms of tenure so short no business in their right minds would consider establishing any from of business for future growth. Their predatory behaviour has been ignored by successive governments as aviation has been driven from their airports opening the way for large scale industrial development, the very safety of air navigation severely compromised as massive structures have been erected over closed runways and taxiways, covered by contaminated fill with no proper environmental scrutiny. Local roads already gridlocked with traffic made worse by countless trucks.

History will tell us that privatisation of vital National infrastructure is a recipe for disaster, unfortunately by then it will be too late.

[thorn bird]

The Bankstown Airport gets murkier and murkier.

Rumour from around the tracks is that one of the biggest UK based property sharks, James Lang LaSalle is now collecting rents from tenants at Bankstown airport.

If there was any doubt the airport "ACT" and secondary airport leases have been torn up and its open slather on development that doubt is gone.

A Trust owns the airport lease, contrary to the Act.
A development shark controls the airport, contrary to the act.
An International property management company collects the revenue, no doubt to avoid tax, contrary to the act.

And the government would have us believe that no public officials are corrupted to allow all this to come about, I could not imagine anything this blatant occurring in the Phillipines let alone Australia.

[Kharon]

Fait accompli.

“a French phrase commonly used to describe an action which is completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it. “

Rumours don't signify any longer – no need for them – 'tis done, dusted and the profits are taken. I cannot see the current minuscule or even this government stepping in and winding back the blatant theft of Commonwealth land.

If Thorny and I owned a chunk of Australia and built an aerodrome on it (provided the necessary paper war could be won); and, then decided that it was a gross commercial mistake – we could flog it off for 'development' and nary an eyebrow raised.

However; this is not 'privately' owned land is it – or it wasn't. The nation owned this land. The airports built during WWII have been used by aircraft operators for donkeys years to build business and create jobs, revenue etc.  Millions of dollars invested have been flushed away, business destroyed and aviation shunted out. Even if the government had the balls, integrity and an appetite to dig down into the murky deals done, called a royal commission and acted on the results – it would add billions to the national debt. I can't see the incumbent minister breaking wind to assist aviation let alone stepping up and asking the hard questions.

Aye, but just imagine the furore if a shopping mall was pulled down to make way for an aerodrome - QED?

Like the dew on the mountain,

Like the foam on the river,

Like the bubble on the fountain,

Thou art gone, and for ever!

[P7_TOM]

Don't blame me – the IOS crew have been busy at the Bar. 'the Ballard of the Odious Commodious'.  Choc frog for 'Anon'. This could end up a long, hilarious night as we celebrate the dismissal of Carmody. - MTF? Safe bet.

With brand new gong
draped on sclong
In fur lined jockstrap tucked
He he spurs away – crying
'there – that's got 'em ducked.

Away proud steed
We've made 'em bleed
and I have all the cash I need
furnished through untrammelled greed.

I know that to some my lugs are sinister
But just the right size for a lazy minister
into which he may whisper
Wishes, quite unbecoming of a spinster.

I helped him not
I'm proud to say
But that's a story-
For another day

My gong it sits resplendent
Earned through work un repented
A crock of words – O so cruel
Which completely baffled the ministerial fool.

Oh' the boys, how they did applaud
When Angel Flight I truly floored
For logic was ignored
And I had the support of a lazy Board.

So I ride to the sunset
and to my rest -
All cashed up
From doing my best.

Anon.......( Amen)....

[Peetwo]

Stay the F**K at HOME! 

A slight diversion (definitely not aviation related) but it did make me ROFLMAO... 

MTF...P2 

[thorn bird]

Here's a snippet that really makes my blood boil, but is an absolute example of the moribund incompetence of our bureaucratic class that is a metastasic cancer, destroying Australia's entrepreneurial spirit, burying it under a mound of excretive regulation until it suffocates or runs away to a more receptive climate.

We know the illogical gobbledygook that aviation must endure, that has crushed the life out of our aviation industry, but have a look at Credlin Skynews about a company in Brisbane who has developed a home test kit for covid 19.

With their kit you can test yourself at home and get a result in 15 minutes.

Their kit is approved by the relevant US authority and is being exported in quantity for use in the USA. A complete game changer if we are to ever escape the clutches of our health bureaucrats.

But in the "Lucky Country" our authorities have completely refused to "Approve" it claiming they do not have anyone with sufficient "Nous" to even consider it.

God help us, because for sure our political class or our bureaucratic class sure won't. Maybe with a promised incentive like a nice directorship on retirement, but don't hold your breath.

[Kharon]

Grist - for the rumour mill.

One must be ready with a grain or two of salt when 'rumour' pays a call; I always have a large pot of the stuff handy - to be sure, to be sure. But sometimes there is some substance within. Problem is sorting the verifiable 'facts' from the additional bits and 'opinion' mixed with hearsay (or heresy). However; couple of calls this past week caught my interest; and, being bored rigid, thought I might share 'em, to see if there's any wheat in the chaff.

Item 1 - can be examined properly once the transcript of the case becomes available. Seems CASA are in court (again) on yet another mission to right the wrongs some poor sod is alleged to have committed. Seems it has been another long drawn out affair; and, so the story goes it is another attempt to hang a criminal conviction on someone who has 'offended' the gods of aviation oversight. Details when available - there are a couple of links to related websites _HERE - and _HERE. Haven't had time to check 'em out, but we'll get around to it. And, I digress. To rumour:-

Apparently (so its said) - CASA have, once again, failed as a model litigant. Word on the street is that the Judge has had enough of the delays and argument related to CASA producing essential documents. It is alleged that the good Judge 'lost it' and said words to the effect that 'it is in my mind to issue an arrest warrant for the head of CASA and have her brought before me, with the documents nominated'. - Something like that anyway - FWIW. Anyway - gave me a laugh. Can you imagine Spence in her best party frock, clapped in irons, dragged before the court pushing a steaming wheelbarrow full of damning evidence; needs a cartoon I reckon.

The rest of a second, similar conversation rang some bloody big alarum bells; worthy of our full attention. There appears to be a familiar 'pattern' - method of operation at work in this case. Familiar names, familiar tactics and a very familiar 'closing of ranks'. There are two other well documented and researched cases which, if we can establish the links may be of assistance. So from a dismissed rumour worth a chuckle to some hard work for the crew seems to be indicated. MTF - if (IF) we can join the dots.

Toot - toot.

[Kharon]

Just the facts Ma'am.

Among P7's motley crew of 'old mates' is a fellah who, at one time was an investigator of some weight and intelligence. He once told some of the myths and legends surrounding his trade; interesting to say the least. One of the tenets he explained took root and I have never found reason to doubt the logic. In short, he maintained that one must 'hear' a story at least five times; listen very carefully to that tale, take notes and examine, carefully and closely each element and tug each 'loose end' to make sure it is part of the whole. He reckoned that at or about the fifth iteration something like the real story began to take shape.

Bias and preconceived ideas must be set aside; particularly when there is a fairly substantial body of evidence which, though not directly connected to the inquiry can and does provide a prejudiced - even jaundiced view. So, an open mind and a clean slate for a new topic is required. So, with this in mind, I decided to open the can in which the 'CASA Corruption' web site resides. Tracked down the industry protagonist and made the call.

On first encounter, I have to say it's quite a story. A story many who have not hunted in the swamps of Sleepy Hollow would find hard to credit. For those who have, the parallels, similarities and characters involved would be familiar. Five pages of notes, each item checked and even with a hefty 70% discount against the purported 'facts' it is still quite a story; and a familiar one. 

Much of this story is still with the courts and it is prudent to wait for those proceedings to be complete before taking a long hard look at the whole thing. However, I was intrigued by the image of the downed Huey (Chopper) and asked about that incident. The official 'report' - HERE - seems fairly straight forward; but, the 'pub' version tells a different tale. The closest I dare go to that tale is to suggest that perhaps CASA could get busy and take a long hard look-see at part numbers and the source of the parts associated with the failure. That would, at very least, rule out much of the rumour surrounding the incident. ATSB defined the primary cause, no problem, but were not required to do a forensic examination of the aircraft's serviceability or maintenance history. Not saying there was anything dodgy - not at all, but rumours like those floating about the place tend to become vexatious, exaggerated and counterproductive to the integrity of the industry.

Aye well; probably yet another storm in a tea cup, of rumour becoming legend; but as it stands the CASA reputation within industry is taking another whispered pasting. This is of neither intrinsic or practical value to the government, the industry or the CASA. That's it for now; I'll rack the shovel and await the transcript - then we may deal in facts.

Click - rumour mill - OFF - Checks complete.

Toot - toot.

[Kharon]

In our increasingly risk averse world, a re-run of Trafalgar with todays OH&S woke Philosophy.

Subject: RE-RUN OF THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR

Nelson: "Order the signal, Hardy".

Hardy: "Aye, aye sir."

Nelson: "Hold on, that's not what I dictated to Flags. What's the meaning of this?"

Hardy: "Sorry sir?"



Nelson (reading aloud): "' England expects every person to do his or her duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious persuasion or disability.' - What gobbledegook is this?"

Hardy: "Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir.

We're an equal opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting ' England ' past the censors, lest it be considered racist."

Nelson: "Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco."

Hardy: "Sorry sir. All naval vessels have now been designated smoke-free working environments."

Nelson: "In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the mainbrace to steel the men before battle."

Hardy: "The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. It's part of the Government's policy on binge drinking."

Nelson: "Good heavens, Hardy. I suppose we'd better get on with it........... full speed ahead."

Hardy: "I think you'll find that there's a 4-knot speed limit in this stretch of water."

Nelson: "Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's nest please."

Hardy: "That won't be possible, sir."

Nelson: "What, why?"

Hardy: "Health and Safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No harness; and they said that rope ladders don't meet regulations. They won't let anyone up there until a proper scaffolding can be erected."

Nelson: "Then get me the ship's carpenter without delay, Hardy."

Hardy: "He's busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the foredeck Admiral."

Nelson: "Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd."

Hardy: "Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a barrier-free environment for the differently abled."

Nelson: "Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye and I refuse even to hear mention of the word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral by playing the disability card."

Hardy: "Actually, sir, you did.. The Royal Navy is under represented in the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency."

Nelson: "Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons."

Hardy: "A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won't let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want anyone breathing in too much salt - haven't you seen the adverts?"

Nelson: "I've never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the enemy."

Hardy: "The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral."

Nelson: "What? This is mutiny!"

Hardy: "It's not that, sir. It's just that they're afraid of being charged with murder if they actually kill anyone.

There's a couple of legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks."

Nelson: "Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?"

Hardy: "Actually, sir, we're not."

Nelson: "We're not?"

Hardy: "No, sir. The French and the Spanish are our European partners now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we

shouldn't even be in this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for compensation."

Nelson: "But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil."

Hardy: "I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator hear you saying that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary report."

Nelson: "You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your King."

Hardy: "Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your life"

Nelson: "Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum, sodomy and the lash?"

Hardy: As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there's a ban on corporal punishment."

Nelson: "What about sodomy?"

Hardy: "I believe that is now legal, sir."

Nelson: "In that case................................ kiss me, Hardy"

[thorn bird]

Whimsy.
A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon a restaurant operated by a fellow cannibal.
Feeling a tad hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu.

• Grilled Tourist:………….$5.00
• Broiled Missionary:…..$10.00
• Fried Explorer:…………..$15.00
• Baked CASA FOI:………..$100.00

The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, “Why such a high price for a CASA FOI?”

The cook, overhearing, called out “Have you ever tried to clean one? They are so full of shit it takes all day!”

[thorn bird]

Interesting little snippet on sKy news tonight. Chris Smith was discussing with a medical expert why Australia is so screwed up and way behind the rest of the world with the rapid Covid tests.

Maybe P2 can dredge up a video copy of that interview.

What Interested me was the parallels that could be drawn between the obfuscation displayed by our Aviation regulator against those that administer Australia's response to the Covid Pandemic.

Self appointed "Experts" within CAsA burden expert Industry participants with draconian, inept impediments that lead to huge delays which translate into huge costs which inevitably leads to lack of participation and the death of a whole industry. What doesn't dawn on our political class is that CAsA are NOT the freaking experts!! in their own minds maybe but in the real world most of them would not even rate a mention. For gods sake what are the qualification's bloke who runs the place, Dr VooDo Hoodo, other than writing a paper on Black magic, other than being a very cunning sociopath, what does he actually know about the business of aviation, he's not even an expert in the LAW, just very clever in subverting it.

The Chris Smith interview to me just highlights how dysfunctional our whole public service sector has become, further behind the aircraft that the last passenger in a B747. Complete lack of forward thinking, complete disregard for expert advice, complete ignorance of the real issues. Seems it applies across the board, this country is screwed, forever behind our competitors shackled by the inertia of a bureaucracy incapable of keeping up.

[Wombat]

Thorn Bird, like many others, I have thought long and hard about this. There are a number of factors involved:

1. The Australian Federal System - in which some, but not all, power is concentrated in Canberra that has at least three effects:

a) Geographic detachment of decision makers from first hand information - stimulus and response is delayed. The bungled Covid vaccine rollout and RAT debacles are classic cases. Not only does this apply at the personal level but as an administrative necessity Canberra requires "Official" information about what is happening. TV news about RAT demand will not suffice. Canberra needs "official", quality controlled information which must come from its own Sydney or Melbourne offices or State Governments - adding at least a week to response times.

b) "Customer focused" in Canberra means the Minister - she is the Customer. You and I are abstract entities.

c) "Group think". Canberra is a company town. The place is full of third or fourth generation public servants with no real experience of Australia. Add to that the domination of ANU intellectually and we get bizarre policies - like "Australia can't manufacture anything because of a lack of economies of scale."

2. The current Western predominance of the professional and managerial classes. This has been enhanced by rapid technological change since WWII, especially in IT. It's effects? The devaluing of first hand experience as a requirement for managing and its replacement by a belief in 'scientific" management as exemplified by the MBA phenomenon. Thus we get managers with no idea of what they are managing. To be fair, the reverse of this: the belief that you require thirty years experience is just as bad because it creates fossilized institutions.


I could go on............

[thorn bird]

Some thoughts.

The vast majority of the (RAT) rapid antigen test kits we now use are bought from China and allegedly are inferior to those manufactured elsewhere. Which begs the question why are we buying anything from China? considering their attitude to Australia.
Australian companies developed the Rapid Antigen test last year. One may wonder if the Chinese, like so many other innovations, stole their technology.
My take on what happened is the Guvmint, no doubt with "Advice" from the "experts" (Vested Interest) decided that RAT's were not a great idea the PCR test was gold standard and the Pathology labs no doubt lobbied to protect the huge profits from administering them. I can almost hear the "Appelby" whisper in the ministers ear "Minister we cannot have people running around testing themselves, thats for doctors. The AMA will go ballistic, think of the bad press. If anything goes wrong the blood will be on your hands".

So no market for RAT developed in Australia.

Australian companies then looked elsewhere for a market and found it in Europe and the US, moved their manufacturing processes overseas and got on with it.

Omicon suddenly arrived on scene, just when Australia was opening up and quickly overcame our ability to process PCR tests to detect it and suddenly RAT's became a good idea. Trouble was we had no production in Australia and the approvals required from the relevant authority advanced at the usual snails pace for any Australian bureaucracy. CAsA is a prime example of this phenomenon sometimes taking years to process simple permissions, luckily for them airlines pretty much administer themselves as they are too big, politically powerful, and financially able to legally challenge any interference they disapprove of. If its worth a fight they will, which is why CAsA leave them alone, anything not worth a fight can simply be absorbed in the price of a ticket. That just leaves the bottom end, General Aviation for CAsA to focus its attention without fear of political scrutiny, GA is simply not big enough to mobilise many votes.

As Omicon runs rampant through the community supply chains came under threat from lack of staff through infection or close contact isolation, spreading to already overworked health workers. Suddenly the bureaucrats were in the spotlight, RAT's became the imperative and had to be sourced from somewhere.

In steps China, but its passing strange they had no problem gaining approval for their product, but an Australian company on the other hand is put through the wringer.

[Sandy Reith]

…….I will go on, but be aware, as one aspiring politician said to me, there’s two verboten subjects of discussion; politics and religion.

How we organise communal living, that is politics, is the most important skill and at the same time the most difficult subject. Being all about the subtleties of human nature and dealing with the evolution of everything on the planet in a moving map of time. We’ve actually done very well, via a bumbling sort of consensus, on most important areas for the vast majority.

We cobbled together a Constitution that attempted to graft parts of the USA model, hence the Senate, onto a Westminster style constitution with the old trappings and mindset that the Monarch is the one superior citizen.

That being said and, as She owns us all, and all the land (you may sit on a freehold plot at Her Pleasure), then Her Public Servants naturally believe that any ‘privileges’ that She confers on Her subjects must be modified in our best interests. Her Servants have become the Public Sector because we’ve acquiesced, even supported, in so many ways, the whole apparatus of Government. Land zoning laws, compulsory voting, farm registration and animal ID tags, You name it we have more and more intrusive Government because She has monopoly power.

It’s all by degrees but until there’s an understanding that true free enterprise can’t exist without much stronger property rights, and that the solution to all problems is not government action, then we will continue down the bureaucratic pathway. We can hope for leadership and Ministers who will take responsibility for change, but we do have a ‘play it safe’ mentally. Is this because She will look after us?

[thorn bird]

Heartily agree with you Sandy. My Great Grandfather was involved with the development of our constitution, in fact his signature appears on the original document. He worked for many years in the USA so no doubt was influenced by their political system.

Its a given that democracy is a very messy and inefficient way to govern, but having a whole bunch of "colonies" operating as separate countries was never going to work.

Given the times, circumstances and ethnic makeup, it could be said that our founding fathers did the best they could with our constitution, its worked fairly well over the years, but the makeup of the country has changed and unfortunately has not moved with the times and our political class is manipulating it to suit their own agenda.

Having the Monarch of England as our head of state was a function of our heritage, but its worked fairly well as whoever was on the throne acted as a figurehead only, with little if any political influence. Its our own political class that has warped the constitution, not the Queen.

What worries me more than anything should Australia decide to become a republic, besides the enormous cost to do so, Can we really trust the same political class not to draft a constitution that imposes even more control over the people and lack of transparency than they already have. They are not the same men of integrity who signed back in 1901.

[Peetwo]

FAA vs CASA: A point of difference on regulating flight training?  

Via the SAFE blog...

CFI “Experience Validation” (No Expiration)?!



David St. George
Posted on February 19, 2022
Categories CFI Technique



This image from an FAA presentation got a lot of attention (and I am sorry we do not have much information yet). But this is a very early “pre-decisional proposal” – basically a “media balloon” – intended to test public opinion and start a discussion (yes the FAA watches social media very carefully). The FAA proposal is to eliminate expirations for flight instructors and simultaneously restrict “exercising the privilege” based on some required activity and/or experience – consistent with most other certificates. Any formal proposal will have to go through a very long official NPRM – comment – process. This will require lots of input from industry and individual CFIs – so don’t panic yet. This idea has been around for many years – see this article from 2010  and there are some good reasons to consider a change. More details will be forthcoming from the FAA, but let’s explore this just a little.

"...This action would remove the expiration date on flight instructor certificates. In addition, it would remove the requirement for a flight instructor to renew his or her flight instructor certificate. Instead, the rule would call for the flight instructor to meet and demonstrate recent experience requirements to exercise the privileges of his or her certificate..."



I renewed a CFI Friday (as this story was breaking) using his FAA WINGS activity. Remarkably, this is not on the FAA WINGS Instructor page but only available in AC 61-91J. But wouldn’t it be great if there was a tab on the FAA WINGS site where a CFI could keep their instructor certificate valid – no FIRC – the same as pilots keep their certificate current? The WINGS program would be a natural learning platform for providing CFIs with “master-level” education. The FAA already has lots of other “activity renewals” under CFR 61.197(a)2ii. Most DPEs can perform any of these functions and it currently only takes about 10 minutes to renew based on activity. CFIs are qualified for renewal under CFR 61.197(a)2ii based on their activites/experience over the last two years. I would imagine the new process would be similar but not require the DPE.





Many part-time CFIs immediately expressed displeasure, imagining the FAA will only count 8710 sign-offs for “activity” – and their instructor privileges might be in jeopardy. But “active” by that definition only represents 8% of the current CFI population. And professional pilots, teaching part-time, are the richest source of experience in our flight training community. FIRCs, now almost exclusively online, have increasingly diminished in duration and quality in recent years. And the NTSB is crying for better FAA oversight of CFIs – and enforcement of an 80% pass rate for active CFIs. Change is in the wind, we’ll soon see where this goes. Fly safe out there (and often).

MTF...P2 

[Kharon]

History, geography and warm water ports.

Only a fool's two bobs worth - but, in 1854 at Balaclava the charge of the light brigade took place; they were scrapping with the Russians. One reason for the brawl was Russia wanted a 'warm water port' - always have. When you take a look at the map of the Ukraine - the area known as the Crimea, and Sevastopol - it makes you wonder if that same 'need' for a warm water port still exists in the Russian mind. Way over my pay grade, but it made me think a bit. Just a stray notion with an Ale.

[Wombat]

If the trouble in Ukraine keeps escalating, as it just did by Russia taking out their AD system, you can forget any reform of regulations. In fact we will be lucky if RAAF lets any of us fly at all.

[thorn bird]

So here we are in crisis again, the lessons of history completely ignored, The parallels and threats are almost identical.

A country ruined by a bloody war to end all wars which ended in defeat. The population left humiliated, resentful and poverty stricken. Out of the ashes of that war they acquiesced to a tyrant who promised to restore their place in the world by building an empire via force of arms. This ultimately lead to another war when despite the strident warnings of statesmen like Churchill, the unprepared world finally woke up and realised that Tyrants will do what Tyrants do, ignoring their ruthless expansionism was self defeating folly. Realising that everyone was threatened, the western world had to rapidly prepare to fight another war in Europe, blissfully ignoring an oriental threat that lay on the other side of the world, who chose to take the opportunity, while the world was distracted, to expand their empire via force of arms thus drawing the whole world into conflict.

Of that war a tyrant was defeated and a imperialist nation crushed at great cost in treasure and lives.
Despite warnings again from Churchill, out of the ashes another tyrant arose, created a regime that threatened the world yet again, armageddon never seemed far away. Fortunately after many close calls economics defeated that regime before a major war eventuated.

Have things changed in the modern era? Did we learn the lessons of the past century?

I would suggest not. Buoyed by 70 years of relative peace we have been lulled into a false sense of security ignoring the Mantra "Hope for the best, but plan for the worst"

Once again we are facing an imperialistic tyrant in Europe and an opportunistic regime in Asia, completely unprepared. We may not be so lucky this time.