[Kharon]

Is there a Minister in the House?

Perhaps its time to send out a search party, just to be sure (to be sure) that there is actually a live, fully compos (even if not fully mentis) person parked on the Ministerial throne. The SAR operation is fully justified; there exists a great need for an authoritative voice - with the horsepower to back it - to sort out the complete shambles airborne 'safety' (used advisedly) has become. Not just isolated 'events' but across the whole system; from the top all the way through to the tea lady. Complete disarray would accurately define the situation.

The current 'mess' has it's roots in history and cannot possibly be defined or described as a 'recent' or 'modern' product. At the 'root' we must look back at the 'Albo- like' brain farts, King as minister and of making a public service into a 'profit centre' and expecting the public servant mentality to deal with the corporate mindset, much less mimic it. Psychologically to very different animals. For a classic example, look back at the Houston multi billion dollar cock-up - Big Sky'. It was about that time the wheels started to come off the ASA wagon; the whole sorry saga has been very carefully hidden under the office rug; but the huge deficit left behind, in the wake of the entire fiasco is another fundamental element of the present day situation. A situation which is becoming a matter of serious concern for industry, the travelling public and those who must fulfil their obligations to their jobs, under difficult (if not egregious) conditions.

The Senate inquiry into the Brisbane airport debacle is only the stench of the rotting corpse; the deeper they dig, the closer they get to exposing the skeletal remains of a once proud, sane, safe system of managing air traffic without a profit motive. It begs the question; should ASA be self supporting - financial? Of course the answer is yes; but should it be a profit centre for not only government, but for airport developers. Categorically - NO. And yet even on the 'surface' evidence provided in Brisbane, the pug marks of corporate greed are clearly visible. Take the time to listen _ HERE _.

But wait; there's more..........

The bizarre 'corporate' mindset which prompted the great 'Covid' cull of qualified ATC licence holders and the money that cost v the future savings was unforgivable. We now have areas which rely solely on pilots to 'self separate' - busy airspace some of it. All well and good; while the sun shines and the weather is fair - but; it is a bloody chancy exercise in the 'dark of night' with bad weather. Not so bad at cruise height - BUT one needs to climb to that height and (if you don't hit anything on the way up) then one must be careful on the way back down as the options for escape from traffic conflict reduce. Four aircraft in two thousand square miles in good weather = piece of cake.. Four aircraft arriving within minutes at the same aerodrome approach points creates a potential for Murphy's law to take precedence. In aviation the term 'risk mitigation' has a very clear meaning; the consequences of neglect to do so, demonstrated many times over history, provide a clear, unequivocal picture. Play with fire? Then don't be surprised when fingers get burned; and Australia is playing with fire.....

“Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.”

Tick - carelessness.
Tick - Incapacity.
Tick - Neglect.

Albo set this poor verdict in motion; his incumbent minister continues the legacy. The clock is ticking and Murphy is always on hand; ready, willing and able. His only adversary; the peerless McKenzie and her cohorts in exile. Bon chance...

Toot (FDS) toot.