[Peetwo]

The fear of failure, retribution or success?

K - The point of this ramble is that aviation – as we know it – is in a terrible state and something major needs to be done.  But what? I suggest the answers are abundantly clear, well enunciated and widely published.  So why has nothing been done? There are 60, that’s five dozen, ‘recommendations’ made by two separate, expensive government inquiries, these have been gathering dust for two years or more. These recommendations are not the ramblings of a few disgruntled, slack jawed, drooling inmates of the local nut house.  They are the stated demands of an industry which, quite rightly, may claim a fairly high level of intelligence and heavy investment.  So why then has nothing changed?

The following is a quote from Sandy off the AOPA thread that is an excellent appraisal of the current series of bureaucratic manipulated road blocks to essential reform:  

The Department split AOPA from TAAAF with the excuse that there were two papers to consider. In reality there is only one consideration:- that is that GA needs radical reform if it is to be viable and grow. Its obvious that it was to the Department's advantage, divide and rule, to be able to say that we are not united. The two bodies have combined points of agreement for the same goal. The details have little to do with the main game:- what will government do to revitalise aviation? These meetings were initiated from Tamworth, the mandate clearly was for one meeting and government should have provided a response to the concerns expressed... 

...What action does the Department propose? As far as Mr. Skidmore is concerned his opinion has no value because he fails to grasp where GA was, and where it should be, and that his massive over regulation and expensive prescriptive type regime is totally against the flow of deregulation as coming from the US, UK and deregulation is even gaining recognition in the EU. Criminal sanctions of strict liability to the nth degree do not make flying safer and are not compatible with our freedoms. Mr. Skidmore, of 'Tiger Team' fame, refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of nearly 300 submissions to the ASRR, and has done little to implement government policy from the Forsyth review. Mr Skidmore's take is totally at odds with Board Chairman Jeff Boyd. Jeff Boyd's opinion expressed at Tamworth was that the rules, still not finished after 28 years and hundreds of millions wasted, are a mess. Jeff Boyd understands what poor regulation does to business, it was a major reason he relinquished Brindabella. 

Why? Is this a joke? Show evidence GA is going backwards? Ok class, pay attention:- 
I have to say that one could be forgiven for thinking that AOPA is being led down the garden path. There is no point whatever in going around in circles at the behest of the Department to waste time, to divert us, for them to obfuscate, muddy the waters... 

...They are perfectly well aware of the parlous situation for GA. Don't play along with them any more.

The Department and CASA will do anything to brush it all under the carpet. They have their interests at heart, not ours. Only political action will make a difference. Why not advertise my Change.org petition again, now about 1600 supporters? A big number will help our cause. Action is required, another meeting, with an attendance record, including email addresses and an agenda with motions framed, should be on the planning board, suggest SY. The Ben Morgan inspired momentum should be maintained. Waiting for a nice communique from Department is a waste of time, especially with the election looming... 

Finally today courtesy of Oz Flying, AOPA President Marc De Stoop talks about the elephant in the room, the "fear", & speaks up and asks...   

Show Us Your Policies: AOPA
9 June 2016

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) President Marc De Stoop has called for the major political parties to reveal their policies on general aviation ahead of the 2 July Federal Election.

Even after the industry rally in Tamworth on 6 May and the subsequent meetings in Canberra on 25 May, neither the Coalition nor the Labor Party have made responded to growing aviation community demands for reforms.

“We’ve had meetings with the department that have involved CASA but that’s at a departmental level," De Stoop said."The aircraft operators of Australia want to hear from their elected leaders about where they see the direction of the industry heading.

“We had the Forsyth report, but many parts of that are yet to be implemented. We need word from both the Coalition and Labor that it is still a priority to see these recommendations implemented. We’d also like some idea about the attitudes of both parties toward the Civil Aviation Act and how it relates to CASA’s governance of the industry.”

De Stoop's statements reflect a growing fear in the aviation community that neither party intends to make the changes necessary to revitalise GA, a concern compounded by silence and a lack of commitment on behalf of both sides of politics.

“The Coalition at least engaged with us before the election," De Stoop said, "and Anthony Albanese from the opposition made some noises. But since the election was called the Labor party don’t seem interested in talking to anyone about general aviation.”

The Department of Infrastructure and Transport is believed to be working on responses to AOPA's Project Eureka and The Australian Aviation Associations Forum (TAAAF) 2016 policy statement, but there is no indication if they will be made public before the election.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...gkriTg4.99

MTF...P2