Another brick in the Great Wall of WOFTAM.
Fair comments Thorny – but I wonder if the ‘problem’ lays elsewhere. Just a notion; a twiddle as “K” would say, but it’s worth a moments thought.
On New Years Eve, Sydney harbour will be crowded with boats – all manner of craft, loaded with people out for a late night, to watch the fireworks and have a few quiet drinks. It is usually quite a party. Despite the ‘elevated’ risk levels, the ‘Captains’ of those craft will have at very least some form of basic qualification. Few, if any will be qualified for ‘commercial’ operations – in the real sense; but they can fill their craft to capacity and float about the harbour as and when pleases them. What if (gods forbid) there was some kind of accident?
It is, in essence, the same as a CSF. What will, in most cases be lacking is not ‘qualification’ but currency. Regular exposure to the environment and an awareness of the inherent dangers associated. A fellah can take out 15 or 20 ‘mates’ in the dead of night, in a high traffic density situation and no one turns a hair. Yet a qualified pilot wants to exercise the legal privileges of the licence held to take a sick soul to medical care; and, suddenly, it’s held to be a danger. Total Bollocks.
Our PPL’s are no better or worse than PPL’s anywhere; but PPL holders don’t fly everyday; or, in every weather, day or night. The cost alone is prohibitive, the time needed to plan and prepare is scarce and there is only an increasingly small band of folk available to seek advice from. I’d betcha a beer, only 1 :10 PPL’s can find their CFIT risk score for a proposed flight sequence. It is a simple enough exercise; free, from Flight Safety. But how many do the risk analysis before they launch? Not too many. Why? They ain’t slack and mostly nowhere near dopey – they simply don’t know of the tools available to assist ‘evaluate’ the risk matrix of a flight. Takes about five minutes to show ‘em, two minutes to see the benefit and about 20 seconds to accept they are entering a potentially evaluated risk zone. Forewarned is forearmed.
Same-same with a delay – particularly when the weather and darkness are involved; it is essential that there is a limit set, before departure and the option to cancel at a predetermined time made clear. Simple enough stuff to mandate – perhaps a CSF ‘guide’ could be provided to reinforce the basics and make mention of the things that can and do go awry. I like the idea of a weekend weather flying course; the idea of annual ‘ride-along’ check has merit. There are lots and lots of positive, safety oriented things CASA could do, in support of increased awareness and further education.
But, with the best will in the world – I cannot see how the new ‘regulation’ will enhance the safety of anyone above the current existing level. Another brick in the Great Wall of WOFTAM.
Yes, I am going to have another while I pray to pagan gods that RaOz don’t start doing CSF in Bristells or whatever. There is a scary thought.
“Get ‘em in boy, we do need the practice”.
![[Image: Untitled%2B2.jpg]](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cm_HajunJBQ/Vuc7mMGoOSI/AAAAAAAAISU/PLJPRoRPvKUtliZvp7KwgHIZKQm9J3TpQ/s1600/Untitled%2B2.jpg)
Fair comments Thorny – but I wonder if the ‘problem’ lays elsewhere. Just a notion; a twiddle as “K” would say, but it’s worth a moments thought.
On New Years Eve, Sydney harbour will be crowded with boats – all manner of craft, loaded with people out for a late night, to watch the fireworks and have a few quiet drinks. It is usually quite a party. Despite the ‘elevated’ risk levels, the ‘Captains’ of those craft will have at very least some form of basic qualification. Few, if any will be qualified for ‘commercial’ operations – in the real sense; but they can fill their craft to capacity and float about the harbour as and when pleases them. What if (gods forbid) there was some kind of accident?
It is, in essence, the same as a CSF. What will, in most cases be lacking is not ‘qualification’ but currency. Regular exposure to the environment and an awareness of the inherent dangers associated. A fellah can take out 15 or 20 ‘mates’ in the dead of night, in a high traffic density situation and no one turns a hair. Yet a qualified pilot wants to exercise the legal privileges of the licence held to take a sick soul to medical care; and, suddenly, it’s held to be a danger. Total Bollocks.
Our PPL’s are no better or worse than PPL’s anywhere; but PPL holders don’t fly everyday; or, in every weather, day or night. The cost alone is prohibitive, the time needed to plan and prepare is scarce and there is only an increasingly small band of folk available to seek advice from. I’d betcha a beer, only 1 :10 PPL’s can find their CFIT risk score for a proposed flight sequence. It is a simple enough exercise; free, from Flight Safety. But how many do the risk analysis before they launch? Not too many. Why? They ain’t slack and mostly nowhere near dopey – they simply don’t know of the tools available to assist ‘evaluate’ the risk matrix of a flight. Takes about five minutes to show ‘em, two minutes to see the benefit and about 20 seconds to accept they are entering a potentially evaluated risk zone. Forewarned is forearmed.
Same-same with a delay – particularly when the weather and darkness are involved; it is essential that there is a limit set, before departure and the option to cancel at a predetermined time made clear. Simple enough stuff to mandate – perhaps a CSF ‘guide’ could be provided to reinforce the basics and make mention of the things that can and do go awry. I like the idea of a weekend weather flying course; the idea of annual ‘ride-along’ check has merit. There are lots and lots of positive, safety oriented things CASA could do, in support of increased awareness and further education.
But, with the best will in the world – I cannot see how the new ‘regulation’ will enhance the safety of anyone above the current existing level. Another brick in the Great Wall of WOFTAM.
Yes, I am going to have another while I pray to pagan gods that RaOz don’t start doing CSF in Bristells or whatever. There is a scary thought.
“Get ‘em in boy, we do need the practice”.