A ramble, from the bottom of the fuel tank.
Good posts "V" and TB, spot on. There are so many things ‘wrong’ related to the Mildura event, before you even begin to analyse the ATSB and CASA whitewash, you have to wonder at the ‘real’ safety state of domestic air services between the capitol cities, from an operational perspective. I finished up last evening with three pages of bullet point headings which really should be addressed, by the airlines. The next step in my mud map analysis was to try and arrive at the reasons why the matters have not been tackled by the operators – in the interest of operational safety and efficiency. The nearest ‘believable’, supportable argument I could justify was ‘compliance’.
Absolute strict compliance with the minimum requirements of black letter law has become the holy grail of AOC holders. It is a seriously difficult task to meet the rigid minimums, once that is achieved and everyone is brainwashed into believing that after meeting them and nothing else but the minimum requirements; then all is well. Thing is, it ain’t; not really, however, any attempt to progress beyond boundaries set as part of the long, weary process of obtaining an operating certificate is fraught with legal peril and great expense. Anything innovative which is proposed may be operationally ‘sound’ but if it steps a little beyond the minimum ‘acceptable’ to the oversighting CASA delegate; then it is doomed. So we struggle on, cursing the ridiculous rules, locked inside an inescapable prism of complex, contrary rules. Gods alone know what the real cost to industry is. In some ways that cost justifies management attitude toward ‘savings’ wherever possible, a thing they are obliged to do. Shareholders get cranky when the returns fail to meet the expectations and promises made.
Sorry, didn’t mean to ramble; but, to a thinking man, Mildura brings into sharp focus the underlying flaws in the entire system. However that was not the purpose of my mud map musings. I started with ‘flight planning’ and the BoM forecast for the day in question; all strictly by the book legal, bullet proof. High risk – operationally – but dead set ‘legal’ until the wheels came off. To me, the forecast conditions indicated ‘fog’, the detail text book classic, would I plan for an alternate? Damn straight I would – no brainer and no hindsight either; but that’s me, I know the routes and the area. But what if I didn’t – or had to justify an additional five ton of fuel – what then- particularly if the whimsical fog failed to oblige ? Tea and biccies perhaps.
There are solutions – non of which the ATSB mention – like low visibility approval; or, improved infrastructure; or, even improved forecasts and reporting. How come the story always ends the same way; BoM spotless: ATSB nugatory: CASA waiting with a bloody big stick: the company lawyers ready to justify company legally approved procedures; the aircrew sweating bullets, praying that if they survive, there will be no ramifications – for they will have little help from the rest of the system, which was tucked up cosy, in plush offices, on great salaries paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of the poor bastards at the pointy end.
Don’t call Bollocks just yet – read the dribble from the ATSB then tell me that is the product of a system which cares about passenger safety. It certainly cares about protecting ‘the system’; but as an example of operational safety analysis – it stinks; again, another risible response to what could have been a very ugly situation. Yet the parade continues, companies afraid to rock the boat, aircrew being compliant, the system hobbling along on crutches, surviving on pure luck while those who should be making the changes to the ethos pat each other on the back, telling each other what a bloody great safety record we have.
Aye; lots of credit there for those who believe they matter so much more and deserve the self serving protection they have built into this flawed system. You know, if every Captain of every flight carried alternate fuel as a protest; there’s not a ducking thing anyone could do about it – watch the system change them – at lightning speed. Well: I can still dream; can’t I? Reminds me of an old Qantas yarn – a veteran skipper was hauled into the office one day – angry CP say “why have you always got 10 ton of fuel on board when you land?” The answer – a classic – “Well, I couldn’t get anymore on”.
Toot - Yes, I know – back to my knitting - toot.
Good posts "V" and TB, spot on. There are so many things ‘wrong’ related to the Mildura event, before you even begin to analyse the ATSB and CASA whitewash, you have to wonder at the ‘real’ safety state of domestic air services between the capitol cities, from an operational perspective. I finished up last evening with three pages of bullet point headings which really should be addressed, by the airlines. The next step in my mud map analysis was to try and arrive at the reasons why the matters have not been tackled by the operators – in the interest of operational safety and efficiency. The nearest ‘believable’, supportable argument I could justify was ‘compliance’.
Absolute strict compliance with the minimum requirements of black letter law has become the holy grail of AOC holders. It is a seriously difficult task to meet the rigid minimums, once that is achieved and everyone is brainwashed into believing that after meeting them and nothing else but the minimum requirements; then all is well. Thing is, it ain’t; not really, however, any attempt to progress beyond boundaries set as part of the long, weary process of obtaining an operating certificate is fraught with legal peril and great expense. Anything innovative which is proposed may be operationally ‘sound’ but if it steps a little beyond the minimum ‘acceptable’ to the oversighting CASA delegate; then it is doomed. So we struggle on, cursing the ridiculous rules, locked inside an inescapable prism of complex, contrary rules. Gods alone know what the real cost to industry is. In some ways that cost justifies management attitude toward ‘savings’ wherever possible, a thing they are obliged to do. Shareholders get cranky when the returns fail to meet the expectations and promises made.
Sorry, didn’t mean to ramble; but, to a thinking man, Mildura brings into sharp focus the underlying flaws in the entire system. However that was not the purpose of my mud map musings. I started with ‘flight planning’ and the BoM forecast for the day in question; all strictly by the book legal, bullet proof. High risk – operationally – but dead set ‘legal’ until the wheels came off. To me, the forecast conditions indicated ‘fog’, the detail text book classic, would I plan for an alternate? Damn straight I would – no brainer and no hindsight either; but that’s me, I know the routes and the area. But what if I didn’t – or had to justify an additional five ton of fuel – what then- particularly if the whimsical fog failed to oblige ? Tea and biccies perhaps.
There are solutions – non of which the ATSB mention – like low visibility approval; or, improved infrastructure; or, even improved forecasts and reporting. How come the story always ends the same way; BoM spotless: ATSB nugatory: CASA waiting with a bloody big stick: the company lawyers ready to justify company legally approved procedures; the aircrew sweating bullets, praying that if they survive, there will be no ramifications – for they will have little help from the rest of the system, which was tucked up cosy, in plush offices, on great salaries paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of the poor bastards at the pointy end.
Don’t call Bollocks just yet – read the dribble from the ATSB then tell me that is the product of a system which cares about passenger safety. It certainly cares about protecting ‘the system’; but as an example of operational safety analysis – it stinks; again, another risible response to what could have been a very ugly situation. Yet the parade continues, companies afraid to rock the boat, aircrew being compliant, the system hobbling along on crutches, surviving on pure luck while those who should be making the changes to the ethos pat each other on the back, telling each other what a bloody great safety record we have.
Aye; lots of credit there for those who believe they matter so much more and deserve the self serving protection they have built into this flawed system. You know, if every Captain of every flight carried alternate fuel as a protest; there’s not a ducking thing anyone could do about it – watch the system change them – at lightning speed. Well: I can still dream; can’t I? Reminds me of an old Qantas yarn – a veteran skipper was hauled into the office one day – angry CP say “why have you always got 10 ton of fuel on board when you land?” The answer – a classic – “Well, I couldn’t get anymore on”.
Toot - Yes, I know – back to my knitting - toot.