At these hearings we have a variety of individuals, its instructive to not only listen to their information and opinions but how they deliver their thoughts. Below that, out of immediate sight, lies the motivation.
Sometimes closer to the surface and readily discerned due to an open, honest and forthright manner. But people can be fooled and we won’t make the correct judgment always and in every case. But as Abe Lincoln famously said, “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.”
Think on some good examples from yesterday. This one, tick; that one, cross; this one, maybe.
Where a witness was evidently playing both sides, no prizes for guessing why.
Particularly struck by one comment, no specific reflection on the witness involved, that flying about noticed there were still numbers of small airfields scattered about. I couldn’t help thinking of the thousands more that used to be available but have now disappeared. That witness certainly hadn’t been flying about too much in the ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s. Closed, finished or simply grown over airstrips can sometimes still be discerned if you know where to look. Earlando, QLD, Penneshaw, Kangaroo Is., Whittlesea, Vic., Sunset Strip, NSW and so on for page after page.
There was also an argument that low cost airlines had eaten into the market for charter flying and hence it had died away, and virtually dead it is today, for single and twin engine low capacity aircraft. Some truth in that argument but nowhere near a complete explanation. Airlines of course don’t fly everywhere or at any time, then wait and return when it suits. The hundreds if not thousands (CASA don’t keep the figures) of small charter operators gave up their operating permits because they were crushed by the weight of paperwork and new and unworkable operational requirements accompanied with ever increasing fees. Not to mention new and unnecessary maintenance expenses. One highly experienced ag operator told me he wanted to offer charter flights with his personal light twin engine aircraft but was told by his CASA contact don’t bother its all too hard.
Sometimes closer to the surface and readily discerned due to an open, honest and forthright manner. But people can be fooled and we won’t make the correct judgment always and in every case. But as Abe Lincoln famously said, “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.”
Think on some good examples from yesterday. This one, tick; that one, cross; this one, maybe.
Where a witness was evidently playing both sides, no prizes for guessing why.
Particularly struck by one comment, no specific reflection on the witness involved, that flying about noticed there were still numbers of small airfields scattered about. I couldn’t help thinking of the thousands more that used to be available but have now disappeared. That witness certainly hadn’t been flying about too much in the ‘60s, ‘70s or ‘80s. Closed, finished or simply grown over airstrips can sometimes still be discerned if you know where to look. Earlando, QLD, Penneshaw, Kangaroo Is., Whittlesea, Vic., Sunset Strip, NSW and so on for page after page.
There was also an argument that low cost airlines had eaten into the market for charter flying and hence it had died away, and virtually dead it is today, for single and twin engine low capacity aircraft. Some truth in that argument but nowhere near a complete explanation. Airlines of course don’t fly everywhere or at any time, then wait and return when it suits. The hundreds if not thousands (CASA don’t keep the figures) of small charter operators gave up their operating permits because they were crushed by the weight of paperwork and new and unworkable operational requirements accompanied with ever increasing fees. Not to mention new and unnecessary maintenance expenses. One highly experienced ag operator told me he wanted to offer charter flights with his personal light twin engine aircraft but was told by his CASA contact don’t bother its all too hard.