03-29-2015, 02:27 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2015, 03:25 PM by thorn bird.)
Of costs and COSTS.
It occurs to me that the whole direction of Australian Aviation regulation is seriously out of whack.
If the whole intent and purpose of Australian Aviation regulation is "Safety" then something is seriously wrong with the way we are going about it because it appears we are simply not becoming any safer, in fact the opposite seems to be happening.
I don't believe general aviation is any safer today than back in 1966 when I experienced the adrenalin rush of my first solo flight and the sense of achievement as I passed each milestone up the career ladder.
Back then we had "Airmanship" which has morphed into Psycho Babble CRM and lately TEM to be followed by SMS.
I don't want to be an heretic, but has all that complicated stuff really added much to the old "Airmanship"?
The old greybeard instructor never left an opportunity pass to reinforce that message, airmanship, airmanship, or fail to compliment when good airmanship was demonstrated, which gave you a sense of pride in achievement.
Certainly quantum leaps in technology has bought about safer outcomes statistically in commercial aviation, but from a purely stick and rudder perspective has anything really changed?
Has reliance on technology eroded stick and rudder skills to a point where safety is being diminished?
One thing for sure there is a whole lot less general aviation occurring today and costs have skyrocketed.
Our Government seems embarked on a path that attempts to defy the law of diminishing return.
Driving up the costs of committing aviation certainly reduces the number of accidents as less and less aviation occurs.
Ultimately does that become self defeating?
Government stated policy and direction is cynically ignored by their regulator. Why is this so?
What price does Australia pay by trying to be unique? Does our uniqueness make us any safer?
Statistics would suggest not.
Our government insists the Aviation Industry must pay for this experiment in uniqueness which has sown the seeds of its ultimate destruction, somewhat like charging the family of the condemned for the bullet that kills them.
So questions for our Government.
Do you stand by the policy and direction you set for our regulator?
Is it government policy to have a vibrant growing aviation Industry?
If your answer is yes then some suggestions that may reduce government costs and allow the Aviation Industry to survive and thrive:
Accept that the Aviation Act is flawed and results in a regulator with no oversight or control and encourages corruption.
Accept that everyone, except the regulator, involved in aviation is NOT a criminal.
Amend the act as necessary to mirror that of the USA and other jurisdictions where aviation is thriving by including "Foster and promote"
Accept that knowledge and expertise resides largely with the Industry , not with the regulator.
Listen to the Industry, not pay lip service to it. Accept that industry has a vested interest in being safe.
Find those responsible within the ranks of the regulator who have defied government policy and direction and remove them.
Recognize that the "regulatory reform experiment has been a massive failure just as the rule set it was supposed to be modeled on has turned out to be.
Accept that rule sets adopted by other jurisdictions achieve far better outcomes for safety and industry wellbeing than we could hope to achieve with our heads stuck in the sand ignoring the outside world.
Copy them.
Accept that selling control of our airports to property developers has been an unmitigated disaster. That as the value of the real estate occupied by airports increased to stratospheric levels the potential for corruption would and has become irresistible.
Enforce the provisions of the leases you made them sign, they are supposed to be running airports not building shopping centers.
Find and remove bureaucrats who defied government policy, aided and abetted the breach of provisions of Airport leases by property developers thus diminishing the utility and safety of our airports and failed miserably in their duty of care to the aviation industry.
Accept that Australian doctors are competent and have integrity.
Follow the US example and allow DAME's to decide if a pilot is fit to hold a medical or not.
That will do for a start anybody got anything to add?
It occurs to me that the whole direction of Australian Aviation regulation is seriously out of whack.
If the whole intent and purpose of Australian Aviation regulation is "Safety" then something is seriously wrong with the way we are going about it because it appears we are simply not becoming any safer, in fact the opposite seems to be happening.
I don't believe general aviation is any safer today than back in 1966 when I experienced the adrenalin rush of my first solo flight and the sense of achievement as I passed each milestone up the career ladder.
Back then we had "Airmanship" which has morphed into Psycho Babble CRM and lately TEM to be followed by SMS.
I don't want to be an heretic, but has all that complicated stuff really added much to the old "Airmanship"?
The old greybeard instructor never left an opportunity pass to reinforce that message, airmanship, airmanship, or fail to compliment when good airmanship was demonstrated, which gave you a sense of pride in achievement.
Certainly quantum leaps in technology has bought about safer outcomes statistically in commercial aviation, but from a purely stick and rudder perspective has anything really changed?
Has reliance on technology eroded stick and rudder skills to a point where safety is being diminished?
One thing for sure there is a whole lot less general aviation occurring today and costs have skyrocketed.
Our Government seems embarked on a path that attempts to defy the law of diminishing return.
Driving up the costs of committing aviation certainly reduces the number of accidents as less and less aviation occurs.
Ultimately does that become self defeating?
Government stated policy and direction is cynically ignored by their regulator. Why is this so?
What price does Australia pay by trying to be unique? Does our uniqueness make us any safer?
Statistics would suggest not.
Our government insists the Aviation Industry must pay for this experiment in uniqueness which has sown the seeds of its ultimate destruction, somewhat like charging the family of the condemned for the bullet that kills them.
So questions for our Government.
Do you stand by the policy and direction you set for our regulator?
Is it government policy to have a vibrant growing aviation Industry?
If your answer is yes then some suggestions that may reduce government costs and allow the Aviation Industry to survive and thrive:
Accept that the Aviation Act is flawed and results in a regulator with no oversight or control and encourages corruption.
Accept that everyone, except the regulator, involved in aviation is NOT a criminal.
Amend the act as necessary to mirror that of the USA and other jurisdictions where aviation is thriving by including "Foster and promote"
Accept that knowledge and expertise resides largely with the Industry , not with the regulator.
Listen to the Industry, not pay lip service to it. Accept that industry has a vested interest in being safe.
Find those responsible within the ranks of the regulator who have defied government policy and direction and remove them.
Recognize that the "regulatory reform experiment has been a massive failure just as the rule set it was supposed to be modeled on has turned out to be.
Accept that rule sets adopted by other jurisdictions achieve far better outcomes for safety and industry wellbeing than we could hope to achieve with our heads stuck in the sand ignoring the outside world.
Copy them.
Accept that selling control of our airports to property developers has been an unmitigated disaster. That as the value of the real estate occupied by airports increased to stratospheric levels the potential for corruption would and has become irresistible.
Enforce the provisions of the leases you made them sign, they are supposed to be running airports not building shopping centers.
Find and remove bureaucrats who defied government policy, aided and abetted the breach of provisions of Airport leases by property developers thus diminishing the utility and safety of our airports and failed miserably in their duty of care to the aviation industry.
Accept that Australian doctors are competent and have integrity.
Follow the US example and allow DAME's to decide if a pilot is fit to hold a medical or not.
That will do for a start anybody got anything to add?