[Gobbledock]

The money shot

From that cold, steely, obnoxious, loud and disgusting human being Michaelia Cha Ching;

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who will release the ­report today, said last night the government would “carefully consider’’ its recommendations and respond in due course.

Bollocks! Bollocks bollocks bollocks. That's obsfucation 101. Michaelia $$ is really trying to say;

'Carefully consider' means - we will do SFA because we don't want to do anything that requires a commitment or makes us accountable.

'Respond in due course' means - we will turn this report into Shelfware and file it somewhere where it will never be found, somewhere like inside Kim Carr's arse cheeks or beneath Beakers beard.

"Safe truck driver revenge for all"

[Kharon]

Full Steam GD.  Pour it On.

Damn the guns and hammer the engines – we have an urgent pick up and delivery mission.

Made a routine ‘how gozit’ call Karen Casey, see what was new and how things were progressing. On the positive side Sen. Cameron has taken an interest in the matter and there are positive signs from that. Here endeth the good news.

To business: stunned is the only way I can describe my reaction to the following; incredulous followed, then fury. Plain old fashioned outrage, in spades, redoubled.  It goes like this, paraphrased for brevity.

KC rings ATSB – Walker, to see when the second ATSB report may emerge from deep sleep chamber.

Walkers response was unbelievable; but notes and a statutory declaration take the matter to truth. In short, he was rude and aggressive. Statements like “Karen, just what do hope to gain from this report” “What do you want to get out of it”.  “It is your fault there is a delay”.  The whole debacle seems to be Karen’s fault all of a sudden and the ATSB is offended; etc. grossly miffed.

It was not Karen’s fault the aircraft ditched; it was not Karen’s fault she got badly hurt and it most certainly was not Karen’s fault that the ATSB and CASA got caught sweeping the whole thing under the table; nor was it Karen’s fault that Albo dived out of the back door as soon as the smoke alarum went off.  Karen had little to do with the Senate findings and the pasting dished out to both ATSB and CASA was well deserved. They got away very lightly, considering.

None of this is any excuse for being rude to anyone. Who the duck does Walker think he is? ATSB should be calling for his resignation.  No matter who rings with a genuine concern no one should be treated in the manner Karen was.

What chance a honest report when the man in charge turns out to be a coward and a bully?  Those types, when under pressure and attempting to justify that which cannot be justified habitually turn out to be not only disingenuous but happy to offset the blame to anyone else they can.

If the Walker attitude reflects the ‘new’ ATSB approach to victims of air accident then it is time for the minister to step in. I know that had I spoken to anyone in the workplace in that manner, my head would be following my arse out of the door before I could say ‘Sorry’.
If Walker won’t resign, then the minister needs to act, swiftly.  Fair warning, this is not going away.

A metaphorical head in basket is demanded: I don’t care how it gets there.

I cannot properly express the full measure of contempt and disgust this story has generated. The Pel-Air charade was a national disgrace; mentally kicking an accident victim when they are down and struggling to get through life with pain and grief is beneath contempt, particularly when the thread which keeps Karen attached to this world is tenuous, even on a good day.

Lets go and pick up this prick GD; seems he is late for his appointment with the Boss.

More to follow - bet your life on it.

Toot – bloody – toot.

[P7_TOM]

Surprise - Another bloody useless minister.

No point in waiting for the inevitable results of the Chester ministry; none at all. The man simply will not allow the problems to be aired and examined; the useless sod will not even ‘talk about’ the latest, in a long string of gross insult offered to Karen Casey. He won’t interact with industry, being content to sit back and let the agencies do their thing and rumble along in the same direction, with the same mind-set and piss poor attitude.

He should be demanding that ATSB issue a written, public apology to Karen;insist the revised Pel-Air report be released, he could also get things moving on the reform front; but does he? Does he hell. We must all wait patiently until the weasel word smiths have finished massaging the latest ‘workshopped’ masterpiece which will, in the fullness of time achieve SFA. No matter; the ministerial Muppet will have moved on by the time nothing in the form of reform has been achieved, without even getting his highly polished boots muddy.

Well, he joins a long list now of Do Nuthin’s. It is not a very salubrious list, but he will be in good company, as he stands proudly in the large pension cashing queue; so, no wukkers. Life is good; Bravo.

[Peetwo]

miniscule Dazzling Dazza: "Nothing to see here, move along!" - FDS  

Intro:

Safe troughs for all

So here is a very rough breakdown regarding the waste of taxpayer money on the pointless ICAO folly as follows in this very 'general' guesstimate;

Total of around 11 attendees (trough swillers) from Australia;

- Airfares are business class at around $11k each, = $110k
- 7 days accommodation at around $4k pp = $28k
- Meals, entertainment, vehicles and fiddles are approx $2k pp = $14k
- Salaries. Each attendee earns between $200k - $800k p/a. If you take a medium of $350k, divide that by 52 weeks they average around $6,730 per week. Times that by 11 = $74k

Total = $226,000 AUD for this farce.

Correct, a quarter of a million dollars for a group of drips to sit around for a week talking shit and achieving SFA. What a disgrace. What a waste of money. Why don't you stick em in the Formule One Motel in Nudgee Brisbane for a week and get them to use Skype or video conferencing?

Nope, just another opportunity for oxygen thieves and money burners to tickle their egos dribbling bollocks at a conference that achieves nothing but produce piss and wind with no tangible results or actual outcomes, and certainly adds no value to Australian aviation.

Listening to Dr Voodoo extoll his fantasies and giving his interpretation of law in his droning, monotone voice is as exciting as watching two turtles hump each other or watching Darren Chester comb his hair. Or is as useful as trying to paddle across the Pacific Ocean on a clump of dried out elephant shit!

Lunchtime on Day 1 in Montreal;

Oink oink

The good, the bad and the ugly

Love those graphs. They really highlight Australia's past, present and future in brief, nauseating fashion.

Some interesting things that have occurred during that period of time in question; 2004 to 2016. A bit of the good, the bad and the ugly;

POSITIVES
• Kym Bills was high level ATsB
• Alan Stray was high level ATsB
• No stupid ass CAsA/ATsB MOU was in play
• Sangers and Walsh had less power
• Dr Voodoo had less power

NEGATIVES
• The era of McComick arrived
• The era of the Beaker arrived
• Lockhart clusterfu#k
• Pell air clusterfu#k
• The rise and rise of Pumpkin Head
• The rise of Dr Voodoo
• Possibly the worst agreement (MOU) in aviation history was formed between CAsA ad the ATsB.

In reality ICAO's approach is as follows;

2004: good audit. Minor snags, nothing systemic or intolerable. TICK. Good work lads, keep progressing forward.

2008: getting a bit messy now, this Lockhart thing raises a few red flags, numerous deficiencies, and an appearance that some wheels are starting to fall off.

2016: no sign of ICAO, but there is a hint of them in the wind. Australia has now completely slipped backward to the point that it is outshone by Indonesia, yes them of the Garuda and a multitude of other aircraft crash shame. Not to be left out, ASA also takes a huge backward step under Russell, Staib, Electric Blue and Sir An(g)us.
The ATsB implosion is complete and Beaker departs, CAsA undergoes supposed 'transformation' and it's short lived CEO gets punted. If ever a colonic hose was to be inserted into the Australian governments ass now is the right time.

The final oddity is that Wingnut Carmody, overlooked for DAS when Bwuce Bywon left and the Screaming Skull of CX Star Chamber fame turned up, is now sitting in the DAS chair, for now!

You know it's quite ironic that people like CAsA and the ATsB are always banging on about 'root cause'. I wonder what ICAO or FAA would put down the root cause of the complete implosion of Australia's alphabet soup agencies in the past 8 years to?


TICK TOCK

Dr Hoodoo Voodoo's world safety tour continues.......IATA Safety Management Conference October25-27 Abu Dhabi, Ritz Carlton.

Back fresh from his Montreal snowfields tour/ICAO word wankery conference and ready and primed to deliver some robust intellectual drivel is Dr. Jonathan Aleck, General Manager, Legal Affairs, Regulatory Policy and International Strategy, CASA, Australia will be presenting at the above conference later this month.

http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2...04-01.aspx

and Dr Voodoo and the full schedule;

http://www.iata.org/events/Documents/Saf...Agenda.pdf

I'm sure it will be a real hoot as there are lots of 'Doctors' and a few Professors down as speakers. Always fun listening to soft handed intellects who have years of study under their belt but never gotten their hands dirty in the real world pissing on about their personal interpretation, theories and beliefs in what constitutes a safety culture and/or a safe environment. The most dangerous thing these arseclowns would do on a weekly basis is analyse whether the cup of coffee is too hot or do a risk analysis on whether to wear a high vis vest while sharpening pencils at their office desk. WANKERS!

OINK OINK

Malaysia re-elected to the ICAO Council

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/20...reelected/

Looks like Malaysia has been rewarded for the magnificent job they are doing in 'leading' the MH370 investigation. Perhaps they will receive some training in Annexe 13 while they are visiting Montreal? They need it....

"K" - Good catch GD. WTF are they drinking over there? 

Well Gobbles it would seem that once again you hit the nail fair smack on its head and the miniscule can now trot out some more bullshit lines and everyone from the ICAO wank-fest confirms that Murky, Dr Hoodoo & Dr W##er are doing a stellar job obfuscating our aviation safety deficiencies DownUnda : 

UN aviation Assembly a success for Australia
Media Release
DC140/2016
11 October 2016


I am pleased to announce Australia has had its Category One status on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) governing Council reaffirmed following an election process involving more than 190 member states.

This continues our tradition of serving as a ‘State of chief importance in civil aviation’ on the Council. As a founding member of the body, I am delighted Australia has retained this status following the election at ICAO's 39th Assembly in Montreal, Canada.

ICAO is the specialised United Nations agency for international cooperation in civil aviation and works to enhance aviation safety, security, efficiency, and sustainability.

Australia's participation at the Assembly has once again demonstrated our global aviation leadership and enabled Australia to influence key international aviation safety, security and environmental standards and recommended practices.

Another significant achievement for Australia at this year's Assembly was the awarding of the most prestigious award in international aviation, the Edward Warner Award, which was awarded to the late Dr David Warren AO, an Australian citizen renowned for inventing the ‘black box’ flight and data recorder.

An historic agreement was also reached to introduce a global carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation to control carbon dioxide emissions.

The agreement is the culmination of more than six years of negotiations and is the first time an industry sector has committed to reducing its carbon footprint on a global scale.

 GD - Total of around 11 attendees (trough swillers) from Australia;

- Airfares are business class at around $11k each, = $110k
- 7 days accommodation at around $4k pp = $28k
- Meals, entertainment, vehicles and fiddles are approx $2k pp = $14k
- Salaries. Each attendee earns between $200k - $800k p/a. If you take a medium of $350k, divide that by 52 weeks they average around $6,730 per week. Times that by 11 = $74k


Total = $226,000 AUD for this farce.

Money well spent according to the miniscule - OFDS!

MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

A lesson in how to extract gold from shit

P2, shame on you. I had just eaten a large pork roll swimming in gravy and had drowned the after effects in several Corona's when I read that pithy ICAO release! Yuk yuk yak, and no bucket in close proximity!

However, every trough has a silver lining. So I searched, in fact waded, through all the absolute shit that encapsulated the get together of the worlds most notorious  aviation lingual English language masturbators, and I just had to remind the world of this legend;

"Another significant achievement for Australia at this year's Assembly was the awarding of the most prestigious award in international aviation, the Edward Warner Award, which was awarded to the late Dr David Warren AO, an Australian citizen renowned for inventing the ‘black box’ flight and data recorder".

Without a doubt David Warren AO was a legend. The creation of the 'orange box' was a defining moment in aviation, to be placed high upon a pedestal along with the likes of TCAS and GPWS. I second the ICAO motion and I am happy to have my name included on the meetings minutes. Cheers.

However, it is somewhat ironic that an Aussie be knighted with an aviation sainthood for developing the black box even though when the opportunity came knocking to retrieve a black box from one of our most controversial crashes it was decided by the Australian bureaucracies to leave the frigging thing inside the aircraft wreckage, in relatively shallow water off Norfolk Island!!! Please Senator Xenophon bundle up that fact and shove it up the ATsB's ass.

[Peetwo]

SHAME it is then for miniscule (NFI) Chester -

Couple of recent media & AP posts point towards the Minister Dazzling Dazza being totally captured by Murky and his minions...

Up for discussion 8:30pm-9:30pm Monday -

AIOS reaches epidemic proportions in Can'tberra -   

Updated: 13 October 2016

The collection and analysis of a large volume of evidence for this investigation has taken longer than originally foreseen.  However, the ATSB now has sufficient evidence to establish findings across a number of lines of inquiry.  The ATSB is in a position to finalise a draft report which is expected to be released to directly involved parties by the end of the year.  Subject to comments made during the draft report review process, the final report should be released publicly in the first part of 2017.

    

 

After almost 7 years Pel-Air crash scandal lurches toward finality
Oct 14, 2016
Ben Sandilands

How the ATSB expunges the shame of its original and highly unprofessional inquiry into the Pel-Air ditching remains to be seen

The wreckage of the Pel-Air jet which the ATSB originally refused to recover

The ATSB has updated the status of its re-opened inquiry into the Pel-Air ditching of an air ambulance flight near Norfolk Island almost seven years ago.

It says it is now “in a position to finalise a draft report which is expected to be released to directly involved parties by the end of the year.  Subject to comments made during the draft report review process, the final report should be released publicly in the first part of 2017.”

This whole sorry saga has become as much about the honesty and diligence of Australia’s air safety investigator, the ATSB, as well as its safety regulator CASA as it has about a plane crash.

In December 2014 the ATSB was directed to withdraw and re-open its original and much criticised report into the ditching following some very serious shortcomings that were identified by an independent peer review by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

It took a Senate inquiry to establish that the original ATSB inquiry ignored a suppressed internal CASA report that found the accident could have been avoided had the safety regulator done its job in relation to the oversight of Pel-Air’s operations of the small Westwind corporate jet that it used for medical flights.

The ditched Pel-Air flight involved a medical transfer from Apia to Melbourne which found itself unable to land in very poor weather conditions for its intended refueling stop at Norfolk Island with six people on board. The jet had insufficient fuel on board to to divert to an alternative airport. It was ditched in the sea adjacent to the island before its fuel would have run out and deprived the pilots of full control of the Westwind.

The evidence given by the then chief commissioner of the ATSB, Martin Dolan, to a Senate committee inquiring into its conduct of the original safety investigation was severely criticised in its report.

The Senate disclosures led to widespread concerns in the aviation industry that two government agencies, CASA and the ATSB had conspired to suppress evidence that the regulator had failed in its duty and that the accident report that was subsequently withdrawn had in effect framed the captain of the Pel-Air flight.

Irrespective of the fierce arguments that the original ATSB report gave rise to, there are few precedents for a national air safety regulator to be so totally discredited for its handling of an air crash inquiry as to have to withdraw its original report and do the job again, properly.

Even though the Pel-Air crash occurred in 2009, the failed regulatory reform process in CASA has not yet fully addressed and reformed the claimed inadequacy of the original rules that applied to oceanic medical flights on the night it crashed, leading to an against-all-odds search by a Norfolk Island fishing boat which rescued all six people who had been onboard the ditched jet.

The ATSB which had resolutely refused to recover the the Westwind’s flight recorder finally retrieved it and some other wreckage from the sea bed last year, after it was ordered to do a new investigation.

(The media was left in no doubt that the ATSB was directed to carry out the new inquiry, even though the current posting on its web site makes it sound like it acted on its own initiative.)

The surviving parties in this crash will now be given a period of time in which to review the draft report and have any comments or responses they may make taken into account before the final document is published publicly next year.

And the comments today from the PT article:

Not already subscribed? Get your free trial, access everything immediately3 thoughts on “After almost 7 years Pel-Air crash scandal lurches toward finality”

1. 
   comet
   October 14, 2016 at 2:18 pm
   Australia’s air safety regulation is a national embarrassment.
   There should be royal commissions into this, but that will probably only happen after the next horrific air crash.
   
   
2. 
   Dan Dair
   October 14, 2016 at 5:42 pm
   If Pel-Air / REx / whoever, don’t like the nasty-truths which might have pervaded into the ‘final’ draft,
   is it likely that the (now much discredited) ATSB will stand-up to them & ensure the warts-and-all remain in the report.?
   Is it possible that one or more of the ‘surviving parties’ will release a copy of the unexpurgated final draft, should the actual final fail to mention anything awkward or unpleasant for Pel-Air/REx/etc or the Australian regulatory bodies.?
   (or their officials, or former or serving government ministers.?)
   Would there be legal consequences for an ‘interested party’ which carried-out such an action.?
   
   
   1. 
      Ben Sandilands
      October 14, 2016 at 7:06 pm
      Let me venture the opinion that while there are many legal sanctions in Australian law that are indefensible and undemocratic in relation to open discussions, disclosures and criticisms, there is so much anger and dismay in the aviation sector that any dissenting voices will be heard, and to hell with the consequences.
      

And today on the Mount NCN thread: Yet another ATSB/CASA top-cover non-investigation

 
1) ..“All of those incidents are inexcusable. If it was one of the smaller Australian carriers, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority would ground them,” Mr Hansford said...

2) ...A CASA spokesman declined to discuss AirAsia X but indicated there was no extra attention being given to the budget airline.
Mr Hansford asked if they were waiting for a plane crash...

 All that negative commentary on our aviation safety regime which falls into miniscule DDDDD Chester's oversight and yet he continues to follow the Murky party line, e.g.
 
DDDDD said: "...ICAO is the specialised United Nations agency for international cooperation in civil aviation and works to enhance aviation safety, security, efficiency, and sustainability.

Australia's participation at the Assembly has once again demonstrated our global aviation leadership and enabled Australia to influence key international aviation safety, security and environmental standards and recommended practices..."

Oh but why should Dazzling Dazza be worried he has a perfect deniability, get out of jail politically unscathed, card that the Murky Mandarin & his unelected minions provide free of charge. IMO Sandy perfectly sums up the total disconnection between Can'tberra and the reality of everyday Australia and the struggling industries/small businesses like we have in aviation:

Sandy - I've just been reading the ATSB updates on the updates, the number of same does not matter. What is clear is that the expected date of release of the final report to the public is always a few months hence. The longer the better because people die, get dementia, become careless and forgetful and generally tire of the whole sustained obscurant process. Spin it out long enough and even some of the instigating Senators will retire. This is what to expect out of 400,000 Can'tberrans from the most stratified, socialistic and souless capital city in the developed world. This no freehold, perfectly planned black hole tax sucking vortex of deceit and obfuscation is completely at odds with free enterprise, honest and careful work or sense of duty to the greater good. I'm afraid it is not just our aviation 'corporates', but other departments and Commonwealth bodies that I have had the misfortune to deal with. Sorry to say. The good old days were not that good but were much better in many ways. As Arthur Caldwell, then leader of the Labor Party and an honourable man, said, in farewell to Menzies, that in the Commonwealth public service under Menzies there was never even a hint of corruption.

 
So therefore 'SHAME' and the 2016 WOFTAM award gets my vote for miniscule Chester -
MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

DDDDDDarren want a cracker?

It is always amusing listening to footstools like NFI Darren parroting whatever the PMC script writers have penned for them.

Anyhoo, thank you for advising us on what ICAO do, Darren. It was a highly stimulating expose! Hang on, I've changed my mind and in fact, I lie. When it comes to a) your hairstyle, and b) pretty much all of your press statements it is just like clog dancing in Holland and high school shootings in the US, this is folklore...boring mate. Stop telling us shit that we already know.

Now, I need to get back to tuning the Houseboats motor, and Darren you have some manscaping and then some Tweeping to do.

Regards
Gobbles

[Kharon]

It’s quiet Tonto – too damn quiet.

It’s an open secret that DDDD is going to release a ‘statement’ tomorrow; it is funny and mildly entertaining to watch folk like the GA 'Task force' (ffs) milling about, trying to find the ‘miniscule’ office, going puce, keeping their mouth’s firmly shut.  Probably just another hugely expensive ‘intensive research program to support the CASA denial that they have almost killed off GA. Another waste of time and money – ducks sake – half the problem industry has works on the CASA GA section and, like with Pel-Air, they will very neatly support their positions. No inquiry please, just fire the known offenders; cut down the waiting time, half the costs; get some NZ regulations in and stand back. All of this bloody hoop-la; there will I expect some ‘sweeteners’ – like class 2 medicals – although what earthly use such a thing is to a ‘professional’ airman I have yet to discover. Most GA ‘business’, the ones that generate jobs and revenue need professional pilots; any chance of the lunacy attached to class 1 medicals being examined.  Nah, didn’t think so. Maybe DDD has had an epiphany and is going to hire some 'competence' to tell him what he don't wanna hear; Nah, perish the thought.

Aye well; we can all wait on Mitch 'Binga' (good fellah that one) to reveal the secrets we will discuss this evening at the BRB preliminary. Window dressing, smoke and mirrors, re-badged, recycled and another 30 years of misery, presented by the same sad, sorry bunch who will never, ever, answer for the carnage they have created, but will now get to whisper in the ministerial ear-hole (yuk) -  No matter, the dole queue will never see them.  I could probably sit here and draft tomorrows ‘grand announcement’; but then I’d miss the darts comp; local Derby.

One sleep to the ‘big’ day – Yes;  I can wait.

Toot toot.

[Gobbledock]

'K';

It’s an open secret that DDDD is going to release a ‘statement’ tomorrow;

Will he announce that he is switching hair products? Perhaps he will announce that all Ministers now have selfie sticks included in their annual allowances? Maybe he will announce that he finally knows the phonetic alphabet which will assist him to have 'meaningful dialect with industry stakeholders'? Or will he announce that CAsA will be renamed and receive a new set of Ministerial expectations? Which is the usual response when they are in deep shit and need a quick, easy deflection from the real issues!
Will Chester write his own media release, or will the kiddies in PMC write it for him? Guess we know the answer to that.

Can't wait to compare Creepy's and Bingers analysis of this exciting announcement! Something tells me it will be chalk and cheese.

'Safe, well scripted bogus announcements for all'.

[Peetwo]

Like a broken record -

Obfuscation rule 101: When you really don't want to do anything but still want to look good in front of the cameras and be seen to be politically proactive, what do you do? - Call a review - FDS!    
 

'K';

It’s an open secret that DDDD is going to release a ‘statement’ tomorrow;

Will he announce that he is switching hair products? Perhaps he will announce that all Ministers now have selfie sticks included in their annual allowances? Maybe he will announce that he finally knows the phonetic alphabet which will assist him to have 'meaningful dialect with industry stakeholders'? Or will he announce that CAsA will be renamed and receive a new set of Ministerial expectations? Which is the usual response when they are in deep shit and need a quick, easy deflection from the real issues!

Will Chester write his own media release, or will the kiddies in PMC write it for him? Guess we know the answer to that.

Can't wait to compare Creepy's and Bingers analysis of this exciting announcement! Something tells me it will be chalk and cheese.

'Safe, well scripted bogus announcements for all'.

Here we go:

Review may halt sector’s dive

12:00amMITCHELL BINGEMANN

The federal government is planning a major review to assess the forces destroying Australia’s general aviation sector.

The federal government will kick off a major review today to assess the forces destroying Australia’s once-vibrant general aviation sector, which is being strangled by red tape and onerous costs.

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester will announce the review, which will be conducted by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.

“I am keen to remove barriers to growth in this vital part of the aviation industry, including reducing costs and regulatory burden,” Mr Chester said.

“General aviation has a rich history in Australia and I’m confident it can have a prosperous future. This study will help get the public policy right to support growth in the sector.”

As part of the study the Civil Aviation Safety Authority will also be ordered to review private pilot medical requirements, a key issue for the GA sector.

The government said the study will cover a range of issues, including “assessing the key drivers and influences on the sector”.

“That means identifying trends, what the economic, demographic, and regulatory factors behind these trends are, as well as outlining the key challenges facing the industry,” Mr Chester said

Representatives from the GA sector will be offered the opportunity to assist with the work. Mr Chester will also ask the General Aviation Action Group, formerly a subgroup of the Aviation Industry Consultative Council, to report directly to him in future.

“The action group will also act as a reference group for the BITRE general aviation study,” Mr Chester said. “I am looking forward to seeing the results of this study as we work with industry and other key stakeholders on the common goal of a safe, growing and sustainable Australian general aviation industry.”

The review comes after months of vocal dissent from industry groups including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Australian Aviation Associations Forum, which have railed against what they describe as the death of Australian general aviation.

Earlier this year the AOPA — which represents 2600 general aviation aircraft owners and pilots in private, commercial charter and airline operations across Australia — issued its 130-page Eureka report, a scathing indictment of aviation bureaucracies that blamed creeping over-regulation for a dramatic decline in aircraft movements at secondary airports, a drastic reduction in aviation mechanical engineering apprenticeships and the destruction of small aviation businesses.

The review comes after The Australian revealed data in August — collated by AOPA using CASA, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science and Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics sources — showing the number of GA pilots in Australia had plummeted 34 per cent (by about 8000 licensees) since 2000. In the same period aviation fuel consumption fell 35 per cent. Aircraft registrations fell 13 per cent since 2000 and 53 per cent since 2007.

AOPA executive director Ben Morgan said the review would finally put an end to the debate regarding the large-scale decline of Australian general aviation.

“For too long general aviation has suffered under an overly bureaucratic regulatory framework that has driven up costs, reduced competitiveness and sent businesses broke,” Mr Morgan told The Australian. “The minister now has a unique opportunity to hit the reset button and to address the significant declines that have been caused by regulatory mismanagement.”

 DDDD -“I am keen to remove barriers to growth in this vital part of the aviation industry, including reducing costs and regulatory burden,” Mr Chester said.

“General aviation has a rich history in Australia and I’m confident it can have a prosperous future. This study will help get the public policy right to support growth in the sector.”

- Hmmm...why does that sound so familiar -

Who was it that once said - In doing this, I acknowledge the concerns being expressed by some sectors of the aviation industry, in particular general and regional aviation, about the costs of regulatory compliance and how outcomes of the current aviation safety regulatory reform programme compare with regulatory approaches in other countries.

Here's a hint:

 


&..

Release of the Report of the Aviation Safety Regulation Review

On 3 June 2014, the former Deputy Prime Minister released the Report of the Aviation Safety Regulation Review.

• Former Deputy Prime Minister's statement to Parliament
  
• Former Deputy Prime Minister's media release
  
• Report of the Aviation Safety Regulation Review PDF: 1598 KB 
  
• Executive Summary and Recommendations PDF: 340 KB 
  
• Public and Industry Comments on the Aviation Safety Regulation Review Report.
  

For the miniscule IMO it is worth reflecting on this bit of advice (via Proaviation) from TAAAF some months ago :

Welcome back Minister, now let’s get on with it!

The Australian Aviation Associations Forum has welcomed Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester on his reappointment to what he  describes as “this critical ministerial position for Australia’s economy, job creation and the aviation industry.”

But the TAAAF’s welcome comes with a continued push for the Minister to steer back onto the course mapped out by the Forsyth Review’s 37 recommendations.

The TAAAF is a broad-ranging group of separate industry bodies representing aircraft owners & pilots, aerial agricultural/application industry, aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses, business aviation operators, charter and flying training organisations, UAV (“drone”) operators, helicopter services, regional airlines, and sport fliers including homebuilt, gliders, warbird and other recreational aviators.

All TAAAF members are urging the Minister, “as a matter of priority, to issue a strong Statement of Expectations to CASA to specifically reinforce the primacy of the CASA Board.

“Forum participants highlight the value of creating a new partnership with industry, as outlined in the Forum 2016 aviation policy and continue to be disappointed with the lack of action in critical areas from CASA.

“The Forum expresses frustration at the disarray of the regulatory system, with new regulations likely to continue to remove jobs and opportunities from the industry through increased costs for no safety outcome.

“The Forum calls on the Minister to direct the CASA Board to establish a small joint industry action taskforce to fix clearly identified problems.

“The work program of the taskforce must include urgent remedies especially for CAO 48.1, but also CASR Parts 61/141/142/ 101/121/135 and the aviation medical area.

“The Forum identifies significant cultural change and systemic issues that are still not being corrected and which require immediate attention by the CASA Board.

“In particular, the Forum expresses continuing concern with the lack of progress in the genuine implementation of the previously-agreed Forsyth recommendations and would welcome the re-engagement of Mr David Forsyth to conduct a review and public report on actual outcomes to date.

“In addition, there remain many outstanding issues of concern that are yet to be resolved including:

• Fitment schedule of ADS-B in Australia
  
• Lack of harmonisation of Australian regulations with our major trading partners
  
• Negative training impacts on both flying training and maintenance providers
  
• Proposed deregulation of RPAS (‘drones’) below 2 kg and even up to 25kg
  
• Non-standardisation of CASA regulatory interpretations between regions
  

“The TAAAF Aviation Policy 2016 provides a wide range of appropriate expert advice on aviation issues and the TAAAF participants recommend the policies to the Government for further consultation and implementation.”

David Forsyth’s government-commissioned Aviation Safety Regulation Review clearly identified industry’s three highest concerns across all submissions as:

• the regulatory reform program (136 submissions considered this to be top priority);
  
• CASA’s inflexible regulatory approach (120 submissions); and
  
• the need for more promotion of aviation (90 submissions).
  

Another of the review’s observations was that:

While CASA appears to be trusted by many in government, the industry’s trust in CASA is failing, compromising CASA’s Stewardship, and industry perceives CASA’s Accountability as being compromised. (The Panel’s highlighting.)

Forum members contacted by ProAviation are still scanning the horizon for any initiative that will begin to restore the trust they believe has now been progressively squandered for more than a quarter of a century.

Obfuscation rule 102: Divide & Conquer.

Now the miniscule might think his statement today is addressing the above TAAAF concerns but it is quite obvious that this is yet another stalling tactic by the bureaucracy.

Murky and his minions are still trying to argue the toss that the ASRR is one opinion.

Ironically that one opinion just so happens to reflect the opinion of the biggest collective group of industry participants (i.e. TAAAF).

It is my understanding that AOPA is now included as an active TAAAF member, so why is the miniscule apparently now trying to drive a wedge between different sectors of the industry i.e. General Aviation - GA vs rest of industry??  

IMO the term "GA" is doing the industry a huge disservice. They don't call other transport sectors 'General Trucking' or 'General Marine'; so why do they differentiate with aviation? It is small to medium aviation businesses and/or airlines, MROs, Flying schools, AOC holders, private & recreational pilot/owners and aviation/aerospace manufacturing - FDS!   

MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

Keep on trucking boys.......

Yes indeed, how exciting - a review!!!! Don't you just love it. MORE TALK, MORE LOOKING, MORE  ANALYSING, MORE CHITTER CHATTER!

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

People like 'Darren the beautiful' and his predecessors are a huge contributing factor to the current untenable issues smashing GA, and not just GA but also other sectors as a direct result of the core GA decline;

- Talk talk talk and word masturbation is the reason we have a 30 year regulatory review program that isn't complete.
- This is the reason why GA is, has, and will continue to decline into the deep dark sewer it has already entered.
- This is the reason why $300m of quantifiable money has been thrown into a 30 year black hole, and why billions of dollars in lost revenue have been lost.

You know it is interesting - our successive Governments are happy to piss away hundreds of billions of dollars on submarines, Defence, overseas wars that we shouldn't be a part of, yet what do they do for Australian aviation? Obsfucation, deflection, bankrupting businesses and not financial supporting the industry. For example;
-Where are the business tax breaks?
- Where are the incentives?
- Where are the government financial grants?
- Where are the payroll tax breaks?
- Where are the subsidised regional routes?
- Where are the financial inputs from Government? They announce these bogus infrastructure funding program's yet they give you 30 days to come up with a 'shovel ready' application for a $20m project!! Absolute bullshit. They purposefully set the bar at 'unachievable'. They make out they are good guys by announcing a big bucket of money for everyone to use but the reality is that you don't have enough time, and the government then retains the money it announced! Yet another smoke and mirrors trick to fool the voter.

Anyhoo, Chester's pony pooh announcement is just another load of bollocks obviously brought on by sections of the IOS turning up the heat on an inept Government.

TICK TOCK Dazza. 'The time at the third stroke is 2358 precisely'......

[Sandy Reith]

Do my eyes deceive me? Can you believe it? They must be joking, another rubbish review? Flabergastered.

Dear Mr. Jester, an open letter.

Starting again,

Dear The Honourable Minister for Transport and Infrastructure,
Mr. Darren Chester.

This is a quote, in regard to the decline of general aviation, purporting to emanate from your Department, regarding an attempt to apply CPR to grass roots aviation or General Aviation or perhaps better described as DAA, Decimated Aviation Australia.

"Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester will announce the review, which will be conducted by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics."

Minister, have you any idea of how many make work reviews, papers, task forces, consultations together with industry, meetings along with BITRE and DoTI and CASA and involving ASA and ATSB have we been witness to in the last ten years? Let alone the last thirty years? Let alone the umpteen millions of wasted words and billions of wasted lost opportunities and taxpayer dollars?

What do you intend to do about the many glaring and still outstanding instances of sheer injustice perpetrated by your aviation Corporation?

What do you intend about the ASRR recommendations?

Kind regards,

Sandy Reith

Aviation interested ladies and gentlemen of Australia, we must end this complete farce. Missionary zeal is required, and we need that really big meeting in Sydney that was mooted by AOPA. Can TAAAF, with AOPA and AMROBA et al, together make this happen? Without a large and visible public profile our small gains, if any, will be subsumed in the normal bureaucratic manner, the manner that we are so familiar with during the last thirty years.

Tamworth on steroids, a two day fully organised meeting with high profile speakers, agreed agenda, properly chaired and run.  

Without our MPs getting the message that the public are behind us, without generating media profile we will continue to be fed with codswallop. No amount of ranting, wringing of hands, bluster, throwing insults or preaching to the converted will make one iota of difference. Also may I suggest do not waste time talking to bureaucrats, we simply play their game.

Time for action on the national public and political stage.

[Gobbledock]

Of pretty hair, incompetence and what Sandy said

Should add the RAAA, AAA and various unions and business groups to the list Sandy.  As with the recent 'keep truckin' issue, it's not until a very large group get together and expose this shit to an 'interested media' that anything will change.

Dreamworld cops a public grilling of its CEO and Board of Trough Dwellers over 4 deaths (and I'm not downplaying that tragic event). But our industry has endured Seaview, Lockhart, PelAir, deaths such as the Hempel misadventure and literally a hundred deaths over the past decades often due to poor safety regulations, poor regulatory oversight, and other associated Government induces causal factors, not to mention other risks out there due to crap ASA systems and management, and an even shittier performance by the thoroughly CAsA captured and non-independent ATsB who don't have the balls to put a definitive finger on a safety issue and virtually demand rectification. And not a single head rolled. Ever!

But then Queensland Rail fuck up their 'operational schedules' and the CEO and Board Chairman get rolled! But our aviation sector get to endure Federal Government incompetence and ass covering as well as have aviation deaths and risks and what happens? Ministers, other politicians and bureaucrats get promoted FFS!

#makeaviationgreatagain

[Kharon]

Please. Somebody, tackle this Fool.

If I could be bothered to dig it out, there is a long list which itemises government funded  ‘reviews’ and ‘inquiries’ and ‘investigations’ into matters aeronautical. There is one from the Senate, way back, which, I believe, still holds the record for being the longest, deepest, most detailed: some fantastic amount of time and money was spent to sort it out, once and for all. The list is now long, and growing.  The costs fabulous, the results negligible. Proof absolute of many things, but the stand out constant is simple enough to understand. THEY DON’T WORK. It is a repetitive cycle, the same moves, the same result, every time.

But, for those who may be new to the great game; or, have only just become aware that perhaps there really is something rotten in Denmark; allow me to draw your attention to events in recent memory.

Pel-Air ditched an aircraft; the Senate SC called an ‘inquiry’, which ran for quite a while. It cost a small fortune, in effort, time and money and produced two major items of interest.  To wit, scathing condemnation of both the ATSB and CASA; and, some 30 odd serious recommendations.

Following the SSC inquiry, the good Rev. Forsyth and his compardres set out on an ‘independent’ quest to determine what could be done for ‘best’. It cost a small fortune in effort, time and money and produced two major items of interest. Scathing condemnation of both the ATSB and CASA; and, some 30 odd serious recommendations.

As a result the Canadian TSB were asked to conduct an ‘independent’ peer review. It cost a small fortune in effort, time and money, and produced – you guessed it – Yup more condemnation and more recommendations.

Now, look about you; let’s call it 80, serious, expensive, far reaching recommendations; from independent ‘expert’ sources; bought and paid for by the ‘tax-payer’.  Then on one hand count the number of tangible results from those inquiries and resultant recommendations.  I’ll save you the brain work – there ain’t any. Not one single solitary improvement in any god damned area; in fact things have actually regressed.

Now this idiot who has managed to escape his village – or lost it; wants to pull on another ‘inquiry’ or a ‘review’ as he calls it. It is a calculated, cynical insult to a fine Senate Standing Committee, David Forsyth, the industry and the long suffering over taxed public. The announcement insults the intelligence, demeans industry and put’s a final confirmation to the notion that Chester and his trough buddy are taking the Mickey Bliss (and the money)…

Chester needs to get his advice right – it is not just industry having the piss taken out of them; he is the final victim, because who ever is advising him is definitely taking the piss from him. He who laugh’s last is Chester’s advisor. Chester is as dumb as dog pooh, NFI and relies heavily, pathetically on ‘advice’.  The last thing his ‘advisors’ must do before going to sleep is have a good laugh at his expense. Me, if I thought about it that way, I’d laugh too.

Pathetic response from a pathetic individual, the man should be making advertorials and flogging off the latest in ‘product’ on the morning TV shows; not be responsible for a huge, important portfolio.  When he can find a hole in a whorehouse, with a spotlight, I may even spare a thought for his ‘advised’ mouthing’s; ‘till then, I shall continue to regard him as a fool. The village idiot at large.

Toot –FFS– toot.

[Gobbledock]

Chester the magnificent, is he qualified to be Minister over all things aviation?

I support Kharons call to 'tackle this fool'. Why? Well, this is where it gets interesting. The beautiful one and selfie obsessed poster boy has an interesting work history. Interesting because prior to his time as a public servant old mate held the below qualifications and occupations before entering the Federal Parliament sphere;

- Newspaper and television journalist 1986-98.
- Self-employed marketing consultant 1998-2002.
- Executive Officer, Champions of the Bush 2002-04.
- 2004 onwards-seeker of the trough, slippery pole slider and numerous roles that involved high paid government salaries, perks, and the highest superannuation in the land!

Hell, he sure knows about Consultants (maybe he can tell us whether Harry Bradshaw was good value to ASA at $5k per day?). And he spent 12 years as a Journo! Oh my Lordy, now aren't Journo's a trusted bunch! Well that's probably where he learnt the fine art of applying makeup and having his hair styled! And it looks as if he learned about the 'mystique of aviation' from that bottom dweller of a reporter Creepy, and that wanker from the West who looks like his face made love to a besser brick, Mr G. Thomas.

But this 49 year old kid who has spent most of his his life as a Journo and hiding in Victoria's boondocks suddenly is qualified to provide Ministerial guidance, oversight and 'expertise' over all things aviation? WTF! No wonder we are screwed. No wonder he is opting for 'reviews'. The bloke is still wet behind the ears, he wants reviews and studies done so that he can learn about what resides in his portfolio.

Hey Darren, to put things into perspective for you young fella; you were 19 years old when the Regulatory review program commenced. That's right, in the past 30 years you have gotten married, pumped out 4 kids, and become a Government Minister, to name just a few things. Now think about that long 30 years and what you have experienced, how the world has changed, and what events have come and gone in your life. Then remember this, one specific program of REFORM (Kharon's favourite word at the moment, it gives him a chubby), AVIATION, has been going the entire time!

So hopefully the penny has now dropped. Now you might realise how some of us old bastards are cynical every time you Can'tberra based Cinderella's click your heels and announce some 'life changing' aviation review, discussion, working group, listening group, group sex, whatever floats your political boats. It's all pony pooh. All bollocks. All smoke and mirrors. Mate, nothing has changed after 30 years and $300m. You were still flicking 10 off the wrist over the July 1988 Playboy Magazine featuring a younger Cindy Crawford when the regulatory reform program began!!! And here we are, 2016, and the farcical 'reform program' continues its long journey into the abyss.

What an effing joke these clowns are. What an abysmal government record regarding aviation. David Byrne sums it up best;

TICK TOCK as the clock ticks slower

[Kharon]

Where to begin?

Not sure even where to post this, let alone where to begin.

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” (Alice in Wonderland – Carroll).

Seems like reasonable advice – except there really is no end in sight, is there.  Just as one BRB phrased it; “a perpetual purgatory of political pony-pooh”.  Just collecting my thoughts and numbers after the Senior BRB, by invitation only, indaba; no darts until stumps on Sunday. Usually, there is a lot of good natured banter – ‘crack’ as the Irish call it – during this ‘sit down’, but not this time. The atmosphere was not grim but decidedly serious; took me about two seconds to realise they all were very angry; to put it mildly. You simply cannot continue to take the Mickey out of a bunch of serious professionals and expect to skip away unscathed. Usually there is a little back and forth before any sort of agreement is reached; not this time; so I’ll get right to the numbers and results. In short:-

Unanimous – a call to end the ‘Regulatory reform’ process and an immediate set up of a specialised team to bring the FAA FAR’s to Australia.

Unanimous: a call to appoint a Senate committee to ensure that both sets of recommendations (SSC after Pel-Air and the ASSR) are fully and transparently implemented and  enforced as soon as possible. Real reform, in real time, right now.

Unanimous: a call for the minister to resign or, pass the aviation portfolio over to a qualified member of parliament; i.e. Sen. Fawcett.

Unanimous: the charade of ‘seeking’ a new DAS for the CASA stop, today. The details of all previous applicants are available; one of the top two candidates be appointed as a matter of urgency and that Carmody be removed as soon as practicable.

Unanimous: a call for the immediate resignation of the ASA board and the current director of that service.

Unanimous: that Hood either release the Pel-Air report and ALL associated evidence supporting that report – or resign.  To be replaced with a person who will ensure that all ATSB reports are of value, are honest, free of undue influence and written without fear, favour or deference.

Unanimous: that the Chester proposed ‘Review’ be abandoned as a pointless, expensive, time gaining exercise of pure cynicism.

That about sums it up; Reform or Resignation, in our time, weighed against milestones of progress. All that is being asked is the promises made (by government) are kept; that goods which have been paid for are delivered; and, good faith be restored. It is essential that government realize this industry has little faith and absolutely no confidence whatsoever in the present incumbents of the key positions responsible for the safety of the traveling public. None. The pitcher has been to the well once too often.

Reform or Resignation before Review.

Endit: Toot - toot.

[Peetwo]

The idiots are in charge of the asylum -

Its confirmed DDDD Chester is the most inept miniscule we have ever had...UDB!

Courtesy Fran Kelly this AM via RN:  

Darren Chester accuses union of running a scare campaign over cuts to AirServices
Download audio

Broadcast:Tuesday 1 November 2016 7:36AM (view full episode)
 
Image: National Party MP for Gippsland, Darren Chester (ABC/Nick Haggarty) Link to larger image.Image: National Party MP for Gippsland, Darren Chester (ABC/Nick Haggarty)

Pilots have joined the growing number of stakeholders expressing grave concerns about mass job cuts at AirServices Australia, the government-owned organisation responsible for air traffic control and airport emergency services.

900 jobs—almost a quarter of the workforce—are being cut from AirServices in a wholesale restructure designed to slash costs of more than $100 million in coming years.

Virgin Independent Pilots Association says it's a significant reduction which will increase the risk of accidents.

But Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester says the union is running a scare campaign.

'It's irresponsible and unfair to the travelling public to be scaring them in this way, rather than pointing out any particular concerns and allowing the agencies responsible to follow them up', he says.

'The process in Australia for meeting the safety of the travelling public is world class and one we should be very proud of'.

What an absolute f##king tosser - God help our industry we're all doomed...


MTF...P2

[Gobbledock]

What an absolute f##king tosser - God help our industry we're all doomed...

Here here P2!
So DDDDDDDDarren, you moron, you think this is a union campaign? I can assure you that Pilots and ATC are two very different 'trades' for better of words. Although both need each other, neither can influence union activities of the other. If Pilots are speaking out it is because they are worried about safety. And while you, DDDDarren, kiss Turnbulls ass while sipping green tea on his office sofa, pilots could be flying pressurised tubes towards each other at a combined speed of under 2000 km/h.

Hey dipshit Darren - AOPA, RAAA, a massive chunk of the industry, the FAA, Transport Canada, independent astute Senators, and half the countries spanner twisters and pilots ARE NOT running union campaigns you complete and utter disconnected imbecile. How dare you, you white collared big business Liberal whore. Piss on you and your assertions.

Steam off

[Kharon]

But why DDDD – do tell us why?

To what possible end or purpose would the very bipartisan Estimates committee, the ATC association and the various pilot groups be running a ‘scare’ campaign?  Who, apart from the public, benefits by professionals raising legitimate, unanswered concerns regarding the safety of our skies?

Of all the stupid, pointless comments and risible statements ever made by politicians; yours last will go down in history as the crowning glory of ineptitude.  Try, very hard, just for a minute to actually ‘think’. I know, its tough; but consider just for a moment the words you have been given to speak and what sort of an image it presents to the general public; not a good look is it?

But don’t you worry about the huge problem you have; forget that.  Just think about how bloody ridiculous your statement makes you sound and look. A transport minister, with a serious problem who gets all sulky and ignores the problem is not a new thing to aviation; but one who gets all spiteful and blames everyone else looses any semblance of dignity, credibility and honour. Your statement, simply and clearly, shows you exactly for what you really are. A shameless, brainless, gutless fraud in a cheap suit.

A bloody disgrace to the country, the parliament and the people you are supposed to represent. Apology, in any form to a concerned industry is not acceptable, just resign.

Toot toot.

[Peetwo]

The idiots are in charge of the asylum -

Its confirmed DDDD Chester is the most inept miniscule we have ever had...UDB!

Courtesy Fran Kelly this AM via RN:  

Darren Chester accuses union of running a scare campaign over cuts to AirServices
Download audio

Broadcast:Tuesday 1 November 2016 7:36AM (view full episode)
 
Image: National Party MP for Gippsland, Darren Chester (ABC/Nick Haggarty) Link to larger image.Image: National Party MP for Gippsland, Darren Chester (ABC/Nick Haggarty)

Pilots have joined the growing number of stakeholders expressing grave concerns about mass job cuts at AirServices Australia, the government-owned organisation responsible for air traffic control and airport emergency services.

900 jobs—almost a quarter of the workforce—are being cut from AirServices in a wholesale restructure designed to slash costs of more than $100 million in coming years.

Virgin Independent Pilots Association says it's a significant reduction which will increase the risk of accidents.

But Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester says the union is running a scare campaign.

'It's irresponsible and unfair to the travelling public to be scaring them in this way, rather than pointing out any particular concerns and allowing the agencies responsible to follow them up', he says.

'The process in Australia for meeting the safety of the travelling public is world class and one we should be very proud of'.

Update: For those who missed it Ben Sandilands yesterday conveniently posted a copy of the transcript of the ABC PM program, which apparently the other Aunty no longer publishes - : - see HERE. 

PT also adds a 'nail in the head' postscript...

..The Minister’s professed lack of knowledge about the earlier radar issues at Sydney Airport (not to mention ATC issues between the adjacent Melbourne and Essendon airports) is horrifying. His two immediate predecessors were criticised for many things, but they were acutely aware of a number of issues concerning the competency of frontline Airservices staff because of training and fatigue related issues, which were highlighted by the ATSB in scathing reports into lapses in aircraft separation in Australian skies.

Those instances have declined, fortunately, in the last two years, because of the heat Mr Chester’s predecessors applied to Airservices, and the ATSB’s unusual candour when it came to the circumstances of some of those serious ATC incidents.

The RN interview this morning raises concerns that the current minister responsible for aviation safety may not have read all of the files, or that be believes anything that the bureaucracy decides to tell him.

When the executive branch takes the integrity of the administrative branch for granted, good government is compromised. It’s to be hoped that Minister Chester knows this and will act accordingly when it comes to putting aviation safety ahead of broad government policy dictates to slash costs...

  No comment except to add this from Daffy...




MTF...P2