[thorn bird]

Brilliant find K,

There have been many occasions I've heard things from highly reliable, reputable people and wondered how the hell didn't that make the news or even worse why a criminal investigation into the veracity of that information has not been instigated, or why a journalist keen to probe why something that smells like a three month old bag of prawns gets suddenly ignored.

The political class weave a tangled web all designed to deceive, the public treated like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on bullshite. One wonders if everything is above board, why the necessity for all the secrecy? I can understand secrecy for national security or Commercial in confidence, but the Public sector seems incredibly secretive about their "doings" which begs the question "What have they got to hide?"...they are supposed to work for us for Christ sake.

[Peetwo]

Ref: #SBG post-editorial dots & dashes?? & https://auntypru.com/sbg-29-03-20-if-you...today-etc/

TICK..TOCK goes the captured McDonaught's clock -    


Via the Oz...  : 

Soar Aviation placed in administration



Soar Aviation founder Neel Khokhani was ranked 51st on the Australian Financial Review’s 2019 Young Rich List before resigning in March.

DAVID ROSS
JOURNALIST
8:06PM DECEMBER 31, 2020

One of the largest flight schools in Australia and one-time media darling Soar Aviation has entered administration leaving hundreds of students in limbo and 54 staff reeling.

Documents filed with the corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, reveal KPMG partners Brendan Richards and James Stewart have been appointed administrators to try to help the collapsed aviation school repay debts.

Mr Richards and Mr Stewart will oversee the administration of Double Sunrise Holdings, Gobel Aviation, and a suite of associated entities with Soar Aviation.

Mr Richards said it was still early into the administration for further details to come out.

“When we were appointed there wasn’t sufficient cash in the business to continue operating it. We have taken the decision to close the business,” he said.

“We’ve retained some core staff to assist us in developing a plan for the future of the business.”

Mr Richards noted Soar Aviation would make a good buy for any interested party seeking a Civil Aviation Safety Authority accredited business.

“We are canvassing the market for potentially interested parties who may be keen to do a quick deal having regard to the fact it’s a really good turn-key operation,” he said.

Soar Aviation unsecured creditors are reportedly owed approximately $850,000, while aircraft leases totalling almost $5.2m are outstanding.

Founded in 2013, Soar Aviation has operations at Melbourne’s Moorabbin airport and Sydney’s Bankstown Airport.

The flight school is currently used by Victoria’s Box Hill Institute to deliver training services for a diploma in aviation.

Students were reportedly shocked by the sudden shutting of Soar Aviation, with one posting to a Facebook group a photo of a sign posted to the company’s door at its Moorabbin Airport site advising all flying classes had been suspended.

Phone calls to Solar Aviation on Thursday were met with a message advising that as of December 29 “we are unable to take your call, return any calls or return any messages you leave”.

Soar Aviation operates a fleet of 56 light sport aircraft, providing training for pilots across Melbourne and Sydney.

The flight school put up seven of its aircraft for sale earlier this year, seeking $500,000 to cover losses.

However, the business has been in financial trouble in weeks leading up to Christmas.

The collapse is a fall back to earth for the flight school which had been celebrated for making its founder and former CEO Neel Khokhani rich, with an estimated net worth of tens of millions of dollars.

The wind-up of Soar Aviation comes after years of bad news for the flight school and the resignation earlier this year of Mr Khokhani, who said his departure was unrelated to regulatory and legal scrutiny.

Mr Khokhani, through a trust, retains ownership of a significant portion of the company.

When contacted by The Australian, Mr Khokhani refused to answer any questions about Soar Aviation.

Private equity fund, The Growth Fund, owns much of the remainder of the company.

The Growth Fund COO, Don Grover, has served as CEO of Soar Aviation since Mr Khokhani departed.

Highs and lows

Flight training at Soar Aviation had been suspended in 2019 after its training partner the Box Hill Institute demanded the company supply documentation about its fleet and trainers.

Soar Aviation’s registered training organisation status was also revoked after an audit by the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the national regulatory body for vocational education.

This came after the company was subject to a litany of complaints by past students alleging they did not receive the training they were promised.

Gordon Legal, representing almost 200 students, launched a class action against Soar Aviation, alleging its teaching standards were so low that many did not meet Civil Aviation Authority requirements to obtain a commercial pilot licence.

Soar Aviation had its accreditation restored in March, but still faced sanctions from the skills authority.

A student from the flight school was involved in a serious crash in December 2019.

Another student and a trainer from the school died in a crash at Carcoar, south of Orange in the central west of NSW in November.

The plane was reportedly attempting to land before crashing.

The appointment of KPMG administrators comes as temporary insolvency protection measures set up to safeguard companies during the pandemic are set to expire.

A creditors’ meeting for the companies involved in the Soar Aviation administration is set for January 11.

Thousands of businesses are expected to go bust in 2021, with some industry figures putting the expected figure as high as 15,000.

This comes after a drop in the number businesses entering insolvency in 2020 because of protections extended by the federal government in the early days of the COVID pandemic.

Plus via the ABC: China Southern Airlines WA pilot college in liquidation as 62 local staff sacked 



Dear Miniscule McDonaught...Happy New Year from ALL of us on the AuntyPru network... 


Ref: https://auntypru.com/sbg-13-09-20-a-twiddle/


MTF...P2 

[Kharon]

Jetson or Jettison?

Its all well and good for the miniscule to be cosseted within the protection of the Canberra bubble; well fed and watered, financial future secured and no real chance of ever facing up to, let alone admitting the results of his lacklustre tenure as 'minister for transport' lives only in a cartoon reality. Does the miniscule believe that the Jetsons really exist?

Back here on Mother Earth, the reality provides a stark contrast. A hundred or so pilots now unemployed, with little hope of gaining any sort of flying job for the next while at least. Millions in tax payer funded loans down the chute, an entire industry teetering on the brink even before the accursed Covid got loose and yet he is 'inspired' when he visits SOAR and has his picture taken.

One of the truly remarkable blunders; blind Freddy could see where SOAR was heading. However SOAR pales in comparison to the abject failure of this minister to take a hand in the Buckley debacle. There was Buckley, a fully CASA compliant concept made real; a breath of fresh air offering first class CASA pilot training, a real – deal benefit to both industry and the economy. Did our WWWW Wagga boy even break wind to assist? No Sir, he did not: he hired the RA Oz tea lady and watched Buckley, standing alone take on a monolithic bureaucracy. He has sat silent throughout the AOPA broadcasts and failed to mention the damning evidence provided to a Senate Inquiry. Yet there sits, fat, dumb and happy in a SOAR cockpit, slobbering all over the camera and being 'inspired'. (reaches for bucket). 

What a stellar track record; the disgraceful performance at Wagga marking the beginning of truly dreadful stewardship, not to mention Tamworth and other notable events which earned the title of Witless Wonder. Forever noted in history as the man most likely to do sweet bugger all toward the growth and well being of an industry which should be flourishing – as it is all over the globe, except here.

This Covid thing has provided a once in lifetime opportunity to ring in the changes demanded by industry – never again will there be the time and skill needed to reform the Authority, bring in world class regulation and build a system which supports industry not the bureaucrats. 

Elvis left the building a long, long time ago, the Jetsons are light years away – now is the time to jettison the dunnage and bring reality into sharp focus.

Toot – toot. HNY ya all.........

[thorn bird]

I agee with you entirely K. The country party has produced some inspired politicians over the years, strong men who truely represented the "Bush" and the country as a whole. Of late there has been a string of lacklustre leaders more interested in self promotion than actually managing their portfolio's.

Is it any wonder industry has a deep mistrust in CAsA and its minions, many of whom were recruited from industry. Those in industry knew a lot of them were incompetent or carried a grudge, yet had to endure being dictated to or victimised with no real recourse.
CAsA as a corporate body is remarkably secretive. Its perhaps easier to obtain information from ASIO than CAsA, wasn't Wingnut a spook at one time? maybe that explains the treatment of industry as mushrooms.

[Peetwo]

Ref: #SBG post-editorial dots & dashes?? & https://auntypru.com/sbg-29-03-20-if-you...today-etc/

TICK..TOCK goes the captured McDonaught's clock -    


Via the Oz...  : 

Soar Aviation placed in administration

Plus via the ABC: China Southern Airlines WA pilot college in liquidation as 62 local staff sacked 



Dear Miniscule McDonaught...Happy New Year from ALL of us on the AuntyPru network... 


Ref: https://auntypru.com/sbg-13-09-20-a-twiddle/

Social media comments in reply and Oz follow up to last - 

Sandy on FB in reply to ABC Merridin/China Southern article:

Sandy Reith

Councils don’t look at the cost of maintaining roads with the view of recouping the costs directly from the users, why is the view so myopic when it comes to airports? Partly the reason may be that the Commonwealth, through its out of control independent corporate agent CASA, has strangled much of General Aviation, but it will grow again when some MPs with backbone are found and come out with a rational aviation policy. Airports are extremely valuable (and difficult to replace) transport assets. One kilometre of runway joins the ubiquitous super highway to any other part of Australia with a runway or even an open paddock.

Next from Wellsy on Twitter - 

Ref: https://twitter.com/shannon_wells/status...8807245824

Shannon Wells
@shannon_wells

Company now in administration - good financial advice from ⁦
@TimWilsonMP

And:

Soar Aviation crashes to earth https://theaustralian.com.au/business/so...5fdd2e1362  “ Mr Richards noted Soar Aviation would make a good buy for any interested party seeking a Civil Aviation Safety Authority accredited business.” Lol

Finally via the Oz yesterday:

Training, planes all ‘below standard’, says Soar Aviation former student left with $77k debt



Seb Toro in Heidelberg, Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Pockett / The Australian

DAVID ROSS
JOURNALIST

7:13PM JANUARY 1, 2021
5 COMMENTS

Seb Toro came to Australia to make his dream of becoming a pilot come true, but after years of classes with Soar Aviation he has little to show for it other than a $77,000 debt.

His aim of getting his commercial pilot’s licence is nowhere nearer, in a similar story for many previous Soar Aviation students.

Students have been stranded with Soar Aviation, one of Australia’s biggest flight schools, placed in administration.

Mr Toro said he called it quits with the flight school after growing increasingly concerned about safety and teaching standards, after witnessing a dangerous crash that almost claimed the life of a fellow student in 2019.

“The crash happened right in front of the window where we were studying,” he said.

“It was a really bad situation. A poor pilot student who was in that horrible situation, it was lucky he survived.”

The student at the flight school was left trapped after being involved in a serious crash at Moorabbin Airport on December 12 2019, that saw his plane flip and crash.

A finding into the crash is yet to be handed down by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, but it came after another serious crash of a student at Stawell in Victoria in October 2018.

The ATSB found the 2018 crash was caused after “contrary to the aircraft’s limitations and the pilot’s qualifications, aerobatic manoeuvres were conducted during the flight, and immediately prior to the loss of control”.

“Aerobatic flight should not be undertaken by pilots who have not been adequately trained, as it requires specialist techniques and methods to maintain control of the aircraft during significant manoeuvring,” investigators noted.

“This accident clearly demonstrates the catastrophic consequences when the hazards of aerobatic flight are not managed.”

More recently, a student and a trainer from the school died in a crash at Carcoar, south of Orange in the central west of NSW, in November in an attempt at a touch-and-go landing.

Mr Toro said he was concerned about the instructors at Soar Aviation who were “very new to the industry”.

“I still remember having one instructor from New Zealand, he got lost when we went for a flight,” he said. “I was a student and I ended up guiding the situation.”

Mr Toro said the issues at Soar Aviation extended to its planes. “Some students had technical issues, one had a door open mid-flight,” he said.

“They got planes that were for sporting. The planes were not designed for training purposes.

Soar Aviation has 56 planes, but put up seven for sale in 2020 seeking to cover $500,000 in losses.

Figures in the flight teaching industry said many of the planes used by Soar Aviation were considerably cheaper to operate than the Cessna 172 Mr Toro said the students saw advertised.

Soar Aviation’s business model was built around providing part-time pilot training to students through its education partners in Sydney and Melbourne.

Students were covered by VET-fee help for up to 200 hours of flight time, but anything extra was out of pocket for students.

Its deal with the Box Hill Institute at one stage saw it teaching hundreds of students, but by the time it shut near the end of 2020 it had been whittled down to just 126 students.

This is fewer than the almost 200 students currently members of a class action headed by Gordon Legal, alleging that the flight school did not meet CASA requirements, and delivered substandard teaching.

Mr Toro said he was concerned that Soar Aviation kept trying to keep students flying despite them failing to progress to licences.

“My problems started with getting massive overrunning hours without seeing a light to get my licence,” he said.

“Management was pushing its instructors to push people to fly no matter the weather.

“The extra repetitions that was the big concern for us, if you run out of your 200 hours the extra hours were out of pocket.”

Mr Toro said he signed up to Soar Aviation because the offer to study part-time meant he was able to continue working. He was quickly concerned about the “very poor student support” and how few people were able to progress to a commercial pilot licence.

“The internal exams were so easy to pass, but the ones that really mattered were the ones by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority,” he said.

“The majority of students failed to comply with CASA regulations because of the poor quality theory training.”

Mr Toro said he and fellow students had brought up issues with Soar’s former CEO, Neel Khokhani, and its education partner, the Box Hill Institute.

“I had a very stressful meeting with the Dean of aviation. He said you can drop the course and nothing more happens,” Mr Toro said.

Mr Toro said Mr Khokhani was mostly absent during his time at Soar Aviation, speaking to his class once.

Mr Khokhani declined to comment.

MTF...P2 

[Kharon]

Of all the Gin joints...

So, you wannabe a pilot huh? You have NDI about the industry or how it works; but, you need to find a flight school, seems to be the best place to start. Most of the 'kids' these days will not get on a pushbike and check out the local airport – nope – they'll grab the phone and 'Google' it.

Can they find an upstanding operation like Buckley's best practice workshop; NO they cannot. But they can find a flight school almost too good to be true apparently supported by non other than the Deputy Prime Minister, the minister for transport who is 'inspired' by what he has seen in a short visit and photo opportunity.



So where is young spotty going to take himself and his loan to learn the craft? Young Master Toro, featured in the article above, has discovered for himself just how easy it is to be gulled. Can't blame him for that; money down in good faith, hopes on the line, hours and hours of study, spare time spent in more reading, getting to work, paying the rent, all as part of a dream that one day, he'll have a shiny jet transport strapped to his rump.

He may be forgiven his error; we can allow him that courtesy. But a crown minister, responsible for 'transport' being used as a promotional tool is unforgivable. Buckley offered a brilliant concept, open, honest, compliant and more than able to produce the type of pilot Seb Toro wanted to be. The minister has sat back and allowed Buckley to be crushed and humiliated – yet is publicly 'inspired by SOAR, with happy snaps in the media. The same fellah watches while a great service Angel Flight is tormented by an inadequate regulator which he cannot control. It's BOLLOCKS, expensive, useless, purblind bollocks.

I fail, utterly, to see how this minister can appear in public let alone continue in charge of the major, important 'transport' portfolio. The list of cock-ups is long, the ignorance rampant; Angel Flight, Buckley, the current Senate inquiry evidence, the Forsyth review, multiple protests about CASA, the regulations and a visibly declining industry – all on the minister's watch – and his best result? A happy snap at SOAR and a quiet sit down with the Essendon white shoe crew.



Absolutely ducking stellar – and how much do we pay him for this great service to a dying industry? A honourable man would acknowledge the blunders and fix 'em or resign. We'd prefer the latter option.

Toot – toot....

[Peetwo]

The Village Idiot McDonaught slaps Qantas with a wet lettuce leaf - UDB??

Via Oz Aviation:

---

MCCORMACK SLAPS DOWN QANTAS’ INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT PLANS

written by Adam Thorn January 5, 2021



Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has issued what appears to be a stinging rebuke of Qantas’ decision to sell international tickets for travel from 1 July.

In a terse statement sent to the media on Tuesday afternoon, McCormack said, “International borders will be opened when international arrivals do not pose a risk to Australians. Decisions about when international travel resumes will be made by the Australian government.”

It comes after Qantas began selling tickets across all of its global network today and said the decision reflected “our expectation that international travel will begin to restart from July 2021”.

“The health and safety of Australians remains the Morrison-McCormack government’s top priority,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said.

“International borders will be opened when international arrivals do not pose a risk to Australians.

“Decisions about when international travel resumes will be made by the Australian government.

“The Australian government is working on travel arrangements with countries, such as New Zealand, that have low community infections.

“Operations and ticket sales on particular routes are commercial decisions for airlines.”

Currently, only Australian citizens and permanent residents are allowed to enter the country, with international students, temporary visa holders and tourists banned altogether. Those who do enter are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for which they have to pay up to $3,000.

Qantas’ decision to sell tickets was surprising given October 2020’s federal budget revealed the government isn’t planning for international travel to return until the latter part of 2021.

However, it also follows increasing optimism that the COVID crisis could end in the next few months, with the UK, US and Israel in particular rapidly increasing their vaccination programs.

Tickets for flights departing on 1 July and returning at the end of the month range from $3,400 return from Sydney to London; and $2,000 from Sydney to New York (La Guardia).

Qantas’ move also comes shortly after it said it would launch a new business with Japan Airlines in July.

The deal will involve an expanded codeshare relationship, additional flights, new routes and collaboration on pricing.

It comes after Australian Aviation reported comments by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in October 2020 suggesting Japan could be one of the first locations the country will open to.

The two airlines said they had already submitted an application for authorisation to regulators in Australia and New Zealand, with a decision due within six months.

Any attempt by Qantas to completely restart its network is likely to be hampered by its decision to ground many of its aircraft in long-term storage.

Currently, all 12 of its A380s are in hibernation, with six of those having been upgraded beforehand.

Chief executive Alan Joyce said that the A380s “have to remain on the ground for at least three years until we see those international volumes brought back”.

“The aircraft are being put into the Mojave Desert, where the environment protects the aircraft (because) we have the intention at the right time to restart them, but that is a considerable amount of time away,” said Joyce.

---

And in reply, 1st with Sandy off the AP email chains...


"..You’d be a brave, or just plain stupid person to act upon  McDonaught’s business advice..."

...and Wellsy off Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannon_wells/status...3560236035

---

The more I read this, the more shitty I get, @M_McCormackMP is meant to be supporting the aviation industry, and the national airline @qantas takes a jump by allowing purchases - and Govt (sorry national party) says no ... I mean cmon

---

Couldn't have put it better myself Wellsy...

MTF? - Definitely!...P2 

[Peetwo]

The Village Idiot McDonaught slaps Qantas with a wet lettuce leaf - UDB??

Via Oz Aviation:

---

MCCORMACK SLAPS DOWN QANTAS’ INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT PLANS

written by Adam Thorn January 5, 2021



Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has issued what appears to be a stinging rebuke of Qantas’ decision to sell international tickets for travel from 1 July.

In a terse statement sent to the media on Tuesday afternoon, McCormack said, “International borders will be opened when international arrivals do not pose a risk to Australians. Decisions about when international travel resumes will be made by the Australian government.”

It comes after Qantas began selling tickets across all of its global network today and said the decision reflected “our expectation that international travel will begin to restart from July 2021”.

“The health and safety of Australians remains the Morrison-McCormack government’s top priority,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said.

“International borders will be opened when international arrivals do not pose a risk to Australians.

“Decisions about when international travel resumes will be made by the Australian government.

“The Australian government is working on travel arrangements with countries, such as New Zealand, that have low community infections.

“Operations and ticket sales on particular routes are commercial decisions for airlines.”

Currently, only Australian citizens and permanent residents are allowed to enter the country, with international students, temporary visa holders and tourists banned altogether. Those who do enter are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for which they have to pay up to $3,000.

Qantas’ decision to sell tickets was surprising given October 2020’s federal budget revealed the government isn’t planning for international travel to return until the latter part of 2021.

However, it also follows increasing optimism that the COVID crisis could end in the next few months, with the UK, US and Israel in particular rapidly increasing their vaccination programs.

Tickets for flights departing on 1 July and returning at the end of the month range from $3,400 return from Sydney to London; and $2,000 from Sydney to New York (La Guardia).

Qantas’ move also comes shortly after it said it would launch a new business with Japan Airlines in July.

The deal will involve an expanded codeshare relationship, additional flights, new routes and collaboration on pricing.

It comes after Australian Aviation reported comments by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in October 2020 suggesting Japan could be one of the first locations the country will open to.

The two airlines said they had already submitted an application for authorisation to regulators in Australia and New Zealand, with a decision due within six months.

Any attempt by Qantas to completely restart its network is likely to be hampered by its decision to ground many of its aircraft in long-term storage.

Currently, all 12 of its A380s are in hibernation, with six of those having been upgraded beforehand.

Chief executive Alan Joyce said that the A380s “have to remain on the ground for at least three years until we see those international volumes brought back”.

“The aircraft are being put into the Mojave Desert, where the environment protects the aircraft (because) we have the intention at the right time to restart them, but that is a considerable amount of time away,” said Joyce.

---

And in reply, 1st with Sandy off the AP email chains...


"..You’d be a brave, or just plain stupid person to act upon  McDonaught’s business advice..."

...and Wellsy off Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannon_wells/status...3560236035

---

The more I read this, the more shitty I get, @M_McCormackMP is meant to be supporting the aviation industry, and the national airline @qantas takes a jump by allowing purchases - and Govt (sorry national party) says no ... I mean cmon

---

Couldn't have put it better myself Wellsy...

MTF? - Definitely!...P2 

Addendum: Nearly missed this but it does ring a few bells (especially the timing)?? Via the UP but courtesy of Oz Aviation once again : https://australianaviation.com.au/2020/1...executive/

New chairman Malcolm Sharp said the appointment meant the RAAA would have a “strong voice in Canberra” to ensure the government supports regional aviation.


“I’m also very excited to have Steve Campbell come on board, not only does he bring an incredible breadth of aviation experience, but his last seven years working in a number of government roles, including recently as the Deputy Prime Minister’s senior aviation adviser, gives us an all-round candidate as CEO,” said Sharp.

“I believe that with the vision we have for the organisation going forward, we have the right people in place to take the RAAA into the next phase and be a go to voice for the industry in Canberra.”

Hmm...remember this from the McDonaught Aug 2018 visit to Essendon Fields airport?

[Kharon]

C'mon - indeed.

Swells - “The more I read this, the more shitty I get, @M_McCormackMP is meant to be supporting the aviation industry, and the national airline @qantas takes a jump by allowing purchases - and Govt (sorry national party) says no ... I mean c'mon”

More witless bombast from McComic - a man with NDI about aviation. Perhaps someone with a little more than a blind clue could assist him avoid changing feet every time he opens his mouth. For instance; you cannot – really, truly, cannot just turn a key and put an operation like Qantas back on an operational footing. A half year is barely time enough. But before Qantas push the big button and get back to work – they need to arrange some essential items:- it is quite a long check list.

Item 1. Who wants to go where; how many want the service and how many will book? 
Why? Well Q must decide whether to return a 380 or a 737 to service (time); then they need make sure the aircraft is serviced (time), then they need to re qualify flight crew (time), then they must attend to all the other arrangements required to ensure the service runs smoothly (time). In short, after a long lay off it is almost impossible to return to 'full' operational status. They need a long lead time to prepare; but most importantly, they must know passenger numbers. So they open up the bookings, shake the tree and glean some notion of what they MUST do in order to get back on an operational footing.

But the WWWW from Wagga has a public dummy spit; how dare Big Q open up its booking office and dictate to the government. Ducking idiot – they need the lead time, that's why. Not even his beloved SOAR could get back to full operational status in less than two months and that's only a half arsed flight school. 

I reckon ScoMo is a brave man to be leaving the fate of this nation in the hands of the  of the village idiot for longer than it takes to take a pish; even then I'd gag him and set the dogs watch him.

Toot – toot.

[Kharon]

And so; I continue to struggle.

Perhaps its the Ale and the despondent BRB; maybe it is no more than being unable to work in my chosen profession; maybe it is simply the 'black-dog' which attends every whip and stitch of trying to create a workable scenario for operational excellence – sector risk profile (company experience analysis) and SMS included. For the Fiji, Noumea; NZ, PNG, UK, USA (and all the others who follow their rules) , Vanuatu; 'authorities' etc. It is not a problem. Sure there are corners which need to be tucked in and the odd 'peculiar' (to a region) requirements, brought about through 'unique' operational requirements; but nowhere else, not on this planet, exists a rule set like Australia's.

I find it, on good days disconcerting; but on the dark days – repressive, restrictive and at odds with 'operational' good sense. That common or garden 'savvy' which an operator must have to survive an accident or incident. Accident or incident is always 'on the cards'. A bird strike, a blown tyre, an insignificant system failure – with no 'legal' grounds to parlay it back to a MEL, which allows a return to base. All bad enough things to worry a normal person to an early grave – but; big BUT; criminal liability under strict compliance, is always the skeleton at the feast.

Not too many of us have faced a top class barrister in a court. It is an easy thing to imagine that the 'truth' will set you free. That is a Bollocks of the first water. What these top flight legal eagles can do with a simple statement, one which to the man at the back of the room seems 'logical' would beggar the imagination. It is, truly, terrifying.

“If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, - “

My point is a simple one – the incumbent minister has been exposed as the village idiot; gods know he has made a complete pig's ear of the aviation part of his portfolio; no kidding, this bloke is so far down the Swany that it will take a choir of angels to show him the way to any semblance of 'sanity' with regard to matters aeronautical.

However, there is one simple sentence he could commit to paper, sign and see through which would make him the unmitigated 'Hero' of the aviation sector; world wide. No clues, no whispers – I shall draft that sentence for him. Herewith:-


Remove all strict liability references from those parts of the CAR's which do not imply _–

Mens Rea refers to criminal intent. The literal translation from Latin is "guilty mind." The plural of mens rea is mentes reae. A mens rea refers to the state of mind statutorily required in order to convict a particular defendant of a particular crime.



12.1 There is a common law presumption that ‘mens rea, an evil intention, or a knowledge of the wrongfulness of the act, is an essential ingredient in every offence’.[1] The general requirement of mens rea is said to be ‘one of the most fundamental protections in criminal law’,[2] and it reflects the idea that

it is generally neither fair, nor useful, to subject people to criminal punishment for unintended actions or unforeseen consequences unless these resulted from an unjustified risk (ie recklessness).


So very simple for a frog to become a handsome prince; just a kiss from the lady of logic and common sense and 'dunderhead' become 'saviour' by proxy and vox populi

One gross wrong undone by a stroke of the ministers pen.

{P7 is being disgusting}; suggesting all manner of comic depiction of the miniscule 'stroking' his pen. I shall stop here, before this BRB session descends to 'robust' manly humour.

Cheers – Toot – toot. (Double seven y' blind old bugger)..........

[Peetwo]

Political expediency and McDonaught suddenly growing a spine - 

I noted that last night McDonaught received rare but high praise from one of the more extreme right wing political commentators and former Senator Cory Bernadi:

 

Sky News host Cory Bernardi says "bravo" to Michael McCormack, after the acting Prime Minister recently  spoke "truth to the warriors of woke".

“The modern media hates the truth, they’d rather gather the claims that support their own views and complies with their colleagues,” Mr Bernardi said.

Mr McCormack has faced a tide of criticism after he compared riots at the US Capitol with Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

“Irrespective of what the agenda of that protest was, the fact is, there was violence, there was destruction," Mr McCormack said.

He has been further criticised for defending the importance of the lives lost in the violence of Black Lives Matter protests in the US.

“They should know that those lives matter too; all lives matter,” Mr McCormack said.

Mr Bernardi also said Mr McCormack’s response to critics by saying “facts are sometimes contentious” was true as telling the truth is now an act of division.

“Stop trying to appease the people who will never work for you, never vote for you and never give you a fair go, every time you do, you are simply helping your political enemy," Mr Bernardi said.

“Speak truth to power and don’t get all mealy-mouthed when hit with the confected outrage, stick to your guns and keep calling them out on the lies and hypocrisy.”

So why does it appear our normally spineless Village Idiot McDonaught has suddenly grown a set? 

Hmm...now consider that the Acting PM McDonaught has spent the last 2 days in sunny FNQ (in particular Townsville)  apparently (on evidence) courting/consulting with one Senator Susan McDonald - via McDonaught Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/M_McCormackMP

Michael McCormack
@M_McCormackMP
·
15h
An amazing tour of #Townsville’s @aims_gov_au Sea Simulator with @SenMcDonald, @keithjpitt &
@P_Thompson88 The team at #SeaSim research the impact of complex environmental changes by large, long-term, experiments on tropical marine organisms in the world-class aquarium.

And from the day before:

Great afternoon with @keithjpitt and @SenMcDonald, meeting with local transport operators and North Queensland Mayors. Our $110b infrastructure spend is backing regional communities, especially the local roads & community infrastructure program which is making such a difference.

---

Building the water infrastructure regional Queenslanders need, want, expect & deserve. That’s what Big Rocks Weir will do, that’s what @The_Nationals in Government are delivering. Great to be with @keithjpitt & @SenMcDonald in Charters Towers, visiting the mighty Burdekin River.

Hmm...



MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Scot's Git for DAS?? - 

(P2 I'm thinking this needs to be slated to the miniscule McDonaught aviation shitlist, the irony being that our useless village Idiot could actually gain industry kudos by simply firing the whole top tier of the CASA Executive Management ie Crawford, Monahan, Martin and Aleck) 

Finally a heads up for the RRAT Committee Senators if you don't want wholesale mutiny against you from industry you need to put a stop to the aspirations of the Scot's Git to be the next DAS..

Via Oz Flying:

 

CASA appoints Acting Director of Aviation Safety

14 January 2021
Comments 0 Comments


CASA has appointed Group Executive Manager Aviation Graeme Crawford to the position of Acting Director of Aviation Safety (DAS) and CEO until the position can be filled permanently.

Former CEO Shane Carmody left CASA at the end of last year after electing not to renew his contract. The CASA board had not selected a successor before his departure.

"In 2021 Crawford will maintain the focus on the transition of the sectors within the aviation industry to the new flight operations regulations, CASA’s continued organisational transformation, the on-going effective consultation with the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) and their Technical Work Groups (TWG) and the evolution of CASA’s culture to become more inclusive," a CASA statement says.

Crawford started his aviation career at Rolls-Royce in Scotland in 1979, and has since held management positions with  Qantas, Pratt & Whitney, Goodrich Aerospace, Air Canada and General Electric. Prior to immigrating to Australia in 2007, he ran commercial aviation operations in Norway, USA, Canada and Scotland.

Crawford is thought to be one of only two people left on the short list to replace Shane Carmody, with some industry commentators believing his appointment as Acting DAS puts him in the box seat to take on the role permanently.

Harden up Senators time to sharpen up the knives in readiness to cut out the evil heart of the CASA Iron Ring and send the likes of the Scot's Git off to the knackers...

And from P7:

Exodus imminent. 

P2 - “Finally a heads up for the RRAT Committee Senators if you don't want wholesale mutiny against you from industry you need to put a stop to the aspirations of the Scots Git to be the next DAS.

Nah mate, IMO no one has enough puff left for a mutiny – that takes effort, unity and energy. IMO it'll be the same deal as Pharaoh got; when the Israelites folded their tents and buggered off. If and it is a huge IF Crawford did get get the gig, I reckon you'll see an exodus from industry and probably hear a large 'Bang' from Big Q. Smart operators will simply set up shop in NZ and the rest will simply continue to shrink away.

It is to be hoped that the Committee fully realises that the industry is teetering on the very brink of the abyss; so finely balanced that an ill timed fart could blow it over the edge. We may survive the Covid thing but the Crawford thing ain't a cure for what ails this industry. There is a thirty year record detailing why this industry is floundering; there is a record of similar length which reflects not only government inaction and lack of understanding, but the continuing selection of the 'wrong' man (yes, yes or woman) to run the administration. For it is an administration; industry are the 'safety' authority. 

But then, even some of the good selections have been undermined and distracted by the forces within the organisation. It is to this sub strata attention must be paid, before the right person walks into the office; a long time before. The infestation is a chronic one; send in the pest control first.

My two bob's worth. 

Next Sandy in reply to the Oz Flying article:

Regarding the appointment of an Acting CASA CEO, quote:- “evolution of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s culture to become more inclusive.” 


Our problem is that after some 32 years of being told this, and similar public relations statements, no one in General Aviation (GA) believes that there’s any meaning in such pronouncements.  

I have copies of similar periodic statements going back to 1989, this was shortly after the CASA was made an independent Commonwealth corporate body, effectively releasing it from any realistic political oversight. This experimental concept of governance has failed dismally and cannot work in the National interest because one of CASA’s main incentives is to perpetuate itself as a monopoly fee for service permit provider. This has led to fee gouging on an industrial scale. In addition, unlike a Government Department, and owing to it’s corporate status, it can be sued as an entity which gives it the perfect rationale to create a set of rules that are so vast and complex that it can always fall back on this massive regulatory mountain if there’s any perceived failings, real or otherwise. 

Another powerful incentive for the CASA hierarchy to perpetuate it’s corporate status is to support salaries which are justified in light of the private sector , i.e., so called commercial rates of pay. The CEO and upper management salaries are now considerably more than that of the Minister who, in the Westminster tradition, is supposed to be the responsible person. 

Unless and until Parliament recognises it’s responsibility, and enacts real reforms including a rational airports policy, there’s no hope for GA to revive and perform as it should in line with it’s potential to provide much needed aviation services and jobs throughout Australia.

MTF? Yes MUCH!...P2 

ps Question how is it possible in the time of COVID that Dr Hoodoo Voodoo Aleck has gone from a total pay 2018-19 (refer Appendix B https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/fi...9-2020.pdf ) of $366,395; to $485,600 in 2019-20 (refer Appendix B https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/fi...9-2020.pdf ) - 

[Peetwo]

Of all the Gin joints...

So, you wannabe a pilot huh? You have NDI about the industry or how it works; but, you need to find a flight school, seems to be the best place to start. Most of the 'kids' these days will not get on a pushbike and check out the local airport – nope – they'll grab the phone and 'Google' it.

Can they find an upstanding operation like Buckley's best practice workshop; NO they cannot. But they can find a flight school almost too good to be true apparently supported by non other than the Deputy Prime Minister, the minister for transport who is 'inspired' by what he has seen in a short visit and photo opportunity.



So where is young spotty going to take himself and his loan to learn the craft? Young Master Toro, featured in the article above, has discovered for himself just how easy it is to be gulled. Can't blame him for that; money down in good faith, hopes on the line, hours and hours of study, spare time spent in more reading, getting to work, paying the rent, all as part of a dream that one day, he'll have a shiny jet transport strapped to his rump.

He may be forgiven his error; we can allow him that courtesy. But a crown minister, responsible for 'transport' being used as a promotional tool is unforgivable. Buckley offered a brilliant concept, open, honest, compliant and more than able to produce the type of pilot Seb Toro wanted to be. The minister has sat back and allowed Buckley to be crushed and humiliated – yet is publicly 'inspired by SOAR, with happy snaps in the media. The same fellah watches while a great service Angel Flight is tormented by an inadequate regulator which he cannot control. It's BOLLOCKS, expensive, useless, purblind bollocks.

I fail, utterly, to see how this minister can appear in public let alone continue in charge of the major, important 'transport' portfolio. The list of cock-ups is long, the ignorance rampant; Angel Flight, Buckley, the current Senate inquiry evidence, the Forsyth review, multiple protests about CASA, the regulations and a visibly declining industry – all on the minister's watch – and his best result? A happy snap at SOAR and a quiet sit down with the Essendon white shoe crew.



Absolutely ducking stellar – and how much do we pay him for this great service to a dying industry? A honourable man would acknowledge the blunders and fix 'em or resign. We'd prefer the latter option.

Toot – toot....

Update - via the Oz: 

Buyers circle failed flight school Soar Aviation as administrators seek to sell
DAVID ROSS
JOURNALIST
7:13PM JANUARY 13, 2021


Lukesh Kumar (right) with fellow student pilots Axel, Felix & Mizanur outside Soar Aviations base at Moorabbin Airport. 16 students of Soar Aviation are taking legal action against the flight training school and Box Hill Institute over allegedly misleading claims made to them. Picture: Stuart McEvoy.

The collapse of high profile flight school Soar Aviation has seen buyers come out of the woodwork, with several kicking the tyres of the business.

The meeting of creditors on Tuesday saw several details of the business come to light, including as much as $700,000 in entitlements owed; an amount which may outstrip assets of the business.

Unsecured creditors are reportedly owed as much as $850,000, while aircraft leases totalling almost $5.2m are outstanding.

Administrators of the business are seeking to sell the flight school, which at its peak was one of the largest in the country.

Soar Aviation shut its doors on December 28, with administrators slashing staff down to a skeleton level of seven, with only one left at its Sydney site, in a bid to keep costs low.

Administrators have retained the slim staffing numbers to ensure Soar Aviation meets its mandated minimum requirements with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Prior to shutting its doors Soar Aviation boasted a team of 30 instructors and 24 support staff.

Founded in 2013, Soar had operations at Melbourne’s Moorabbin airport and Sydney’s Bankstown Airport.

Bankstown and Moorabbin airport have reportedly offered support to the company as administrators seek a buyer.

However, administrators are also scoping the potential sale price if Soar Aviation fails to find a buyer, with valuers soon to look over the seven planes the flight school owned outright.

The 49 other planes in Soar Aviation’s fleet were leased from NAB, CBA, Westpac, Bank of Melbourne, and Bank of Queensland.

If sold, the future of the flight school’s relationship with Box Hill Tafe, its education partner, is in doubt and will be subject to subsequent negotiation between the buyer and the Tafe.

Box Hill Tafe temporarily suspended flight training at Soar Aviation in 2019.

Soar Aviation’s registered training organisation status was also temporarily revoked after an audit by the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the national regulatory body for vocational education.

The flight school’s accreditation was restored in March 2020, but still faced sanctions from the skills authority.

The Tafe has been in the sights of lawyers from Gordon Legal, who have led a class action of almost 200 former Soar Aviation students alleging they received substandard education at the flight school and failed to obtain their commercial pilot’s licence.

Lawyers from Gordon Legal have been in dialogue with the administrators, however potential costs arising from the class action are unknown.

Soar Aviation founder, Neel Khokhani left the business some time ago.

At the time he said his departure was unrelated to regulatory or legal scrutiny Soar Aviation had been subject to.

Mr Khokhani is not listed as a creditor.

---

MG

5 DAYS AGO

I’m wondering how many VH registered ‘aircraft’ the company has, as opposed to ultra light / sport. No wonder so many students are struggling to get their hours recognised or being taken seriously in the industry. It’s a bit like “making a hundred in the backyard at mum’s house”.

MTF...P2

[Peetwo]

BJ on McDonaught's - 'Marriage of Convenience' with the ScoMo?? 

Via the SMH:

---

Barnaby Joyce demands better deal for Nationals in Coalition

By Rob Harris

January 27, 2021 — 6.50pm

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has called for a major overhaul in the Coalition arrangement with the Liberals, again undermining his successor Michael McCormack ahead of a new parliamentary year.

Mr Joyce, who said he does not want to return to the top job, said the junior Coalition party was being short-changed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison around the cabinet table.



The former deputy prime minister also fired a warning shot over climate change, saying the Nationals will not accept a 2050 net zero emissions target.

“We need a fairer deal from the marriage,” Mr Joyce told Sky News Australia on Wednesday evening.

“We have been doing it the polite way ... we’ve been doing it behind closed doors. We’ve been doing all the things they tell us to do but it’s just not working it.

“There is a problem, the problem needs fixing, it is in how the relationship works and for there to be a Coalition it has to be in form, it has to be in substance like it was in the past.”

Mr Joyce is among a group of backbench Nationals MPs who have picked a fresh climate change fight within the federal Coalition, releasing a manufacturing plan underpinned by new coal-fired power stations.

Almost 12 months since he was defeated in a party room ballot after calling a leadership spill, Mr Joyce said the Nationals need to demand more from the Liberals.

Asked about Mr Joyce’s opinion piece about the Coalition in The Australian earlier in the day, Mr McCormack said the partnership was a “marriage of strengths”.

He said the vast majority of government spending was administered by the Liberals with even the big-spending infrastructure portfolio, held by Mr McCormack, also shared with Liberal MP Paul Fletcher.

“The Liberal Party is not going to govern without the National Party. Simple as that,” he said.

“You’re not going to have National Party votes if you don’t have National Party seats and you won’t have National Party seats unless we get a substantive change in how this works.”

Mr Joyce said as the longest-serving MP in the party room he was entitled to speak his mind and he was not touting for the leadership.

“I am going to make sure I’m still standing up for my party,” he said.

---

Next (courtesy of FB) Senator Gerard Rennick hits the nail on the head on un-elected bureaucrats -  in his response to this Oz article: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/busines...60b36dad53  
 

---

“The ABC has defended its decision to officially refer to January 26 as “Invasion Day”, maintaining it would be inappropriate to insist that staff only call it Australia Day or “use any one term over others in all contexts”.”

The latest action by the ABC is just another example of the sedition by stealth that is occurring by unelected, Marxist bureaucrats in this country.
It’s not just the ABC doing this.
- the BOM never had permission to homgenise data
- APRA won’t enforce the sole purpose test
- ASIC allows short selling without disclosure
- the CSIRO released the GenCost report without the Minister's permission
- the RBA have complete control of monetary policy and have transferred our gold offshore
- Scientists claim the reef is covered in coal dust with no evidence
- the Auditor-General (ex-Labor staffer and member of the Socialist Forum), makes deliberate, false and misleading claims about land values in order to undermine much needed infrastructure.
Bureaucrats are getting away with this because there is a view that they are independent and politicians are not. This is a false assumption. No person is independent. Everyone has preconceived ideas.

What matters is whether or not people are held accountable.

It is completely absurd that democratically elected parliamentarians and ministers are removed from the decision making process. What’s the point of democracy if people aren’t held to account?
Yet that is exactly what has happened with the creation of independent statutory authorities.
Who holds these bodies to account? The RBA, BOM and the ABC have been completely negligent in performing their duties yet ministers are powerless to stop them because prior governments have washed their hands of the responsibility.

I will be asking party room to consider legislation placing power back into the hands of elected representatives and away from unelected, incompetent, belligerent bureaucrats.

---

Hmm...any chance we could elevate the good Senator's motion directly to ScoMo's PMC for immediate action with the proviso that they start with making an example of the CASA Iron Ring?? 

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Trucky Senator runs over the Can'tberra Village Idiot McDonaught -   

Via Parlview yesterday...  

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

FARP topcover for miniscule McDonaught posterior? 

Via the Dept website: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviati...index.aspx

Future of Aviation Reference Panel

The Future of Aviation Reference Panel has been established to consult the aviation industry on the recently released Issues Paper on the Future of Australia's Aviation Sector and provide expert advice to Government on the challenges facing the industry and opportunities for reform. 

The Panel will be chaired by Professor Patrick Murray, Chair of the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Honorary Professor of Aviation and Logistics at the University of Southern Queensland. Professor Murray will be joined by expert panel members Ms Adrianne Fleming OAM, Mr Andrew Drysdale and Ms Shannon O'Hara.

The Panel will engage industry and advise the Government on how to support the aviation sector as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure we continue to have a safe, secure and efficient industry for Australia's future.

Queries regarding the Panel's work should be directed to the Secretariat via an email to FAR.Panel@infrastructure.gov.au.

• Panel members' biographical information DOCX: 15 KB PDF: 512 KB
  

---

Virtual consultations

Public consultations with industry and the community were held in December 2020 to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the sector, both in the context of the current COVID-19 crisis and in the longer term.[/size]

The question that needs to be asked...is this just another aviation smoke'n'mirrors panel designed to extricate our useless 'do nothing' miniscule's posterior out of the political firing line for the foreseeable (till next election) future? 

Hmmm...somehow I think that it is what Sandy is hedging his bet on -  

Via PAIN Net email chain:

[*]Questions about the Future of Aviation Panel

..Dear Secretary,


Please advise what is (1.) the brief of Panel and (2.) any information regarding that brief or instructions from the Minister in regard to timing of recommendations. 

I would also like to know:- (3.) how often does the Panel meet and (4.) are meeting minutes available?  (5.) Will Panel members receive such correspondence as this as a matter of course?

My particular interest is General Aviation (GA) and the administration of same. There have been a number of government inquiries over the years, notably the Forsyth inquiry of 2014 and more recently the on going Senate Committee chaired by Senator Susan McDonald. 

The many ills that bedevil GA have been evident for very many years and COVID has exacerbated the problems facing GA. 

The GA community has watched the decline of GA through poor policies leading to excessive paperwork and a raft of new permits that are required for almost any commercial GA activity. To establish a new flying school will require spending many thousands of dollars, where in the past there were no fees for this or minimal at most. Excessive requirements, including very high fees, by CASA have led to the loss of hundreds of flying schools, and in particular the relatively new Parts 61 and 141/142 have sounded the death knell for a number of the few remaining schools. 

There are other parts to the regulatory nightmare that Australia’s General Aviation has attempted to deal with, simply put the independent Commonwealth corporate model of governance has failed as any comparison with the world’s most developed GA sector, the USA, will reveal. 

I would very appreciate any advice from the Panel in regard to it’s work and how it wishes to influence Government policy in relation to GA. 

Thanking you,

Regards,

Sandy Reith

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

Soar aviation update - 17/02/21:

Via the Oz:

---

Soar Aviation fails to find buyer, administrators says school may have been troubled for a year



Soar Aviation CEO Neel Khokhani and Alex Kingsford Smith. Picture: Aaron Francis

• DAVID ROSS
  
  
• JOURNALIST
  
  
  
• 5:36PM FEBRUARY 16, 2021
  

Australia’s largest flight school, Soar Aviation, will be liquidated after company administrators failed to find a buyer, but administrators have alleged the business may have been trading while insolvent for almost a year.

The flight school shut its doors in December laying off all but seven of its 54 staff and leaving hundreds of students in the lurch.

But the liquidators report filed with ASIC alleges the flight school may have been trading while insolvent as far back as January 2020 and kept on life support by payments from its private equity buyers, The Growth Fund, which took over the company in 2018.


“Our preliminary view is that the group was insolvent from as early as January 2020 to the date when the Growth Fund withdrew financial support of the group, being 24 December 2020,” the report said.


However, a report addendum noted it was “the firm view of the directors that the first date on
which the Soar Group could be considered insolvent is 24 December 2020.

“On 24 December 2020 the shareholders indicated that they were not going to provide any further funding,” the report addendum author Brendan Richards said.


Soar Aviation, once a media darling, was scuttled after a string of scandals and legal action hammered the business.

The KPMG liquidators report shows the group slumped to a $1.8m loss in 2019, continuing to generate a $2.8m loss in the 2020 financial year and $2m in 2021 financial year.

The administrators found Soar Aviation incurred trading losses throughout this period “primarily due to a reduction in student activity and expenses incurred in response to the Gordon Legal lead class action”.

The flight school had been troubled for years and money appears to have haemorrhaged out of the business.


Lukesh Kumar (right) with fellow student pilots Felix, Axel & Mizanur outside Soar Aviations base at Moorabbin Airport. Picture: Stuart McEvoy.

The report said the group’s revenue from its courses declined by 41 per cent after the 219 financial year.

The administrators have identified transactions totalling up to $387,863 for further investigation.
They also noted a $2.6m transaction to Soar Aviation’s former director Neel Khokhani which took place around the time the business was acquired by The Growth Fund.

The buyout of Soar Aviation was paid for in $28.98m in cash, as well as the issue of 14.49m ordinary shares and $14.93 preference shares, as well as external debts of $4.52m.

Mr Kkokhani, through a trust, retained ownership of 50 per cent of the company.

However, the report notes the trust “has not submitted a proof of debt”.

The culmination of the collapse of Soar Aviation is a rough landing for its former CEO Neel Khokhani.

Mr Khokhani left the school in February 2020, who said at the time of his departure that it was unrelated to the regulatory and legal issues currently facing the flight school.

Mr Khokhani declined to comment.

Founded in 2013, Soar Aviation had operations at Melbourne’s Moorabbin airport and Sydney’s Bankstown Airport.

At its peak in 2018 the school had 600 students across its sites.

The flight school was used by Victoria’s Box Hill Institute to deliver training services for a diploma in aviation.

The group’s aircraft were involved in three separate accidents, including a fatal incident in November 2020.

---

MTF...P2 

[Kharon]

Soar fleet and no conscience.

To me, its a wonder that the 'Media' are not all over the final indignity manifested in the Pickles auction of the SOAR fleet. I reckon that is a story the public deserve to know. It has all the elements required for an investigative journalist to produce a very thought provoking analysis, over quite an eclectic range of topics.

Politically, IMO there is enough to call for the minister's resignation. Actively promoting – even being inspired – by a clearly faulty business model and poor quality product. Stand alone, that demonstrates a lack of research undertaken before the embarrassing  'photo-op' etc. That is bad enough – but the killer is the vast difference between active public support for an arguably 'dodgy' system and the complete absence of any support for Buckley. Who IMO, produced a world class adaptation of one of the worst, clumsy, misbegotten rules ever produced by an administration. Part 142 is a laughing stock world wide; Buckley made it make sense and offered a 'quality' product. Nary a peep from the DPM.

Financially, there is a need for inquiry. Many tax payer dollars out on loan, with little chance now of recovery and many who wanted to work as aircrew unable to realise their goal or to repay the loan. This again could be sheeted home to the minister responsible. “What do you intend to do to recover the monies and get the students qualified?”. Someone has to tackle these matters, yet the silence from the minister is deafening.

The SOAR fleet is up for auction – more financial carnage.

The minister should be asked to explain, particularly why he backed SOAR and now stands silent at the Buckley execution. Stupidity is not any more a valid excuse than being poorly advised. A publicity grab and 'photo-op' is about all a crown minister saw ; I say we need a little better than that from the man who is allegedly 'in charge' of matters aeronautical. Resignation not enough; public humiliation in the stocks outside parliament house would be a most satisfactory event.

Toot – toot..

[Peetwo]

The McDonaught Aviation shame file continues to grow?? -   

Kharon:

"..The minister should be asked to explain, particularly why he backed SOAR and now stands silent at the Buckley execution. Stupidity is not any more a valid excuse than being poorly advised. A publicity grab and 'photo-op' is about all a crown minister saw ; I say we need a little better than that from the man who is allegedly 'in charge' of matters aeronautical. Resignation not enough; public humiliation in the stocks outside parliament house would be a most satisfactory event.."

Second the motion "K" and while we are at it we need a few more 'please explains' in light of the following...  

Via the AP blog: https://auntypru.com/sbg-8-3-20-you-are-...r-the-job/



ps Sandy in reply to above link, via FB: https://www.facebook.com/peetwo.pain.7/p...&ref=notif

Sandy Reith

I take “fit” meaning muscle not brain. With apologies Minister but we are not just a little fed up, please, its time to act. Decommission CASA and delete that silly Director of Air Safety title because it sends the wrong message, just as they did in NZ. Government does some standard regs., and please harmonise with USA so we can make business and jobs, the aviation industry does safety.
The independent corporate regulator is a failed model, hasn’t worked in 33 years and is incapable of creating a jobs and business environment for aviation.

Create Civil Aviation Agency within your Department with new people who are willing to change direction.

  

Via the Oz:  

Canberra cash helps Rex profit take off



Rex sent its 737 over Sydney's CBD to mark Australia Day, 2021 and promote its upcoming flights from Melbourne to the city. Picture: Joe Corrigan

ROBYN IRONSIDE
AVIATION WRITER
@ironsider

9:31PM FEBRUARY 26, 2021
2 COMMENTS

Regional Express airlines has managed to increase its half year profit 45 per cent to $9.9m after tax, with the help of significant federal government assistance.

In the six months to December 31, the airline saw passenger numbers slump 71.2 per cent resulting in a 70 per cent hit to revenue.

Freight revenue also fell but funds from charter operations increased 10 per cent.

Total airline revenue of $65.6m was almost doubled by government grants and assistance worth $59.4m.

Rex chairman Lim Kim Hai acknowledged the government help, saying without that assistance the airline would have had to shut down 90 per cent of its network.

“On behalf of all regional carriers and the regional and rural communities they service, we offer our grateful thanks to the federal government,” said Mr Lim.

“Fortunately, parts of the group’s activities including aeromedical work and charter activities were relatively insulated from the effects of the pandemic and have performed strongly.

“This has contributed to enabling the group to achieve a statutory profit after tax of $9.9m.”

The half year result is in stark contrast to Qantas, which on Thursday reported a $1.47bn statutory loss after tax, down from a $648m gain in the previous corresponding half year.

Discussing the results, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce this week drew several comparisons with Rex, which has accused the larger airline of anti-competitive behaviour.

“The (government) support Rex has gotten which is $130m on a $300m business, is proportionally seven times the support Qantas has gotten from the federal government,” Mr Joyce said.

“The support for us which totals $1.2bn on a variety of programs, Rex got the equivalent of over $7bn from the federal government so I don’t think they can complain about government support.”

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said Mr Joyce was fudging figures because the half year results showed clearly they had received about $59m.

The Wagga Wagga-based operator will launch its first domestic flights between Sydney and Melbourne on Monday with the backing of PAG Asia Investment.

Mr Lim said the operations were not expected to be profitable in the current financial year but should break even the following year if the domestic recovery was strong.

Only marginal improvement was expected in Rex’s regional operations before June, with the COVID vaccine rollout not likely to make any material difference until the new financial year, he said.

“Should this eventuate then the expected cessation of all government assistance packages in the final quarter of this financial year will mean that the group is expected to incur significant losses in that period,” he said.

“The board has decided against paying out any interim dividends and is not able to provide any guidance on profitability for the full financial year in light of the extreme volatility we face.”

The half year results were announced after the close of trade on the ASX on Friday, with Rex shares ending the day down 8 cents at $1.58.

And some comments...

Tim Tom
1 HOUR AGO

On behalf of all regional carriers....

Rex should just speak for themselves.  No other regional carrier received over $100m in grant funding across CY2020.  Their failure is imminent...

---

Mick
9 HOURS AGO

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said Mr Joyce was fudging figures because the half year results showed clearly they had received about $59m.

As John Sharp knows all too well Alan Joyce was talking about the size of government grants and subsidies to Rex as a proportion of the airline's usual revenue.

Pre-COVID Rex's annual revenue was around $320 million (roughly $160 million for the half year).  Government grants and subsidies to Rex for the 2020 calendar year totalled over $120 million (roughly $60 million for the half year). 

And it is worth noting that out of that total of over $120 million, nearly $54 million was a straight out gift to Rex, what was meant to be last resort funding where the recipient had exhausted all other means of fund raising. 

The maths is simple - government grants and subsidies to Rex in 2020 represents 37.5 percent, over a third, of their usual annual revenue.

Qantas's pre-COVID annual revenue was around $17.5 billion.  If government grants and subsidies to Qantas in 2020 followed the same proportionality as with Rex, Qantas should have received over $6.5 billion.  They didn't;  Qantas received less than a third of that in grants and subsidies.

Next via the AP blog, library and the airports thread:

Ref: https://auntypru.com/sbg-3-01-20-the-year-of-the-ox/
 

Ref: https://auntypru.com/amroba-breaking-new...ter-plans/ & https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...5#pid11855





Of course all fully supported and endorsed by our miniscule McDonaught, the witless wonder from Wagga...  

Which brings me back to this pic (with embellishments) borrowed from this Betoota Advocate article...

Liberal Party Put In Place Measures To Protect Their Non-Idiot Image While PM Is On Holidays

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT


As is often the case when the Prime Minister puts his phone on flight mode and takes off for one of his trimonthly family holidays, it seems the Coalition Government is once again at the point of collapse.

As has been reported diligently by The Betoota Advocate this week, the National Party looks as though they might be headed for yet another leadership spill – as their leader Michael McCormack again fumbles in his role as Acting Prime Minister.

After a week of spectacularly tone deaf gaffes that saw the Deputy Prime Minister compare the US Capitol insurgents with Aboriginal rights protestors, referred to Job Seeker recipients as ‘Lounge Lizards’ and refused to condemn the spread of misinformation regarding vaccines within his own party – the Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has reminded the public of just how ordinary the coalition government looks when they are being fronted by a marketing professional.

In fact, the last 72-hours of National Party incompetence has been so distressing for their Liberal colleagues that someone has finally managed to get hold of the Prime Minister, via a WhatsApp message to his wife’s phone.

While he reclines on a pool chair in a discreet cashed-up-bogan resort and sips on a virgin Tequila Sunrise, Scott Morrison’s face turns a slight shade of crimson as he is informed of just how badly his Deputy has fucked up this week.

“Oh no… Oh Dear Frank Houston NO!” he mutters, while talking to his flustered media advisor.

“Okay… Give me a minute… what do we do here….”

Morrison thinks long and hard.

“Oh boy I knew we should have never left this toothless hicks in charge” the Prime Minister snarls, with a subconscious throwback to his old Bronte blue blood self.

“You got your notepad? Good”

“Okay. Remember that little media workshop we gave Abbott during the election?”

His advisor remembers.

“Okay. You remember? Good? Okay. We need to put the same measures on McCormack”

“Except this time I want that 48mm x 18.29m duct tape. The grey stuff. Not the flexible shit”

“We need it to wrap it a couple times as well because he’s not gonna stop talking otherwise”

“You got that? good”

“Okay send me a message on this phone when he’s tarped up and I’ll be turning my phone back off”

“Don’t contact me again. Remember I’m still on holidays and no one deserves a holiday more than me after this year. Surely you know that”

“… Yehh… Yeah I know you know, I’m sorry. I just get a bit frustrated mate”

“Okay well I’ll speak to you in a week. I love you”

Luv it - 

MTF...P2 

[Peetwo]

The McDonaught Aviation shame file continues to grow?? -   

Kharon:

"..The minister should be asked to explain, particularly why he backed SOAR and now stands silent at the Buckley execution. Stupidity is not any more a valid excuse than being poorly advised. A publicity grab and 'photo-op' is about all a crown minister saw ; I say we need a little better than that from the man who is allegedly 'in charge' of matters aeronautical. Resignation not enough; public humiliation in the stocks outside parliament house would be a most satisfactory event.."

Second the motion "K" and while we are at it we need a few more 'please explains' in light of the following...  

Via the AP blog: https://auntypru.com/sbg-8-3-20-you-are-...r-the-job/



ps Sandy in reply to above link, via FB: https://www.facebook.com/peetwo.pain.7/p...&ref=notif

Sandy Reith

I take “fit” meaning muscle not brain. With apologies Minister but we are not just a little fed up, please, its time to act. Decommission CASA and delete that silly Director of Air Safety title because it sends the wrong message, just as they did in NZ. Government does some standard regs., and please harmonise with USA so we can make business and jobs, the aviation industry does safety.
The independent corporate regulator is a failed model, hasn’t worked in 33 years and is incapable of creating a jobs and business environment for aviation.

Create Civil Aviation Agency within your Department with new people who are willing to change direction.

  

Via the Oz:  

Canberra cash helps Rex profit take off



Rex sent its 737 over Sydney's CBD to mark Australia Day, 2021 and promote its upcoming flights from Melbourne to the city. Picture: Joe Corrigan

ROBYN IRONSIDE
AVIATION WRITER
@ironsider

9:31PM FEBRUARY 26, 2021
2 COMMENTS

Regional Express airlines has managed to increase its half year profit 45 per cent to $9.9m after tax, with the help of significant federal government assistance.

In the six months to December 31, the airline saw passenger numbers slump 71.2 per cent resulting in a 70 per cent hit to revenue.

Freight revenue also fell but funds from charter operations increased 10 per cent.

Total airline revenue of $65.6m was almost doubled by government grants and assistance worth $59.4m.

Rex chairman Lim Kim Hai acknowledged the government help, saying without that assistance the airline would have had to shut down 90 per cent of its network.

“On behalf of all regional carriers and the regional and rural communities they service, we offer our grateful thanks to the federal government,” said Mr Lim.

“Fortunately, parts of the group’s activities including aeromedical work and charter activities were relatively insulated from the effects of the pandemic and have performed strongly.

“This has contributed to enabling the group to achieve a statutory profit after tax of $9.9m.”

The half year result is in stark contrast to Qantas, which on Thursday reported a $1.47bn statutory loss after tax, down from a $648m gain in the previous corresponding half year.

Discussing the results, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce this week drew several comparisons with Rex, which has accused the larger airline of anti-competitive behaviour.

“The (government) support Rex has gotten which is $130m on a $300m business, is proportionally seven times the support Qantas has gotten from the federal government,” Mr Joyce said.

“The support for us which totals $1.2bn on a variety of programs, Rex got the equivalent of over $7bn from the federal government so I don’t think they can complain about government support.”

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said Mr Joyce was fudging figures because the half year results showed clearly they had received about $59m.

The Wagga Wagga-based operator will launch its first domestic flights between Sydney and Melbourne on Monday with the backing of PAG Asia Investment.

Mr Lim said the operations were not expected to be profitable in the current financial year but should break even the following year if the domestic recovery was strong.

Only marginal improvement was expected in Rex’s regional operations before June, with the COVID vaccine rollout not likely to make any material difference until the new financial year, he said.

“Should this eventuate then the expected cessation of all government assistance packages in the final quarter of this financial year will mean that the group is expected to incur significant losses in that period,” he said.

“The board has decided against paying out any interim dividends and is not able to provide any guidance on profitability for the full financial year in light of the extreme volatility we face.”

The half year results were announced after the close of trade on the ASX on Friday, with Rex shares ending the day down 8 cents at $1.58.

And some comments...

Tim Tom
1 HOUR AGO

On behalf of all regional carriers....

Rex should just speak for themselves.  No other regional carrier received over $100m in grant funding across CY2020.  Their failure is imminent...

---

Mick
9 HOURS AGO

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said Mr Joyce was fudging figures because the half year results showed clearly they had received about $59m.

As John Sharp knows all too well Alan Joyce was talking about the size of government grants and subsidies to Rex as a proportion of the airline's usual revenue.

Pre-COVID Rex's annual revenue was around $320 million (roughly $160 million for the half year).  Government grants and subsidies to Rex for the 2020 calendar year totalled over $120 million (roughly $60 million for the half year). 

And it is worth noting that out of that total of over $120 million, nearly $54 million was a straight out gift to Rex, what was meant to be last resort funding where the recipient had exhausted all other means of fund raising. 

The maths is simple - government grants and subsidies to Rex in 2020 represents 37.5 percent, over a third, of their usual annual revenue.

Qantas's pre-COVID annual revenue was around $17.5 billion.  If government grants and subsidies to Qantas in 2020 followed the same proportionality as with Rex, Qantas should have received over $6.5 billion.  They didn't;  Qantas received less than a third of that in grants and subsidies.

Next via the AP blog, library and the airports thread:

Ref: https://auntypru.com/sbg-3-01-20-the-year-of-the-ox/
 

Ref: https://auntypru.com/amroba-breaking-new...ter-plans/ & https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...5#pid11855





Of course all fully supported and endorsed by our miniscule McDonaught, the witless wonder from Wagga...  

Which brings me back to this pic (with embellishments) borrowed from this Betoota Advocate article...

Liberal Party Put In Place Measures To Protect Their Non-Idiot Image While PM Is On Holidays

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT


As is often the case when the Prime Minister puts his phone on flight mode and takes off for one of his trimonthly family holidays, it seems the Coalition Government is once again at the point of collapse.

As has been reported diligently by The Betoota Advocate this week, the National Party looks as though they might be headed for yet another leadership spill – as their leader Michael McCormack again fumbles in his role as Acting Prime Minister.

After a week of spectacularly tone deaf gaffes that saw the Deputy Prime Minister compare the US Capitol insurgents with Aboriginal rights protestors, referred to Job Seeker recipients as ‘Lounge Lizards’ and refused to condemn the spread of misinformation regarding vaccines within his own party – the Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has reminded the public of just how ordinary the coalition government looks when they are being fronted by a marketing professional.

In fact, the last 72-hours of National Party incompetence has been so distressing for their Liberal colleagues that someone has finally managed to get hold of the Prime Minister, via a WhatsApp message to his wife’s phone.

While he reclines on a pool chair in a discreet cashed-up-bogan resort and sips on a virgin Tequila Sunrise, Scott Morrison’s face turns a slight shade of crimson as he is informed of just how badly his Deputy has fucked up this week.

“Oh no… Oh Dear Frank Houston NO!” he mutters, while talking to his flustered media advisor.

“Okay… Give me a minute… what do we do here….”

Morrison thinks long and hard.

“Oh boy I knew we should have never left this toothless hicks in charge” the Prime Minister snarls, with a subconscious throwback to his old Bronte blue blood self.

“You got your notepad? Good”

“Okay. Remember that little media workshop we gave Abbott during the election?”

His advisor remembers.

“Okay. You remember? Good? Okay. We need to put the same measures on McCormack”

“Except this time I want that 48mm x 18.29m duct tape. The grey stuff. Not the flexible shit”

“We need it to wrap it a couple times as well because he’s not gonna stop talking otherwise”

“You got that? good”

“Okay send me a message on this phone when he’s tarped up and I’ll be turning my phone back off”

“Don’t contact me again. Remember I’m still on holidays and no one deserves a holiday more than me after this year. Surely you know that”

“… Yehh… Yeah I know you know, I’m sorry. I just get a bit frustrated mate”

“Okay well I’ll speak to you in a week. I love you”

Luv it - 

MTF...P2 

Addendum: Via this week's LMH 


"..Can there be a greater contrast between how the Italian government has approached the liquidity of Piaggio Aerospace and the lack of interest the Australian government has shown in any GA manufacturing company? When Piaggio went into administration, the Italian government propped them up with contracts to keep the workers working and make the company more attractive to suitors. Now there are five potential buyers circling. By contrast, when Mahindra Aerospace torched GippsAero and left it to rot, the Australian government adopted what has always been its fall-back position on GA: do nothing. To be fair, Piaggio is in administration and GippsAero is not, but it seems ironic that a company that is technically insolvent is doing better than one that is not! Credit is also due to the administrators of Piaggio, who have clearly approached the situation with some positivity, recognising and leveraging the value of the company. Mahindra could see nought but a millstone and put a very high price on it, believing other companies should simply pay what they demand. The world rarely works that way. Had the government reacted quickly when it was clear GippsAero was under threat and offered incentives to at least keep manufacturing going, the company would probably be under new owners right now and have a very healthy backlog of orders. Instead GippsAero has become a bit of a ghost, and as more time passes the less chance there is of a resurrection..."

Hmm...so much for 'MAKE AUSTRALIA MAKE AGAIN' -