[Peetwo]

Part II - Hooded Canary cover-ups & libelous disconnections?  

Reference from Airports thread: 

Aeroplanes can ruin your stock....

Spotlight has teamed up with a group of Essendon Airport DFO retailers to sue the owner of a plane that plunged into the shopping centre, killing five people on board and ruining more than $6 million worth of stock. More here;

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victo...50t3z.html

Spotlight chases crashed DFO plane owner for millions in ruined stock
Tom Cowie

By Tom Cowie
23 January 2019 — 7:40pm


Spotlight has teamed up with a group of Essendon Airport DFO retailers to sue the owner of a plane that plunged into the shopping centre, killing five people on board and ruining more than $6 million worth of stock.

A volley of writs filed in the Supreme Court in the past week continues the legal fallout from the crash, after the families of the four American tourists killed in the disaster said they planned to sue the dead pilot's estate for millions of dollars over the February 2017 tragedy.



Damage to the Spotlight store at DFO after a plane crash that killed all five on board.CREDIT:AAP

Spotlight has joined brands Herringbone, Victoria Station and Oz Design Furniture in suing the Bendigo-based company that owned the plane.

The crash left a gaping hole in the side of the shopping centre and the toll of the damage has now been revealed in court documents.

In its statement of claim, Spotlight said the explosion ignited a fire that activated the sprinkler system, damaging or destroying stock.



The B200 erupts into a huge fireball after crashing into the roof of Essendon Airport DFO.CREDIT:NINE NEWS

The sewing and crafts chain is seeking a further $850,000 for damage to the premises, business interruption and marketing costs to advertise the store's reopening after it was closed for eight months.

The other three companies are suing for loss of profits totalling about $45,000 while their DFO outlets were closed in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

The doomed B200 Super King Air was connected to an opaque web of companies before it crashed, raising concerns about the flight's insurance coverage and who would be held responsible legally.

Separate entities owned the plane, operated it, flew it, maintained it and chartered it.


Analysis of the plane's wreckage from a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.CREDIT:

The plane was registered to Bendigo-located company BB1544 Pty Ltd, which is owned by businessmen Dr Chris Richards and Andrew Hoare.

Dr Richards told The Age he was unaware of the latest legal action and that it was a matter for his insurance company. Previous action brought by the victims' families against the company is understood to have been settled.

The companies based at DFO claim in court documents that a lawyer representing BB1544 Pty Ltd had already admitted liability for loss, damage and destruction caused by the accident.

Under Commonwealth legislation, the owner of the aircraft can be found liable for a crash even if it is not the operator of the flight.


Four victims of the plane crash: Pilot Max Quartermain, and golfers Russell Munsch, Glenn Garland and Greg De Haven.

At the time of the disaster, the flight was operated by Corporate & Leisure Aviation, a separate company in the name of pilot Max Quartermain.

An investigation released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in September last year established that pilot error was to blame for the crash, after the plane's directional control system was mistakenly set to veer left before take-off.

A pre-flight checklist by Mr Quartermain should have discovered that the aircraft's rudder trim was in "full nose left position", the bureau found, which resulted in the aircraft plunging into the roof of DFO almost immediately after take-off.

The check should have also identified that the plane's voice recorder wasn't working before the flight.



John Washburn, from Texas, was the fifth victim of the Essendon Airport disaster.CREDIT:FACEBOOK

Mr Quartermain was killed in the crash, along with American tourists Greg De Haven, Glenn Garland, Russell Munsch and John Washburn, who were flying to King Island to play golf.

The widows of the four men said they planned to seek compensation when it was revealed that pilot error was the cause of the crash, with the potential payout running into the millions of dollars.

The law firm representing the four companies from DFO declined to comment while the matter was before the courts.

‘Safe stocktake sales for all’

P2 -WTF? Absolutely despicable, now it becomes plainly obvious why it was the Hooded Canary so blatantly and IMO fraudulently slated all blame for this tragic accident on the pilot...     

P9: Where’s Spotlight's workers safety, evacuation and compensation plan? Where is the Victorian governments warning signs to shoppers? Where are the ever caring politicians looking after their constituents? Where is the Minister responsible for public and aviation safety? Where is the Union who allegedly protect their membership? All at the local trough perhaps? Aye; just a thought, or an opinion – as you like it.  But enough;;;;;;;;;;;;!

Thornbird: The big problem I have with all this is the ATSB report. Not a single shred of hard evidence proving the pilot

"Dunnit", just supposition and innuendo. The ATSB is not supposed to apportion blame, yet here stands the
yellow canary, Hood categorically stating the guilty party is the pilot, no question. Beggars belief.

---

I must admit to being a complete ignoramus on the strange wheelings & dealings and machinations of the aviation insurance industry. However the murky tale as writ by the Age IMO raises more disturbing, suspect disconnections than satisfactory, sensible and factual answers.

First QON: Why is a multi-national retail group trying to recover compensation for lost, fire damaged stock from the aircraft owners? Wouldn't Spotlight have an insurance policy that covers the loss of stock through fire related damage, including the fire sprinkler system?

Or; wouldn't the Essendon DFO owners and managers of the complex have to have insurance coverage for the loss of stock for all it's retail leases?

Hmmm....so dodgy arrangements perhaps? This led me to Wikipedia...  

Ref (my bold): 

Business model

Its model is to find cheap land, build a cheap but air-conditioned shopping mall.[1]

The Direct Factory Outlet retail chain is owned by the privately owned Austexx Group, led by David Goldberger and David Weiland with their first centre opened at Moorabbin Airport(Cheltenham) in 1997.[2] Former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chief Graeme Samuel holds a $50 million interest in Austexx through a blind trust.[3] Valued at A$1.5 billion, in early 2010 the business was put up for sale with a number of retail investment funds expressing interest.[4]

DFO centres have traditionally been located around airports: a side effect of the Airports Act of 1996, the Commonwealth Government has planning control over the land, meaning state planning legislation can be bypassed by developers.[5] In addition the property developer is able to exploit the cost difference between retail and industrial rents, gives outlet centre operators a distinct advantage over traditional shopping centres. A survey by Melbourne newspaper The Age in 2007 found that in all three DFO-owned centres, most shops carried at least some full-price, current-season stock, available at normal shopping centres.[6] By 2008 five legal challenges to DFO developments have been made by competing retail developers and the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, all being unsuccessful.[5]

On 16 August 2010, lead bank Suncorp-Metway, along with St George Bank, National Australia Bank and Lloyds Banking Group, issued a notice to parent company Austexx demanding repayment within 24 hours of the A$450 million they are owed.[7] The South Wharf centre was under a A$500 million debt, with work on completing the centre stopped after workers placed bans over non-payment. Parent company Austexx is understood to have total debts of A$1.2 billion, with the four relatively successful DFO sites used as cross-collateral for bank-funded expansion into five other less successful locations (Canberra, Cairns and Hobart). The group of banks appointed insolvency specialists KordaMentha as advisers, with the entire group facing receivership.[8] Negotiations continued until a deal was struck on Thursday 19 August, the four banks extending their funding to allow the South Wharf development to be completed. The ten DFO shopping complexes will then be sold off separately to repay the $1 billion owed to the banks.[3] The banks hope to recoup most or all of the money they are owed by avoiding a 'fire sale' of assets, but neither Austexx founders or other investors are expected to be repaid until the bank debts are settled.[3]

   
Hmm....could it be that the DFO (failed) business model also included skimping on such things as property and or 2nd party asset insurance?

What about 3rd party insurance? Which should, in the normal course of events, have  included 3rd party public and employee liability for the very real risk of an aircraft crashing into the DFO buildings?  

"..Under Commonwealth legislation, the owner of the aircraft can be found liable for a crash even if it is not the operator of the flight..."


 - I think the Commonwealth legislation referred to is this: Damage by Aircraft Act 1999  https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013C00130

11  Recovery of damages without proof of intention, negligence etc.

                   Damages in respect of an injury, loss, damage or destruction of the kind to which section 10 applies are recoverable in an action in a court of competent jurisdiction in Australian territory against all or any of the persons who are jointly and severally liable under that section in respect of the injury, loss, damage or destruction without proof of intention, negligence or other cause of action, as if the injury, loss, damage or destruction had been caused by the wilful act, negligence or default of the defendant or defendants.

P2 comment: In light of the information provided so far by the Age and in regards to the murky financial arrangements obviously in play under the DFO 'business model', a qualified legal interpretation of the possible implications of section 11A would be interesting -   

11A  Contributory negligence
             (1)  If, in an action under section 11, a defendant proves that the injury, loss, damage or destruction was caused by, or contributed to by, the negligence of the person (the sufferer) in respect of whom the injury, loss, damage or destruction was suffered, the damages recoverable must be assessed in accordance with this section.
             (2)  The court must determine the damages that would have been recoverable if there had been no negligence on the part of the sufferer.
             (3)  The damages determined under subsection (2) must be reduced to the extent the court thinks just and equitable having regard to the share of the sufferer in the responsibility for the injury, loss, damage or destruction.
             (4)  If any case to which subsection (1) applies is tried with a jury, the jury must determine the damages referred to in subsection (2) and the amount of the reduction under subsection (3).

However either way you put it the problematic and disturbing real implications for any aircraft operator, pilot or owner operating (or intending to operate) at any Federally leased airport that has a DFO complex, or similar commercial retail arrangement, within the boundaries of the Airport leased property are enormous if the legal liability case rules in favour of the DFO outlet retailers claims....    

This brings me to another interesting juxtaposition -   

Reference: Not a serious safety concern – Indeed: Part II

Next to step up to the plate on Airport safety was McComic and his motley crew of Iron Ring trough feeders:

Senator FAWCETT: My question, though, is: what framework is in place? If an operator is concerned with something—one of those slices of Swiss cheese in the James Reason model—that is impacting his safety, what avenue do they have to come to you, as the regulator, and to have you enforce, from the government's perspective, the intent statement of the white paper on aviation, the NASAG intent statement, the terms of the lease or the deed that transferred ownership of airfields to local government?


Mr McCormick : Some of those matters, such as the NASAG and those other issues that you raise on the airfield operation or who owns the airfield et cetera, of course are matters of government policy and rightly fit with the department. Off-airfield development is a similar thing, where, again, CASA has a limited role to play. Whether we should have a larger role or not is not a question for me to decide; but, as far as our available powers go, there are numerous heads of power where people can come to us directly, or write to us or email us or whatever, and we will take the issue on its face value.

Senator FAWCETT: What I am hearing there is that there are examples where there is a legitimate safety concern and you do not currently have a head of power that will enable you to act.

Mr McCormick : I do not think that is correct. I think we do have adequate heads of power, except for the off-airfield development. We have section 92 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, where we can give directions to airfield operators, and that is not restricted to certified and registered aerodromes. P2 comment - Remember that by definition the YMEN DFO complex is not an off-airfield development.

Ah yes the old buck passing exercise starts up once again...  

Note how Dr A passes across the CASR section 92 reference? As a head of power I am not sure how much teeth it has but nonetheless for those interested here it is:

CIVIL AVIATION REGULATIONS 1988 - REG 92
Use of aerodromes
             (1)  A person must not land an aircraft on, or engage in conduct that causes an aircraft to take off from, a place that does not satisfy one or more of the following requirements:
                     (a)  the place is an aerodrome established under the Air Navigation Regulations;
                     (b)  the use of the place as an aerodrome is authorised by a certificate granted, or registration, under Part 139 of CASR;
                     ©  the place is an aerodrome for which an arrangement under section 20 of the Act is in force and the use of the aerodrome by aircraft engaged in civil air navigation is authorised by CASA under that section;
                     (d)  the place (not being a place referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or ©) is suitable for use as an aerodrome for the purposes of the landing and taking-off of aircraft;
and, having regard to all the circumstances of the proposed landing or take-off (including the prevailing weather conditions), the aircraft can land at, or take-off from, the place in safety.
Penalty:  25 penalty units.
             (2)   CASA may, in relation to an aerodrome, issue directions relating to the safety of air navigation.
             (3)  A person must not contravene a direction.
Penalty:  25 penalty units.
             (4)  An offence against subregulation (1) or (3) is an offence of strict liability.

Q/ I wonder which Act (i.e the Civil Aviation Act or the Damage By Aircraft Act) has a greater Head of Power - 



MTF...P2 

[thorn bird]

One thing I'd dearly like to know is just what inducement was offered to a Murky mandarin and his side kick beaker when the whole airports privatisation was implemented. I just can't believe Murky and his mate could be so inept and incompetent.

Here we have the primary airports in the hands of foreign entities, essentially monopolies, generating enormous amounts of turnover, yet paying precious little in tax and investing bugger all back into actual aviation related infrastructure. Essentially the Government who owned the real estate, debt free, used privatisation as a tool to borrow money off the books through a third party, where interest on "borrowed" money would enable the third party to avoid tax.

Secondary airports different scenario, bugger all cash flow, but very valuable real estate, enter the development sharks.

A moments reflection:

When these airports were privatised the government of the day said it recognised that the land was to be reserved for aviation use because aviation was a unique industry which required clear open ground to operate from and these airports were, under the act, to be retained and maintained in their original form.

After privatisation aviation was basically forced off their "reserved" land by inflated charges based on the commercial value of the land as if it was freehold. The oft used excuse being they are entitled to a return to cover the costs of the money they borrowed to buy them, so essentially the government, who owned the land debt free, to the detriment of the aviation industry created a debt by privatisation.

Despite the protections for aviation in the act and the head leases, property development sharks have managed to subvert or bypass those protections.

Airports were not to be owned or controlled by property developers, yet they are.

Airports were not to be owned or controlled by trusts, yet they are.

Airports were to be maintained in their original condition, which they aren't.

The DFO's in Essendon clearly were constructed contrary to the Airports ACT and head leases in that they impinge on aviation activity as do many other airport developments.

The Essendon DFO's clearly impinge on safety in light of world best practice. Perhaps the DFO businesses should be directing their angst against those that allowed them to be built in the first place.

[Gobbledock]

The Essendon DFO was built because some slippery loan sharks, property developers and various political influences sanctioned the deal. As part of any business deal, money exchanged hands. It’s always about the money, always has been and always will be.

Look at it this way - if a local Council can forward a DA application to an Airpprt Manager of a Council owned two-bit airport for review because potentially a street light or a bloody highset house might impinge on the Airports OLS, you don’t think SOMEBODY somewhere didn’t check the DFO’s design against the vast amount of publicly available aeronautical data pertaining to Essendon airport at the click of a button?????? Ha ha ha. Yeah right. I call BOLLOCKS! And if the DFO was constructed and approved without any of those checks being done, well....well again I call BULLSHIT!! Utter bullshit. Somebody knew right from the get-go. They rolled the dice and built the infringing DFO knowing that once it was built, the champagne cracked and the plaque unveiled which was signed my some greasy Politician, the DFO was never going to be rolled back.

‘Safe brown paper bags filled with glorious amounts of cash for all’

[Choppagirl]

Part II - Hooded Canary cover-ups & libelous disconnections?  

Reference from Airports thread: 

Aeroplanes can ruin your stock....

Spotlight has teamed up with a group of Essendon Airport DFO retailers to sue the owner of a plane that plunged into the shopping centre, killing five people on board and ruining more than $6 million worth of stock. More here;

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victo...50t3z.html

Spotlight chases crashed DFO plane owner for millions in ruined stock
Tom Cowie

By Tom Cowie
23 January 2019 — 7:40pm


Spotlight has teamed up with a group of Essendon Airport DFO retailers to sue the owner of a plane that plunged into the shopping centre, killing five people on board and ruining more than $6 million worth of stock.

A volley of writs filed in the Supreme Court in the past week continues the legal fallout from the crash, after the families of the four American tourists killed in the disaster said they planned to sue the dead pilot's estate for millions of dollars over the February 2017 tragedy.



Damage to the Spotlight store at DFO after a plane crash that killed all five on board.CREDIT:AAP

Spotlight has joined brands Herringbone, Victoria Station and Oz Design Furniture in suing the Bendigo-based company that owned the plane.

The crash left a gaping hole in the side of the shopping centre and the toll of the damage has now been revealed in court documents.

In its statement of claim, Spotlight said the explosion ignited a fire that activated the sprinkler system, damaging or destroying stock.



The B200 erupts into a huge fireball after crashing into the roof of Essendon Airport DFO.CREDIT:NINE NEWS

The sewing and crafts chain is seeking a further $850,000 for damage to the premises, business interruption and marketing costs to advertise the store's reopening after it was closed for eight months.

The other three companies are suing for loss of profits totalling about $45,000 while their DFO outlets were closed in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

The doomed B200 Super King Air was connected to an opaque web of companies before it crashed, raising concerns about the flight's insurance coverage and who would be held responsible legally.

Separate entities owned the plane, operated it, flew it, maintained it and chartered it.


Analysis of the plane's wreckage from a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.CREDIT:

The plane was registered to Bendigo-located company BB1544 Pty Ltd, which is owned by businessmen Dr Chris Richards and Andrew Hoare.

Dr Richards told The Age he was unaware of the latest legal action and that it was a matter for his insurance company. Previous action brought by the victims' families against the company is understood to have been settled.

The companies based at DFO claim in court documents that a lawyer representing BB1544 Pty Ltd had already admitted liability for loss, damage and destruction caused by the accident.

Under Commonwealth legislation, the owner of the aircraft can be found liable for a crash even if it is not the operator of the flight.


Four victims of the plane crash: Pilot Max Quartermain, and golfers Russell Munsch, Glenn Garland and Greg De Haven.

At the time of the disaster, the flight was operated by Corporate & Leisure Aviation, a separate company in the name of pilot Max Quartermain.

An investigation released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in September last year established that pilot error was to blame for the crash, after the plane's directional control system was mistakenly set to veer left before take-off.

A pre-flight checklist by Mr Quartermain should have discovered that the aircraft's rudder trim was in "full nose left position", the bureau found, which resulted in the aircraft plunging into the roof of DFO almost immediately after take-off.

The check should have also identified that the plane's voice recorder wasn't working before the flight.



John Washburn, from Texas, was the fifth victim of the Essendon Airport disaster.CREDIT:FACEBOOK

Mr Quartermain was killed in the crash, along with American tourists Greg De Haven, Glenn Garland, Russell Munsch and John Washburn, who were flying to King Island to play golf.

The widows of the four men said they planned to seek compensation when it was revealed that pilot error was the cause of the crash, with the potential payout running into the millions of dollars.

The law firm representing the four companies from DFO declined to comment while the matter was before the courts.

‘Safe stocktake sales for all’

P2 -WTF? Absolutely despicable, now it becomes plainly obvious why it was the Hooded Canary so blatantly and IMO fraudulently slated all blame for this tragic accident on the pilot...     

P9: Where’s Spotlight's workers safety, evacuation and compensation plan? Where is the Victorian governments warning signs to shoppers? Where are the ever caring politicians looking after their constituents? Where is the Minister responsible for public and aviation safety? Where is the Union who allegedly protect their membership? All at the local trough perhaps? Aye; just a thought, or an opinion – as you like it.  But enough;;;;;;;;;;;;!

Thornbird: The big problem I have with all this is the ATSB report. Not a single shred of hard evidence proving the pilot

"Dunnit", just supposition and innuendo. The ATSB is not supposed to apportion blame, yet here stands the
yellow canary, Hood categorically stating the guilty party is the pilot, no question. Beggars belief.

---

I must admit to being a complete ignoramus on the strange wheelings & dealings and machinations of the aviation insurance industry. However the murky tale as writ by the Age IMO raises more disturbing, suspect disconnections than satisfactory, sensible and factual answers.

First QON: Why is a multi-national retail group trying to recover compensation for lost, fire damaged stock from the aircraft owners? Wouldn't Spotlight have an insurance policy that covers the loss of stock through fire related damage, including the fire sprinkler system?

Or; wouldn't the Essendon DFO owners and managers of the complex have to have insurance coverage for the loss of stock for all it's retail leases?

Hmmm....so dodgy arrangements perhaps? This led me to Wikipedia...  

Ref (my bold): 

Business model

Its model is to find cheap land, build a cheap but air-conditioned shopping mall.[1]

The Direct Factory Outlet retail chain is owned by the privately owned Austexx Group, led by David Goldberger and David Weiland with their first centre opened at Moorabbin Airport(Cheltenham) in 1997.[2] Former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chief Graeme Samuel holds a $50 million interest in Austexx through a blind trust.[3] Valued at A$1.5 billion, in early 2010 the business was put up for sale with a number of retail investment funds expressing interest.[4]

DFO centres have traditionally been located around airports: a side effect of the Airports Act of 1996, the Commonwealth Government has planning control over the land, meaning state planning legislation can be bypassed by developers.[5] In addition the property developer is able to exploit the cost difference between retail and industrial rents, gives outlet centre operators a distinct advantage over traditional shopping centres. A survey by Melbourne newspaper The Age in 2007 found that in all three DFO-owned centres, most shops carried at least some full-price, current-season stock, available at normal shopping centres.[6] By 2008 five legal challenges to DFO developments have been made by competing retail developers and the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, all being unsuccessful.[5]

On 16 August 2010, lead bank Suncorp-Metway, along with St George Bank, National Australia Bank and Lloyds Banking Group, issued a notice to parent company Austexx demanding repayment within 24 hours of the A$450 million they are owed.[7] The South Wharf centre was under a A$500 million debt, with work on completing the centre stopped after workers placed bans over non-payment. Parent company Austexx is understood to have total debts of A$1.2 billion, with the four relatively successful DFO sites used as cross-collateral for bank-funded expansion into five other less successful locations (Canberra, Cairns and Hobart). The group of banks appointed insolvency specialists KordaMentha as advisers, with the entire group facing receivership.[8] Negotiations continued until a deal was struck on Thursday 19 August, the four banks extending their funding to allow the South Wharf development to be completed. The ten DFO shopping complexes will then be sold off separately to repay the $1 billion owed to the banks.[3] The banks hope to recoup most or all of the money they are owed by avoiding a 'fire sale' of assets, but neither Austexx founders or other investors are expected to be repaid until the bank debts are settled.[3]

   
Hmm....could it be that the DFO (failed) business model also included skimping on such things as property and or 2nd party asset insurance?

What about 3rd party insurance? Which should, in the normal course of events, have  included 3rd party public and employee liability for the very real risk of an aircraft crashing into the DFO buildings?  

"..Under Commonwealth legislation, the owner of the aircraft can be found liable for a crash even if it is not the operator of the flight..."


 - I think the Commonwealth legislation referred to is this: Damage by Aircraft Act 1999  https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013C00130

11  Recovery of damages without proof of intention, negligence etc.

                   Damages in respect of an injury, loss, damage or destruction of the kind to which section 10 applies are recoverable in an action in a court of competent jurisdiction in Australian territory against all or any of the persons who are jointly and severally liable under that section in respect of the injury, loss, damage or destruction without proof of intention, negligence or other cause of action, as if the injury, loss, damage or destruction had been caused by the wilful act, negligence or default of the defendant or defendants.

P2 comment: In light of the information provided so far by the Age and in regards to the murky financial arrangements obviously in play under the DFO 'business model', a qualified legal interpretation of the possible implications of section 11A would be interesting -   

11A  Contributory negligence
             (1)  If, in an action under section 11, a defendant proves that the injury, loss, damage or destruction was caused by, or contributed to by, the negligence of the person (the sufferer) in respect of whom the injury, loss, damage or destruction was suffered, the damages recoverable must be assessed in accordance with this section.
             (2)  The court must determine the damages that would have been recoverable if there had been no negligence on the part of the sufferer.
             (3)  The damages determined under subsection (2) must be reduced to the extent the court thinks just and equitable having regard to the share of the sufferer in the responsibility for the injury, loss, damage or destruction.
             (4)  If any case to which subsection (1) applies is tried with a jury, the jury must determine the damages referred to in subsection (2) and the amount of the reduction under subsection (3).

However either way you put it the problematic and disturbing real implications for any aircraft operator, pilot or owner operating (or intending to operate) at any Federally leased airport that has a DFO complex, or similar commercial retail arrangement, within the boundaries of the Airport leased property are enormous if the legal liability case rules in favour of the DFO outlet retailers claims....    

This brings me to another interesting juxtaposition -   

Reference: Not a serious safety concern – Indeed: Part II

Next to step up to the plate on Airport safety was McComic and his motley crew of Iron Ring trough feeders:

Senator FAWCETT: My question, though, is: what framework is in place? If an operator is concerned with something—one of those slices of Swiss cheese in the James Reason model—that is impacting his safety, what avenue do they have to come to you, as the regulator, and to have you enforce, from the government's perspective, the intent statement of the white paper on aviation, the NASAG intent statement, the terms of the lease or the deed that transferred ownership of airfields to local government?


Mr McCormick : Some of those matters, such as the NASAG and those other issues that you raise on the airfield operation or who owns the airfield et cetera, of course are matters of government policy and rightly fit with the department. Off-airfield development is a similar thing, where, again, CASA has a limited role to play. Whether we should have a larger role or not is not a question for me to decide; but, as far as our available powers go, there are numerous heads of power where people can come to us directly, or write to us or email us or whatever, and we will take the issue on its face value.

Senator FAWCETT: What I am hearing there is that there are examples where there is a legitimate safety concern and you do not currently have a head of power that will enable you to act.

Mr McCormick : I do not think that is correct. I think we do have adequate heads of power, except for the off-airfield development. We have section 92 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, where we can give directions to airfield operators, and that is not restricted to certified and registered aerodromes. P2 comment - Remember that by definition the YMEN DFO complex is not an off-airfield development.

Ah yes the old buck passing exercise starts up once again...  

Note how Dr A passes across the CASR section 92 reference? As a head of power I am not sure how much teeth it has but nonetheless for those interested here it is:

CIVIL AVIATION REGULATIONS 1988 - REG 92
Use of aerodromes
             (1)  A person must not land an aircraft on, or engage in conduct that causes an aircraft to take off from, a place that does not satisfy one or more of the following requirements:
                     (a)  the place is an aerodrome established under the Air Navigation Regulations;
                     (b)  the use of the place as an aerodrome is authorised by a certificate granted, or registration, under Part 139 of CASR;
                     ©  the place is an aerodrome for which an arrangement under section 20 of the Act is in force and the use of the aerodrome by aircraft engaged in civil air navigation is authorised by CASA under that section;
                     (d)  the place (not being a place referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or ©) is suitable for use as an aerodrome for the purposes of the landing and taking-off of aircraft;
and, having regard to all the circumstances of the proposed landing or take-off (including the prevailing weather conditions), the aircraft can land at, or take-off from, the place in safety.
Penalty:  25 penalty units.
             (2)   CASA may, in relation to an aerodrome, issue directions relating to the safety of air navigation.
             (3)  A person must not contravene a direction.
Penalty:  25 penalty units.
             (4)  An offence against subregulation (1) or (3) is an offence of strict liability.

Q/ I wonder which Act (i.e the Civil Aviation Act or the Damage By Aircraft Act) has a greater Head of Power - 



MTF...P2 

So many things to make me laugh here. One point made which doesn't seem to get a huge amount of attention, "Where is the union which is supposed to protect its members?" Hahahah! They are just as much of a joke as ATSB and CASA. Quite happy to take your money for 40 years then tell you to bugger off if your case doesn't fit into their neat, little criteria.

P7 - First post Choc Frog awarded. Cheers.

[Kharon]

And the Angels wept.



Tempted and tormented am I, this morning (a long, boozy BRB session last evening not helping). How do I address the Angel Flight imbroglio? Some fool even suggested that the post I put up – HERE – was suggesting a conspiracy theory – for ducks sake!.

Cambrige dictionary – “the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something bad or illegal:”

“We” at Aunt Pru ain’t ‘conspiring’; quite the reverse in fact. The ‘conspiracy’ was ‘fait acclompi’ i.e. "something that has already happened or been done and cannot be changed": many years ago. We are now dealing with the results of that egregious collusion, enacted Donkey’s years ago. ‘We’ are trying to undo that knitting you Muppet. But enough of the sound and fury of the idiot faction.

Do I elaborate the whole affair as a ‘horse-race’; or, treat it as a farce; or even a case of the ridiculous? Tough questions. It is time to open ‘the book”; my ledger. You may bet Ale if so inclined; but do we accept Choc Frogs and Tim Tams as valid currency. So to the odds.

You will need to bet five to win two on the short odds CASA entry in the Angel Flight Stakes. That may increase as the time for a result is nowhere near at hand. The date of this event is somewhere far off – trapped in the mystique of an election bun fight. It could take as long as a twelve month to even get a parliamentary mention, let alone ‘resolution’.

---

Senator Glenn Sterle with the 'mystique of aviation safety' in a nutshell - "CASA has an incredible power over ministers. You must have some fairy dust that you sprinkle on them, because they all believe every word that you say. The minister was put under the pump and so you say, 'Okay, minister, will do an inquiry. She'll be right. Go and announce it.' You have not even done the terms of reference and you are trying to tell us that it is going to be done in a couple of months. I have no faith in you..."

The CASA entry will be - “The Blood will be on your hands minister.” (Isaiah 59.3).

Simple enough statement; and a terrifying one for a ‘Wannabe’ politician. More than enough to assuage a DoNutin ministerial conscience; a great deal more. Perhaps; a dedicated, selfless, honest minister could, through a load of hard legal work actually prove that CASA had acted ‘illegally’ and contrary to their remit (unlikely). But; if one did, what would the CASA boss have to say, in answer to the question? “That’s fine Minister, overturn our changes to the licencing laws – say we were wrong – not a problem – BUT if there is another Angel Flight fatal accident or even an emergency declared – we will say but one thing”. “The government was advised of a dangerous situation; the minister overturned our rulings, against our ‘expert’ advice and the blood, ladies and gentlemen, is on his hands”.

There is no way known to man that a newly fledged minister is going to wear that – none. Can you imagine 6G McCormack facing down the CASA on those terms – be buggered if I can. So Angel Flight will die a slow death while a disinterested industry, which missed the point, watches on. The devil is in the detail – with a stroke of the pen - the democratic process is waved aside.

Angel Flight chief executive officer Marjorie Pagani slammed CASA’s planned direction, which was delivered just before Christmas and will not be subject to federal parliamentary scrutiny.

M. Pagani – Further unleashing her dismay at the potential the changes would have on what has become an essential service, conducting 4000 trips a year, Ms Pagani was critical of the way CASA had apparently circumvented the usual regulatory process, and what she said was the “invention” of a community service flight category.

[b]..But I think the real focus is on how they are attempting to bypass proper democratic and legislative processes ( quite apart from lack of consultation with AF and industry). To take away rights or impose restrictions on licence holders, with the stroke of the CEO pen, is dictatorial and an abuse of process...
[/b]
I reckon some of the ‘outraged’ politicians:
Millar - “I am outraged that an unelected bureaucrat can ground the charity, Angel Flight, with a flick of a pen and no federal parliamentary scrutiny,” are in for a very rude wakening; when they discover that CASA is way beyond their reach; untouchable, a law unto themselves and beyond parliamentary control. The Senate can’t lay a glove on ‘em, try they have and failed; a couple of ministers have taken a crack at it – and failed. So who do reckon is going to get CASA to admit their collective ineptitude, own up to using the big stick for unclear reasons; admit to underhanded tactics and manipulation of parliamentary process; but most importantly to tell us Cui Bono from the cull of flying angels?

---

From left to right:
Richelle Koller, CEO Little Wings
Mick Frewen, CEO CareFlight
Jason Harfield, CEO Airservices Australia
Marjorie Pagani, CEO Angel Flight
The Hon Michael McCormack, Deputy PM and Minister for Infrastructure & Transport
Martin Laverty, CEO Royal Flying Doctor Service
Hon Robert Borbidge, Chairman LifeFlight

Ref: https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/m..._2018.aspx

---

What will emerge from the Angel Flight funereal pyre; like a phoenix? I’d look slightly South of Sydney if I was a betting man. Some serious, mysterious money being gifted down there to a ‘new’ charity/ monopoly which has had an almost miraculous run of luck with ‘approvals’. Now that, boys and girls, is ‘the’ dark horse to watch in the upcoming race. They will be at ‘short odds’ for sure; just how short will depend – I’ll let you know as soon as I nut it out. But, the games afoot Watson. I will give you a clue – in the form of a question. Why; after so many almost perfect years of operation have Angel Flight been targeted – now - on so slim an accident rate? 

AF is now stuck with new rulings; and, industry is left to wonder when the next Christmas Eve delivery of regulation will be slipped under the parliament door, unchallenged. But enough of other folks problems; my self inflicted malady demands peace, solitude and another cup of coffee. The stable awaits……

Selah.

[thorn bird]

K, it's the strangest thing.

When things make no sense to me, my mind always moves to the why? What possible motive could CAsA have for shutting down an obviously essential FREE service, a true charity, run by volunteers, no very highly paid directors, no very lucrative commercial government contracts. My Father used to say "If you need a WHY look for the money"

Mulling the Angel Flight imbroglio, I just couldn't see where there would be a quid in it.
The people who avail themselves of their services most certainly could never pay what those services would be worth on a commercial basis.

There is definitely a need as Angel flight itself has proved. So who's going to pay?

I cannot imagine the private owners and pilots, who so generously provide their aircraft and time are going to continue doing so if its going to cost them tens of thousands of dollars to comply with CAsA's "Commercial Lite" requirements.
Without those aircraft and pilots Angel Flight is finished.

Ah but there are always wheels within wheels.

There is no doubt politically, the inept minister or his successor is going to cop considerable stick for CAsA's actions.
No doubt as the groundswell of public outrage increases, considerable pressure will be placed on the minister to do something.
As you allude K whispering in the ministers ear will be the “The Blood will be on your hands minister.” brigade.

On the other will be the awful images of sick patients missing their various appointments or god forbid dying on the roads.

But will there be another voice in the ministers ear?

"All this could go away minister, just a paltry few million, chicken feed really, in the big scheme of things nothing really, and imagine what a hero you would become, Ah I can see the headlines now.

"MINISTER SAVES THE DAY> AGREES TO FUND VITAL MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORT COSTS".

I guess all we can do is Watch this space.

[Kharon]

References: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...79#pid9879 & https://auntypru.com/2019/02/

An evening with TOM.



It was the dogs that knew first; they always do – we were ambling home in that quiet time between beer o’ clock and dinner, a quick, happy bark; and, off they went. Unconcerned and slightly distracted, I followed along at a more sedate pace until I found them at the new park bench, on which, comfortably ensconced was P7_TOM (The Old Man), his feet on a medium sized ‘Esky’. The dogs were already settled so it was safe to assume he had come to talk. Wrong. “Talk to me” says he; perceptive old sod knows me well; I did indeed need a sounding board. He’d brought Guinness and a proper glass, poured one out for me,  we sat in silence and watched the small miracle of the bubbles creating the head; lovely. “Patience, persistence and performance” we drank a silent toast; then, “say it in one word” he muttered. That made it my turn, I knew he’d say no more until I coughed up the lump I was choking on. The one word challenge is no easy puzzle – given the options available. A lot of words ran through my wooden head – disappointed, disgusted, dismayed, disheartened, confused, confounded, furious; etc. It took a moment to decide that no one word could cover my disbelief of what I was actually witnessing; nor my contempt for those committing the acts; and, my stunned amazement that the Australian public not only tolerate it – but pay billions to let it all happen.

The silence lasted through until the second Guinness had settled. The dogs heard the ‘dinner time’ whistle, looked askance, got the nod and headed off to eat. “Disconnection” says I. “That’ll do for a start” say’s TOM,  “now construe, a for instance, in a nutshell”.

---

Ref: 29 November 2014 http://www.reducedmobility.eu/2014112854...lying.html


Ref: https://www.facebook.com/AOPAaustralia/p...__tn__=K-R

---

The Essendon debacle and the Angel Flight thing. The notion of holistic ‘safety’ and the best interests of the public and industry. CASA have spent a good deal of time (and by extension money) on the current Angel Flight How de Do. Ostensibly, related to their great concern for the safety of those folk who need transport to medical treatment. A real safety case which needs not only the minister’s support, but the Chair of the CASA board must be dragged out of whichever cat-house or opium den he was hiding in to support this great quest for public safety. The perpetrators of the great potential for disaster being Australian qualified Private Pilots; who are reimbursed their fuel costs by the charity. This all related to a debateable ’legal’ technicality in the very rules which CASA wrote. CASA have a remarkable number of operational ‘dispensations’ and ‘exemptions’ out there; some as old as industry itself. So, if the ‘technical’ illegality of AF pilots being reimbursed their fuel costs cannot be resolved; then CASA must either sort the rules out (mission impossible) or; issue an exemption until they finally do; or, perhaps find a way to fund the flights, through charter operators. That, or kill off one of the most useful charities in Australia. The espoused ‘public safety’ case is a gross nonsense: as risible, twisted and perverted as the mind which dreamed it up five years ago. There is barely a ‘real safety case’ to be discussed.

---

Ref: ABC News 22 February 2017 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/p...ss/8290906
 

Ref: SMH 16 Jan 2019 https://www.smh.com.au/business/companie...50re4.html

---

Essendon and the DFO is a horse of an entirely different colour. You don’t hear or see the minister or the CASA chairman out there on the hustings beating their chests and denouncing a ducking great big concrete and steel monstrosity built into the operational safety width of an active runway. That DFO could, potentially hold a couple of thousand innocent, unaware people, shopping and working. There is an ever present threat that ‘something’ could go horribly wrong, during a take off; duri.htmlng a missed approach; or, during a landing. World wide there have been many horrific tales of aircraft and buildings meeting, with the inevitable results. Many nations – even the Italians – have taken steps to minimise the risk. Not our CASA though. They simply pull the string attached to the ATSB top dog’s collar and whistle up yet another ‘Pilot error’ charge; done and dusted; game over. Now let’s move on to really important matters like the technical ‘illegality’ of Angel Fight. 



And ‘we’ pay for this? Politicians all run away, the tax paying public meekly accepts the faery tales, industry shut’s up -  as usual, a’feared of the ‘enforcers’ and the ATSB cowers in the gilded cage. What a brave, brilliant future CASA and our elected officials have crafted for Australia aviation safety. The stellar thinking, the impeccable logic, he visionary foresight toward ultimate safety, the breath taking elegance of the rules supporting the mystique of aviation safety.

---

“It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second. ― John Steinbeck, Cannery Row.

---

I glance up as the twilight deepens, for I’d been addressing my now empty glass; there sits TOM – a quiet smile playing about the eyes. “Feel better now?" expressed by a raise of the eyebrows. “Yes” say’s I reaching into the Esky to liberate some more of the Alfred Guinness fine offering; “yes, indeed I do”. No thanks required, although how he knew to turn up exactly when he did, with exactly the right ‘thinking’ fluid, I’ll never know. Cheers Pop.

---

“If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”

---

Selah.

[Peetwo]

References: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...79#pid9879 & https://auntypru.com/2019/02/

An evening with TOM.



It was the dogs that knew first; they always do – we were ambling home in that quiet time between beer o’ clock and dinner, a quick, happy bark; and, off they went. Unconcerned and slightly distracted, I followed along at a more sedate pace until I found them at the new park bench, on which, comfortably ensconced was P7_TOM (The Old Man), his feet on a medium sized ‘Esky’. The dogs were already settled so it was safe to assume he had come to talk. Wrong. “Talk to me” says he; perceptive old sod knows me well; I did indeed need a sounding board. He’d brought Guinness and a proper glass, poured one out for me,  we sat in silence and watched the small miracle of the bubbles creating the head; lovely. “Patience, persistence and performance” we drank a silent toast; then, “say it in one word” he muttered. That made it my turn, I knew he’d say no more until I coughed up the lump I was choking on. The one word challenge is no easy puzzle – given the options available. A lot of words ran through my wooden head – disappointed, disgusted, dismayed, disheartened, confused, confounded, furious; etc. It took a moment to decide that no one word could cover my disbelief of what I was actually witnessing; nor my contempt for those committing the acts; and, my stunned amazement that the Australian public not only tolerate it – but pay billions to let it all happen.

The silence lasted through until the second Guinness had settled. The dogs heard the ‘dinner time’ whistle, looked askance, got the nod and headed off to eat. “Disconnection” says I. “That’ll do for a start” say’s TOM,  “now construe, a for instance, in a nutshell”.

---

Ref: 29 November 2014 http://www.reducedmobility.eu/2014112854...lying.html


Ref: https://www.facebook.com/AOPAaustralia/p...__tn__=K-R

---

The Essendon debacle and the Angel Flight thing. The notion of holistic ‘safety’ and the best interests of the public and industry. CASA have spent a good deal of time (and by extension money) on the current Angel Flight How de Do. Ostensibly, related to their great concern for the safety of those folk who need transport to medical treatment. A real safety case which needs not only the minister’s support, but the Chair of the CASA board must be dragged out of whichever cat-house or opium den he was hiding in to support this great quest for public safety. The perpetrators of the great potential for disaster being Australian qualified Private Pilots; who are reimbursed their fuel costs by the charity. This all related to a debateable ’legal’ technicality in the very rules which CASA wrote. CASA have a remarkable number of operational ‘dispensations’ and ‘exemptions’ out there; some as old as industry itself. So, if the ‘technical’ illegality of AF pilots being reimbursed their fuel costs cannot be resolved; then CASA must either sort the rules out (mission impossible) or; issue an exemption until they finally do; or, perhaps find a way to fund the flights, through charter operators. That, or kill off one of the most useful charities in Australia. The espoused ‘public safety’ case is a gross nonsense: as risible, twisted and perverted as the mind which dreamed it up five years ago. There is barely a ‘real safety case’ to be discussed.

---

Ref: ABC News 22 February 2017 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/p...ss/8290906
 

Ref: SMH 16 Jan 2019 https://www.smh.com.au/business/companie...50re4.html

---

Essendon and the DFO is a horse of an entirely different colour. You don’t hear or see the minister or the CASA chairman out there on the hustings beating their chests and denouncing a ducking great big concrete and steel monstrosity built into the operational safety width of an active runway. That DFO could, potentially hold a couple of thousand innocent, unaware people, shopping and working. There is an ever present threat that ‘something’ could go horribly wrong, during a take off; duri.htmlng a missed approach; or, during a landing. World wide there have been many horrific tales of aircraft and buildings meeting, with the inevitable results. Many nations – even the Italians – have taken steps to minimise the risk. Not our CASA though. They simply pull the string attached to the ATSB top dog’s collar and whistle up yet another ‘Pilot error’ charge; done and dusted; game over. Now let’s move on to really important matters like the technical ‘illegality’ of Angel Fight. 



And ‘we’ pay for this? Politicians all run away, the tax paying public meekly accepts the faery tales, industry shut’s up -  as usual, a’feared of the ‘enforcers’ and the ATSB cowers in the gilded cage. What a brave, brilliant future CASA and our elected officials have crafted for Australia aviation safety. The stellar thinking, the impeccable logic, he visionary foresight toward ultimate safety, the breath taking elegance of the rules supporting the mystique of aviation safety.

---

“It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second. ― John Steinbeck, Cannery Row.

---

I glance up as the twilight deepens, for I’d been addressing my now empty glass; there sits TOM – a quiet smile playing about the eyes. “Feel better now?" expressed by a raise of the eyebrows. “Yes” say’s I reaching into the Esky to liberate some more of the Alfred Guinness fine offering; “yes, indeed I do”. No thanks required, although how he knew to turn up exactly when he did, with exactly the right ‘thinking’ fluid, I’ll never know. Cheers Pop.

---

“If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”

---

Selah.

P2 Addendum: Via Ben Morgan CEO AOPA Australia.

 
&..

Dear Angel Flight Supporter

You will be aware that the government agency, CASA, has taken steps to restrict our volunteer pilots, and to ban helicopters, to the extent that the viability of the charity may be placed under threat. Despite repeated requests, the agency has declined to give us, or the Australian Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPS), any safety case, or risk analysis, to support these restrictions. Importantly, CASA has deliberately bypassed its own policies, protocols and ethical standards, by failing to adhere to its regulatory reform criteria. Instead, the CEO of CASA has issued a Direction, simply a ‘law’ which is signed by him. I have repeatedly asked the CEO why he has done this, and the response was, firstly, ‘because I have the authority’, and then when pressed further, ‘because it’s easy’.

I have asked the National Operations and Standards Exec Manager, what the new rules have to do with the two volunteer flight accidents which have occurred in the last 16 years (both involving bad weather), and his answer to me was to effect that they bore no relationship to the accidents. The ATSB (Safety Bureau) has not yet released its report into the last of these accidents, in 2017.

These accidents (two in 46,000 flights) are attracting unprecedented attention from CASA, and in particular, when compared with the high number of fatal accidents which have occurred in commercial operations in Australia during the same period. Initially, CASA was underpinning its rules on the basis that our passengers are ‘uninformed’ (that is, they don’t understand that they are not travelling on an airline or commercial operation, or understand the differences). We have provided CASA with our entire suite of documents which the pilots and passengers (and drivers) must read, sign and acknowledge, and the videos which the passengers must watch prior to flying. We are perplexed as to why CASA thinks that our disadvantaged rural passengers cannot understand what they read, see or sign.

They are also implying that they have no confidence in the training, testing and licensing of their own pilots. You all know that we only accept as volunteers, those pilots holding CASA licences, and flying CASA registered and maintained aircraft for private flight in Australia. Many of our volunteers are airline pilots, commercial pilots, and of course, private pilots. Their new rules do nothing to address CASA’s training or licensing issues – they merely seek to restrict those pilots, after issuing their licences, so that they can fly anyone else in Australia subject to the provisions of their licences, but not rural people coming into the cities with Angel Flight volunteer pilots for scheduled non-emergency medical appointments.

Angel Flight does not know why there has been such a concerted attack on these volunteer pilots and aircraft – given that it is CASA’s responsibility to ensure a proper level of training before issuing the licence – it is not Angel Flight’s job to take responsibility for training under CASA regulations: we rely on them to give licences only to those who have qualified.

After first alleging that they were introducing these rules, with what seemed undue haste just before Xmas, to improve safety (although they don’t relate to the two accidents since 2003), it then moved to relying on the ‘uninformed’ argument, then changed its thrust to ‘ we are doing what the USA is doing’. That is also grossly misleading, as the private flights in the USA are not regulated in this fashion. They only regulate what they regard to be commercial operations and give an exemption if they are flying for a charity. Finally, last Friday, the chair of the CASA board said we are not ‘technically private flights’. How that relates to their restrictive proposals is perplexing- particularly as CASA has never challenged our private status, and the statement bears no relationship to the proposed restrictions.

A very worrying event occurred last week – CASA called a regional TV station, offering them an exclusive statement if they would embargo the story until this Wednesday. That statement was from the chair of the CASA Board, Tony Matthews, who said CASA was going ahead with all but one of the rules. He alleged they were to table it in parliament on Tuesday, but not release that information until Wednesday – thereby limiting the time within which to lodge a Notice of Motion to Disallow the Directions. More worryingly, they did not tell Angel Flight about this – merely advised a TV station. Quite alarming behavior from a government agency, particularly that it issued the statement on 7 February, a mere 5 working days since the close of the brief public ‘consultation’ – there were 230 submissions, many of them being lodged on the last couple of days. It is difficult to see how they could come up with this decision if they were taking these submissions into account (and Angel Flight has privately received many copies of these). The leaked exclusive was then conveyed to The Australian newspaper, and published on 8th February : again, neither the CASA Board, nor CEO, nor anyone else from CASA, had advised Angel Flight of either its decision or its intention to make a statement or table the proposals, : there was no communication from the agency of any kind, nor to AOPA, represents thousands of general aviation pilots, and who had been communicating with CASA over the issue.

Angel Flight takes a proactive position in relation to safety, but does not accept that CASA should bypass proper regulatory reform procedures to rush these changes through, knowing they will have an adverse effect on these valuable services, and that they are unsupported by any safety case or risk analysis. This should be workshopped by industry and the submissions properly evaluated, and a safety risk analysis conducted and released, before reforms are proposed, and these should be done by regulatory amendment – the proposed administrative directive cuts across many regulations, pursuant to which the pilots achieved their licences. CASA appears to be saying that Angel Flight is responsible for CASA’s own licensing standards. This administrative directive both restricts the rights of pilots to fly under their CASA licences, and could jeopardise valuable volunteer work. Even more extraordinary is that CASA has banned helicopters from flying for Angel Flight, although there have been no heli accidents in the volunteer service,: more astounding is that CASA say it is acceptable to get the total aeronautical time required, in a helicopter, but then ban helicopters! This is particularly unfortunate when many of our rural people in flooded communities may need help getting their families to medical treatment when airfields are flooded. They have offered no explanation for this ban.
We urge you all, and your colleagues, to urgently contact both your local Member of the House of Representatives, and all Senators, requesting they lodge a Notice of Motion for Disallowance, so that the issue of safety can be assessed in a measured, educated, and fact-based fashion, adopting the usual protocols and industry input. There is only a brief window of opportunity to do this -the Notice must be lodged this week, possibly Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, on the basis that CASA will deliver it on Tuesday (but again, they have not allowed us this information – we are relying upon what the chair of their Board has said to a television station).

Let’s all pull together to help people in the bush have a better quality of life – contact all federal members of parliament now by email or phone (link to a list attached).

Senators: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Memb...gen=0&ps=0
Members: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Memb...gen=0&ps=0

Thanks for your support,

Marjorie Pagani CEO
Angel Flight

[Gobbledock]

CAsA HAS FAILED THE MINISTERS STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS

So with the thought in mind regarding Bens recent interviews and taking into account what Ben said about a very serious topic and subsequent conversation with Carmody, which went as follows; “I have repeatedly asked the CEO why he has done this, and the response was, firstly, ‘because I have the authority’, and then when pressed further, ‘because it’s easy’, I highlight the following;

CAsA has monumentally failed to comply with its charter, the Statement of Expectations as legally implemented by the Minister.

As a subsequent result we demand and highlight the following;
- The CAsA CEO must be removed immediately. Industry has no confidence in him.
- The CAsA Board Chair must be removed immediately. Industry has no confidence in him.
- The Minister for Infrastructure, Michael McCormack must be removed immediately. Industry has no confidence in him.

Successive breaches of the SOE must be dealt with immediately. Failure to do so will only leave the LNP looking more stupid than they already are and place sections of the aviation industry and the general public who rely on Angel Flight, in an untenable position.

Vote with your feet ladies and gentlemen......

[Peetwo]

SBG Addendum: 13 Feb '19

Hook, Line and Sinker.

The bait taken; the catch assured. As the wondrous CASA ‘smoke and mirrors’ machine defers and deflects public attention away; far away from the real story. History GD; never, not ever forget it.

GD – “There needs to be an immediate halt to CAsA’s actions (I mean CAsA’s sanctions and violations) against Angel Flight and a high level inquiry needs to be enacted. It frightens me to say this, and hold no hope, but the Miniscule needs to intervene AND DO IT RIGHT NOW. Either that or all of industry must come together and act as one now.”

"Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called “The Pledge”. The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course…it probably isn’t. The second act is called “The Turn”. The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you’re looking for the secret… but you won’t find it, because of course you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn’t clap yet. Because making something disappear isn’t enough; you have to bring it back. That’s why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call “The Prestige”.

Sure, the Angel Flight bagatelle is of passing interest; it is despicable etc. However the actors in this little charade are ‘winding the audience up’ to a fever pitch’ Much like a magician needs to distract the careful watcher; so must CASA. Carmodiy’s arrogant statements are designed to be inflammatory; and, boy-oh-boy – ain’t it working.

CASA, the DoIT, Ministers and many other ‘big guns’ are in deep do-do. If the big underwriters ever get close to the flames, those emanating from the government assisted cooling of the  fires lit by the Essendon DFO disaster; heads will roll; lots of ‘em. The ‘serious players in the insurance world and there are very few of ‘em must be farting blue lights.  If the Unions – like the SDA - ever get down to brass tacks and see just how little insurance is available; or, may be legally counted on there will be hell to pay.

You see there is not an underwriter (not a broker) who will acknowledge a legitimate claim against them if it can be demonstrated that the DFO was ‘knowingly’ built within the area designated as a ‘runway’. There is not a Union in this world which would, without full foreknowledge of the associated risk, place it’s members in a high risk situation – not without ‘insurance’, risk pay and an evacuation plan. Not going to happen – right.

And there it is. No one body is responsible for ‘approving’ the DFO grand scheme. The DFO operation is in so much debt as to beggar the imagination. Their building insurance does not cover being hit by an aircraft having a ‘legitimate’ accident within a mandated runway area. The insurance boys will be out of that so fast it would make your head spin. The only folks happy are the legal eagles – years and years of work there – it is a true legal paradise.

It begs the question. Where was our much vaunted CASA safety oversight when the DFO master plan of madness was approved? Hiding behind some legal interpretation of ‘Commonwealth’ land and ‘approvals’ perhaps? They are supposed to be the ‘be all and end all’ of ‘safety’.  Did they realise the risks the DFO crowd were taking? Did they even stop for a moment and think Whoa? No, they bloody well did not, which is bad enough. But did they also, knowingly, turn a blind eye to the aberration?

There is a multi story building, within the mandated confines of an active runway. It is widely known that the building should never have been approved. It is not widely known that the DFO could not, not at any price, buy insurance for an arguably illegal building being in a collision with an aircraft.

Angel Flight is a worthy cause and has my full support – but it ain’t the headline; not anymore. The CASA smoke and mirrors deflection system is at full throttle. Why else resurrect the done and dusted AF drama. To perhaps avoid a Royal Commission asking why CASA appear to be and seem determined to continue taking no responsibility for the Essendon DFO accident at all. If not the much vaunted, all seeing, all powerful, all wise, ‘safety watchdog, then whom? –Now that is a question I should like answered - fat chance, right.

Like Ol'Tom I'm still scratching my head at the sheer mendacity of Carmody Capers & the CASA Iron Ring to face down the critics of their manafactured non-safety case embuggerance of Angel Flight...  

...Importantly, CASA has deliberately bypassed its own policies, protocols and ethical standards, by failing to adhere to its regulatory reform criteria. Instead, the CEO of CASA has issued a Direction, simply a ‘law’ which is signed by him. I have repeatedly asked the CEO why he has done this, and the response was, firstly, ‘because I have the authority’, and then when pressed further, ‘because it’s easy’... 

The above relayed statement simply beggars belief but does effectively highlight the extent to which Carmody is prepared to smear Angel Flight,AOPA Oz and by extension all CASA licensed pilots all for the  single purpose of distraction, diffraction, obfuscation of what is we believe to be the real cover-up story. In case you missed the reference (above)...  

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Essendon crash: Locals say plane smashing into shopping centre 'a tragic mess'
By Jane Cowan
Updated 22 Feb 2017, 3:26pm



Ref: ABC News 22 February 2017 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/p...ss/8290906

Just the other day, Robert Fisicaro, who works inside Essendon's DFO shopping centre, was talking to a friend from the airport. An idle chat.

"There's gonna be an accident here," his mate said.

The conversation is eerie now, as a black hole gapes in the side of the DFO building at Essendon and five people are dead.

Robert works at Berkowitz Furniture inside the complex and was moments away from work when the plane crashed.

"This airport's smack in the middle of suburbia. Planes are going to come down always. We've all been saying that. We say it in jest, but now it's happened," he said.

"It's not something you think, 'Oh gee, it should have never happened'. It happens. If you're gonna put a shopping centre next to a runway this is what happens."

The crash has him rethinking the safety of his workplace.

"Our biggest problem here is one way in, one way out. The entry and exit points here are actually pathetic, so we're very lucky.

"Half an hour later and the general public would have been in here, so it could have been a whole different ball game. And if it was a weekend, that's 10,000 cars blocked up first thing in the morning."

He said staff had been through an evacuation drill for a potential terrorist attack, but not for a plane coming down.

"Which is weird because we've got an entire two runways that run opposite our stores," he said.

"Literally customers can stand and watch planes come in. It's a spectacle. So they'll have to get their act together here."


Locals concerned about airport buffer zone

So who approved the DFO in that location?

The Howard government allowed the privatisation of Australian airports, including Essendon, by providing them very long-term leases.

Since then the airport has proceeded to put a series of commercial, non-aviation enterprises on the land including the DFO.

Because the airport is on Commonwealth land, it does not require local or state planning approval.

It has always been the view of locals that Essendon's buffer zone is not big enough and compares poorly with the buffer zones for other airports around the country.

They say the airport is built on a 300 hectare site when it should more properly be 1,200 hectares.

In 1978 a family was incinerated when a light plane crashed into their house in Airport West — a gas heater in their house ignited fuel from the aircraft's ruptured wing tank.

In 1986 five died when an air ambulance plummeted into a paddock.

Seven years later in 1993, a plane crashed into houses without killing anyone in what was dubbed the "Miracle on Gilbertson Street".

All of these accidents have happened within the 1,200-hectare zone that residents argue should buffer the airport.



PHOTO: Police in front of a wheel on the Tullamarine Freeway that came from the crashed plane. (ABC News: Jane Cowan)

Plane crash a 'tragic mess'

"It's tragic mess," said resident Helen van den Berg, who used to organise a group of residents called the Close Essendon Airport Campaign.

Eventually she closed the protest group down, because no-one was listening.

"We were ignored by everyone. CASA, ministers. Any voice from the community is ignored."

Some of the strongest pushback against relocating it comes in the form of the argument that it's an essential location for police and emergency services, crucially close to city hospitals.

But emergency flights are just a fraction of the aviation activity at Essendon which is mostly general light planes and charter aircraft.

"You see a tragedy like this and think of the decades and decades of people who've tried to highlight the safety concerns," said resident Helen van den Berg.

"It could have killed people at DFO, it could have hit the freeway. That's why the buffer zone should be there."

"For 25 years there have been community-minded people here raising concerns about the operation of an airport that has no protection zone.

"Why, if you've got something there for the common good, like an airport, why do you at the same time put other people in danger? It's inconsistent."

Commercial development too close to runways, advocate says



PHOTO: Fire crews work to put out a blaze after a plane crashes into DFO at Essendon Fields. (Metropolitan Fire Brigade)

Marcus Diamond from the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) said his members had previously raised concerns about commercial shopping developments being built on airport land at Essendon

The DFO shopping centre, which the plane crashed into, is on land owned by Essendon airport. It was built in 2005.

"If this was a grass field as it used to be, it could be a different situation," Mr Diamond said.

While stressing the cause of the crash was still unknown, he said inappropriate developments at airports across Australia were increasingly hindering access to runways.

He said many light plane crashes occurred close to the runway, so it is important that the area is clear.

"It's an increasing problem at airports around Australia. We've put in multiple submissions to government on this," he said.

DFO has been contacted by the ABC about its emergency response plan.

Essendon Airport chief executive Chris Cowan said counselling would be available for any DFO staff and the airport's emergency plan covered all contingencies "from minor to full scale emergencies including on airport and off airport responses".

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MTF? - Yes much...P2 


Reference: https://twitter.com/PAIN_NET1/status/109...9776233473

[Kharon]

A twiddle - Of Hero’s and Villains.




"What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world. The paragon of animals."

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If only Hamlet’s words reflected the real world of mankind. I have long suspected that the adoration of our very few real ‘Hero’s’ is fed by an unobtainable desire to have the properties which make up heroism. The feet of clay most folks walk around on are in the ascendency; mean, venal, self interested, dangerous, greedy etc. – all the seven deadly sins loaded into one small package. Few and far between are the ‘truly’ selfless; take a look at the Parliament for an example. There is an arena from which a true hero could emerge, a statesman with no other ambition than to see this country be a safe, prosperous, progressive land of a free people and make it a life’s work. Alas; he would be outvoted and out manoeuvred at every whip and stitch. And to our shame, we allow, pay for and even cast our precious votes in support of those who’s motivation is questionable, who’s allegiances are questionable and who’s consciences appear, at best to be malleable. In days gone by, when a man swore an oath or made a promise; his next step was not to race off to the lawyers to find out how to avoid the words spoken – it was a matter of honour to hold that oath. The current system seems only to pay lip service to honour, integrity and ‘public service’ the notion of ‘leadership’ having long been abandoned in the pursuit of power, influence, and of course, the daemon dollar.

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...00#pid9900 

VS

Ref: https://www.facebook.com/AOPAaustralia/p...__tn__=K-R

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How long has it been since we had a ‘transport minister’ who accepted any responsibility for aviation? Have we ever had a minister who did not Kow-Tow to the harmful, often bizarre edicts of the ‘authority’? When was the last time a ‘minister’ put a stopper in the CASA genie bottle? Aye, it’s been a good long while now since a minister even showed the slightest interest in matters aeronautical; a good long while. Which is why we have an autocratic ‘department’ which is, by it’s own admission above the law, beyond parliamentary control and completely capable of telling any Senate committee to go boil it’s head – with impunity.

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Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?

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Unlike Henry II, the Senate cannot be easily rid of their nemesis. They wouldn’t know where to start – even if there was a will to accept the ultimate responsibility for aviation and ‘safety’ (whatever that may be). The Senators most certainly have the power to disband CASA; the Kiwi’s grasped the nettle; drew a line and started all over again – and they seem to not only have survived the surgery, but are thriving on it. But then, men of honour, integrity and a genuine interest in the nations well being made that happen. The NZ CAA which was torn down was nowhere near as dangerous a beast as CASA is today. Now is the time for reform; aviation is teetering on the brink of destruction – even Qantas is deserting the country of it’s birth; just to survive. 

What about it Senators? Will you roll up your sleeves and get the desperately needed reform of the regulator moving; or, will you sit at Estimates, frustrated while the likes of Aleck, Carmody and Walker publicly take the Mickey Bliss. Publically, on Hansard video, making mock of yourselves, your recommendations and render your clumsy questions nugatory? Our national notion of a ‘fair go’, freedom and democratic governance is in jeopardy. Your call.

I accept it will be difficult to put the Angel Flight contretemps in second place – elections, emotive issue, the Bush, drought, flood, fire and all the other serious issues which have been allowed to escalate. – Did I previously mention control burning? Or; preserving the abundance of water the wet provides this dry land – probably not. No matter: they are big, grown ups problems, requiring brains, balls and the leadership qualities our politicians seem not to have. I digress. Should those ‘big’ problems be too much to manage; how about tackling a couple of smaller issues; just to get your heads around the swearing of oaths, keeping to that oath and governance. Let’s see; an easy one to start you off. Uhhm!

I know; tall buildings inside the mandated minimum runway width. Tall buildings with lots and lots of innocent voters inside, working, shopping, eating – all completely uninsured – if not now, they sure will be when the case comes to court room. A feast, a veritable cornucopia of fees for the legal fraternity, not too much fun for those involved – those that survived the holocaust of fire, jet fuel, no emergency plan and the roof falling in that is. Men, women, children – sacrificed on the altar of greed, a fast buck and making ‘useful’ friends along the way. The Essendon DFO accident was, is and likely to remain a national disgrace, provided nothing is done by the men and women elected to honour their obligations to the general public. 

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It has been said:  

"that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing." ― Charles Aked 

(Careful P2; try Aked). P2 -     

Ref: https://twitter.com/PAIN_NET1/status/984930387745914880

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It is no wonder ‘evil’ is winning the rubber – the ‘good men’ are few and far between, thin on the ground and scared to speak out; lest they offend somebody. I am somebody and I am offended, deeply and grievously, by those who do nothing but use the system to their own ends. That minister is definitely  'UN-Australian'. 

Aye well; the dogs neither know nor care; they know my coffee mug is empty, that I’ve just put out an illicit smoke and I’m looking for my boots – time to go out. That is a promise I always keep – easy enough to keep promises; you just have to practice a little – it’s amazing how good you get at it, with patience. Deep and dark are the woods of promises.




Selah…………

[Kharon]

Of Pyrotechnics and Hegemony.



“When a man who is drinking neat gin starts talking about his mother he is past all argument.”― C.S. Forester, The African Queen

I despair of ASA; particularly of their ‘Fire Chief’. Hansard Estimates video having, most unusually, let us down on the CASA v Sen. Patrick session; I had time on my hands to watch the whole ASA session. I, like the Fireman’s Union and Ironside of the Oz was nonplussed by the almost comic display Woods made public. I say almost comic, because by the end of the session I was most certainly not laughing. Fire, in any context, related to aircraft operations is one of the very serious, very real threats to life. A known and feared killer; ruthless, insatiable and lethal. Aircraft crashes are, thankfully, few and far between. But of the few we have seen in recent years, the daemon fire is almost always present, perhaps instant, perhaps latent, perhaps simply waiting for the right time and combination of circumstance to strike. It is an ever present, very, very real threat – particularly in an abnormal or emergency event.

“There’s skill and daring on the one hand.”

The skill, daring, bravery and most importantly the discipline, through training of the fire crews is of critical importance. They may sit about half a working life time and do very little in the way of fighting a major aircraft fire event; but, that once; that one in a million times it does occur – they need to be at the very top of their dangerous game. The armed forces know this: they train their men and women hard and often to be sure; to be sure. Injuries are a commonplace event; this too is treated as a small part of the cost of maintaining troops ‘match’ fit,  in tip top condition and confident. Sure, the office Wallahs will bitch and moan about the cost and mount their wee, puling campaigns to assist ‘trimming’ their budgets; but the leaders know the cost of fat, flabby, poorly trained, half trained troops is a waste and a sure recipe for disaster. 

“Foolhardiness on ‘tuther.”

ASA, under Halfwit’s vision of budgetary constraint, for profit at any cost; and, to pay off the excess for the Who’stoblame shortfall (windfall?) in the great One Sky trough fest; and, his sycophantic, drooling compliance with every half baked, sissy OH&S notion, has placed not only the fire-fighters in jeopardy, but the traveling public. It is foolhardy, dangerous and self defeating to have partly trained, unexposed, under confidant troops directly in the front line against an expert, elemental, deadly serious, dangerous enemy – like a jet fueled fire storm in a large hull aircraft, after an ‘event’ or even on the ramp. Statistically; as rare as a free bee in a cat house; or four Aces: but,-what sane minister, responsible for the care and feeding of this essential service would want to be in charge, should an accident happen? I can see it now. The hapless, purblind minister standing all alone at the bus stop with the OH&S crowd, assisted by the bean counter team, all determined to throw said minister under the next bus. Ducking madness; plain, pure and simple. Don’t care what it costs – Halfwit and his merry band of Catamites have to go; even if just for the unholy, expensive mess the airspace system has degenerated into. It’s easy – just move ‘em along. Hey! - maybe the Hooded Hi-Viz canary can use ‘em – they’re all ‘mates’ after all.

Speaking of which – that little birdy has not had much to say of late. Which is ‘passing strange’. Wasn’t it him who threatened to rain hell’s own fire down on any investigator who broke the MH 370 rules of Omertà? Herkos Odonton?  (In Homer there is also a formulaic that hints at heroic laconism etc). 



Yet there is every chance (5/2) that (a) The CASA (DIP) knee-jerk and sneaky rule changes have been prompted through a peek at the ATSB Mt Gambier accident report; and, (b) that one of the more hysterical submissions to the accident and AF inquiry was, in all probability (even money), from the lead investigator. Speculation? Of course it is. Should, under FOI request this be proven correct – it seems to me that the Hooded Hi-Viz canary should be off to the cannery; MoU or not. Duplicity is one thing, double entende quite another. Aye; we shall see, what we shall see, in time.

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...I fully support - minimum pilot experience and currency - minimum licensing requirements - minimum Class1 medical - all night flight to be using instrument procedures - aircraft maintenance to charter standards. The general public has not enough knowledge to make the call....

References: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...16#pid9916 & https://www.facebook.com/7NewsAdelaide/v...416447574/

Also, starring at Estimates was the AMSA boss, who copped a shellacking from O’Sofullofit. I found it ‘interesting’ that it seemed to be ‘Sterle’s ball’ at the kick off, but O’Sofullofit seemed to kibitz, then steal the ball and run with it. I think it would be a brave man who tried to steal the thunder from one G. Sterle Esq. Perhaps O’Sogone was allowed the courtesy of one last trot around the paddock before the knackers truck turned up. Whatever; it just seemed ‘passing strange’. 

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Pretty dull week all around – we must await the CASA Hansard and video. It will be interesting to watch. A few of us think that Sen. Patrick should not be underestimated or undervalued. His session was pretty much (I’m told) a solo effort which allowed the Carmody ego and arrogance a whole load of rope. We can only hope and wait now. 

Anyway - Cypress Pine is a devilish tricky wood to work with; but it smells wonderful when worked. Lucky to get a few wide boards gifted – they will make a terrific ‘blanket box’ - if I can manage to avoid the pitfalls associated with the joinery; it is a challenge. But first, I must prepare for the post walk events; dry towels, industrial hairdryer and a heavy duty brush. I dare not, not for the very life of me, risk a muddy, wet dog (or two) in DT’s territory; yet I cannot deny them the sheer fun of chasing raindrops, muddy puddles and the thrill of running flat out through wind and rain. Sod ‘climate’ – give me ‘weather’ (Steinbeck adulterated).

…..This however always makes me smile.

“...I will praise the English climate till I die—even if I die of the English climate. There is no weather so good as English weather. Nay, in a real sense there is no weather at all anywhere but in England. In France you have much sun and some rain; in Italy you have hot winds and cold winds; in Scotland and Ireland you have rain, either thick or thin; in America you have hells of heat and cold, and in the Tropics you have sunstrokes varied by thunderbolts. But all these you have on a broad and brutal scale, and you settle down into contentment or despair.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton.

- Selah.

[Kharon]

“Or, rather, let us be more simple and less vain.” ― Rousseau Jean-Jacques


Via YouTube: https://youtu.be/3mco3HaFnOY

St. Carmody - “I would make the point, however, that as a director of aviation safety my responsibility is to keep Australians safe. They're the decisions I make, which the government has empowered me to do and wants me to do, based on the evidence that I have.”

Whoever said “Stupidity combined with arrogance and a huge ego will get you a long way.” Had the right of it. I could, at a pinch, tolerate the overweening arrogance if, (big IF) the results were on the board, clear and unequivocal. But they ain’t, are they. One of the lines above rocks me.

“[They're the decisions I make, which the government has empowered me to do and wants me to do]”

Seriously? Did you ever read such an incredible pile of pony-pooh. Take ten seconds and nut it out – I’ll give you a clue or two - to help speed the process.

How many Federal ‘members’ have the first blind clue about ‘matters aeronautical’? They believe they are ‘safe’ when they travel – that is about the sum total of knowledge.

How many Federal ‘members’ have the first blind clue about the law supporting their alleged safety related to ‘matters aeronautical’?

How many Federal ‘members’ give more than thirty seconds thought to ‘aviation’ as an industry in a sitting term?

“The government is merely a servant―merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.― Mark Twain”

In short ‘the government’ has no ducking idea and could care less; which leaves only the incumbent minister to ‘empower’ St. Carmody to do pretty much what ever he cares to do, unabated, unchecked and uncontrolled. The current minister has an ‘aviation advisor’. The same ‘advisor’ dear old Darren 6D’s had while he had the job. Darren 6D fired that advisor, who immediately returned to his ‘gig’ working for St. Carmody until the current mutt stepped in to fill the portfolio. Do you reckon the current minister bloke has even the smallest inkling of what St, Carmody is up to? The Carmody sentence on the Hansard record is quite possibly one of the most breath-taking faery stories ever told, under oath to a Senate committee. Legally – totally correct – but in reality? Seriously – it’s a very long bow to be drawing.

No matter – it is what it is and if the Senators swallow the bait – then the hook is set and we cannot help them. Or, can we? St. Carmody is very, very vulnerable on brass tacks operational ‘Safety’ – believe it or not. His version of ‘safety’ is one of safety against litigation – rather than one of improved operational ‘safety’. This approach begs several interesting questions in relation to his empowered ‘safety’ actions and remedies which are far more important than the Angel Flight bun-fight. Compare the AF outcome against the following.

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“History, in general, only informs us what bad government is.” ― Thomas Jefferson, Letters of Thomas Jefferson.

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For instance:-

Fatalities of aircrew during check and training exercises; the Braz in the NT and the Conquest in SA for example – all had ‘CASA’ safety involvement; five dead right there. No big rule changes or questions about the  ‘how come’ or ‘why-for’/. CASA have made it all legally rock solid and governmentaly safe. that’s why not.

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References: Hooded Canary's search 4 IP in 2019? https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...35#pid9835 & https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...62#pid6462 & https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...28#pid9828

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Aircraft flying with major structural defects. Despite the massive, prescriptive, pervasive, purblind ‘maintenance’ rules the damaged aircraft managed many sectors – in real danger of structural failure and yet – no rule change or even a question as to how this occurred (given the pre flight inspection rules) nor, how to prevent a second event from CASA. Amazing - CASA have made it all legally rock solid and governmentaly safe. that’s why.

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Ref: https://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking...questions/


Reference: https://auntypru.com/q-can-you-spot-the-...y-unlucky/ &/or https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...50#pid4650

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Couple of heavy jets landing in fog on the smell of the fumes in the tanks – big changes to ‘despatch’ or flight following? No. Well what about the rules for ‘systems’ ATC and the BoM for example. No worries. CASA made it all legally rock solid and governmentaly safe. that’s why.

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...80#pid4380

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Then we must acknowledge the latest ‘biggy’ that of great interest to USA lawyers. A ducking great big building impinging on a mandated along side runway safe area one way; and, no over run or clearly defined stop zone on another, leading an aircraft in trouble right into a densely populated area. WTD - No action – well, CASA did make it all 'safe' and legally rock solid for the government's and the investor's  sake. Disgraceful? Negligent? Corrupt? Nah; all good and no rules need the same 'thoughtful' caring treatment AF are getting. Remarkable..............

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...31#pid9331

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Do you notice the great CASA effort, with St. Carmody leading the charge toward ‘safety in those cases’? No Sir, you do not.  Seems he’s not too bad at bear leading a minister or beating up an inoffensive outfit like Angel Flight – based on a hysterical ATSB ‘specialist’ report and the words of Little Wings’; and, by doing so has made a monumental step forward in the safety of the traveling public. BOLLOCKS -

“I've made those decisions and it's up to the parliament. If the parliament wishes to disallow, I understand that process completely.”

Yes; indeed, those decisions have been made by St. Carmody. Stellar – glad to see he has the game by the throat; and, earning his outrageous part time salary, taking good care of ‘aviation safety’ - CASA style.

There is a notion floating about the place that perhaps ‘we’ as in the industry should begin to draft up the questions the bumbling, stumbling Senators ask. Maybe provide responses to the boiler plate answers CASA keep confounding them with. It is pitiful to watch the Estimates committee being humiliated at every outing. The ‘legal heavies’ know better than to ask a question to which they have no answer; the art form is to…… – well never mind that for now.  

This pantomime has to stop; we had the Pel-Air inquiry and Senate recommendations; then we had the ASRR and the Forsyth recommendations; many, many Estimates sessions and what has changed? Those expensive recommendations were use as dunny paper by CASA.   It is a bloody merry-go-round. For solid common sense, good legal advice and a reasoned explanation of the serious problems – both in legal and operational ‘safety’ I recommend you read the Alliance Airlines discourse aided and abetted by Ben Martin – HERE. Then ask yourself just one question. Will St. Carmody and Jonathon (where’s my marbles) Aleck try to adopt their suggestions; or, be looking for ways to weasel out. Short odds in my book, very short indeed. Those odds would change if someone with half a brain appointed David Fawcett as junior minister – get my vote and most of the thousands who depend on aviation to put bread on the family table.

Phew! Better out than in – they say. P7 is away from home – just when I need him – blasted Cypress pine – talk about one step forward and two back – the stuff seems to have a fiendish will of it’s own, seems you get one shot at ‘perfection’ and that’s it – corrections turn into nightmare (I exaggerate a little) but it’s a head scratcher. The dogs are hilarious; I was obliged to trim off some Tenon’s I’d made (my fault) disgusted I flung the last one away out the door with curses following it. About a minute later, a paw patted my thigh – there’s female of the species, the offending tenon gently held between powerful jaws (not a mark on it) and a look of absolute hilarity, and an appeal in the laughing amber eyes. I took it carefully and expressed my gratitude; then had a closer look. It was, can you believe it, the one (out of six) which I had marked out incorrectly and used as a template. Say what you like – dogs are the very best folk on this planet; even if they do look smug and giggle.



Selah – and the Gods speed the Texas trio.


P2 - In the previous episode of Carmody Capers - :

[Kharon]

Vainglorious Ventriloquism and Vaudeville acts.

“Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is an act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) changes his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop, known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is ventriloquizing, and the ability to do so is commonly called in English the ability to "throw" one's voice.”

“Ventriloquism relies on the fact that the ability of the human ear to locate the source of a sound without visual and other cues is very poor.”

In short, it is a deception. Through what the exponents call ‘stage-craft’ your senses are – with your willing participation, mislead. Enter the Dragon – here is a happy snap of St. Comodey and his ‘dummy’ – stage-craft at it’s finest.

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“When one with honeyed words but evil mind
Persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.” ― Euripides, Orestes

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The ‘Prestige’ is all together too easily discerned in the picture; shoulder to shoulder, firm handshake and big toothy grins all around. Which would be fine and dandy – if it were a vaudeville stage act, you’d paid to see. The deception is. in reality, quite sinister. Note Comodey’s left arm is wrapped tight behind his dummy’s back. This of course is to conceal the fact that St. Comodey’s left hand is on the hi-tech control buttons. (1) Smile; (2) Nod and smile (3) Say Yes (and smile) (4) look serious (and smile) etc. It is either that; or, more worryingly, is that Doc He-who-used to do-Voodoo – (before the marble loss) has used Kool Aide, smoke and mirrors to work his magic on the dummy; giving it an almost human demeanour. Of course the public don’t expect the dummy to ever say anything that signifies. – So; without too much effort, the patent Snake oil may be sold to the ‘believers’. Such is the nature of human kind. It is only when the show is over that the average punter realises; too late, that they have just witnessed a first class con job; a sting, a most remarkable piece of psychological manipulation. We are all safe airborne – when St. Comodey is on the job.

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“And thus I clothe my naked villainy

With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ;

And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.”  - Richard III by William Shakespeare

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For a clever little bit of legal legerdemain – take a short read of this offering – HERE - now law. A typical CASA piece of perfidious doing, gifting them even more control without improving ‘safety’ one iota. It is, alongside the Angel Flight, Bruce Rhodes, Caper and other small cases of serious embuggerance, typical of the St. Comodey led new look CASA approach to being absolved of all or any responsibility – for aviation; with (ahem) full ministerial support. But wait – there’s more; much more.

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Q/ Carmody quote: "...The check on Mr James continued as we decided to deem it a private flight..."  - Besides the fact that there is many unexplained contradictions in the timeline, it would seem in the above quote that CC has tried to make it seem he was doing DJ favour by allowing the check to continue in a 'private' capacity - WTD??
 
P2 has provided the perfect example of CASA swinging a long line. Seriously, the spin and pony-pooh contained within the highlighted line defines CASA first XI methodology and spin bowling techniques. How for Pete’s sake can the flight be anything else – in law – but a ‘private’ flight – conducted as ‘Air-work’; one may also question, quite safely why there was a need for two CASA people to be on board. Seems to me there’s a ‘stretch’ of rules right there and a safety case.

Reference from here: http://www.auntypru.com/forum/showthread...95#pid8395



“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

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It is statistically unlikely the you will be involved in a serious air accident returning from a dream weekend on a secluded beach somewhere warm – highly unlikely. It is equally unlikely that you will be shopping ‘airside’ in a DFO complex which gets in the way of an aircraft in trouble. Unlikely – yes; has it happened? – Oh yes; regularly and recently. So there you sit – in the rubber tube jungle; waiting for the ‘crunch’ believing that no matter what, ‘you’ will be rescued from the inferno of smoke and fire by our superb Rescue and Fire fighting services (RFFS). DO NOT BET ON IT. You see, aided and abetted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) it is now acceptable for no services to be ‘on-site’. Which, stand alone is a scary thought; but when that latitude is placed into the hands of a creature like the Air Services Australia boss – things become ‘murky’ and KPR driven. ICAO call for services to be available for the ‘biggest’ aircraft operating to be covered (within sensible parameters); Australia does not. The IFALPA have caught on to this anomaly – which lays the flight crew open to prosecution for knowingly operating into an aerodrome with ‘limited’ RFFS capability. So, you can be part of a thrilling crash, and enjoy the fire and smoke in the full knowledge that should the crew survive the crash – they are culpable. There now, ain’t that a comfort? Unless you happen to have your accident in Australia - . Thing’s are a little different here. The best you can expect is a Halfwit thrown under a bus, an easy target to mollify the media; comforting, arse covering ministerial speech following. –No one outfit wants to address the ‘real’ safety issues (or the SSP)  for fear of loosing ‘power’. They just want spend time and public money writing endless ‘legal’ documents which exonerate them from any ‘Duty of Care’. Remarkable what can be done using a dummy and a little stage-craft.

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“His lies were so exquisite I almost wept.”― Dave Eggers, What Is the What

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Of course, we have the fearless doyen of aviation safety watching over all of this – the Air Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). They are all over the risk matrix; making recommendations and fearlessly leading the way toward controlling the excesses of the other ‘safety’ agencies. A phone call; or, even a stiffly worded e-mail will quell the more outré or recherché grand schemes -. Oh. How I wish it was so. Those seriously interested in developing ‘safety’ write things like this:-

"The NTSB also noted that the 1,000-foot runway safety area – added to Ypsilanti airport during upgrades between 2006 and 2009 – likely contributed to the lack of serious injuries.  In 1999, in response to an NTSB recommendation, the Federal Aviation Administration began a national program to add runway safety areas to many commercial airports."

“The addition of runway safety areas at many airports are a real success story in commercial aviation, as demonstrated in Ypsilanti” said Sumwalt.  “RSAs across the nation have mitigated accidents, prevented injuries and saved lives.”

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In Australia we give permission to build large buildings inside runway boundaries; then we reduce the RFFS to zero; then we compound that by making it ‘illegal’ for the local fire station to operate ‘airside’ because they don’t have their ID cards prominently on display (they don’t have ‘em to display by the by) and; then we don’t train to climb above two meters (6’ 3” old money) and won’t let ‘em use rescue saws on account of the saws are dangerous. 

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 "...In the absence of the Retail Outlet Centre buildings, the aircraft’s trajectory would likely have resulted in the aircraft colliding with the Tullamarine freeway, east of the Bulla Road overpass. Dashboard camera footage provided to the ATSB indicated that there was a significant amount of traffic on the Tullamarine Freeway at the time, with potential for casualties on the ground..." - Ref: https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/inv...-2017-024/

“It is only prudent never to place complete confidence in that by which we have even once been deceived.”― René Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy

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But, nonetheless we are well served. St. Comodey is on the job; taking care of the general mug punter public in all matters aeronautical. He said it himself – “I am the Man”. Bollocks. We are so lucky; that an entertaining vaudeville act, using ventriloquism and selling snake oil on the side is taking such good care of our travelling public. It is a crying shame that the pseudo ‘experts’ are all too busy trying to avoid prosecution while running ‘safe’ air services around the globe to worry about the ‘essential’ operational safety matters, which ATSB, ASA and CASA manage with such wondrous aplomb. If you doubt my word – then check out how much safer Angel Flight is now; or how dangerous Caper were until St. Comodey stepped in. You may be further reassured by the ASA comprehensive RFF arrangements for all travellers and; that the ATSB is completely on the ball, Hood had survived Mardi Gras and is completely capable of patching up all the holes in the very, very (anorexic) thin slices of our safety cheese.

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“The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others.”― Francois de La Rochefoucauld, Maxims

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By the way – I’m married to a six foot blonde goddess - ex Miss World; her multi millionaire father runs the best brewery in the world, thinks I’m wonderful; and, to top it off, she is a deaf, dumb nymphomaniac. Believe it if you like.

Aye well; a man can dream, or could anyway. No matter, I am properly humbled; P7 finally got home (safe) and popped in as soon as jet lag allowed – I showed him the Cypress chest and the little ‘niggles’ I had with some parts of the joinery. No words; he picked a one inch chisel (thankfully properly honed). Tinkered for a few minutes and ‘presto’ all fixed. “What have I said about patience boy” say’s he – “Now, be a good lad and fetch an old man an ale”. One day, I will learn. Funny thing though – the dogs hung about outside until he was settled in his favourite chair and the top inch was off the Ale – then they gave him a proper welcome. I just sat quietly and enjoyed the whole thing. The smells of Ale, Cypress Pine, cigar and wet dog all melded with the stables very own signature. Wonderful – alas, my glass is empty but there’s more on tap and the Gazette is done. Time for a chat, all the time I need. Colour me happy.

Selah.

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“In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the People."― Eugene Victor Debs, Voices of a People's History of the United States

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[Kharon]

Right then; back to my knitting.



Matters aeronautical have become repetitive and honestly, boring. How many times can the same clearly apparent facts be ignored, obfuscated, denied and endlessly, without firm resolution toward 'change' becoming a driven requirement?  Let alone hold the attention. It is as plain and obvious as a boil on your arse that unless a change is made, there is no end in sight to the circular, self perpetuating game of Estimates the ASA, ATSB, CASA and the masters of not our business the DoIT play. It is farcical,.  Before everyone goes nuts; we have to work at putting a full stop in the long, unpunctuated Canberra sentence.

A BRB induced ramble. It is ‘unusual’ for me not to pay attention and get involved in any ‘debate’ the BRB indaba produces. These debates often kick off from a wide ranging topic, yet seem to ‘stall’ on a particular element – it can be anything which starts the discussion; but it always ends up with much to and fro – related to the Act, or the Regulation or even the legislation which allows regulation to occur. So a ‘broad’ discussion became ‘narrow’ centred on the minutiae of the ‘words’ and how they would be ‘heard’ in a court – should you be given (strict liability’ allowing) the chance to defend your action – or; lack thereof. Being a simple soul; I drifted, paying no attention to the no doubt well reasoned argument. I was however thinking – hence this ramble. With your kind indulgence, I shall continue. Bear with me, there is a point.  



Knitting – my Grand Mamma came from the ‘Isles’ where men were men and, used to knit stuff in the evening. She tried, bless her, to teach us the skill – alas. Unlike Dumbledore; knitting patterns failed to fascinate. Yet, they should have; the complex melding of yarn into a ‘thing’ which was not only warm but both functional and beautiful is a lesson in the way the world wags. Weaving is another, ancient art form; same principal only much more complex. Think about the skill of the Chinese weavers, millennia ago: the complicated craft of turning the silk worms leavings into wondrous fabric – awesome. What for the sake of a good Duck dinner has this to do with aviation, howls the mob. Well, I did beg your indulgence, so be patient while I ‘knit the threads and consider the weft, warp and woof of the current situation.

This is where I left the BRB to it’s own devices and thought about our Senate Committees trying to untangle the material we are obliged to work with – i.e. the Regulations. The trouble both knitters and weavers have is loose threads. When a pattern is complex, it is, I am advised, most unwise to tug on that 'loose end'; lest the whole thing unravels and becomes useless to function. The Act is the keystone; or, the loose end – if you like. It has taken generations and half a billion taxpayers dollars to become redundant; it is a tightly woven, intricate pattern which will not suffer it’s loose ends tugged at. Grand Papa had a jumper (sweater) which was his fishing favourite; Grand Mama hated the thing – one wet day we were summoned; “this here” she said, indicating a small cut she had made, producing a loose end, “pull this and wind the wool back up into a ball”.  Great fun, the thing disappeared before our eyes. It was, I was informed, an Aaron pattern, very complicated – but within half an hour I had two huge balls of wool yarn, much to her satisfaction. “Now I can remake the thing” she said with obvious satisfaction. Therein lies the solution to our current troubles.



We cannot, not without first unravelling, remake the way aviation is oversighted. The Act was made in a different time, with different dangers, risks and attitudes. It was also made in ignorance of the modern world and the progress made. Yet much of the original 10 Commandments of aviation safety have been obliterated, no longer applicable, not a threat.

So; and I ask why in all honesty, cannot we spend time and money, just one time to bring the Air Navigation Act up to date with aviation as it is today? Mostly, the ‘Bogey-Men of old have departed the fix. Look at Navigation for an example – in my lifetime it has changed so radically, I can barely understand how it all works – but it does, and very well indeed. I mourn the loss of an ADF approach, well judged; the loss of DME homing  as an art form; do I miss ‘em? No way GPS for me any day – ever try INS; thank the Gods it’s gone. The world has moved on; brilliant minds have removed the arcane threats. It is time our law makers caught up with modern aviation, re thought the ‘Act’ and modified our regulations to suit the modern era. Not that a new Act will matter a damn in ten years time. BUT – in the here and the now; it is well past the time when Grand Papa’s old sweater got a new lease of life. To do that, we must first be prepared to make the first snip and unravel the old. He hated the new jumper by the way – just on principal. But it was made for the best of reasons, with care and anticipation of the future. I don’t believe he ever had it far from him for the rest of his days. I can; if I close my eyes, still smell the ocean and tobacco and ‘him’ in the jumper, which was made, blended with skill, caring and an anticipation of future value to him. Thank you Grand Mama for a life lesson.


Ref: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...2#pid10042

That’s it – there’s enough on the forum to sate the appetite of those interested in aviation’s future. It looks grim. A useless minister, incontinent Senate, moribund government and no one with the brain of a sheep flying the ship. a 'R' regulator who should be an Administrator; Air Services on a KPR binge trying to find the money to pay for the One Pie project; and ATSB which, IMO knows not, whether it is punched, bored or countersunk. The whole lot relying on the manipulation of an outdated ethos. Full of self serving justification of function and wallowing in the mess they created. It just has to end. It is borderline lunacy to continue this way........



No matter. One of my dearest, oldest friends has pup. Lovely animal, genetically modified to perform design function; today with little training, he proved his worth and understanding of task. My dogs are pea green, (showed ‘em the video) they wanted to have a go too.

Aye, Twain had the right of it.



Ramble over. There’s a 150 y.o Moroccan Armoire which needs some ‘repair’ work in the stable – fell off the back of a truck – literally. A challenge. “Away to me dogs, there’s proper man’s work to be done”. I need all day tomorrow; so the Gazette is early; illegal, technically. Call 1300 I-CARE - for a fee of course.

Selah

[Kharon]

References:  ICAO Annex 14: Timeline of non-compliance. & [b]ASA ARFFS inquiry - Episode II: Sub_16[/b]

Better by candle light. 


Firefighters at the scene of the plane crash at the Essendon DFO.  Photo: Jason South

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It is a ‘thing’ DT taught me. Took me a while to catch on, but it was a clever thing. She would leave ‘stuff’ which needed to be put back where it belonged in my way – so I’d almost fall over it. Cussin’ I’d move the offending, it being easier to put ‘em back where they belonged rather than move ‘em aside. I did this with a pile of lumber which has been awaiting my attention for a good while now. The job had to be done; but, there was always something else – my excuse. So yesterday a piece of it fell over – again – so, motivation occurred. It is now a ‘sharpening bench’; grinder on one end – engineers vice on ‘tuther, shelf underneath for the stuff required. My bench planes and edged tools are not what may be described as modern. Indeed the youngest bench plane I own is a 1934 model. Why? Well back in the day when wages were low and hours were long, these tools were expensive. They were made to serve the needs of working craftsmen – for a lifetime. Manufactures took pride in their product and they had to; the men who used their tools on a daily basis were skilled and demanded equal from their once in a lifetime purchase. That ‘quality’ still resides within the tools. But, I digress. The bench is meant and designed to support these tools; this is a messy, dirty part of keeping edges polished and ‘lethal’ also to assist in the repair and renovation of seriously ‘old’ tools which need a little more care. A 200 y.o wooden plane is wonderful to use – but a demanding mistress. Hence the bench. There is a point – patience: we have much to consider this day.

Anyway – I built it – eight hours; start to finish with rough, heavy timber; all planed square, flat and smooth – not perfect ‘four square’ but close enough for government work. Near enough for a side bench as I justified my ‘rough’ work. It worked – performed design function and that was all I wanted – looked terrible to me. I could see every slight misfit, uneven match and knots skimmed over rather than fettled right. I pulled an Ale, and turned on the lights over the fireplace end; do you know, in the soft light, the thing looked great. Didn’t fool P7.

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/it-is-better-to-lig...-darkness/

“Better light a candle than curse the darkness.”― Confucius possibly.

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This, believe it or not is the problem we face in Australian aviation; rough work dressed up to look like real craftsmanship - in a soft light. ICAO for example, dining with top dog CASA will see the ‘product’ by candle light. Now, P7 is a ‘master’ craftsman – he turned on the lights and pointed out every error I’d allowed without correction; then found six more and explained why, in time, those ‘quick fixes’ would cause trouble and more work. Same – same Australia – quick, glib almost right shortcuts which, by candle light, look good but soon or late will come back to dog the fraud. 

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― Signior Dildo by Lord John Wilmot

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The massive, error compounded, deeply compromised abomination is clearly visible in the Essendon DFO event. The event shines a very bright light on the manifold failures of the ASA, ATSB and CASA to ensure that every precaution that could have been taken; was taken. If for no other reason than to protect their six. Too arrogant to ensure all the I’s were dotted and too comfortable in their protected atmosphere to cross all the ‘t’s’. For instance – a fuel fed fire in a busy shopping complex after an aircraft slammed into the building at >200 K. Not in their narrow, cost cutting dreams would they have thought of that - beyond their ken. Nah, can’t happen - Yet there it is and what a mess.



For a start, there are the medical questions related to the pilots health. All legal and nice – but; if you question the pilots performance at Hotham; you’ll need to arrive at a better solution than ‘re-training’. We must await the Coroner to clarify that; but unusual events demand deeper investigation than a simple ‘re-train’. CASA stopped thinking once the operation was ‘legal’ – ATSB did a minimum desk top job to cover their arse. Even after the DFO event no one got too concerned. Rough, shoddy work to fool the punters, minimum effort for maximum credibility.

Then we must consider the ‘evacuation’ protocols; were they adequate or just some OH& S tick a box thing? The building impinges on an active runway. With that in mind, we may reasonably ask was the RFFS adequate to meet the challenges of the event, within the time frame considered minimum for survival? Was there a plan in place to safely extricate the maximum number of people from the complex, within a safe time frame? How was this to be done? Where’s the battle plan and more importantly – where are the trained RFFS folk to manage a fuel fed fire, within a large, complex structure, full of shoppers and their kids? There ain’t one – that is the short, and only answer required. Once again we find ASA, ATSB and CASA to be not only be derelict in a duty of care; but in clear conflict with world best practice. A short time spent reading ‘Mount Non Compliance’ and the latest from the ‘Senate Estimates’ committee’s investigations should remove any doubt. The Mayor of Adelaide has non, the ARFF have even less.

Australia has been taking the Mickey Bliss out of ICAO for decades now; it all may look good by candle light, over a glass of plonk – but it ain’t. Not by a long shot. Perhaps ICAO could get off of its arse and turn the bloody lights on; so the world may see the cavalier approach to world best practice and the deliberate, total mockery made of safety ‘compliance’. Although I seriously doubt the ICAO opinion would change much; the status quo would nod and bow – even change their pants before ICAO kicked their plush backsides (so ICAO would not dirty their boots) then continue on, as they always have; giggling as they scamper off, back to Sleepy Hollow where nothing changes - unless it suits.

Urgent, forceful direct government intervention is required – now would be good. Essendon is an example of the ticking legal and operational time bomb, designed and made by ‘safety agencies’. The Estimates committee are desperately trying to find a way through the decades old, well established defences. They are turned and spurned at every outing. They simply don’t know the answers to the questions they ask – on the right track but; alas. The ARRF have provided the key and the matches to start the reform blaze. The Adelaide appeal will fan the flames. This is no longer just the rumblings of a few malcontents; it threatens to expose the bare faced lying effrontery perpetuated in the myth of Australian aviation safety. But don’t believe me – wait till the legal eagles from the USA arrive – they will not be bringing a wet noodle to a gun fight. Someone needs to get off of his beam ends – fast type - ICAO Class 2 looms.

The errors I allowed in my bench were ‘workman – like’ and forgivable due to the nature and intended purpose of the piece. In a piece intended to be placed on display, under bright lights, reviewed by my peers – I’d be pilloried. That, members of the government is where you stand – for nothing; absolutely nothing happens without a ministerial nod. Guess who is in the gun? I’ll help - it’s not ASA, it’s not ATSB and it’s definitely not CASA; so who, I wonder, could it be?

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Ref: https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.ph...1#pid10091
16 Mr Andrew Hanson (PDF 55 KB) 
1) Implementing Treaties in Domestic Law: Translation, Enforcement and Administrative Law
2) HMA V Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

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P2 will (I hope)– as usual – provide the links to this weeks offerings. The submissions from experts are well worth the time taken to read. Any one of them should ring the big bell in your alarum system. The tragedy at Essendon may yet become a keystone for real reform, real change and real ‘safety’ for those who fly, in our time. We can only hope. This is ‘serious’ stuff and becoming more so as the big lights are turned on.

TOM and I placed our glasses on the side bench and duly christened it. “It’ll only last 50 years” says he. “I’ll drink to that” says I  “may we be both be here to see it’s demise”.

Selah.

[thorn bird]

K, hear bloody here!!

The Kiwis suffered the same problem with regulatory reform. Trying to
break through the combined arrogance and ego's of their regulators top men.

Took a royal commission to finally break down the curtain and expose the failures.

Inshalla, Essendon will be the catalyst for an inquiry and redeem something good from the tragedy.

[Kharon]

Ref: https://amroba.org.au/wp-content/uploads...-Cares.pdf

Whither, ah, whither? Are not these - etc.



“There are some upon this earth of yours who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name; who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.”― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

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Here is where we stand; and we must accept some of the blame; even if ‘their doings’ have not been at our request. When a person or an organisation is granted unlimited power, without check, challenge, balance or responsibility to any man; deemed to be above the law in pursuit of some vague notion – such as ‘safety’ there is no one to blame but ourselves for allowing a continuance. We have allowed (with the best of intentions) politicians to purchase freedom from responsibility. We have allowed a government agency to take full advantage of the political weakness and capitalise on the same. We have sat back and allowed some of the most Draconian legislation to be brought into law, without a peep of complaint. Then, to compound our error, we have gone along to get along. Well, the results of our meek compliance are clearly visible now. May we be forgiven?

Yes; I believe we may. For a start, who would expect that any government would disown any and all responsibility for aviation, completely and quite comprehensively. They happily and quietly passed the responsibility, along with greater powers than any minister has ever had, over to a crew who could not believe their luck and immediately set about capitalising on the gift of unbridled power, unlimited funds and the ability to write their own rules, to suit ‘em best. An added fillip being that no rule drafted has ever been seriously debated in parliament, let alone challenged. But, industry did stand by and watch the monster grow – just like Topsy. Now, too big, too rich, too legally protected to be challenged. Out of all control many would say. Except for those who reap a benefit – by playing the game – no matter what the game – as required. Lip service and correct documentation traded for a kindly eye.


Ref: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/...1/Aviation

“Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

Take the totally ridiculous Part 61 as an easily explained ‘for instance’. (Roger ‘the bald idiot’s wet dream’). Had the entire flight training industry stood up and said ‘ stick this load of bollocks where the sun don’t shine’ and, kicked up a hell of a fuss with the ‘parliament’ explaining why it was a crock- maybe things would be different. But what happened – they all groaned then set about ‘compliance’ being careful not to rock the boat the local FOI’s sat in. Same-same flight schools. No one wanted to be a ‘target’ so they meekly sat up till midnight, writing manuals they knew where the biggest load of Horse Pooh ever drafted. Then they signed the cheque - and their own death warrants at the same time. Now; when the world and it’s wife wants to train in Australia – guess what – the flight schools have all closed down or sold out. This is no ones fault but our own; we have allowed it. The horses have well and truly bolted.  Lack of courage, lack of foresight, lack of imagination and lack of backbone from those most affected completed the hat-trick. Fear of retribution is a factor; but, lack of self confidence is the big failing. Imagine that a CASA dilettante knows more about flight training, in the real world, than some of our expert veteran trainers do – it’s ludicrous; and yet all bow down and kow-tow to the local CASA FOI who can barely tie his boot laces. Ask the FOI three simple questions. (i) Have you owned and operated a flight school?. (ii) Have you been a CFI for a flight school if so, for how long and what size was it. (iii) Explain to me how these new rules provide an increase in ‘safety’? You could go for the big one – (iv) What, exactly is ‘safety’.

Who’s to blame for the current mess? Do not ask me – for I will tell you.

Ref: http://auntypru.com/a-cabaret-in-the-temple-of-doom/ [/url]& [url=https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=56&page=8]https://auntypru.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=56&page=8 & http://www.auntypru.com/forum/showthread...55#pid8555

..Dr Aleck also points out that making the breach of a safety requirement set out in the civil aviation regulations an offence of strict liability is entirely consistent with long-standing Commonwealth criminal justice policy. ‘This is and has been the norm for the vast majority of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, the Civil Aviation Regulations and the Air Navigation Regulations that preceded these,’ he says.

‘CASA’s regulations are made by the Governor General, not “by CASA”, Dr Aleck says, ‘and they are subject to disallowance by the Parliament. They are drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and, as with all Commonwealth regulations involving criminal offences, they must be acceptable to the criminal law branch of the Attorney-General’s Department before they are finalised.’

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Ref: http://regnet.anu.edu.au/news-events/eve...-tale?#tab

..He previously served as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Manager of CASA’s Legal Services Division.From September 1998 to August 2003, Dr Aleck served as the Representative of Australia on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montréal. Immediately prior to his appointment to the ICAO Council, he served as General Manager of CASA’s Aviation Safety Compliance Division, and before that as Regional Manager of the Authority’s West Region.Before and since arriving in Australia in 1988, Dr Aleck has combined a professional and academic career as a lawyer, a legal consultant and a university lecturer...

“Some men are born to good luck: all they do or try to do comes right—all that falls to them is so much gain—all their geese are swans—all their cards are trumps—toss them which way you will, they will always, like poor puss, alight upon their legs, and only move on so much the faster. The world may very likely not always think of them as they think of themselves, but what care they for the world? what can it know about the matter?”― The Brothers Grimm, The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

Of course, the problem lays at the government door. This industry is well and truly buggered and it is time the ‘minister’ de jour got real and sorted out the mess – if for no other reason than the indecent amounts of tax payer dollars burned every year producing the unmitigated crap we call the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations. They ain’t safe, nor do they promote safety – in fact quite the reverse. Time for a change; the Kiwi’s did it and they are thriving – So what’s the hold up? There is no excuse for any government which continues to doge the facts. The facts are there M’lud, have been for more than twenty years - perhaps we could respectfully persuade you to read ‘em.



“Never," said my aunt, "be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel. Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you.” ― Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

The ‘evidence’ of a failed organisation is mounting. How much longer any responsible, honest government can continue to turn a blind eye is debatable. One thing is certain – the next Pel-Air or Essendon fireball will, I promise, bring down a government for disregarding empirical evidence, freely provided.

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery.”  ― Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

Aye well; I doubt my twiddles or whimsy will change much; but at least I tried. My wee fart in the face of a typhoon; a poor substitute for honest, interested political inquiry.

No matter. DT is away from home – dogs stretched out where pleases ‘em best; the kitchen a shambles; my boots in the lounge room; and: best of all freedoms – I have the remote control for the TV – happy days. P7 will pitch up soon, I hope, with the Pizza and a case of Ale. Should be a good night once we decide on a movie. Paradise is not always found at the pearly gates. No Sir, indeed it is not.

Selah.

[Kharon]

Canonization? – Aye, use the big ones.

Seems St Commode has canonized himself – in the rump, well; he has if the information floating about proves to be anywhere near the truth.



I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun; so for those who enjoy a puzzle I shall put some clues down here and see if you arrive at the same conclusions we did. AOPA are due to publish an opinion piece later today which may  provide the correct answer.

AUD $ 700,000.
CASA board and Little Wings board connections.
CASA Monahan v CSF Pagani (Grudge match).
Commode/Monahan & Statistical finagling.

Never had much patience with Bully’s, Liars or Cheats. They present in many guises, not always the stereotype; but you can spot ‘em easily enough, particularly at Estimates. Mind you, it's all well disguised, particularly the prepared, briefed ploy. Last session provided a classic example of a set piece. It was clear that the committee was in a hurry; O’Sofullofit positively jovial at the prospect of sending CASA home when Patrick was not in attendance. But, Patrick made it – sans notes – just. No matter, Plan B was ready in the form of an opening address by St. Commode. 

What a piece of work this is; to waste as much time as possible, playing his own trumpet; but I honestly believe he was also trying to sell the notion that he, St, Commode and only he saved the aviation world from destruction by grounding the 737 Max fleet – as if. Then, he opened his mouth and changed feet – to make much of the something nothing hearing of the CSF matter. That little howdy do ain’t over yet; not by a long march. Then, to the real blunders - statistics and ‘classification’. When is an Angel Flight a CSF and when is it a private operation? Good questions, which matter in relation to the ‘stats’ extrapolated.

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"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.." ― Mark Twain

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We must all hope that Glenn Sterle assists Patrick and pursues this matter with the same vigor as we saw in the AMSA session. Not too much to add to the AMSA session – not our area; but it was an educational session. Choc Frog to Clinton McKenzie for preventing the AMSA balloon floating away. AMSA are world class and very effective within their remit, but they ain’t a police force. ‘Nuff said……

What else is there. Oh yes, Albo and the Act. When he and Barnaby got their heads together and realized that there was a real need, for real reform and a new deal for aviation, it was a breath of fresh air. Then, Barmy missed the bus and the real reform package was hijacked and delivered to the most useless – in a long Conga line of useless ministers and the ‘amended’ Act resulted. I know a retired Police Commissioner who has a beer or two with a retired SC and Judge; good fellahs both. The ex Copper read the new Act through, shook his head and said the police would kill for this type of unconstrained power, reckoned they’d have crime down to parking tickets in a fortnight (kidding). The SC just said that no one body should be granted the power CASA has, not without checks, balances and recourse through accountability. Dream on I though as I got a round in (that type of advice always costs).

I would like to believe Albo can at least make the Act constitutional, even if he’s not in the hot seat. In fact, I could care less who was minister, provided whoever it is gets mobile and brings in the reforms. There is enough evidence stacked up by the Senators now to decimate the system as it stands. The Senators know it, we know it, only CASA is lost in denial of the facts. Particularly, the inescapable fact that the system is imploding, incapable of freeing itself from the deadweight of many tons of unnecessary ‘regulation’ designed for lawyers to obtain safe conviction; not for the simple compliance of the aviation community.

Speaking of Senators, I reckon team Brockman and Patrick are worth watching; a good outfit which seems for the moment to be immune from the dark forces of the mystique of aviation ‘safety’ CASA style.

Ref: #SBG 24/02/19: Of Pyrotechnics and Hegemony. https://auntypru.com/of-pyrotechnics-...

I note my coffee mug is empty – this is not to be tolerated, not on a Sunday. Problem ! to refill my mug I need to enter DT’s domain, to wit, the kitchen; however it is a certain fact that DT’s vehicle is in need of a wash and polish. You can see how this ends – scamper out the back door with the dogs = no coffee: or, coffee and a session with the hose pipe. Memo to self – buy a coffee machine for the stable.  Arrrggghh – NO,  horror of horrors; here comes DT bearing a coffee mug and a bucket – cue fell music - as the dogs duck out. Heigh – Ho.

Selah.

[P7_TOM]

Of Dog and Pony shows.

Yep It must be me; booze and bad living have finally disconnected the few working neurons I had remaining. For example - I seem to be loosing my sense of proportion.  I’ve no idea of what it costs a day to run the CASA; not a clue about the cost of running an Estimates committee either. But, it’s a fairly safe bet that it is a large number of dollars.

Seems passing strange to me that CASA and the Senate Estimates Committee appear to have not much to discuss apart from some piddling storm in a tea cup related to Angel Flight; which in the great scheme of things hardly rates a mention. Yet there is legal fisticuffs; and questions at Estimates, gods alone know why. There is however  a very nasty sub plot to this story which, should it prove to be true, has the potential to end trough time for some folk; we shall see. But I digress (neurons again).

A shed load of money spent on the AF contretemps and nary a whisper about some of the really serious matters dogging ‘safety’. The Essendon crash for example; now there is a story which merits the huge dollar cost of a Senate committee and the CASA front row. The still active potential for hundreds to be slaughtered in a building which impinges on an active runway – how can that even be legal let alone safe? The appalling lack of evacuation plan, the lack of RFFS services on site; the questions about the why and the how of this aircraft crash; what action CASA have taken to ensure there is never a repeat event – anywhere; the list goes on and on. This was and remains a very serious event – standing alone – but the implications and knock on effects of this one incident demand serious attention. There are other ‘safety’ matters which clamour for attention – again, not for the incident of itself; but for the causal chain and the prevention of reoccurrence. Lots of very valid, live safety issues begging questions and answers – but we get AF and 737 Max, quickly discussed and shelved. Exit CASA – still smiling. WTD?

Perhaps my sens’a uma is departing the fix along with proportion; but I don’t think this is anywhere near funny. There are so many serious matters outstanding, the revised Act is a bad joke, the regulations crippling an industry etc. What the hell are these Senators thinking; AMSA gets a hardly merited flogging – CASA gets a pat on the head, an ice cream and sent home early. WTD?

Ayup, must be me – ain’t it?