Begin at the beginning -
“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely,"and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
Aye; well enough for 'the King' - but, as I look around at the bookcases; I have to wonder, when did it all begin. The gradual slide into the current abyss. There can be no mistake about it; Australia is a good way down the road to aviation perdition and well on the way toward the gates into the underworld. It leaves me wondering how much longer we can limp along; pretending that SARPS and the SSP and
the lip service to ICAO 'compliance' will be allowed to continue without some very serious 'parliamentary' brakes being applied? I look at the shelf full of the current regulatory suite; there is a lot - a serious lot - of thick tomes. Then I look down a couple of shelves to a corner which holds the first (dusty) and only set of the Air Navigation Orders; a slim volume; about 18mm thick - the ANR's were almost completely in ICAO compliance, even 'friendly' - particularly for
engineering stuff; writ by folks who understood what they were about. Simple stuff, stuff with 'real teeth' - for both parties. There were other 'manuals' the regulations and etc. The CAO - Civil Aviation Orders - a bit more bulky a volume - but compliance made easy to achieve; and - more to the point, easier to enforce and bloody close to the ICAO tenets.
Popularly, the principle is sometimes paraphrased as "The simplest explanation is usually the best one. -(novacula Occami). Or. keep it simple stupid. (KISS)......
To this very day; any 'company' manual, which adheres to the ANR and CAO is not only based in 'the real law' but neatly complies with ICAO fundamentals and even with the 'new', ever changing regulations. In basic principals at very least; if (rarely) not in complete 'lock step' with the make work version(s). Perhaps its the 'scam' which bothers, or the arrogance. Can't decide which offends the most. When nations like Oman, Jordan and Nepal can manage to be within 3 or 4 small pages of 'compliance' differences; why is Australia posting a massive number? Perhaps, there are too many earning a living being 'separated', with excuses from the stated aim of 'global' aviation unity. Or, maybe, perhaps it is an arrogant posture; one taken to decry the ICAO principals and demonstrate that Australia; and Australia alone knows what it is doing. CASA have, for too many decades now been a 'law' unto themselves; a monolith, a sacred cow an untouchable. Terrifying politicians into increased money needed, on the back of a 'safety' (political) call. That, readers is a Bollocks - of the first water. Australia should have no more 'differences' than Jordan or Nepal; in reality it should be less. These are developing nations, without the expertise, fleet or finances to 'strut' their disregard for what is a legally agreed world wide, binding 'agreement' with the world's first aviation nations. Solve part of the national debt? Easy, take away the funding for such egocentric adventures into 'avoiding' the nations obligations to improved, signed up to systems and; as a side bar, the safety for those who travel by air. - Rant over....
"Harshaw had the arrogant humility of the man who has learned so much that he is aware of his own ignorance and he saw no point in 'measurements' when he did not know what he was measuring.”
However; I digress; my looking at the manuals in the library and wondering 'where' it had all gone to Hell in a hand-cart was triggered by the Honourable McKenzie and Co. What a fantastic Shadow M o T she makes; aided and possibly abetted by like minded politicians who have witnessed the decline, confusion and deception inherent in the current 'way things are' - within the DoIT, CASA, ATSB and ASA. Will McKenzie 'grasp the nettle'? Its all there to see; plain as day. But; she is but one Senator facing down a huge; entrenched, funded and 'self righteous' (with excuses) colossus of three quintessentially publicly funded 'safety' agencies which have become, through political sleight of hand, 'independent'. Above the reach of the industry, way beyond any 'ministerial' control and; more to the point, have sold this crock to hapless, spineless governments (and ministers) for decades. The politicians have taken the easy way out; turned loose the oversight of 'matters aeronautical' to independent (answer to no man) agencies - in the hope (vainglorious and ridiculous) that they may actually make a profit and - keep every one 'safe'. This great 'cop-out' has been fostered and promoted for decades now. Can McKenzie and Co. call time on this great rip off? We shall see. I should mention that should the good Senator and her 'comrades in exile' ever get serious and have the opportunity to put a stop to this well entrenched avoidance of responsibility; then the BRB will weigh in - reality and expertise is readily and freely available to them as seek it. The real facts should worry - Alas- who would 'you' talk to - King? Hah~!! Rather chew my foot off.
“Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.”
Item last - a personal opinion; apropos of nothing aviation related. On 'you-tube' or Netflix I can watch any form of violence, from 'Sci-Fi' to ancient history. Some of it truly bloody and disturbing. Guns, swords, knifes - mass murders, conquests, genocides etc. etc. These movies (imaginings based on reality) are freely available, world wide, free to air; and, while perhaps 'fanciful' are watched by all. Even 'The Hobbits' and Harry Potter have 'graphic' renditions of serious violence; murder and the rest. Yet when 'real' violence - the every day kind is presented; there are calls for that to be 'prohibited'. Perhaps, the stark reality of real, in your backyard violence should be allowed to be shown - even if just to remind folks of what the real thing looks like. Its bloody, dangerous and no where near the Hollywood version. Even the Christian bible relates some fairly horrendous tales. All freely available - so why pick on Musk and his X platform? Perhaps, maybe, if folk realised the consequences of the 'real thing' it would be apparent through what we as humans are truly capable of. Peace? When has there ever been such a thing - in the long march of human history? Never - not since the cave..Who'd have a Bobby's job? Not I. (but with great respect for the 'services' which try to save life and maintain the peace)....Thanks to all ...
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that".
Long ramble, I know:
"Why, yes," said he, "and the strange thing is, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, that if my friend here had not proposed coming round to you this morning I should have come on my own account. I understand that you think out little puzzles, and I've had one this morning which wants more thinking out than I am able to give it."
Amen to that: no matter - there is a small furry delegation camped about the workbench - no pressure of course; but, it is a lovely evening and perhaps a long night time ramble may (as it always does) clear away those thoughts which trouble and vex. The sight of the big dog hoovering up the night scents; little dog learning his trade (and manners) the ever present sense of the cat at high speed then dropping far behind; a spectre, a master hunter and as a stoic, instinctive representative of 'reality' in the real world as is possible to find. "Away then" all of you - they know to wait at the orchard gate - for it is there the 'adventure' begins. Far, far away from modern life - reality in a nutshell - the nature of things; as writ before 'writing' and such things as 'the internet' Aye, it really is a very small world with little change in human nature; not when you get right down to it, it ain't.
Selah........
