[Peetwo]

Legerdemain– a handy skill.



Hitch – “But is this really the dawn of a new attitude within CASA, or is Shane Carmody just a very good illusionist? Like CEOs before him, Carmody has promised a sunset on the reform program and told the industry how important consultation is.”

---

I am not an irretrievable skeptic. I am not hopelessly prejudiced. I am perfectly willing to believe, and my mind is wide open; but I have, as yet, to be convinced. I am perfectly willing, but the evidence must be sane and conclusive.
Harry Houdini

---

There are other, more profound philosophers than HH; but he was a man who lived with his eyes ‘wide open’ in an exciting era of the modern world, so much was brand new. But I reckon he nailed the CASA reform debate down in the quote above. The ‘evidence’ against is massive, compelling and incontrovertible. The BRB have, indeed still are, discussing the probability of this ‘reform’ occurring. One of the more compelling arguments for the negative is the team of minister and CEO.


Assuming Carmody is ‘fair dinkum’ then there are some questions which must be addressed; for example:- Can Carmody work this magic without a strong, willing minister to back him up? Can Carmody garner enough ‘White hat’ support to carry the reform through? There have been some half hearted attempts to shift the creatures of Sleepy Hollow, none of which worked terribly well. One of the ‘big ticket’ items on the ‘negative’ side is Carmody’s flat refusal to look retrospectively at what has been done at grass roots level to engender the total lack of trust and respect for CASA at the coal face. I say – if he will not ‘see’ where the radical causes lay, then his vision of ‘reform’ is doomed. We have for many years limped along with a lousy rule set, we can probably manage a few more provided the area where the real conflicts lay is ‘sorted’. Get some respect at grass roots level, reform the regulator - without that, reformation of the regulations will change nothing.

---

---

I had to smile when I read Hitch’s tongue in cheek comment on Greg Russell; who is a master of sleight of hand; ‘legerdemain’. The coy use of ‘slight of hand’ puts a whole different twist on the sentence – I like it. Choc frog Hitch and a gift voucher for a literary petard. 

P2 – “Meanwhile the miniscule is sounding more & more like a State Transport Minister and flapping his gums about...err rail...”

Meanwhile Dick Smith is doing what he does better than almost anyone – getting the message out there. When you go back to his ‘fire side chat’ with the Senate committee, you can see just how much ‘good’ advice Dick has offered ‘ministers’ on aviation. Yet a clot, like Darren 6D, still clings to snake oil merchants sibilant offerings. Clearly, he would be happy being the minister for Victorian trains – if he could not be prime minister. Aye, Australia’s greatest aviation disaster continues, mindless, deaf and blind. Good job Dick – again; the effort appreciated.

---

---

“An overhaul of the curfew at Essendon, the nation’s biggest corporate jet base, could also reignite debate about the way curfews work at Sydney, Adelaide and Coolangatta airports.”

The notion to do away with ‘curfew’ at the nations major gateway aerodromes is a first class idea; one which should have been executed years ago. The need for regulatory reform could prove a serious hurdle to progress though – there are some fairly silly CASA rules about ‘wind’ on runways which could take the icing off the cake. Back in the day when command prerogative rested firmly in the cockpit, landing with ‘tricky’ wind vectors was routine. Now that command is ceded to some ‘crat who dictates the choice of landing direction. Want a regulation to begin the reform process with – start there..


I note the ‘drone wars’ bandwagon continues to attract commentary and an avalanche of ‘if’s and but’s. P2 has, faithfully, despite tedium provided the latest. Ain’t going to plough through that lot, life is too short – I like Barry O’Sullivan’s notion; get licenced, get trained or get fined.



Even when the registration and licencing is done there is a mountain of work to be done just to sort out the ‘airspace’ rules, which will be a mammoth task even when there are no rogues out there, playing at silly buggers.  Enough.



It was my intention to blast the ATSB for the latest, completely useless report. Indeed, I’ve just deleted a good half page of it. The report is – HERE – for your consideration – the best and IMO the only comment worth the ink is – HERE. Says it all.



Our resident graffiti artist is off playing golf this morning, so it’s words without pictures ‘till this evening. Lazy day planned, reckon I’m due one; the workshop was a tip, due to the minister for domestic tyranny wanting things done – now! now. Seriously in need of a clean up, it is now almost pristine: I shall not disturb the dust motes floating in the sunshine, not this day. Second coffee, new book, deck chair, shady spot by the waters edge – just the thing.


Selah.

Post editorial additions - re: Carmody the RRP & reforming CASA.

Courtesy Sandy:

---

&..

---

Attached photos of CASA PR lies. Momentos of the sincerity of the regulator. Shameful dishonesty by a bureaucracy that has shown us over and over it cannot be trusted.

Until we hear apologies and real and immediate changes, and I mean now, I for one will not be a wood duck.

If the Board of CASA would take charge, if they said independent senior instructors Grades 1 &  2 could go out and teach, as in USA, without the upfront  Air Operator Certificate $8000 application fee (need for same outrageous and total rubbish).
If they made a policy publicly and applied to Chester for the ASIC to be automatic for Commercial pilots (CFIs, CPs?) or increase the term one year for every renewal, we might cautiously have some hope. 

Sandy 

 

MTF...P2

Ps P2 comment - From Sandy's warranted scepticism, I would add the following OBS from the Drone Wars post -  Sterlo & Barry O back on the frontline - where Pinocchio Gobson, a long serving supporter of the CASA Iron Ring, says in that AFR article:

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the authority had "no concerns" about the rapid growth in drone usage, but education remained key to ensuring safety in the skies.


"Growth is positive – we are utilising this innovative technology in Australia for community benefit," Mr Gibson said. "Education is a positive way of ensuring the rules are understood."

 
Somehow I don't think that response from the official CASA talking head, is going to reassure Barry O, Sterlo or Senator Fawcett...