Parallels and Parables. - HERE-.
So, a faultless, text book landing on 16 at Sydney after a long haul from LA – 400 souls behind the cockpit door; engage the steering and exit the runway onto the taxiway – then the steering quits. Brakes on – call for a tug – ATC closes the taxiway and apart from a little inconvenience to other aircraft no big drama. Had the failure occurred during docking at the air bridge – different story all together. The aircraft at best, would be out of service for a good while – probably the air-bridge as well. The response from the company would be quick, certain and very thorough. The why and the how of it would be closely examined. The fault identified, investigated and any part of the system not up to spec would be replaced. If it was suspected that there was a fleet wide 'problem' then modifications would be made on a global scale.
But, an aircraft control event 'on the ground' whilst serious and potentially dangerous is only over a short period of operation; however, aircraft, much like ships spend most of their time operating in the environment they were designed for – air or water. Just imagine the headlines if a crew had 'steering' difficulties airborne, with 400 folk in the back....
That is the situation the masters of the Sydney Harbour ferries face; on a regular basis it seems. Skill, knowledge and luck have prevented, thus far a serious accident. The harbour, particularly on a fine week end is a very, very busy waterway. All manner of floating objects, from kayaks through to ocean liners, tankers and container carriers. The ferries clip along at 20 odd knots through this traffic between dockside loading platforms; potentially hundreds to off load and a load. Not to mention other ferries doing the same thing at Circular Quay. The 'fine' control needed to park an aircraft is just as essential in a ferry; the similarities finite.
The only difference, in safety terms is that if a recurrent (or one off even) system failure was discovered in an aircraft it would be sorted our before anything flew again. The history of the ferries steering problems has been dragging on for a good long while now, repeat events and patch up repairs a feature.
Here's a state gabberment which can agonise over which flag to hang off the bloody bridge and spend a cool 25 million to put another one up there; but can't find the time or interest to sort out a serious 'safety' issue and guarantee the thousands who travel daily on the ferries a safe passage. This is a recurrent failure of a critical system. A steering problem, one which could manifest at any tick of the clock and – potentially – harm those folk and/or the infrastructure and/or other vessels. Not good enough is it? Not really.
I say the same rigorous maintenance standards that apply to passenger carrying aircraft must be applied to the ships doing essentially the same work. If they imagine 'safety' is expensive; try having an accident.
![[Image: Jenny38057-poster.jpg]](https://www.check-six.com/images/Jenny38057-poster.jpg)
So, a faultless, text book landing on 16 at Sydney after a long haul from LA – 400 souls behind the cockpit door; engage the steering and exit the runway onto the taxiway – then the steering quits. Brakes on – call for a tug – ATC closes the taxiway and apart from a little inconvenience to other aircraft no big drama. Had the failure occurred during docking at the air bridge – different story all together. The aircraft at best, would be out of service for a good while – probably the air-bridge as well. The response from the company would be quick, certain and very thorough. The why and the how of it would be closely examined. The fault identified, investigated and any part of the system not up to spec would be replaced. If it was suspected that there was a fleet wide 'problem' then modifications would be made on a global scale.
But, an aircraft control event 'on the ground' whilst serious and potentially dangerous is only over a short period of operation; however, aircraft, much like ships spend most of their time operating in the environment they were designed for – air or water. Just imagine the headlines if a crew had 'steering' difficulties airborne, with 400 folk in the back....
That is the situation the masters of the Sydney Harbour ferries face; on a regular basis it seems. Skill, knowledge and luck have prevented, thus far a serious accident. The harbour, particularly on a fine week end is a very, very busy waterway. All manner of floating objects, from kayaks through to ocean liners, tankers and container carriers. The ferries clip along at 20 odd knots through this traffic between dockside loading platforms; potentially hundreds to off load and a load. Not to mention other ferries doing the same thing at Circular Quay. The 'fine' control needed to park an aircraft is just as essential in a ferry; the similarities finite.
The only difference, in safety terms is that if a recurrent (or one off even) system failure was discovered in an aircraft it would be sorted our before anything flew again. The history of the ferries steering problems has been dragging on for a good long while now, repeat events and patch up repairs a feature.
Here's a state gabberment which can agonise over which flag to hang off the bloody bridge and spend a cool 25 million to put another one up there; but can't find the time or interest to sort out a serious 'safety' issue and guarantee the thousands who travel daily on the ferries a safe passage. This is a recurrent failure of a critical system. A steering problem, one which could manifest at any tick of the clock and – potentially – harm those folk and/or the infrastructure and/or other vessels. Not good enough is it? Not really.
I say the same rigorous maintenance standards that apply to passenger carrying aircraft must be applied to the ships doing essentially the same work. If they imagine 'safety' is expensive; try having an accident.