[Kharon]

Of all the Gin joints...

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

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



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

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

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



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

Toot – toot....