Pip and the Pixies at the Kool Aide fountain.
“Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.”
Rumour has it that it all got a little out of control. Started off as a minor celebration; the McDonald 'Investigation' and report into aviation management had been effectively made null, void and buried – nothing to worry about now and ages to wait for the 'soft white' paper to provide carte blanche authority and a platinum credit card – Aye, happy daze at Sleepy Hollow.
Next morning, when the revellers eventually signed on; deep in the thrall of 'booze – blues' that it occurred to them that they now had little to do, courtesy of a benevolent Minister. But, we must have some way to justify our existence they cried; we can only do so much 'make-work' before it is realised that 'savings' can be made. And so, a think tank was convened. They met in the cloistered luxury of the executive suite and once the 'refreshments' were served and everyone had what they liked best; a deep, grave silence fell upon those gathered there. After a while; just before the shuffling and head scratching became intolerable, a bright young spark, desperate to climb the slippery pole piped up:-
“I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.”
All the bleary eyes at the top table turned in his direction, the challenge unspoken – eventually, from the head of the table came the weary words; “OK, let's hear it then”. “Well” says out bright spark; “everyone is now on the emissions bandwagon, looking to a clean green dream world ain't they.” “So, let's leave the past and present mess behind us and look to the future; let's pretend that the city skies will be chock full of electric helicopters; we can re-brand 'em, then say we are looking to a better brighter future; they'll swallow it.” “ A whole new make work project, no one else is even considering it, we can become the worlds leading green dream legislators – in five years; if we play it right” - “what say you?”
“Lovers and madmen have such seething brains
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.”
The tea lady reckons that there was a profound silence as those seated weighed up the notion; tested it for benefit to their remit and wriggle room and political acceptance. “Good one” they all voted and so the dreaming was massaged into a reality and sold to the powers that be. For it did indeed cover a lot of bases and shifted attention away from the God's own muddle they had created. “We'll do it” cried Pip of the Pixies, and so (after the faerie dust had been passed around in celebration) they set the wheels in motion and built an altar to Verti ports; the new saviour.
“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
Meanwhile, back in the real world wilderness a lone voice spoke the thoughts of the many who have to not only fund but must live with this latest load of Bollocks provided to an industry desperate for regulatory sanity and operational common sense..Aye, perhaps when Pip returns from her sojourn with the Pixies some sense may dribble down to the coal face; just don't hold your breath..
Sandy - “However would someone please inform us what is the difference between a heliport and a vertiport? And what is eVertol if not an electrically powered helicopter? Apart from these semantics who will be investing in an air taxi that has to sit around half the day being recharged and cannot put down anywhere because of power lines and a road system that’s designed for surface transport. Maybe changeover battery packs?”
In other words the fanciful notion of flying cars will remain, at least in the foreseeable future, in the realm of science fiction, other than one or two very small niche markets. Besides, imagine trying to fly around city buildings in high winds.
In regard to new regulations for helicopters, this sounds like another make work program (imagine the ‘consultations’) for CASA at a time when GA is going backwards at the rate of knots and CASA can’t even give us a simple medical certification reform.
Well said Sandy – glad you dared to mention 'medicals' – Master Morgan of the AOPA had somewhat to say on the same matter- sans the Pixie dust...But the stark truth of what the industry is staring down was spoken at last estimates; from Hansard, in a nutshell:- Bravo that man Canavan.
Hansard - Senator CANAVAN: You're playing defence for the government. This is an absolute farce on your first day of budget estimates. You're meant to be chair, Senator Sterle."
Toot – toot...
“Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.”
Rumour has it that it all got a little out of control. Started off as a minor celebration; the McDonald 'Investigation' and report into aviation management had been effectively made null, void and buried – nothing to worry about now and ages to wait for the 'soft white' paper to provide carte blanche authority and a platinum credit card – Aye, happy daze at Sleepy Hollow.
Next morning, when the revellers eventually signed on; deep in the thrall of 'booze – blues' that it occurred to them that they now had little to do, courtesy of a benevolent Minister. But, we must have some way to justify our existence they cried; we can only do so much 'make-work' before it is realised that 'savings' can be made. And so, a think tank was convened. They met in the cloistered luxury of the executive suite and once the 'refreshments' were served and everyone had what they liked best; a deep, grave silence fell upon those gathered there. After a while; just before the shuffling and head scratching became intolerable, a bright young spark, desperate to climb the slippery pole piped up:-
“I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.”
All the bleary eyes at the top table turned in his direction, the challenge unspoken – eventually, from the head of the table came the weary words; “OK, let's hear it then”. “Well” says out bright spark; “everyone is now on the emissions bandwagon, looking to a clean green dream world ain't they.” “So, let's leave the past and present mess behind us and look to the future; let's pretend that the city skies will be chock full of electric helicopters; we can re-brand 'em, then say we are looking to a better brighter future; they'll swallow it.” “ A whole new make work project, no one else is even considering it, we can become the worlds leading green dream legislators – in five years; if we play it right” - “what say you?”
“Lovers and madmen have such seething brains
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.”
The tea lady reckons that there was a profound silence as those seated weighed up the notion; tested it for benefit to their remit and wriggle room and political acceptance. “Good one” they all voted and so the dreaming was massaged into a reality and sold to the powers that be. For it did indeed cover a lot of bases and shifted attention away from the God's own muddle they had created. “We'll do it” cried Pip of the Pixies, and so (after the faerie dust had been passed around in celebration) they set the wheels in motion and built an altar to Verti ports; the new saviour.
“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
Meanwhile, back in the real world wilderness a lone voice spoke the thoughts of the many who have to not only fund but must live with this latest load of Bollocks provided to an industry desperate for regulatory sanity and operational common sense..Aye, perhaps when Pip returns from her sojourn with the Pixies some sense may dribble down to the coal face; just don't hold your breath..
Sandy - “However would someone please inform us what is the difference between a heliport and a vertiport? And what is eVertol if not an electrically powered helicopter? Apart from these semantics who will be investing in an air taxi that has to sit around half the day being recharged and cannot put down anywhere because of power lines and a road system that’s designed for surface transport. Maybe changeover battery packs?”
In other words the fanciful notion of flying cars will remain, at least in the foreseeable future, in the realm of science fiction, other than one or two very small niche markets. Besides, imagine trying to fly around city buildings in high winds.
In regard to new regulations for helicopters, this sounds like another make work program (imagine the ‘consultations’) for CASA at a time when GA is going backwards at the rate of knots and CASA can’t even give us a simple medical certification reform.
Well said Sandy – glad you dared to mention 'medicals' – Master Morgan of the AOPA had somewhat to say on the same matter- sans the Pixie dust...But the stark truth of what the industry is staring down was spoken at last estimates; from Hansard, in a nutshell:- Bravo that man Canavan.
Hansard - Senator CANAVAN: You're playing defence for the government. This is an absolute farce on your first day of budget estimates. You're meant to be chair, Senator Sterle."
Toot – toot...