[Kharon]

The canary who owns the coal mine; provided he don’t sing.

SBG – Addendum.

Gee Whiz: as they say. I could, with a shove, accept that ATSB and CASA have a huge amount of skin in the Pel-Air game and there is a pressing need to defend their stance. Although how they expect anyone who can read and do ‘joined up’ writing to acquiesce to the current line of fable is just a little outside of my comprehension range.

I wonder how many have actually done the ‘reading’ and joined up the rather large red dots? The dots which can only lead to one, inescapable conclusion – someone was telling fairy stories to a Senate inquiry – well; in my opinion at least they were (for what that’s worth). In the beginning, there was a ‘parallel’ investigation. An almost unprecedented move. As part of that ‘investigation’ the weather forecasts, related to the journey were requested by the AILU (White) and received; so far, so good.

Where one of several wheels come off is when White (whether by accident or design, we don’t as yet know) declares that given the ‘available’ weather information (intimating that the aircrew ignored it) is a 'no brainer' guilty verdict - unimpeachable - what he fails to mention that they were never transmitted.

Now then, picture yourself sitting in a quiet dark cockpit approaching a ‘critical decision point’ you glance at the clock, nudge sleeping beauty awake and say, something along the lines of “what’s the latest at Kickinatinalong (KATA)?” – “Dunno” mutters Sleeping Beauty “didn’t you get the latest?” “Nothing heard; they’re late – busy on HF tonight” you say – “stir ‘em up and see what’s what – PNR in 10 minutes”.  With a little persistence, on the busy night time HF – eventually someone will check the fax and trot out the latest for KATA – then after a moment or three – “there’s an amended for KATA, you want it?”. “Oh yes please” say the crew. About four minutes later the aircraft is diverted to an acceptable alternate aerodrome. That is what happens in reality, when a forecast has not been relayed.

There are some perfectly acceptable reasons for an amended or even a routine forecast not being passed along; well, there are, it happens – no sweat if the operating crew are ‘on the ball’.  This Pel-Air crew were lost in the Twilight Zone of fatigue and complacency; they should have known better, but much like the Lockhart crew they had been deserted and left to fend for themselves by the system, their operations manual, their C&T systems and the company – all under CASA ‘approval’ (acceptance if you want to split the hair).

As far as the Pel-Air crew was concerned everything was ‘groovy’ – routine and no problemo. Had the 0739 and the 0803 reports been passed, matters would have turned out differently - alas.

So much for the flight crew – bit players – they ditched, the rest is history and old hat

What has never been examined is why White (MAILU) melded the weather reports not transmitted into the ‘CAIR 09/3’ travesty. It is (IMO) designed to be read as though the weather reports had been relayed – part of the transcript etc. Which, in turn, begs the question why did CASA persist to support their claims of gross pilot error, through a Senate inquiry? That, boys and girls requires some bloody strong motivation – it was hellish risky. Had there been a quiet withdrawal to a ‘mediated’ ground, such as. “It has come to our attention that that two crucial weather updates were never received by the flight, this, whilst casting some doubt over crew procedures and flight conduct, provides enough grounds to withdraw ‘administrative action’ against the captain." " We as the safety authority, will be conducting an in depth audit of the company procedures, SOP and training”. Fair, yes; reasonable, yes; acceptable, responsible action from the ‘authority’: yes.    

But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue to try and avoid the real issues?

But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they do one of the slickest, quickest audits and acquittal of RCA in the history of this planet?

But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue and persist in trying to convince a Senate investigation that ‘they’ had the right of it?

But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue to embroil the ATSB is this nasty little pantomime?

But why, in the light of evidence CASA had before them did they continue; and, to this day continue, to try and lay all the blame on the flight crew?

Albo washed his hands and turned the dogs loose; Truss tried and ended up with the ASRR which is now an officially ‘forgotten’ document – deemed an inutile opinion. Chester has trouble tying his boot laces without ‘advice’. Three ministers, two governments and CASA just keep on rollin’ along.

I could, I suppose, put it all in simple terms – porky pies have been told– lots of ‘em; the last being the invisible manning’s 531 page edifice which almost, but not quite, fools most of the people, most of the time.

Senators, they are taking the Mickey along with the money and laughing their collective tits off – Hood included. The canary who owns the coal mine, provided he don’t sing. Land rights for gay whales and icebergs in the Yarra don’t signify; not when the integrity and intelligence of a Senate committee is being used to wipe big smiles off smug faces.

P2 has, in some nicely summed up factual data, laid all of this out for you; get one or two of the bright young things to hunt it down and bring it to an end. Before it’s all too little; too late.

Toot (last translation ever) toot. Do try to keep up…….