[thorn bird]

Well guys and girls, rumors abound that certain rats may be deserting a sinking ship, or perhaps are running before being pushed.

With the imminent departure of Australia's premier A380 pilot, and a master mandarin, rivaled only by the Murky Macavellian, also known as Pumpkin head, there has been a rather unseemly scraping of chairs shuffling into an iron ring around poor old Skids.

Word on the street is, everything has been put on the table for review.

"SHOCK HORROR"

Apparently the push back has been more frantic than a NZ ewe on the edge of a cliff.

Time will tell I guess, but there is a sense that the sound of steel on oil stone is echoing around the hallowed halls of the fumbling fort, sending shudders up the spineless, sorry, spine of certain members.

Passing strange, that all of a sudden, your average previously unmovable, obstructionist FOI has morphed into an all sweetness and light ally.

Even, I hear, our beloved Wodger Wabbit, the psycho sociopathic ex RAAF baggage handler, when challenged on his condemnation of a very experienced C&T pilot as a "Not a fit and proper person" had a miraculous change of heart, all was forgiven, sins expunged, and the pilot concerned didn't even have to join CAsA first.

Mind you, I'm told Wodger was advised by a very well heeled potential C&T employer that he wanted the mans services and was prepared to entertain some rather expensive legal advice and public relations people to get it.

So there you go, Rumour control is out of hand, but we live in hope.