Safety Loop or Hangman’s noose?
Cheers P2; this has been coming for a while now and is well over due. Sen. Fawcett tried to get the ball rolling in the right direction way back in 2012, yet seven years later the core subject matter has not been properly addressed in a positive or even a satisfactory fashion.
We did do an abridged version of the analysis we ran – HERE – but – as I recall we left it on the shelf after while when the promised legislation and amendments failed to materialise (as per usual). There is a long list of them; and all that seems to have surfaced is more ways to allocate blame, but little in the way of ‘preventing’ a reoccurrence. The same ‘accident’ has been claiming lives for quite a while, clearly demonstrating that ‘rules’, no matter how complex, simply are not preventing repeat accidents.
16/10/2012 - Senator FAWCETT: Chair, given the inquiry on Monday I do not actually have a huge number of questions, except to follow up something with Mr Mrdak. Last time we spoke about closing the loop between ATSB recommendations and CASA following through with regulation as a consequential change within a certain time frame. The view was expressed that it was not necessarily a departmental role to have that closed loop system. I challenged that at the time. I just welcome any comment you may have three or four months down the track as to whether there has been any further thought within your department as to how we make sure we have a closed loop system for recommendations that come out of the ATSB.
Fawcett, with a flick of his wrist has unveiled the Elephant in the room. It is a simple concept which, IMO the departments involved have been at some pains to avoid acknowledging. The construct is a simple one:- (a) there has been a fatal; (b) ATSB have, best they may defined the nature of it; © there is a Coroners court; (d) the Coroner makes recommendations and hands down his findings; (e) nothing further happens – in real terms.
ATSB sit on their hands: they have put forward their recommendations.
Coroner moves on to the next case – job done.
CASA adopt their standard plan, dismiss recommendation as opinion, tell the ATSB to bugger off and life rolls on as though nothing happened; except the liability and ‘blame’ game continues unabated.
Visual flight into instrument conditions is an old killer. There are remedies, but for every remedy the is a stone wall built to prevent CASA from making the commitment to change. The Private IFR rating – graduated approval – all too hard for CASA – they may have to answer questions. It is easier to say NO than it is to expose the lack of operational safety expertise needed to make such a scheme a winner.
Flight in Night Visual conditions is another area which has claimed many lives. It is not inherently dangerous, but it is an operational flight discipline which demands care and training. Experienced pilots as well new chums get into strife as the data shows. Once again remedies are available; once again CASA needs the sorely lacking imagination and operational experience to apply a cure.
The damn shame is that there is, within industry, a wealth of operational and technical expertise which CASA could call on to assist develop ‘ways and means’. Alas, even Senate Committee and independent report recommendations are dismissed as merely the ‘opinions’ of the Ills of Society; or, of folk who don’t understand that the mystique of aviation safety is worth squillions to those who frequent the CASA top table trough.
We are in desperate need of a Minister who is not captured, hypnotised or baffled by the mystique and unconcerned about the blood being on ministerial hands. Fat chance – right.
Toot – toot.
Cheers P2; this has been coming for a while now and is well over due. Sen. Fawcett tried to get the ball rolling in the right direction way back in 2012, yet seven years later the core subject matter has not been properly addressed in a positive or even a satisfactory fashion.
We did do an abridged version of the analysis we ran – HERE – but – as I recall we left it on the shelf after while when the promised legislation and amendments failed to materialise (as per usual). There is a long list of them; and all that seems to have surfaced is more ways to allocate blame, but little in the way of ‘preventing’ a reoccurrence. The same ‘accident’ has been claiming lives for quite a while, clearly demonstrating that ‘rules’, no matter how complex, simply are not preventing repeat accidents.
16/10/2012 - Senator FAWCETT: Chair, given the inquiry on Monday I do not actually have a huge number of questions, except to follow up something with Mr Mrdak. Last time we spoke about closing the loop between ATSB recommendations and CASA following through with regulation as a consequential change within a certain time frame. The view was expressed that it was not necessarily a departmental role to have that closed loop system. I challenged that at the time. I just welcome any comment you may have three or four months down the track as to whether there has been any further thought within your department as to how we make sure we have a closed loop system for recommendations that come out of the ATSB.
Fawcett, with a flick of his wrist has unveiled the Elephant in the room. It is a simple concept which, IMO the departments involved have been at some pains to avoid acknowledging. The construct is a simple one:- (a) there has been a fatal; (b) ATSB have, best they may defined the nature of it; © there is a Coroners court; (d) the Coroner makes recommendations and hands down his findings; (e) nothing further happens – in real terms.
ATSB sit on their hands: they have put forward their recommendations.
Coroner moves on to the next case – job done.
CASA adopt their standard plan, dismiss recommendation as opinion, tell the ATSB to bugger off and life rolls on as though nothing happened; except the liability and ‘blame’ game continues unabated.
Visual flight into instrument conditions is an old killer. There are remedies, but for every remedy the is a stone wall built to prevent CASA from making the commitment to change. The Private IFR rating – graduated approval – all too hard for CASA – they may have to answer questions. It is easier to say NO than it is to expose the lack of operational safety expertise needed to make such a scheme a winner.
Flight in Night Visual conditions is another area which has claimed many lives. It is not inherently dangerous, but it is an operational flight discipline which demands care and training. Experienced pilots as well new chums get into strife as the data shows. Once again remedies are available; once again CASA needs the sorely lacking imagination and operational experience to apply a cure.
The damn shame is that there is, within industry, a wealth of operational and technical expertise which CASA could call on to assist develop ‘ways and means’. Alas, even Senate Committee and independent report recommendations are dismissed as merely the ‘opinions’ of the Ills of Society; or, of folk who don’t understand that the mystique of aviation safety is worth squillions to those who frequent the CASA top table trough.
We are in desperate need of a Minister who is not captured, hypnotised or baffled by the mystique and unconcerned about the blood being on ministerial hands. Fat chance – right.
Toot – toot.