“To plainness honor’s bound when majesty falls to folly.”

Of Mice and Men.

“To plainness honor’s bound when majesty falls to folly.”

You have to wonder; does 6D_Darren get his advice from Dr. Phil or Judge Judy?  It is a reasonable question when you consider the ever worsening state of aviation affairs and his resolute determination to avoid responsibility to the travelling public. One thing is for certain sure, he ain’t listening to the right folk. Prince Niccolò could, had he been allowed passed the guardians of the gate, provided some sage counsel, which, if listened to, may just have helped.

“An inexperienced prince who takes counsel from more than one advisor will get conflicting advice, and will not know how to reconcile it. Each of his advisors will think of his own interests, and the prince will not know how to control them or to see through their ruses. And all advisors are like this, because men will always prove unfaithful to you unless they are kept honest by necessity.”

References Committee inquiry into remotely piloted aircraft systems visit to Dalby, Queensland

Solutions to the ‘problems’ being deflected and ignored by the transport minister are freely available. It is a fact that the very best advice has been provided, at government expense, from no less a source than the Senate in Parliament. Some 30 odd invaluable recommendations were provided by a bipartisan, outraged, well briefed Senate committee. A further 27 (+/-) were provided within a report ordered by the last minister through the Forsyth review.

When you add in the free, expert advice provided through the AAAA, AOPA, AMROBA, RAAA, TAAAF etc, you realise that there is a veritable pile of priceless advice available to make the minister into star – not a Muppet. Its well past the time for the minister to start saying “make it happen”. You must either question the motivation of those who are obstructing change; or, question the ministerial disinterest. Perhaps a little less time devoted to usurping Barmybaby’s throne and more spent seeing to ‘public safety’ would even assist in the power struggle. A reality check would help; but not so much as contemplating ‘why’ his internal advice is wrong. He probably needs to have a coffee with John Sharp; just to set himself straight on the games the fat cats play, with hapless ministerial mice.

For example; what about the recommendations made, not only by the ASSR, but by the Senate investigative committee on the Pel-Air scandal?

CASA elected and publically stated that the ASSR (aka the Forsyth report) was merely ‘an opinion’ and dismissed it out of hand – barring some cheap window dressing and lip service. However the Senators recommendation’s have not; not since day one, been mentioned let alone acknowledged; forget ‘actioned’. I have no idea the cost of the Pel-Air inquiry; but it would be a fairly large number; wasted. The inquiry of no more value to the public than 6D-Darren’s happy snap of Barmybaby having a wee wee.  You have to ask, just how are such men to be worked on; a Senate inquiry followed by a ministerial report – 60 serious demands for change, made several years ago – all dismissed. It seriously beggars belief, but nevertheless, ‘tis true.  I note both Australian Flying’s ‘Hitch’ and AMROBA’s Ken Cannane (legend) have dragged up the ugly, unsavoury truth regarding the ‘recommendations’ and are asking the same questions– when is the mythical reform of CASA and ATSB going to begin?

Take ‘drone’ controls – the CASA crew did a very quick, cheap and nasty rule set based on the restricted scope studies of a ‘student’ who was doing a thesis ‘related’ to  the subject. This done, the rule drafted to suit; CASA knocked off, making sure non of the mud (or blood) splashed would stick. Now, they must catch up with the grown up nations who’s employees actually earn their money.

Our stalwart Senators are on the job though – good sense may yet prevail, it may, gods willing, even penetrate the dark area’s between the ministers manicured ears. Preferably before there is a serious accident. We shall see how long the ministerial luck holds out. Does the minister realise we are watching, in real time – in the ‘now’ – a classic example of a exactly what the industry and the Senate is concerned about; CASA incompetence, abrogation, denial and ineptitude, shamelessly demanding more money to continue in the same vein, despite loud, long, desperate calls for reform. What’s next, a fat cat, cake eating bureaucrat to make sure there are no ripples on the ministerial duck pond and a tame board to see off the foxes? We must hope not, lest the CASA vision splendid of an aviation desert become reality. They have made a good start and with ministerial support, the project will continue; at a much better pace than Badgerey’s Creek will ever attain.

The oft delighted ATSB boss,  Hi-viz Hood has been silent this week. No doubt visiting Beaker’s Mum, to have her read his tea leaves “Oh, please, can the leaves tell me what to do about the ATR incident?”

Beaker sitting by the stove breaks wind, his Mum looks at him with affection –“the oracle has spoken; with the wind comes the change, the stench of foul, rotten things is wafted away to the kitchen of another; be patient, delay and in time all things come to pass away, out of sight, out of mind: that’ll be five dollars thank you”. Hoody, thus inspired and delighted trots off and buys a new pot of hair gel, to share with the minister – lavender flavoured (all the rage)……Laurence J. Peter sure got this one right – “Thus, employees only stop being promoted once they can no longer perform effectively, and “managers rise to the level of their incompetence”. You can stop now Hoody; destination reached.

He’s a canny blighter is our P2. He knows full well I am over the rambling and wrangling surrounding the MH 370 saga; the endless bickering and hypothesis; the Mick Gilberts and other ‘experts’ who wouldn’t know anymore about ‘what happened’ than the stable cat.

However, cunningly concealed in a post I find this –

Q. Recently a fellow MH370 tweeper asked me if I had a copy of a debris modelling map, picture, or perhaps a graphical video (mentioned by Foley above) that showed how it was that the ATSB believed that debris would wash up on the west coast of Sumatra. To this date I am yet to find even a mud map drawn on the back of a beer coaster. Therefore this is just a general plea to any MH370 followers that may have a copy, of what at this stage remains a fictitious model – .

Q/ “..a drift model was applied by one organisation to the wide search area defined in the report…”  – Who was that ‘one’ organisation?

Q/ I wonder what happened to the AMSA initiated drift modelling working group? Was it officially disbanded at the end of the AMSA controlled surface search? If so why?

These questions all take us back, once again, to the ‘parting of the ways’; where the excellent, ocean search specialist AMSA was dumped and the unprepossessing visage of the Muppet Dolan was foisted into the public gaze. The old question – why was the search allowed to be continued when clearly, a criminal act had occurred is raised? Dolan, infamous for ICAO annexe legerdemain and the great Pel-Air scandal was ‘suddenly’ the ‘go to man’. Uncovering that small part of the mystery may not find the aircraft or even solve the puzzle – but by Golly; it makes you think. P2 attack on the curiosity bump complete.



That children, is more than enough from me. I have a cunning plan – raid kitchen, abscond with purloined goodies and second coffee, escape to the stable, enjoy a quiet moment (yes, yes, share goodies with dogs); then I must address ‘the monster’. It sits quietly under a dust sheet, the carcass of an Oak desk, it has legs and a top but, alas, no drawers as yet. These I must start to make, today. Four drawers, identical in size, all must fit exactly and even a small error can create havoc. 24, three pin dovetail joints, eight housed tenons, 12 channels for the draw bottoms. All square, all straight, all exact fitting, all by hand – not a machine in sight. I have high expectations of the colourful language department today; and, look forward to creating some inventive invective as the day wears on. Aye all to play for – but, the dogs are on the alert – the kitchen is all mine.

Toot toot.