Upon Return to Cloud Cock-up Land.

Upon Return to Cloud Cock-up Land.– AP Forum version.

Blimey, a bloke takes a few days off, comes back all peaceful and sanguine like, having (very determinedly) not looked at a screen for 10 days to find absolute chaos. Even Hitch has been party to one of the greatest coups ever engineered by the captured ministers group of ‘advisors’. Perhaps its about trime the Senate committee got off it’s arse, stopped gas-bagging and stepped up to the plate.

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Reference pg 81 ICAO USOAP Final Report: http://auntypru.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ICAO_USOAP_Final_Report2008.pdf

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There is a captive minister, a corrupted consultation system, a self interested advisory panel and an organisation using a crown minister as its very own rubber stamp; and the public pay for this farce. It is disgusting. Resign minister; just go away and try to preserve what little dignity and honour you may, through self delusion. You have gifted your political opponents more ammunition than you can possibly imagine, disrespected an industry and; when the whole story is told in the media, by the opposition, the nation will see exactly what calibre of departmental glove puppet wrought more damage to a national industry than almost any other minister in history.

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The Global Hamlet

“Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too.”

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The industry was in a mess long before McDonaught shoved his ovine snout into the aviation trough. But now that he has allowed the latest ‘consultation’ disgrace to pass by, aided and abetted by creatures like Russel and Campbell, it is time to begin a long loud shout for his resignation. Clearly captive and Stockholm Syndrome out the wazzoo.

The root cause of aviation’s problems can be traced back three decades; the solution has always been available, but countless ministers have chosen the easy, no risk road to perdition, rather than face it. Someone has to do it; sooner or later, the daemon must be faced. But how to affect a cure? That is the burgeoning problem.

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From drunks to addicts, from nail biters to bedwetters, from organisations to nations, the only thing which drives a desire for reform comes from within. No matter how much ‘therapy’, counselling or advice is given, if the internal desire and will power to make the required changes is not there; then, it just becomes a waste of time and effort. This, IMO, is one of the problems we have with both ATSB and CASA; they simply don’t want to change. An element of the Resistance to Change (RTC) would be that they have no idea what, exactly, they want to change into. This raises some questions – do they actually like being the way they are; or, is it fear of the unknown which keeps them locked in the ever descending spiral of loss of respect, credibility and effectiveness? By any analysis you care to do; or measure you choose, both are ‘failed’ dysfunctional organisations. Nothing ATSB or CASA have produced in the past decade has improved ‘safety’ by one iota. The safety of ‘conviction’ has been refined to a fine art, embuggerance is a recognized, applauded group therapy and disingenuous answers to pointed questions has been elevated to a remarkable level of genius.

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So, how does the industry set about reforming this recalcitrant brute, particularly as it has demonstrated a remarkable ability to avoid the cure? A short digression – with a point. – A few years back, a couple of us sat down with Mike Smith and a case of beer, out in the country, back yard setting, sunny afternoon all very social. The conversation drifted, as it always does, to matters aeronautical and followed the same pattern this type of discussion inevitably does. Suffice to say the conversation was long and informative, but it didn’t signify, carried away on the evening breeze; indeed, I’ve forgotten most of it. But what stuck and has remained firmly stuck is the notion of ‘leadership’.

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General Aviation Summit 2018 – Wagga Wagga | Sport Aircraft …
Sport Aircraft Association of Australia
Sincere thanks to the AOPA team, and in particular Ben Morgan, for an incredible effort rallying the troops. And special thanks to Geoff Breust, …

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That, IMO is the radical cause of today’s problems – there ain’t any. Not for ‘reform there ain’t. But that is what’s desperately needed. Clear vision and a determination to address the fundamental internal problems within both organizations. The really huge problem is getting a proper ‘leader’ into the chair, a person of value and use to the benefit of the country, the tax payer, the minister and the industry. How to achieve this goal is beyond my humble ken; but it is the only solution. Both ATSB and CASA need to be reformed internally and led (or dragged, their choice) to a place where they are of some value, not a drain on resources. Take a long hard look at either the Carmody or Hood ‘leadership’ and the results produced. The jury is still out on Carmody; there is little worthy of mention on the credit side, certainly no vigorous attempts to curb the excesses of his organisation or a sensible approach to regulations. Hood is about as much use as a chocolate firewall; the evidence overwhelming, ATSB remains a shattered, spineless extension of a big PR machine. ATSB could be shut down tomorrow and hardly anyone would notice their passing – or mourn it.

The Senate committee seem to be getting an inkling of where the big problems lay; a small flickering candle lights the dark corners where leadership and a will to improve is hidden away by the smoke and mirrors machine. They could, in a heart beat change the whole dynamic, by simply insisting that reform CEO’s who actually want to get things rolling and save this nation a fortune every year, create jobs and bring revenue into the tax coffers. Of course, we’d need a minister who could actually spell aviation. Two things are for certain sure: the problems industry face ain’t going away; and, no one seems have the desire to fix ‘em. Least of all the self interest groups and those protecting their rice bowls.

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Gates of Horn and Ivory. | AuntyPru.com : Home of PAIN :
AuntyPru.com

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Change the Act, find some leadership and get on with the therapy – who knows, you may even enjoy shaking the large incubus off your back and kick the Kool aid habit.

That’s about it from me; there is much to consider this week and I do need to catch up, having taken a complete break from it all. But not today, the sun is shining, the breeze set fair and I’ve not had a romp with the dogs for far too long. Over the fence and out of the gate.

Selah.

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TICK TOCK miniscule McDo’Naut – L&Ks P2  🙄