Mr. Hat moves on.

[Mr. Hat]

Hi all, I'm leaving pprune. I've enjoyed posting here and offering advice on occasion. Most of all I've enjoyed the friendships I've made. I hope we can create a better industry in the future. All the very best.

Mr. Hat

[Keg]

We'll miss you Hat. Have enjoyed your comments.

[BombsGone]

And the reason?

[PoppaJo]

Thank heavens. You are nothing but a pain in the arse, dont come back! :D

[waren9]

Well done Mr Hat.

+1 on Keg (again). Pprune for me is a bit like caffeine. Somethings missing without a voyueristic look every now and then.

Anyway, enjoy the spare time!

W9

[Worrals in the wilds]

Nah, that's not allowed. PPRuNe's like ASIO, bikie gangs and the Hotel California, you can't just leave unless everyone else says so :suspect::}!

Seriously, don't move on unless someone's threatening you with a crowbar, we all enjoy your thoughtful posts. Take a break or come hang out in Jetblast for a while, lotsa fun down there along with access to Slasher's extensive MA 15+ picture library. :)

[breakfastburrito]

"May the Handle be with you"

[VH-XXX]

It will be a shame to see you go after 2,300 + posts!

[Mr. Hat]

The main reason is that I spend a little too much time on here! I enjoy it a bit too much sometimes. I guess I need to focus a little more on my family and my career.

Mr. Hat grew from a General Aviation C210 Scenic pilot and went through every rung of the industry until making it to an Airline job. I feel my work here is done. I wrote the best possible letter i could to Nick Xenophon for the future of our industy. When I saw words I had used come out of his mouth in defence of our careers as pilots I felt I had achieved what I wanted.

I wish you all the best and hope this industry turns around. (if not I'll see you in Dubai!). Btw I'm not leaving my job or Australia.

Stay safe.

[UPPERLOBE]

We all know you will still take a peek occasionally. :ok:

[nomorecatering]

I too have enjoyed Mr Hats wise, sometimes contoversial views.

Pity we cant rope in a Ppruner to go into politics, Mr Hat or Keg, Chumbu, or one of a dozen others i can think of. Forgot East westloco.

I think wed have a better chance of them running the country.

[Capt Fathom]

The Ozzie forum is being overwhelmed with Qantas threads. It's becoming a bit boring really! :(

[Fliegenmong]

Nooo! All the besy Mr Hat! :ok: As Lobee said (Upper?) We know you'll never resist sneeking a peek :p....I speak for more than myself when I say Hope to hear from you in the future...and all the best !:ok:

[MickyD]

Mr Hat,
Long time reader of PPRuNe but first time poster. I have enjoyed your posts, started reading them when I was flying 210's now a Dash 8 Capt. No doubt you'll be back, maybe just to view.

I haven't agreed with everything you have posted but sometimes it has shown the other "view/side" to an argument.

All the best.

Micky D

[Howard Hughes]

Naaaaah, you'll be back!:ok:

[The_Pharoah]

Thanks for your tips and assistance Mr Hat - all the best.

P

[Taildragger67]

Good luck Mr Hat, I've enjoyed your insights.

[Jack Ranga]

Yeah, hat man, goodonya :ok: And goodonya for writing that letter. Lots say they will and never do :ok:

Good luck to you in the future and here's to a job at a legacy carrier with no maggot managers!

[SpyderPig]

Does pprune have the "2 weeks grace" when you delete your profile like FB before its gone for good? Just incase you change your mind after 3 days and realise your addiction runs to deep? :}
you will be missed, good luck!

[mcgrath50]

Thanks for the discussions mate!

[zappalin]

Please stick around until at least the 25th of August!

[Mr. Hat]

Wow never thought I'd get this many well wishes! I'm very flattered.

The letter was a good one. No emotion, no names, no companies mentioned. Just some facts combined with my work history and how I made it to an Airline after 15 years and 5000 hours of lessons written with my own blood, sweat and tears (literally). I also paid tribute to those collegues of mine who are no longer with us due to accidents in the industry.

The Senator would now have a reasonable appreciation for the level of motivation required to make it to an Airline via the ga route. I also explained that whilst having been trained in an ab-initio Airline scheme of my own funding, I found the experience in ga complimented Airline training rather than detracting from it as popularly touted in the media by some stakeholders. The training gave me discipline, structure and respect. The years in ga gave me stick and rudder, command decision making and a good dose of close shaves with grey hairs and scars to proove it! By the time 180 people were sitting behind me and I was handed the microphone for the first time into Sydney on the 16L ILS all the hard work was done. Fresh out of flight school it would have been a bit of a stuggle for me! Experience made it nearly easy and I enjoyed the process.

For those of you still waiting for that moment, I can confirm it's exactly as you dream it is every night before you go to sleep (keep going).

What I also wrote was nearly a defence of people that I often gave a bit of a roasting on prune. I pointed out that the government policies of the last 15 years were a direct contributor to a reduction in safety. The goverment squeeze and the share holder cries left todays CEOs and managers in an impossible catch 22. I said "if the government doesn't take its foot of the throat of our industry" the perfect record will eventually choke.

I made it clear I was paid pretty well, was very happy with my employer and my motivation was based on safety. I stated that I didn't want to be trying out single pilot in a 180 seat jet whilst at night into a non controlled aerodrome with bad weather. I've done enough time in a multicrew environment to know that the role of the FO is a an important one. And the role of experience played is what has made the difference for myself when things have gone wrong.

I wanted to publish it but decided not to. I got a very positive response from the Senator. It blew me away, I felt it was worthwhile. I was a fan before his spotlight on our industry and I share his views on many other issues. Unfortunately he will never be Prime Minister - he's just too well educated and well spoken. He's very very bright and that doesn't appear to be a "must have" for senior government positions in our country.

Promise to go now. Tailwheel feel free to pull the plug.

All the best.

[TIMA9X]

I dip my hat to you sir! Please don't make it final or are we all going to meet in the sandpit?

Always enjoyed your posts..

[SPL-101]

Mr.Hat, thank you. You really helped me (a complete stranger) when I was struggling to decide which path to take, to become a pilot. Not just through the posts in response to my queries but I have learnt a lot about the aviation industry through all your other posts on this forum. I really do appreciate it. Good luck to you Sir! :ok::ok::ok:

Happy Landings

[Mr. Hat]

The pleasure was all mine. If we can't help eachother, all the way from the highschool student to the QF Captain, then what hope do we have?

Good Luck.

[Valdiviano]

post # 23, Mr Hat, a CAPTAIN I would like to fly with
post # 4, PoppaJo a 200 hr Jetstar cadet?? I would NOT like to fly with.
Best wishes Mr Hat

[Wally Mk2]

.................hmmmm now who's to know that the 'hat' won't be worn by someone else in disguise?:-)

You'll be here, ya can't help yaself!:ok:




Wmk2

[Dark Knight]

thanks Hattie and all the best.

I'll raise me glass to you!

[Hasselhof]

eeeh wawa

Really sad to see that you're moving on from here. I wish I had time to go through all the posts you wrote about looking for work in the GA days and repost some of the gold that lies in beneath. What I reckon that is most important for the guys on here to know is that the guy that stands behind the Mr Hat persona is a 100% genuine bloke, that just like on here tells it how he sees it, is always ready with some timely and sage advice, and can back up his stories with some hard-knock experience that I just know will go over the heads of many readers on this site (I'm looking firmly at you cadets).

Once you go the signal to noise ratio on here will deteriorate just that little bit more.

You'll be missed on here mate :D



P.S. Enjoy the extra time with the missus :E


P.P.S. To PappaJo registered Feb '11 with 27 posts, when you've contributed as significantly, maybe we'll listen. Otherwise, go **** yourself.

[The Green Goblin]

Sorry to see you go.

It's sad, all the straight shooters are disappearing (The Hat, J3pipercub etc)

Do what I did and rebranded yourself every couple of years. Dr Octopus is looming for me :)

If I don't see you again on here, thanks for all your work with the senate enquiry. I hope through your efforts the up and coming won't be subjected to a reaming by the likes of the incumbent airline managers.

I think it's time we put the broom through the lot of them.

Airlines where traditionally run by people with a passion for aviation, not the accountant stockbroker bean counter types.

They belong in banks, passionate aviation professionals should be running airlines. Not dropouts who didn't cut the mustard for a bluechip multinational.

[Skystar320]

Mr Hat, I do believe that we have had our differences and agreed on many things.

Would like to know though next time your in the good ole local I do believe its your round!

Raise your Glass Sir! Buottoms up ole Chap!

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

THANKYOU, Mr Hat, for your effprts, your well thought out pieces, and your getting thru to the Senator - in that you have accomplished much more than most of us combined......

Happy ILS'ing, and do just 'look in' .....occasionally....

Cheers:ok::ok:

[dghob]

All the best Mr hat.