It is wrong to assume that the “New Year’s Eve floatplane tragedy has anything to do with knowledge, ability, airmanship or equipment at this stage. It is wrong to presume the pilot, company or aircraft were at fault.
“REDUCING THE CHANCES OF STUFF-UPS” is a poorly worded title to the thread and I hope not intended to imply pilot error! What is more concerning is the implication in the second sentence of the thread starter’s post, in the absence of any evidence as yet. Again, I trust they are poorly chosen words.
I think, none the less, the intention of the thread starter is to genuinely explore ways of effectively improving safety awareness and mitigate incidents and accidents which were horrifically evident in 2017.
The last sentence of this quote is absolutely true, and thanks to Captain Casper for pointing out the fact that the title I chose, poorly conveys the aforesaid primary intention. If anyone can suggest a better title I will make the amendment. Also it was never my intention or thought to prejudge any aspect of Sunday's accident. Or to enter into any hypothetical commentary of analysis. (There is enough of that on the thread devoted to that accident.)
The fact that many accident investigations have been seriously flawed, is not the point, simply something to always bear in mind when studying any air accident report. (Incidently, for what it's worth, I too have been "an industry participant" for those same years of service quoted, 1962-2017).
On a broader front, what this undoubtably well informed critic of the industry and the regulator has to say about his take on where it is all heading is depressing in the extreme.
He says - "Unless we can restore what has been undone by CASA and the rest . . .. . . find another occupation." Maybe the time is past, when an effective corrective lobby can be heard and taken seriously. Maybe the rot has truly set in. Throughout the industry the distrust and cynicism is endemic.