gerry111,
So, by your reckoning, back in 2000, Australian aviation would have been better off without Experimental Amateur Built (replacing the very restrictive AABA and the SAAA monopoly), Limited Category, etc, and the old AUF, now RAOz, being severely restricted to a very limited range of aircraft, with no 19- category, and none of the explosive growth to AUF/RAOz that brought??
That Australian light aviation would have been better of being confined to aircraft that complied with Australian unique airworthiness standards? With the huge expenses to modify every new aircraft to "Australian standards".
That we would have been better of not adopting US airworthiness standards by reference, but maintained our unique standards.
That we would be better continuing with all the huge costs, in money and time, of Australian "first of type" processes. Like whatever CASA was called then requiring Piper to do a whole different set of fatigue rig tests for a then new light twin, then ignoring the results anyway, and imposing severe Australian fatigue restrictions, anyway.
That we would have been better of without the PIFR?
That Qantas would have been better off with all the performance restrictions that crippled the range/payload of the B767's from medium length airfields, compared to their international competition.
All that (aka CASR Parts 21-35) ONLY went into law as a result of AOPA action, full stop. PIFR ONLY happened because of AOPA. If you want to believe otherwise, fill you boots, but it would just be another example of preferring personal blind prejudice over political and historical fact.
Or maybe you do believe the meek shall inherit the earth.
Back to the thread: The aircraft wound up in a man made ditch. Based on what I am told are credible graphics of the aircraft's flight path, if 18/36 had still been in existence, the pilot would have, or at least gone very close to, pulling off a successful forced landing, with no to much less damage to the aircraft and danger to the pilot.
And this is not so fanciful, many moons ago, I had an engine failure, dead cut, on takeoff on RW29, PA-28-235, magneto switch shorted out. I landed back on then RW05.
Tootle pip!!
PS: Look Left, feel better now??