Stolen plane used as justification for pointless tasks rants
So was in collecting my "Authority to Drive Air side" sticker so that i could drive the 50m from the airport gate to my hangar. After doing the online theory and then practical tests AGAIN, (renewal), proof of insurance with specific clause for air side access of an airport (like thats always included in insurance policies) , proof that i had a pilots license even though it was for a friggin plane in a hangar..other things too. (A simple Stat Dec saying i wouldn't stray outside hangar yellow lines is far too simple? If i do that is an offence anyway as no legitimate reason to be in a secure zone)...
Anyway, made a quip about the ridiculousness of having to show an original birth certificate every 2 years now along with passport, license, utilities, to get the ASIC card. Lovely lady replied "Well didnt you see the news on the weekend?"..referring to the stolen plane. Then proceeded to tell me how the process will be even "stricter" from October.
Surely, surely even a monkey or worse, a Canberra bureaucrat can see that the stolen plane is a reason why an ASIC is pointless. The guy went through all their relevant hoops and stole the plane. If it were in Australia, he would have had an ASIC. Yet, somehow this sort of incident is pointed to as to justification for why we needed to make it more of a pain in the ass for pilots to get to their friggin planes and for people generally to conduct aviation. How the hell is the dickaround factor of finding an original of birth certificate every 2 years going to help stop that incident, or a terrorist plot? The biggest threat to aviation i think is from someone going postal over the tedious bureaucracy of trying to do anything aviation related in Australia and shooting up the joint. I despair. Can someone please apply some common fkn sense to aviation in this country.
That feels a tiny bit better.