Over a decade ago the AVMED section had a chief who had the reputation of being willing to pull Class One's for anything imaginable, apparently he just had the need.
That might have been erstwhile PMO Pooshan Navathe. Many careers and life’s passions were destroyed under his watch. It was he who returned Australia to the dark ages on the CVD issue. All in the name of ‘safety’ of course.
My favourite comment on Navathe was made by Deputy President Hack SC (in this AAT decision
Bolton and Civil Aviation Safety Authority [2013] AATA 941 (23 December 2013)):
Dr Navathe’s witness statement concluded [in terms quoted by the AAT].Despite the fact that the statement does contain the declaration of duty required by the Guidelines it could not be plainer that Dr Navathe is an advocate for his own decision. I do not propose to have any regard to his opinions. For the future I would trust that CASA’s Legal Branch would exercise independent judgement in deciding what witnesses ought be relied upon and the content of their statements. They ought, obviously enough, be confined to matters that are relevant and witnesses ought be those who can truly provide an independent opinion.
The delegate who decided to suspend my medical certificate is Dr Sharma.
Dr Sharma provided a statement to the AAT prior to the stay hearing.
That statement contained the declaration of duty required by the Guidelines.
Unsurprisingly, Dr Sharma’s statement is to the effect that his own decision was a good one.