Originally Posted by
LeadSled
Nulli,
Have you considered that the reverse is true ---- the aviation community is so quiet and "respectful" that short of the Qantas Chairman's Lounge it is unknown to politicians and the public.--- and largely talks to itself.
The result (helped by generally ignorant media) is an industry functionally invisible to the "public", so that whatever happens in the "Canberra Bubble", aviation, but particularly GA, is impotent.
After all, back in the early 2000s, the then DAS/CEO announced that CASA would be reducing the number of AOCs, CAR 30 approvals and the like to a number which CASA was comfortable surveying.
At the time it was remarked, why is CASA "comfort" more important than industry requirements.---- but CASA and its predecessors have always seen themselves as the "managers" of Australian aviation --- not just a regulatory agency. Remember, back in the GODs, DCA representatives actually sat on airline boards.
In reality, the situation that has come about because the Australian aviation community does not fight for its rights ---- and this is nothing new, civil aviation has battled the bureaucrats since shortly post WW1.--- when Australian aviation bureaucracy was created as an office of the military.
Until the aviation community unites to fight for the right to exist, the (not so) slow death by a thousand cuts will continue. Will they, probably not, with rare exceptions it hasn't happened yet.
In my view, the major reason why US aviation is so successful is because of a very different national ethos in USA --- people accept having to fight for rights ---- that is how the US started -- here in Australian aviation we just fight among each other for the crumbs.
The reason that there are such strong aviation lobby's in US is because participants have banded together ---- to enforce their rights, just have a look at the total membership of AOPA US and EAA, something like 60+% of pilots alone ---- that is the sort of thing politicians take notice of ---- and it shows.
Tootle pip!!
Best summary I have seen. Well said