Originally Posted by
Dick Smith
Junior. No surprise. Just commonsense.
It is is well known that the RAAF Willy ATCs are often forced to keep VFR aircraft holding at Anna Bay.
This is primarily caused by 1950s procedures that have never been updated!
I wonder why the secrecy about the radio calls?
Hypothetically, lets assume that the aircraft was required to hold due ATC, please Dick enlighten me, how that could cause an aircraft to crash or how that would even relate to the aircraft's loss. You know as well as anyone that had an emergency been declared, there would have been ZERO requirement to hold. Is it not a reasonable expectation that if you're flying and haven't declared that you're anything other than operations normal that you should be able to comply with ATC restrictions/requirements? If you'd been asked to hold and had an abnormal situation, what would you have done? Comply with the clearance, or do the A part of ANCA?
For interests sake, at 1815L at Willy there would have been zero fast jet movements. If there was a delay it would likely have been caused by RPT traffic.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse.
Thoughts are with the pilot and pax, whatever it was it sounds like it wasn't a lot of fun.