I've been around for a few summers. I've seen vitriol pass backwards and forwards. I met many of the 89 protagonists on both sides at the time and since. But never have I heard such united outrage among the aviation community at any single event as I am hearing now, and Anderson, you'd better listen.
Normally when I am on leave as I am at the moment, I don't want to know what's happening in the industry because it's more of the same old same old; just give me my pay and leave me alone. This time it's different.
I haven't been so angry since the seventies, and it's all because of a megalomaniac fish who can't accept that even though he's got the shark in his local pond by the balls, the shark is in fact impotent, and not only are the other fish in this pond starting to point their arses in his general direction, but like Nemo, the word has spread to all the other ponds, even the ones that contain fish who used to be friendly. The AOPA pond is still out there but isolated and saying nothing. This indicates a degree of intelligence I hadn't previously credited them with.
It is heartening to me that people on all sides of the industry are recognising this farce for what it is and are starting to demand that this fool and his political sucker fish be removed from any position of power.
Let's once again let aviation safety be the focus of our attention, not dollars as it has been for the last fifteen years, and most certainly not wounded egos, as it has been for the last five. I can't begin to describe how nauseated I am at the current state of affairs, but thanks to those on all sides of the aviation fence in Australia who see professionalism as being a pre-requisite, I have a faint hope that commonsense may prevail.