Chris Higgins
Again, I am not friends with Dick Smith or any of you! I am an Australian who believes we need to cast aside the flagrant abuses of a system that is obviously not being administered properly and find a system and people who can run it properly.
Hear, hear!!! I agree on every point and feel exactly the same way. I feel that we may differ on one point: I believe that Dick Smith is a major part of the problem.
I believe that his blatant political interference is holding back both the prosperity and safety of airspace reform in Australia. I used to give him the benefit of the doubt about his motives, but find it hard to believe that anyone with good motives would resort to a campaign of defamation, vilification and lies.
In most things, I believe that if right is on your side, then truth and consistency will eventually see things go the right way. My experience has been that people who resort to such tactics are afraid of the truth, usually for reasons other than the common good.
I am personally very suspicious of 4711. He seems to know WAY too much to be a casual observer here!
Why thank you Mr Higgins! I am
not a casual observer. I am a line controller, who spends every working day at the console. Contrary to the lie communicated by Dick Smith (supposedly quoting a ‘reliable’ source), I am not a manager in Airservices. If you think I “know WAY too much”, all I can do is point out that
everything I have said on PPRuNE has been as a result of research into public documents – largely via the internet – or as the result of personal experience as a controller. I have no vested interest in airspace reform except that my profession requires me to provide safe, orderly and expeditious services to air traffic. I am keen to continue to be an air traffic controller, paid a salary (with no bonuses, incentive etc) without that safety being compromised by politically motivated ‘reforms’.
Do you know that you have people working your airspace that are making money from the coffers of people struggling in general aviation who are having to pay excessive air service charges! This is nothing short of extortion.
As many, many, many people have tried to point out to Dick Smith – you are quite correct. There is a problem with ‘excessive air services charges’. Unfortunately, Dick Smith does not have any interest in addressing the issue. He believes that the only way to affect change is to reduce services, according to an untested experiment in airspace reform.
Is 4711, charged with the very administration of the sharing of these spoils?
No. I am a line controller, charged with the safe operation of air traffic services within a defined airspace.