A summary of The Bondi Beach Project
Ladies and Gentleman,
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you all. I am waiting for an airline brief change to Omaha, so this is the perfect time to recount the events of the last few weeks.
First of all, I want to thank the staff of Qantas who made our flight with three children a pleasure both ways from LAX to Sydney. The quality of the Australian version of airline flying as a product is far better than I ever could have dreamed of, or remembered.
The Bondi Beach Project was succesful in some ways. Dick Smith gave a good summary of his actions, and he was questioned about his more controversial methods of communication. It seems that the issues are too technical for mainstream Australian media to grasp, so Dick has at times believed it better to ramp up his media machine to get his points across.
I took Dick to be an extremely intelligent and energetic achiever. He admits freely that he took great ideas from abroad, modified them for an Australian audience and with his own personality, founded his own fortune. He never raised his voice, made accusations about any one individual, nor did he speak in a condescending tone to any member of the audience. He seems a lot more convincing in person than in his written word. His facts were supported with original letters and original responses. Nothing was edited out.
There was an Air Traffic Controller present who had some candid questions for Dick. I would like to call him, "Mode S", to protect his anonymity.
Mode S made a candid remark to Dick Smith that many controllers found his communications somewhat dictatorial, when he was CASA Chairman. He said that he felt his relationship with Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, was suspicious, to say the least and that many controllers believed he might be intimidating to Mr Anderson.
Dick responded tthat he felt it was a shame that he was viewed that way, and that was never his intention to intimidate anyone.
Mode S outlined the poor training offered to pilots as part of the NAS change over. He felt that it should have been much better. He outlined the confusion surrounding controller and pilot responsibilities as part of "see and avoid", during transitions from VFR to IFR in controlled airspace. He outlined the operating parameters of his controller manual that makes it somewhat restrictive to offer the services that Dick Smith has requested.
Dick Smith countered that the transition had been improperly handled, that FAA controllers had made corrective suggestions that had not been inacted by Air Services.
Personally, I find it surprising just how restrictive ATC is in Australia, given the good weather and low volume.
Dick Smith was corrected numerous times by Mode S, with regards to politics that might have existed at one time in Air Services. Mode S acted in a calm and professional manner, while respectfully dismissing some of Dick's claims. Dick was equally respectful and humble in his justification of his beliefs.
On August 9, I was invited to tour the approach and tower facilities at Sydney, and it was a wonderful visit and it did educate me about the complications of "noise sharing" and the close proximity of Bankstown and the Lane of Entry. More about this later.
I have just been paged to go to catch a different flight to work, so I'll continue this later.
All the best!
Chris Higgins