Thanks Binoculars for recognising the efforts of a G.A. man. Finally we have one of the "professionals" who appears to be unbiassed and gives credit where it is due. And congratulations to Mike for hitting 20,000 hors.
G.A. is an honourable profession, and there are quite a lot of serious G.A. people who spend a lifetime flying small aircraft, providing essential services to people who have very few options. This is the most important flying in Australia, and the experienced bush pilot is a specialist and an asset to Australia. This flying soon sorts out the men from the boys.There are about 12000 civil aircraft on the register in Australia, and only a few hundred of them are big ones. Most are G.A. Yet Australias aviation is controlled by a few operators of big aircraft And we have a flood of young pilots who think that G.A.is only there to give them some quick hours in their logbooks, and something to whine about. And the white shoe brigade are continually trying to get G.A. regulated out of business, so they can sell bigger, unsuitable aircraft and get government subsidies..So, sadly, many of the older pilots become demoralised and quit. And G.A. is very sick. What is needed is not subsidies or concessions. Just a fair go. And a regulator that we trust. And more people like Mike.