Okay! I must in all good consciense apologise for my intemperate comments. Not so much getting out of bed on the wrong side as not making it there after a long tour.
However I do not see why anyone would jump the gun by applying early for this nonsense. It can have escaped no-one that there is a collective negativity toward the concept; the whole process thus far has been poorly articulated and/or implemented and to many minds is either, (a). somehow sinister or (b). a monumental exercise in futility with an accompanying price tag.
CASA themselves have been less than enthusiastic and indeed their own instructions to pilots already licensed is NOT to apply, they will contact you at the appropriate time.
From my discussions with the odd bureacrat involved in the tangled web of agencies and departments who have to have input, and administer the results of some bright sparks bright idea, there is a lot of detail that yet needs coherent direction.
e.g, for those of us already holding an ASIC, why have the system clogged up with a redundant series of checks and paperwork.
Lastly, inevietable as it is, for my mind I cannot for the life of me see what is hoped to be achieved. In 20 plus years of holding professional licences I can think of no occasion when establishing my bono-fides would have been enhanced by having a photo on my licence. In fact my licence sits year in year out in a pocket of my nav bag rarely seeing the light of day.
Last edited by Spotlight; 11th Mar 2005 at 06:02.