Bill,
Maybe you are a bit out of touch with some aspects including the "culture" differences that have been mentioned.
Firstly, in regard to Class E, it is not the other IFR aircraft that IFR pilots are concerned about, but the fact that any VFR about when there is no radar may not be party to alerted see and avoid because there is no frequency / radio requirement in Class E for VFR. The difference now is that on the area frequency, at least there is a frequency for everyone to be on, should they so choose. This is a vast difference to existing procedures and will take some time and effort before it is accepted.
In regard to the culture issue. There is most certainly a large difference between the culture of pilots in Australia and various overseas countries including the USA. You just have to look at the flying schools and instructors and how things are taught to see the first differences where in fact some cultures are "taught". To give you just one example… In the USA if a practice is "recommended" you get almost 100% compliance. To obtain the same levels of compliance in Australia, you have to MANDATE the procedures. Why else would we have made a CTAF a MBZ??
I doubt if you would see it looking down… you have to look in from the sides to see it in the big picture, but it is most definitely a significant issue in regard to ANY change proposal in Australia. If you don't consider the culture issues when change is proposed it will fail. Why do you think every change since the AMATS change in 91 has bit the dust…???
[ 07 February 2002: Message edited by: bonez ]</p>