Definitions
The "airline and rpt" pilots only make up about half of Australia's civilian professional pilots.
We are getting back to the "mine's bigger than yours" argument.
"General Aviation" is considered to be all non scheduled civil aviation, services. Many, many professional pilots are engaged in it, and make their living from it, in all sorts of aircraft.
GA is not just private flying.
.
Australia has about 10,000 non airline, civil aircraft.
Commercial aviation is civil aviation that involves commercial transactions, and involves professional pilots. The airlines do not have a monopoly on that.
Many small aeroplanes flown by professional pilots, operate under an air operators certificate,with SOP'sand carry out commercial flying.
Private flying is a different thing altogether and should be defined as private flying, not just GA.
This, I believe is one way that we ARE different from Europe and the UK. I agree that there are too many mythical "unique Australian" supposed differences, but there ARE some real ones.
I agree with Danny, that there is a whole lot of rubbish on here, and much improvement is needed. Professional pilots are required to have communication skills, and a degree of civility and self control. Sometimes this is lacking on here; and it is not always the "non professional" who
offends.
Thank you Danny, for providing this very important
forum. It is more valuable than many people realise.