4SPOOLED, you just don’t get it do you. You state:
If the aircraft in question was a PA31 with pax in the same situation would you even care?
Yes, I would. That is why I see the situation of David Hicks and the Qantas pilots to be the same. If the pilot of a PA31 had been taken to court, an alleged half a million dollars had been spent on the court action, and after five years the pilot had still not been able to have a trial, I would be just as concerned – possibly more so, because Qantas pilots seem to have a little more power than PA31 pilots.
I think everyone should be aware about what has happened to aviation and to Australia. This action in Launceston is the first action of this nature that I have heard of. As I stated at the start, why wasn’t a simple administrative fine used if CASA genuinely believed that there was a case to answer?
4SPOOLED, I would suggest you put yourself in the position of the Qantas pilots. I wonder how they sleep at night knowing that this ongoing action is continuing.
Yes, I am concerned about the other issues you have raised, however I see those issues only being solved when we gain a viable general aviation industry again. I believe we can only gain a viable industry by removing every unnecessary cost, and having a Government which is not hostile to general aviation. That is what I have continually been working for. At the same time, I believe that our prosecution and enforcement system in aviation should be fair.
Happy Christmas.