After Mac Job came Harvey Ritchie (ex RAAF/RPT and BASI investigator, followed by Allan Stephens (ex RAAF and BASI investigator and now a PhD and RAAF historian), David Robson (ex RAAF and civilian flying instructor), Al Bridges (ex RAAF and still in the CASA Safety Promotion team - I think) and finally Roger Marchant (erudite and urbane Ex RAF Vulcan navigator, RAAF and civilian ATC).
I (PPL club scene but experienced in public affairs) worked in BASI in 1983-1986 and worked for Harvey alongside Allan and established and managed the Department's/CAA's Saftey Promotion Unit from 1987 until I took a package in January 1992. The first ASD I have is 94/1976 although I didn't start to fly until 1978. The last of course is the final one 150/1991. All are bound in three hard cover volumes.
I wrote some stories and introduced the Annual Nikon Photo comp which was real fun. The final issue has an inscription by the then editor (Roger Marchant) - "To Terry - who got me into this".
When Mac, Harvey and Allan were the editors they were anonymous. Policy was not to identify authors. I had that changed and felt that it was important for the editor to be identified and to identify other authors and to invite contributions from the industry as you all had something important to contribute to safety.
It was good fun - well that is until 'commercialisation' became the CAA's focus and the unit I headed up was abolished - I went on an overseas trip. When I got back I was horrified to discover that they had realised they had made a mistake and decided to reinvent the unit. When I managed it we had on six staff in total. It is now quite rightly a sizable unit.
The last edition has an intro by Ron Cooper, then GM Safety Regulation Division and Standards Division, CAA. He says "The results of the survey we conducted to identify readers' wishes in relation to the continuation of the Digest indicate inadequate support to warrant its continuation." - Go figure.
I treasured the time I was there although for many reasons the going could get a bit rough from time to time - not least when we published something in error! I remember three in particular.
Barkly1992 formerly VH-Grumpy and Terry Walls
Canberra
