Only GA???
What's this about the RFDS being ONLY GA? What we call "GA"(a rediculous term) is some of the most important flying in the country.
Our coastal based govt/ beaurocracy has been ignoring the needs of inland Australia for ever. There aren't many votes there. That is why they have had to declare a national emergency when they were presented with a report showing that child sex abuse exists in some sixty odd outback comunities in the N.T.
This is nothing new. This "emergency" has been there for decades, but it was ignored until they were publicly handed yet another report, and they had to act, or let the voters see that they do not care. It has been on TV, and there is an election coming. Nothing to do with politics??? and passing the buck to the NT will not work. The NT people have been trying to fix it with meagre resources for decades. It was ONLY the outback. (not many votes there.) so the Feds could blame the NT govt, and forget it.
And most of the aviation in the outback is "ONLY GA", and only useful for training newbies, and giving them somewhere to "hold" while "enduring" that interminable wait for an airline job.
The RFDS is an ESSENTIAL part of the health services that we pay taxes for. But it is "ONLY GA" and ONLY THE OUTBACK" so they have to ask the public for money, and are described as a charity.?????. Sure the Govts provide some money, but not enough. Is this why we pay for those thirteen houses of parliament, and the armies of beaurocrats? Why don't they do the job we pay them for? The RFDS should be TOTALLY FUNDED BY THE FEDS. People of the outback have no other option. There is a saying in the territory. "If in pain, catch a plane."
I believe that CASA has proved to be incompetent to supervise GA, but this also is tolerated, like the child sex abuse, and the 3000 people in Alice Springs waiting for surgery.
I guess it is only the outback people they are looking after. (not many votes there.)
The RFDS is an essential seervice and has a history of paying salaries a little better than the GA award with a few perks like a car (which is the cheapest way of ensuring prompt 3am departures, as there is not even a taxi available at that time at some bases.) They also have a history of providing almost sufficient crew for the average level of activity, and expect pilots to work extra to cope with the peaks. They are an emergency service and should be crewed to cope with the peaks. They also routinely rostered pilots for 12 hour shifts which often got extended. Sometimes back to back 12 hour shifts. Since most flights involve about four hours of duty time it was easy to have sixteen hour duties, and I remember landing after being on the go for abour 23 hours. Not good. Got my bum kicked for it, but that goes with the job. (admin was in the coastal capital city) This should be fixed, and it can be easily fixed by hiring more pilots. They should be rostered for 8 hours.
RFDS IS GA (whatever that is) and the pilots are generally paid better than most light aircraft pilots, but it is absurd to think that SO's in airlines are paid double that ammount. Today, many GA salaries (where they can get a salary) are indecently low, and unsustainable.
RFDS pilots should be paid MUCH MORE than today's average GA salary., It is unrealistic, and will increase soon.
Being a GA pilot in outback Australia is an honourable profession.
WAKE UP AUSTRALIA!!!!
Last edited by bushy; 4th Jul 2007 at 05:59.
Reason: fat fingers-little keys.