Ozbiggles, you state:
I'm sure however you may have got a more supportive reception if you had approached this subject a different way
Unfortunately I’ve been there and done that. I’ve been involved now for over 18 years in attempting to get some basic changes to the way the military operates their airspace. The majority of that time has been spent behind the scenes, going to meetings, talking to people on the phone, writing “sensitive” letters and massaging peoples’ egos – all to absolutely no avail.
Even though I have been promised on numerous occasions by senior people in the military that changes will be made (as they actually agree that changes should be made), nothing has happened. These people do not even have the ethics to drop me a line or give me a phone call and explain why they have changed their minds, or why they have not been able to succeed.
My new method will continue until something happens. That is, the military announces that they have no intention of making any changes and explain the reasons, or they go ahead and make the changes that they have said they would. Nothing could be fairer than this.
MrApproach, I thank you very much for your post. I hope everyone reads it at least twice. You are absolutely spot on. The reason people don’t complain is as you have said - it is twofold. Many Aussie pilots and ATCs have never experienced how an efficient ATC system can operate. That is, one which provides a high level of safety but does not add unnecessarily to cost. Also there are people who agree that changes should be made, but are simply not prepared to say this because their careers would be curtailed. I fully understand this. These people give me a lot of support behind the scenes. One day when they retire I believe they will become more vocal.