I can see where you're coming from, Prospector, but that VMC argument is a bit like the "PIC" argument: the captain must be at fault because the aircraft hit the ground. That's like saying that the captain in the O'Hare accident has to cop a share of the blame.
Am wondering if Gary Parate might still be lurking out there. In any event, on 16 February 2008 he said this, at #248:Quote:
"Incidentally, if ALPA are going to do are proper job on the proposed website, why don't they dig up everything, scan it, and put it on the site so that everyone has all the information? "
As one of the webmasters for the new site, I can confirm that this is exactly what is going to be happening. The site will be short on opinion, and long on information, although ultimately the judges of that will be you. Many of the questions on this thread will be answerable by researching the site. I don't yet have a date for when the site will go live, possibly April/May but I can tell you that this thread is having an influence on its ongoing development because it is serving as a useful barometer as to the necessity of having such a site.
The PC judgment has been scanned and will be available, as well as the Mahon and Chippindale Reports.
Other features will include a media kit, an area that will facilitate research, school projects, and a commemoration section.
It will not be a tool for venting one's spleen, nor should there be cause for anyone to vent at it(!), provided we have done our jobs correctly. Once again, that will be for you to decide.
A panel of experts will be available to answer questions by e-mail. All attempts will be made to ensure the impartiality of answers and I will be personally ensuring that this is the case. Whether I succeed in your estimation is another matter.
I have no opinion on some of the opinions I have read here, preferring to value them as a valid contribution to a robust debate. However I have to say that some of the statements of 'fact' I have read on here are nothing of the kind, and only serve to perpetuate myths that result in a debate that waste's everyone's time. Several claims that generate false thoughts in readers' minds that the Privy Council and the Court of Appeal "overturned" the Mahon Report are good examples.
It is hoped that the site will minimise pointless debate, but that may be wishful thinking. At least debate is better than no debate, and I, for one, have enjoyed reading every contribution on this thread. So keep it up, PPRuNers.
Gary Parata
All well and good, Gary, but I it is sometimes a little difficult to be assured of these things, especially when the following appeared in the President’s Message in the Dec 06 edition of ‘N’Formation’ (p10):"The Jim Collins Memorial Award was presented to Capt.Paul McCarthy at the 2006 Conference held in Rotorua.While I (President) was away for the Conference, I did have the pleasure of informing Paul of his award. Paul was overcome and felt privileged to be considered worthy of such an award. Part of the process of determining a worthy recipient for this award is working with Maria Collins, Captain Jim Collins’ widow. What a pleasure this is, and what a vibrant lady Maria remains. Maria is passionate about this award initiated in recognition of her husband Jim Collins, Captain of TE901, tragically flying into the slopes of Mt Erebus in1979. Every day Maria still has issues she deals with concerning this tragic time for her family and New Zealand. Maria is determined that her grandchildren and their grandchildren, when researching this flight and Mt Erebus, will read that the Mahon Report is the accepted account of the flight in New Zealand’s records, at ICAO, and anywhere on the Web. We have been working with Maria to help this happen. Work on a comprehensive Erebus page on the NZALPA Website has been underway for sometime. We are going to get it right before we go live. You will see this page available next year and will be advised when it is available."
This is, obviously, a sensitive issue. But the question has to be asked: Are we going to get it right? The fundamental issue is whether Mahon’s exoneration of the crew was correct. Captain Collins, as pilot in command, was a key member of the crew. His conduct, therefore, has to be scrutinised and, if necessary, criticised. This criticism will be extremely distressing to his wife and children, and to his grandchildren. So I think NZALPA should make up its mind, one way or another. Either do it right, or don’t do it at all.
If NZALPA are to proceed, then these are the items that I would like to see on the website:
(1) A complete transcript of the evidence of Capt. Wilson, Capt. Simpson, F/O Gabriel and F/O Irvine.
(2) Any document containing any previous statement made by any of the above witnesses.
(3) The photocopy of the topographical map used at the briefing.
(4) The topographical chart provided in the despatch documents.
(5) The passenger photographs of Beaufort Island.