Cripes Centaurus, we're talkin' about the glories of the olden days mate!
We got away with it!
Never saw a high flyin' bird in some parts of the country yet knew about 'em in others and was wary.
Spotted a pelican at ten grand while heading out of Mt Isa for example. Boy did he get a fright when a dirty great roaring predator was comin' to get him.
He did what they all do in the last ditched emergency... folded his wings and dived.
On leaving the cockpit at the end of a flight from Melbourne many years ago, I had some puffed up highly important 100 hour Private Pilot admonish me for "dangerous flying" when I did the old 210 to 320 knot acceleration just above the seven thousand foot Strato-Cu. plain I'd descended through forty five minutes earlier.
I asked why it was dangerous.
"Another aircraft might have come out of the cloud and hit us".
My old man could give some really withering looks when he wanted to let one know they were talking cr*p.
I pretended I was him, and rudely told "the expert" to check out controlled airspace, clearances and separation.
Mug still thought HE was right, but I never had to stand before the SRC's desk and explain, so at least he didn't complain.
I could never believe the public. Occasionally while deadheading you'd see the boys do the scream "across the top" and feel the thrill of the speed. On looking around to see if others were enraptured, I was flabbergasted to see no one lookin'.
Bugger them I'd jam my nose back to the window pane waiting to see the mighty zoom away.