Owen Stanley, you are all about stopping any change. To compare airspace with a banking system is totally ridiculous.
The US airspace has evolved because of the weather conditions and the very high density of air traffic. It is similar to a Boeing 747 which has evolved to be one of the best aircraft in the world. Are you suggesting that a 747 designed and built in the United States is no good?
No, I wouldn’t want to copy the American banking system under any circumstances. It was obvious to anyone asking any advice that the whole system was flawed.
I agree that we do some things better than the Americans. That is why I have always said, “Go around the world, look at what’s happening, copy the best and keep what we do better.” Nothing could be more logical.
I do not believe (and have never believed) that we should have Class E airspace to low levels at every place we have an instrument approach as the United States does. However I believe when we have jet RPT aircraft operating into places which have good radar coverage – such as Proserpine – we should upgrade the uncontrolled airspace to a minimum of Class E and provide a proper air traffic control service when aircraft are in IMC. There would be a small cost but I’m sure a passenger would be prepared to pay that little extra for the obvious safety benefits.
Owen Stanley I’ll say it again – you are all about maintaining the status quo. It is amazing that we could ever move from four engine DC6s to twin engine DC9s – you know, four engines must be safer than two.