"Now that is a worry, rather than managing the problem by kicking the appropriate bum, the
vb solution removes the check. wow! So now you still have a defect and a first flight delay OR a method of ignoring maintenance by ignorance, which is it?"
I do see your point. However, I believe that some (a small minority of LAMEs) may have been less thorough with their Daily inspections than they perhaps could have been because they knew there was another check taking place before flight. I would hope that now they may view things a little differently. Admittedly, the majority of FFOD delays were on a/c that had not had a Daily that night, which should now not happen.
"what else should he do that is not scheduled, the oxy, hyd, lights, cabin, water, aerobridge, pushout, oils, windscreens, fuel? common.
If the time is not allocated by mgt it might not be possible. Image saying that to your doctor, dentist a manager once you've booked in for the basics?"
So you are saying that some of the guys in the smaller ports should just collect their 150k a year to sit in the office and not even go out to meet the aircraft when it arrives? I couldn't do that through guilt if nothing else. Technically the guys in the small ports should be there for their full shift, but everybody knows that they get their work done and then get away. If they are not even performing the most basic form of maintenance, then some management would question why they are paying them at all. They should be doing a check of the aircraft to protect themselves. If they pick up a defect and save a delay or AOG, then they have again proven their worth. If they have taken the cash and the aircraft sits AOG in the morning because something obvious wasn't seen until the oncoming crew did a walkround, they should really see that that is an unfavourable position for them to be in, job securing wise. Another nail in the coffin of the minor ports if you like.
"B2's got a lot of their privileges back cause it was not working."
That's exactly right, because the nightmare scenario every LAME kept on crying about, of B1s signing everything off and the B2 becoming redundant didn't happen, just like it won't here.
"when the ride in a dodgy cab to the airport costs more than a ticket syd to mel, when a trolley from the carosel to the cab costs $4, i think <$1/pax or guest for those at
vb) for a preflight seems cheap and well worth it!"
I totally agree with you. I'm more than happy to pay it, but then I'm not
VB management, nor am I an online customer looking for the absolute lowest price. They have little to no idea about the maintenance schedule in each airline in Australia and will book the cheapest flight regardless. I'm not saying it's right, but that is how it is. Let's not forget that an airline is like any other business. It does not exist to transport you from A to B in the safest way possible. It does not exist to offer you a better service that anyone else. It's primary purpose for existence is as a vehicle to make money for those who have invested in it. Safety is of paramount importance, but it is not the reason for it's existance. It can be as safe as you like, but no profit will put an end to everyone's job quickly.
