Frank
A few thoughts on questions you have raised.
1. The collission record may show we have not had a MAC in these regional places with an RPT, but you must remember the amount of RPT in and out of these places has increased quite a lot and now in bigger faster aircraft which makes the comparison a little unfair.
2. RAA in E, well the rules are in controlled airspace, and E is controlled airspace, its just that VFR do not need a clearance and they must do certain things. So on the basis of its Contrlled airspace the answer is NO. Should they? well when I see and hear the amount of stuff I see and hear, I would say no. For example, chatting to some folk on Saturday, I quizzed them about being on BN/ML CEN especially above 5000' and for that matter in and around major regional ports.....what for they say?
As for using class E near a major port
.
3. Yes the RAA have many RPT captains and many of the folk that wind up like the Drifter pilot discussed on another thread. So your point is invalid. The highly experienced folk who have been RPT pilots still hold their CASA licence as a general rule and are legally entitled to use Controlled airspace. They are not the ones Bloggs should be concerned about.
Back to BME/KTA............