Look, I do not normally do Character Assassination
but something has been niggling at me for a couple of days now and I have to get it off my chest. I almost was physically sick when I heard the evidence that Anthony Petteford (the arrogant, overly confident one) gave to the Senate Enquiry.
The Hansard does not do it justice but I have to say his performance was impressive and one of confidence. So much so Senator Heffernan made the point later in the hearing to another witness that he gave 'strong evidence'. You will see below that Senator X also acknowledged his experience [as a pilot] having flown both B757 and A320 and asked him a direct question relating to this which he answered in his usual casual but authoritative manner. The following is taken straight from Hansard:
Senator XENOPHON
—We heard some evidence earlier, in terms of some training of
captains or pilots in simulators, that they are rated for the A320 but they have not flown the A320. They might have been trained up in Boeings. I think that there is quite a difference in the way that they operate. They still fly, but they are quite different.
Mr Petteford
—I have flown both types. I have flown a traditional Boeing and I have flown
a—
Senator XENOPHON
—I noticed your experience.
Mr Petteford
—I would say, no, an airliner these days is laid out in pretty standard chunks.
You have your systems overhead, your auto pilot, flight control panel, primary flight instruments and communications. The difference between the Boeing and the Airbus is that the Airbus’s stick is there. The 777 is a fly-by-wire aeroplane. You can pretty much go from one to the other.
Senator XENOPHON
—So you are not concerned that a trainer has not flown that aircraft
type when they are training cadets?
Mr Petteford
—No. Provided they are experienced airline pilots, then I am not concerned
about that.
Bearing in mind that this guy could sell ice to eskimo's, you guys are all thinking at this point that his opinion is well valued as a person who has spent many years on the flight deck and is sufficiently qualified to make such statements.
Well, would it surprise you to know that you would all be wrong?
Mr Petteford, as he stated is endorsed on the A320 and B757, this is true. However, his tenure on the flight deck of the A320 lasted less than a year and was the result of a short sabbatical probably arranged through the Oxford " old boys network ". His time on type probably only extends to a few hundred hours. As for his qualification on the B757 this was done much later 'just for the fun of it' and he has never flown the B757 in line operations.
The hours for the ATPL he credits himself with were gained through flight instructing over a 3 year period commencing on 1983. All his jobs since then have been management and training positions mainly in IT but more recently as we all know as MD with Oxford Aviation.
If you were an eskimo, would you buy ice from him?
Do you think this was the persona and impression he gave the Senators?
I guess your answer may be no to both questions.
So why are we listening to this guys sales patter when we are looking for flying training?
I hope the Senate do not put too much weight to his evidence
I will leave this with you.
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The Kelpie