Geoffers..
Thread creep ops abound in most posts and I think I know where that one would go ;-)
For transplants such as myself, I’ll admit the tendency to look back with rose tinted spectacles (I will never repeat these words ;-) and I will never say we haven’t got issues over there as well. But the issue is one of comparison and relative weaknesses and strengths..
I am concerned about the developments within the FAA. However I believe that it’s a political move, rather than a general attempt to fix a system that ‘ain’t broke’… and subsequent Administrations will ‘heal what ails us’.. At least I hope so.
In response to maintaining the status quo of the 60’s..
The 60’s are not a good point of reference due to the incredible escalation in aviation worldwide. New ground was being broken practically daily and there was a definite ‘catch-up’ element from the CAA and CAB thru 67-8 and the merger to become the FAA. The escalation IN RVN and political issues at home all muddied the waters. But if we could go back to the late 70’s and early 80’s…. Game on!
Getting back to your first paragraph; and that’s the best definition I've heard of the differences BTW… Absolutely perfect!
But we have to face the reality that Jarland is a complete f……g shambles, and it’s been that way for so long that it’s beginning (to many) to appear to be normal.
At least in the pre; JAA days I could go to the authority and plead my case, on specific points of law, establish past experience in the type of operation etc and acquire occasional dispensations and the like. But now it’s damned near impossible to find who to go to, and if you find someone to go to the chances are he/she is on ‘stress’ leave…Or has no idea what you’re talking about.
Risk analysis has its place, no argument! But we can’t analyze every aspect of helicopter aviation and issue bans on operations that could allow incidents that haven’t and might never happen. Yes a certain oxymoronic common sense has to be applied, but if we lived our private lives the way we are regulated to live our professional lives, interaction between people would be relegated to VOIP and email; as there’s a very real risk of catching an infection in ‘one on one’ contact, not to mention the risk of taking the tube or metro to the meeting place.
We have to re-find a balance, and until we do, it’s not even a case of sitting on the fence. The FAA leads by 8 lengths…You know it’s true, but the forum would wilt without the challenge…
