I have read with interest the various reports which have been published regarding the level of skill and competancy of the Police pilot in command of the ill fated 310 at Newman.
The Pilot was not qualified, had training difficulties, eye sight issues and tended to panic when encountering an emergency, are to name but a few reports. The coroner has recorded that such reports are now facts. (dead men tell no tales)
I reiterate that the flight had all but completed, the Pilot had aviated, navigated and arrived over head..... lack of fuel system management was found to have preceded the impact.
What management process allowed this Pilot to be placed in such an environment? Why did the Chief Pilot permit this to occur. What safety management systems were in place to prevent this circumstance from occurring ?
Obviously the pilot must be aportioned some blame in this tragic event, however without hesitation I would suggest that the police management must accept the greater portion for permitting this to occur.
Likewise where was CASA in all of this... ?????
It is evident that Police persons have a career path or pecking order that is linked to their pay cheques... 310 pilot 55 - 60k per annum. Rock the boat and back to pounding the beat you go. What pressure was applied to this pilot to get the job done?
Now put yourself in that position, walking the beat means being relieved of flying duties but keep the money or give up the money and try to get a position in GA to keep flying..... I guess no rocking the boat sounds pretty good.
I am very confident that a civillian Pilot would not compromise his life, his passengers lives or his chances with Cathay or Qantas over any safety issue and I would hope that CASA would be consulted if the Operations Manager or Chief Pilot or even the Commissioner of Police was not doing his job. A civillian Pilot would have the support of the aviation community where he/she would be free to raise well founded concerns without fear of being sent to confront criminals.
For a state the size of Western Australia, Turbines are the only suitable option and professional Civillian Pilots as the Coroner has pointed out should be employed.
Let the Police ride as passengers and do the policing and let the professional civillian air crews do the flying.
The Coroner forgot to add the Police should; Get proffessional, Get Turbines, Get Training, Get a Budget, Get out of aviation and Get Civillians.
PIRG