GG, I will go one further. I actually think that CASA need to take someresponsibility for what has been going on in the East Kimberly the last fewyears. If CASA had not approved such low time inexperienced CPs over the2009-2011 period then Maybe RK would not have gotten away with as much as hedid, for as long as he did.
Ultimately it is the CP that is responsible for ALL flyingoperations and crew rostering conducted within a company. Owners/management maybe able to try and make pilots fly poorly maintained aircraft, fly overweight, totallydisregard F&D times or sack pilots thatrefuse to fly aircraft they deem unserviceable but NO CP should stand by andknowingly let any of this happen. Yet this seems to be exactly what has occurred.
CASA approved CPs that met the absolute bare minimumrequirements to hold the position. Pilots with minimal leadership andmanagement experience, poor communication skills, the inability to lead byexample (as their professional knowledge and industry experience was totallyinadequate) and most of all the inability or total lack of desire to carry out themost important role of a CP, mentoring, guiding and generally looking out for thepilots they are in charge of.
Maybe I am missing something but I do think the regulatorshould take a long hard look at itself. Maybe if they considered working withthe industry rather than against it then they might develop some trust. Maybethen pilots that encounter operations like Alligator would be more inclined tospeak up and report them rather than worrying about any repercussions forthings they were made to do while employed (ie bust F&D, fly overweight etcetc).
Nice to see CASA finally catch up with RK, I have beenwaiting a very loooong time for this day. Pity Gator had to go bust but it was reallythe only way that it was ever going to end.