Old Akro,
If you scroll there the released reports of the last 3 or 6 months, I think 3 things are apparent:
1.
Reports seem to be released in groups only once or twice a month, usually most reports come out in the last days of the month. I wonder if they sit on someone's desk for approval?
Corect. Usually at the end of the month to 'prove' that work has and is being carried out at the ATSB. It's an old smoke n mirror trick and is meant to make the taxpayer feel warm and fluffy, that his money is being robustly and well spent. And yes, reports often have to be given the green light first by the Minister, the Beaker, and a few other filtering levels and even discussed with the operator prior to going public. A final investigation report for instance could take 12 months to complete, but it could then sit in the sweaty palms of some postulating trough dwellers for another 12 months before getting the final ok. You know, the lawyers have to disect each word and ensure no that government entity is included in any of the blame. Can't have government or the Minister looking bad can we? It wasn't as bad as this 4 years ago.
Team Beaker = FAIL
2. The list of incomplete or pending reports is growing. They are not keeping up with the workload.
Nothing new in that statement brother. A growing aviation environment, coupled with the fact that our current one is slipping to a standard that even raises ICAO's and FAA's eyebrows means the fronline Investigators work is growing due to increasing incidents and accidents. Of course funding is growing, but only enough to satisfy management's hunger for huge salaries, bonuses and trips abroad, and for filling back offices with more mid-level management. The frontline always misses out. It wasn't as bad as this 4 years ago.
Team Beaker = FAIL
3. Most reports that are being released are minor in nature. There doesn't seem to be any reports of substance that might contain lessons that have been released in ages - maybe even since Norfolk Island.
Another bureaucratic ploy - spin, smoke n mirrors and polishing the turd 101.
Releasing a bunch of low level investigations puffs up the numbers on paper and makes it look like they are keeping up with the workload and managing sufficiently. But it is a carefully scripted stage show. The true facts always come out, and they do when you look at stats on how long it takes to produce a high level report, how many of those reports make it to public within a reasonable time frame, and the quality and accuracy of the report. The decline commenced 4 years ago, blind Freddy can see that. Again, protecting governments, gravy trains and one's own spotty botty takes precedence over real facts, lessons learned and the truth.
Team Beaker = FAIL
Aagh Jaba san,
Benalla and Lockhart are reports I am starting to wonder about given some things were not thoroughly explored.
Praise the Lord my scholared non-tautological friend! You have seen the light!You have smelt the pooh! AMEN!!
Seriously, correct Jaba. If you take a look at those previous investigation reports (prior to Team Beaker) you will see, I guess for better words, some interesting reporting. However, if you look primarily at Lockhart through the eyes of government and the Regulator you will see that some of the findings and reporting match perfectly with their devious, fact spinning, deflecting methodology.
Don't let facts stand in the way of a good story type of mischief. CASA was scrutinized over Lockhart, and concerns were raised and pointed in their direction regarding approach plates and 'inspector oversight' by way of surveillance and audit, but of course they escaped, 'scott-free', as usual. Keeping in mind the 'James Reason' Tasmanian cheese model you will no doubt recall that there is virtually always a number of causal factors. And that is precisely what occurred at Locakhart.
And one of the clever ploys they adopted as part of the post accident
ruse? Adopting SMS. Now SMS in itself is an interestig discussuion point which doesn't belong here, but SMS, when used incorrectly, is a great tool for ensuring the government remains at arms length from any blame when something goes tits up! They can say - Safety is your responsibility. It is all
your fault.