Is It Time For Direct Political Action? An Accessible Aviation Movement?
I have recently become aware of what I would term the studied contempt of CASA towards any form of aviation other than Military Aviation and Heavy Airlines. By this I mean at least Recreational (RAA), Sporting (SAAA), Warbirds and of course General Aviation in all its forms. This situation may not be news to any of you but I am now considerably more aware of just how easy it is for CASA to create deep personal pain for pilots at its slighest whim. This is not to say that all CASA staff and its actions are bad, far from it, however there is in my opinion the aforesaid studied contempt which manifests itself, at best, as sheer capriciousness and at worst, pure bloody mindedness as written about extensively in this and other forums. I would like to suggest what I hope is a novel solution to this situation.
The problem is considerably simpler than I thought. Many people, and of course responsible industry associations, have plied CASA with arguments based on sweet reason, fact, overseas experience, veiled threats of legal action, safety arguments, appeals to human decency - the whole gamut of oratory and techniques of persuasion - and none of it makes the slightest impression on CASAs current or future behaviour towards us. I believe there is one approach that will work and, unless I am mistaken, hasn't been attempted before - direct coordinated political action
The Two most effective lobbying associations generally known are the American National Rifle Association (NRA) and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Their power stems from the demonstrated fact that they can and do prevent political candidates of any party from being elected if theyare inimical to their objectives. I suggest that we need a new pilots political organisation to go for the jugular of CASAs masters, and keep doing it, until the Organisation is reformed. Arguing with CASA does no good, we need to make the politicians sensitive to our needs, by kicking their backsides until they do likewise to CASA, the ATSB and AsA.
Call it the "Accessible Aviation Movement" (AAM) as a working title. It is a purely political animal. It must have no role in regulation or the need for any ongoing engagement with CASA, unlike AOPA, RAA, etc. its focus is not on CASA but the politicians preferably at all levels down to local councils, who permit and or create the embuggerance of aviation. Its primary purpose is not "to get our sort of people elected" its purpose is to prevent the election of the bastards on both sides of politics who allow CASA to continue on its merry way. Its much easier and cheaper to run a negative campaign against a candidate that it is to find and promote your own.
If such an organisation were to exist, it has no need to engage with CASA or try to explain detailed technical subjects to a general public - which always fails- its focus is simple:"either you sign up to our charter and support aviation Mr. Candidate, or you are going to face a sustained negative advertising campaign from us in your personal electorate." And if AAM can organise and resource itself enough to provide a credible threat in as many marginal seats as possible, then ultimately CASA becomes more responsive.
This is not a particularly simple enterprise and it is going to cost money which has to come from us. But wouldnt' you rather cough up a few hundred dollars for AAM every year or so instead of blowing ten times that amount on legal fees fighting CASA?
The organisation would need a patron and to be staffed by non pilots - otherwise CASA would have an opportunity to take administrative revenge on them. The organisation needs a simple charter for local, state and Federal candidates to sign up to. The main activity outside election season would be monitoring the attitude and behaviour of elected officials towards aviation and producing a "league ladder" of exactly who we are for and against. It is imperative that AAM keeps out of party politics regarding immigration, Gay marriage, etc. etc., and focuses on a single issue - the promotion of Aviation at the GA and RAA levels.
I think a modest start would be to label the Minister and his parliamentary secretary as "anti GA" forces of darkness and the Good Senators Fawcett and Xenophon as forces for light.
What say you?
Last edited by Sunfish; 9th Mar 2013 at 20:03.