Reading back through many of these threads, and probably stating the obvious, it is very apparent that a complete disconnect between industry and regulator has occured...... or was it ever so?
In America, their regulator rose from civilian roots, ours rose through the military. Is this why the culture of ignoring industry needs and advice became entrenched? "you will follow orders" no questions!!
Once, long ago, Australia was an innovator in things aviation, yet no real industry developed here. Many of our innovations were taken by others and developed. Some of those are still in use today, reaping millions of dollars for someone elses economy. Why not ours?
Was it because they were regulated out of business here before the business even began?
The UK was once a world leader in things aviation. Their regulator rose from the same roots as ours. Where is their aviation industry today?
Could it be that without "Foster and promote" included in a regulators brief there is very little hope that innovation and development can exist?
I have trouble trying to figure out exactly why this is so, what are the regulators motives for its actions? Some here contend it is mearly following government "Policy". So then the question becomes is it really government "policy" that its regulator should suppress an industry that contributes to the economy? if this is so, Why?
Is it simply a misinterpretation of what government policy actually is?
Or a more sinister reason that because a lack understanding of how the industry works, leads politicians to accept whatever "policy" the regulator puts before them?
It is apparent from these threads that the regulator totally ignores the experience, qualifications and know how that exist within industry, in fact from the top down this expertise is held in contempt, just look at the DAS's performance at industry meetings as an illustration.
Why is this so? From a "Safety management" point of view is this a healthy state of affairs? To ignore the untapped wealth of expertise that resides within industry and the rest of the world?
Does our regulator believe it has a monopoly on safety management and knowledge? Or are they conditioned by their management "System" in that belief? Their front line troops certainly display this level of arrogance, then again they receive precious little in the way of training, which maybe explains why their only recourse when confronted with their own incompetence, is to resort to bullying and threats. Like the incompetent military commander they are perfectly prepared to force those they control into annihilation rather than admit they dont know what they are doing.
The DAS disparages our neighbour’s reforms, describing them as "basket cases" in denial of the facts, hopefully as time goes by and their aviation industries thrive and ours declines politicians will start asking Why? and as our industry gets further out of step with the rest of the world their regulators will begin to ask is Australia a safe place for their operators to aviate into and our aviators to operate out of.
If, as many tell us on this thread, it is a waste of time lobbying our government we should be directing our efforts to convincing other governments that Australia is becoming an unsafe place for their aviators to be operating in.
Last edited by thorn bird; 10th Jun 2013 at 05:49.