I don't think some here understand the problem these incidents have created for CASA and ATSB and thus air safety in general.
That problem is that any safety report and / or regulatory action taken has to be seen to be absolutely consistent with the actions taken in the Pel Air case, otherwise ATSB and CASA become complete laughing stocks!
While there will no doubt be a great deal of hair splitting and drawing of fine distinctions to explain why this was a minor event of no great import, compared with the Norfolk ditching, the problem is the same even if the outcome is different - pilots (2 crews!) of Qantas and Virgin got caught with inadequate fuel and a fast changing weather forecast who had nowhere else to go. Both apparently landed below minima, at least Dominic James didn't try that!
The absence of candour at the ATSB and the lack of leadership, natural justice, procedural fairness and equity from CASA as revealed in the Senate report, is appalling.
Last edited by Sunfish; 19th Jun 2013 at 23:53.