Talk is good, it's cheap but its a start. Mr Truss's concerns are noted, and his probable intentions are what I would say 'in the spirit' of the type of changes we need. However he is still off the mark somewhat on numerous criteria, but at least he is a
little bit awake.
By way of suggestion to Mr Truss, he ought to consider the following;
• The current Board does not need an increase in trough dwelling bureaucrats whose job is to protect a Minister while squeezing the DAS testicles between thumb and forefinger (they are rumoured to be quite small). The entire Board needs replacing, and should be replaced by 4 senior people with aviation experience. Their role becomes one of actually completing things such as the reg reform, improving aviation safety, enhancing our current system and reporting honestly and transparently with the sole purpose being SAFETY. Even if that means having to make hard decisions. Career bureaucrats serve no value on the Board.
• Restructure of the 'trio of DAS'. The current three should ALL be dumped come March 2014. Replaced by one DAS and one Deputy DAS who have an aviation background but one that includes actual aviation safety knowledge and experience. We don't need test pilots and angry 'one man show ' induviduals steering (I mean attempting to steer) Australian aviation.
• The incoming Government will need to publicly state 'Houston we have a problem', and admit that successive governments have f #cked the whole system. The sore has been ignored and now we have cancerous lesions.
• The ICC - The current set up is an absolute disgrace. Time for some back to basics, and lets use Michael Hart as an example of how the ICC should be run. Perhaps not perfect, but the current set-up is similar to a Mexican court.
• Any Government advisers on aviation matters could be made up to include independents and people like Xenophon and Fawcett, they simply must be considered.
• CAsA restructure - Apart from the obvious need to tear down the current malaise, there needs to be a ****load of tidying up of past events. How? A high level of inquiry/commission must be introduced to sift through the past events that simply will not be closed until justice is served, truth revealed and closure provided to the countless who have been wronged, denied, suffered at the hands of systemic bureaucratic failures, otherwise Australia will continue to be at pains for decades to come, just like NZ still is over Erebus where justice was never served. Closure must be prioritised for;
- The Transair Lockhart farce.
- The Pel Air fiasco
- Canley Vale, the next can of worms.
- Justice for Butson, Stan, Quadrio, James, Urqhart, Hare and the list goes on and on and on.........
• Time line - A 3 year time line, coinciding with the new Governments term should be set for finishing reform, restructuring CAsA, fixing the ATSB (which should include the removal of the three non aviation Commissioners), a Royal Commision or similar to be hopefully completed and apologies/recompense/justice be awarded to aviation victims and accountability including potential charges be laid upon negligent serving and former government employees.
• Mr Truss states that he
can introduce some interim measures ? I would trust that might included removing the CAsA AND ATSBeakers top executives
prior to the end of March 2014? And Mr Truss, lets see your plans detailed and in writing with a PERSONAL commitment and accountable statement from yourself please. I am sure that your people can draft something next week, it could just win you a lot of aviation voters support
• Assistance - The incoming Government needs to eat a giant **** sandwich and seek assistance from ICAO to start with, followed by a potential working group from the FAA and CAA. Both labor and liberal have proven over the past 25 years that they do not understand aviation, have not been capable or willing to govern aviation, have contributed to the absolute demise in aviation safety standards and contributed to the death of GA. The mere voting in of a new government does not fix the underlying problems.
Anyway, this is just a taste of my bucket list. Perhaps we could start a new thread titled 'Aviation Bucket List 2014', containing no sledging, religion or politics, no waffle, no acronyms and no pigs at trough photos (although that is quite amusing!). Just dot points that can be viewed by not only our aviation community but by the media, politicians and interested parties. After all Pprune is a social media site, it has the potential to be a very powerful and effective aviation tool. It is us guys/gals at the pointy end who know what needs to be done, who knows what works, so wouldn't it be in the best interest, the smart interest, of the government to listen to what the IOS have to say??
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