You have to admire the guile of Ian Harvey; you don't have to like it, but skill wherever or however manifested must be acknowledged. Clearly he understood the Coroner and neatly deflected the focus to matters medical, rather than matters related to why Hempel had for many years thumbed his nose at the authority. Starting at page 15 continuing to 16, is a neat little rant from Hutton, where his hobby horse is ridden around the arena. Harvey identified this, exploited it and probably had two bob each way on the result. Brava.....
No doubt the Coroner is well meaning and did not spare the Sleepy Hollow men; the now world infamous wet lettuce leaf lash was ferociously applied. Probably the only Coroner's recommendation, in the whole long history of ignored coronial recommendations will be the public flogging of pilots on a weekly list (register) assiduously provided by CASA to the industry. It is to be most sincerely hoped that this notion is stillborn. In the hands of the current crew it could, and (IMO) probably would be used as a lethal weapon.
Just say you came off the skate board one night, on your way home from the pub and some worthless FOI has it in for you. Now, your broken arm heals, just fine and the hangover has long since disappeared. You have been a good lad (or ladette) and reported the broken arm. Now you expect to be declared fit for duty; not so. You mate, are now down on an industry wide list, informing the world and it's wife that your broken wing is suspect and expected to fail during a safety sensitive period of flight; furthermore, that you need extensive close scrutiny while extensive testing for a suspected, deep seated, substance abuse problem is forensically examined. Privacy, forget about all that, your friendly FOI will simply cc the complaint to all and sundry. Couldn't happen you say, well: I'd have to disagree.
Hutton: "That CASA consider immediately disseminating the names of pilots to the industry who have had conditions imposed upon their licence or had their licence suspended or cancelled. As it is a matter of some urgency, the dissemination should be by way of emails"
Bollocks, I believe. Well intentioned, well meaning, but bollocks non the less. Long live the nanny state and the specialist care and feeding of protected species.
Selah.