While we continue to wait for the miniscule to blink the elephants in the room are happily putting on weight and some are reaching the end of a lengthy gestation period and about to multiply...
Recent arrivals to the miniscule elephant herd...
ATC/Defence elephant update: Apparently VIPA have made a donation to the feeding of this elephant, not that it was needed as this elephant was already off the scales in terms of weight gain:
Virgin pilots call for air traffic control inquiry
One of the unions representing Virgin Australia pilots has called for a government inquiry into Australia’s air traffic control systems.
The Virgin Independent Pilots Association (VIPA) says federal infrastructure minister Warren Truss needs to hold a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the management of Australian airspace.
VIPA executive director Simon O’Hara says the government needed to look at the “extent that we may need to examine one traffic control system for Australian airspace”.
“VIPA is now calling on Minister Truss to review and replace the current ATC system with a new air traffic system which better manages the separation of aircraft in controlled airspace,” O’Hara said in a statement.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report released in October 2013 found a higher rate of loss of separation (LOS) incidents at airports where air traffic control was administered by military air traffic services (ATS).
“Military ATS were involved in a disproportionate number of loss of separation occurrences involving civilian aircraft in terminal area airspace relative to the amount of traffic they control,” the ATSB report said.
“Military ATS are responsible for about 25 per cent of the aircraft movements in terminal areas, but were involved in 36 per cent of LOS occurrences in terminal areas.”
O’Hara said VIPA was deeply concerned by the report’s findings, which highlighted a number of serious safety issues regarding Australia’s current ATC system.
“Safety is paramount for Australian airline passengers and the government cannot continue sit on this report for any longer,” O’Hara said.
“The Minister must act before it’s too late.”
International war zone overflight elephant: In typical miniscule style this elephant was summarily dismissed as being someone else’s problem:
The International Air Transport Association said this week governments needed to take the lead in reviewing how airspace risk assessments were made.
Chief executive Tony Tyler said airlines and governments were partners in supporting global connectivity, with governments and air navigation providers telling airlines the routes they could fly and with what restrictions.
He said airlines complied with that guidance and this was the case with MH17, which had been shot down “in complete violation of international laws, standards and conventions while broadcasting its identity and presence on an open and busy air corridor at an altitude that was deemed to be safe”.
However, Australia has been lukewarm on the FSF call, with Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss saying it is too early to make judgments. Mr Truss said he was not sure there was a lack of information and he believed it would be difficult to put in place rules and laws guaranteeing a greater level of security.
“If there are deficiencies in the current system presumably that will be identified to some extent in the inevitable inquiries that will follow this event,’’ he said.
However after the ICAO/IATA meeting yesterday there are now additional calls from IATA/ICAO for the miniscule to take custody of this fast growing baby Dumbo:
MH17 tragedy 'exposed gap' in safety procedures, admits aviation industry
IATA Chief Tony Tyler again:
“This is the responsibility of states,” he said. “There are no excuses. Even sensitive information can be sanitised in a way that ensures airlines get essential and actionable information without compromising methods or sources.”
“This is all far from the authoritative, accurate, consistent, and unequivocal information needed to support effective decisions on such an important issue,” Mr Tyler said. “Governments must do better.”
Even the TWU is pointing the accusatory finger at the government, the miniscule & his Dept Head RED 
:
Transport Workers Union national secretary Tony Sheldon, who represents aviation workers, said airlines should reroute flights away from world conflict zones and the government should ensure Australian aircraft complied with global safety warnings.
“The ultimate decision on air routes is being made by the airlines themselves,” he said. “And that means cost will always be calculated against risk. Air safety warnings should not be subject to this kind of economic calculation.”
TICK..TOCK miniscule, I mean really "how much can a Koala Bear??"
MTF…
{Side issue on airlines overflying war zones: Contrary to Emirates the Red Rat has decided to continue to overfly Iraq: Qantas to fly where Emirates fears to go, but for how long?
Which kind of places FF in an interesting conundrum after deciding to get involved in the media hype post MH17: Advice on Eastern Ukraine airspace}