IXIXLY on the money
Nineninely...! you are asking a pertinent question, one that goes to the heart of much that is so wrong with our aviation systems. I achieved a charter Licence with a twelve page ops manual and my fresh commercial ticket, no charge, no fees. Never heard about 'chief pilot'. After Grade 3 made Grade 2 (or was that Class 2? keep changing stuff for no reason) instructor and made CFI without application or test. Grade 1 no test sometime later and became an approved Licence Testing Officer (might not have been capital letters) with no application or tests. I suppose it was enough that I was working at it and had accumulated experience. Was given an AOC, some paper turned up, probably too busy to read that. I remember clearly some CASA type came to see the movements at my airport '89 moto GP at Phillip Island, he talked about who had an AOC to justify the passenger multiple flights that were happening. Only much later did I have a clue what he was talking about. Just like we've put up with useless aviation medicals, the whole shooting match of non sense. Why? A mixture of apathy, too busy to worry and an ego thing that says we do this because we are so special, and accept government knows best so pull your forelock or doff your lid. Please save us from stupidity, General Aviation in Australia is down the drain. When will we see that freedom is the only way for progress?