Mark Skidmore throws toys out of the pram.

[Frank Arouet]

Apart from the rudeness, it would appear every blogger in the world now knows his Wife's email address which I have deleted to save her embarrassment.


From: Skidmore
Date: April 2, 2016 at 8:02:06 PM GMT+11
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Cancellation of membership.

Please cancel my membership with immediate effect as I no longer want to be associated with AOPA.

Mark Skidmore

Member number ...

[junior.VH-LFA]

Can you blame him?

This thread is far more petty than his email, just saying. If someone wants to leave an organisation that they were a part of, who cares? This isn't me weighing into what's been said about the man either, but would go for any person.

[Dick Smith]

Junior. There is a clear message here from Mr Skidmore.

His resignation came immediately after the AOPA newsletter was sent out. This newsletter included criticism of CASA amongst other things.

Instead of just letting his membership expire he has made a very clear message to any person or organisation that dares to criticise CASA.

That is - he will have nothing further to do with you.

[ozbiggles]

This kind of thing says more about the people who spread private emails than it does the person sent it...and that's if it's legit in the first place.
Sounds like something a spoilt brat on Facebook would do...not someone who is meant to be a professional pilot

[thorn bird]

It would appear AVM (retired) Skidmore does not support a General Aviation revival, and does not wish to associate with civilian aircraft owners and pilots.

Perhaps AVM (retired) Skidmore subscribes to CAsA policy captured so eloquently by that immovable granite figure from the iron ring who famously stated "the only aircraft flying in Australia should be RPT" or RAAF", with a proviso that the policy be changed to read the RAAF and RPT flown by ex RAAF pilots.

Perhaps someone could convince him that he should disassociate himself altogether from aviation and resign. Does he really want his legacy to be tarnished with the McCormack mantel?
His nickname could be the Whimpering Skull.

[ozbiggles]

And what do you do with people who disagree with you Mr Smith?

[Arm out the window]

Apart from the rudeness, it would appear every blogger in the world now knows his Wife's email address which I have deleted to save her embarrassment.


Well, why would anyone circulate or publicly post it in the first place, if not to be vindictive? Too right you should delete personal addresses in such a case - what do you want, a medal?

Mark Skidmore throws toys out of the pram.

No, Mark Skidmore (if this is legit) indicates he wants to leave an organisation, as is his right.

Instead of just letting his membership expire he has made a very clear message to any person or organisation that dares to criticise CASA.
That is - he will have nothing further to do with you.

No, he's made a clear message that he wants to no longer be a member, not any of those made-up things!

Thorn Bird, your post is simple cowardly stirring with its 'perhaps', 'it would appear', and so on. You're just making crap up and attributing it to someone you clearly don't know. There'd be a few good nicknames that could be thrown at you if that's how you carry on.

This thread is far more petty than his email, just saying. Spot on.

[junior.VH-LFA]

does not wish to associate with civilian aircraft owners and pilots.

Which is why he owns his own VH registed aircraft... As does Binskin and other military leaders :{

I recall Skidmore being at last years AAAA fly in at Echuca, not to present or speak but just attending. Definitley the actions of someone out to get all of you :ok: .

C'mon guys, sometimes you have valid points there is no denying but this is just getting old now, and descending far below an acceptable lower safe for standards.

[Dick Smith]

Ozbiggles. I like people who disagree with me. What do I do? I open up friendly conversation .

Many of the best decisions I have made in life came from changing my view after I was convinced by others that I was wrong.

It's happened lots of times. How else would I have got that plane.

Harder on this airspace and CASA issue because not one of those posting on prune and saying I am wrong will actually have a conversation with me. As I said before. It is all very strange.

[Lead Balloon]

He should have resigned his membership of AOPA before taking up the DAS position. If he has now resigned as a consequence of the recent AOPA letter, it's just another error of judgment.

[actus reus]

Arm out the Window,

You are absolutely correct.

If any organization does not suit a member, they normally resign.

AOPA, for all that it is and for all that it is not, membership or non-membership is a personal preference regardless of that person's day job, or is the AOPA the font of all GA knowledge with the future of GA inextricably linked to it?

Carping is a blood sport in GA it seems.

[Frank Arouet]

From memory the aim of AOPA was to represent members rights to fly responsibly without unnecessary costs or regulations. It would appear any DAS having a membership would be not only be an error of judgment but given the aim of CAsA is constantly at odds with that mission statement, one would feel it was inappropriate.


Past experience of AOPA being a compliant Arm of that regulator appears to have ended now they are doing what they were supposed to do. Represent their members interests. Maybe now they may get a membership increase with an assertive President who is not prepared to cop their $hit any more.


Some of you blokes are precious.

[donpizmeov]

Frank your posting is very similar to a jilted lover posting nude pics of the ex.
I am sure the AOPA board have more maturity.

[CaptainMidnight]

Whoever in AOPA released that should be kicked in the ar*e.

Disgraceful, and a breach of privacy.

[Frank Arouet]

Oh, the injustice of it all. Oh, the humanity. Nothing CAsA would contemplate doing of course. It's in the public domain, ducks nuts addresses and all on various sites. Get over it and see it as a watershed in aviation politics or get off the pot.

[junior.VH-LFA]

very similar to a jilted lover posting nude pics of the ex.

I don't know, usually when a guy does that and gets told what he's doing is wrong he stops.

[Arm out the window]

see it as a watershed in aviation politics or get off the pot.

I reckon most sensible people would see it as a feeble attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Not too sure whether being on or off the pot matters, although there's a fair bit of crap being written so it might be relevant I suppose.:confused:

[no_one]

I just want to know what AOPA said that upset him. Anyone have a link?

[Aussie Bob]

I quit AOPA about 5 years ago in disgust at their being in the pocket of the regulator. After 25 years being a member, i wrote them a letter explaining my view. I got no reply, no argument regarding my points, nada, nothing. Heck they could have talked me into staying if they had tried.

If they had made my letter and email public I would have been slightly pissed off. That they have made the resignation of another member public makes me glad I am not a part of them. I guess no attempt was made to get the said member to change his mind either.

[Stretch06]

Spot on Aussie Bob and Capt Moonlight :ok:

[Frank Arouet]

I removed myself from the board of directors in or about 2005 out of frustration to the ruling Troika. (the words of Baxt, duties of directors came to mind). The place went to hell in a hand basket when that mob neglected their duties to the shareholders by accepting the ASIC in step with an expected increase in membership by becoming, (or trying to be) "the" accredited issuing agency. Not in the members interests obviously given it has become the revenue raising thing it was designed for. Prior to that it was run as a milch cow for wannabe globetrotters and phallic extenders.


Now, years later a bloke tells it as it is to the mob causing most trouble for the members and the head honcho of the antagonists becomes the victim and some Wayne Kerr's on PPRune decide it's all enough to give one the vapors.


Give me strength.


At last AOPA tell CAsA to get stuffed and Skidmore is the victim. Give me more strength and hallelujah to the tree huggers.


Coming from me, the fact that AOPA have been bold enough to question the wisdom of the gods, it is high praise indeed for Mark DeStoop. Long may he reign and long may other alphabet soup organizations be inspired by his attempts at getting heard on behalf of his members.

[ozbiggles]

Well now that you Frank, have given this email such publicity AOPA will have to investigate this breach of privacy of a citizen and probably the person who sent it on from AOPA will lose their job, probably rightly so too.
But if it makes you feel better I'm sure you have no problem with your behaviour.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
It seems to me that AVM(Rtd.) Skidmore is reacting to the fact that AOPA has just had access to, and been heard, within PM&C. The new Minister for Infrastructure and Transport will be getting the message from "the boss".

Sadly, AVM(Rtd.) Skidmore has, in my opinion, previously made it very clear that criticism of CASA and individual officers of CASA is not acceptable to him. See his correspondence with Dick Smith, published on pprune, as one example.

Sadly, it would be reasonable to think that the underlying message of the Forsyth Report has not been accepted by the CASA DAS/CEO. We know, without shadow of a doubt, it has just bounced off the "iron ring".

CASA need wholesale "enforced cultural re-alignment", not defense of the status quo. In part, that is what "Eureka" is all about.

Tootle pip!!

[aroa]

"..that criticism of CAsA and of individual officers of CAsA is not acceptable".. to him.
Poor dear..he's reading from the McComic script. Is he a clone? Seems he is.:mad::mad:

If the kitchen is starting to heat up, its not before time..and if he finds that heat too much, he can always leave by the door or window.

While the CAsA gig for few years for the retiree may have looked good ...and very lucrative, you have to wonder at his 'due diligence'
A drover's dog could have smelled the rot in CAsA even before the front door.

But now he's in and sucked further in by the Iron Ring of long term trough dwellers, he'd better wake up to the new reality because the GA peasantry are talking back.:ok::ok:

We've had 30 years of having CAsA crap shoved down the industry's throat, NOW is the time for a major fight back.:ok::ok:
Because if we dont, GA is dead.:mad::mad:

Malcolm says its an exciting time and we need new ideas and innovation..so lets have it for Aviation because I want to be able to shout Eureka !!!:ok:

[Frank Arouet]

Yes, behaviorally the fight is on. Eureka!


Tally Ho!

[josephfeatherweight]

Thanks for posting the link to the letter - it was very well written.

[muddergoose]

I can see why he resigned. AOPA have struck a nerve. Keep it up.

[Aussie Bob]

Struth. One question to AOPA is why has this taken so long?

Despite what I have written previously about this organisation, if they keep this up I am back in. Thanks for the link. If this is why Skidmore quit AOPA?

[Sunfish]

Well folks, I think AVM. Skidmore will live to regret his symbolic act of resigning from AOPA, assuming that the AOPA letter is the cause. The only people cheering will be the iron ring of reactionary CASA managers who have created the mess that is Australian aviation regulation. AVM. Skidmore has aligned himself with them either out of solidarity or disgust at AOPAs studied insolence in writing directly to a Minister.

What this action by AVM Skidmore means is that regulatory reform prospects at CASA are now officially dead, D_E_A_D because without government acceptance in principle of the actions proposed by AOPA, GA and recreational aviation is finished and AVM Skidmore has just refused to support reform.

I did predict this. AVM. Skidmore has been fobbed off by the oldest bureaucratic trick in the book - reorganisation. He will be ground down slowly by the bureaucrats , allowed to think he is making progress, achieving small victories. In later years he will reflect on the opportunities lost and will most likely date the start of his failure by his knee jerk reaction to the AOPA letter, after failing to prevent AOPA writing to the Minister in the first place.

AOPA is right. The Act must be rewritten. CASA needs to be broken up. The regulations need to be chopped up and replaced by FAA equivalents.

[Arm out the window]

"..that criticism of CAsA and of individual officers of CAsA is not acceptable".. to him.

Hey aroa, as you would be well aware, you're not quoting Skidmore here but Leadsled's opinion! This is a whole new level of self-fulfilling silliness.

The sentiment of the AOPA letter is good, all of the points are sound. The 'Skidmore quitting the organisation' issue and the dreamed-up malevolent motives being attributed to him by some posters are totally separate things.

At the very least it's a conflict of interest for him to be a member if he's also high up in the regulatory system, which could just as easily be his motive for resigning as some imaginary demonic desire to kill GA!

[LeadSled]

Folks,
See the front page of The Australian this morning, and the lead article on page 7, this whole issue is now very public, and not limited to us aviation types talking to ourselves --- I hope.
Tootle pip!!

[YPJT]

The section of the letter concerning ASICs is very relevant. Many airport operators have also expressed a desire to wind back the display requirements particularly at regional airports. I understand that the previous minister was receptive to the idea but clearly a few Sir Humphrey types got in his ear and he did something of a backflip on it.
Dick I believe knows more about this very point.

[Frank Arouet]

Matthew Denholm
The Australian
April 5, 2016 12:00AM
http://www.pprune.org/cid:[email protected] (wlmailhtml:{7C1910CB-DF3E-4226-84F8-C7F044E31620}mid://00000013/!x-usc:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/Matthew+Denholm)
Tasmania correspondent
Hobart

Air safety boss Mark Skidmore has been accused of a spectacular “dummy spit” after quitting the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, apparently over its criticism of aviation red tape.

Mr Skidmore, aviation safety director at the Civil Aviation ­Safety Authority, sent an email to the AOPA at 8.02pm on Saturday advising it to: “Please cancel my membership with immediate ­effect as I no longer want to be ­associated with AOPA.”

Mr Skidmore did not give a reason for the resignation but it came a day after AOPA president Marc De Stoop met federal Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher to present him with an expert briefing paper exposing “inappropriate … regulation that has decimated our once-thriving general aviation industry”.

Mr De Stoop told The Aus­tralian he was surprised and dis­appointed that Mr Skidmore, a former Royal Australian Air Force air vice-marshal, had ­resigned from the association.

“It’s unfortunate because it wasn’t a personal attack on Mr Skidmore; it’s just that we couldn’t get any significant traction (dealing with CASA),” Mr De Stoop said.

The 130-page “Project Eureka” briefing document is scathing of aviation bureaucracies, blaming creeping over-regulation for a dramatic decline in aircraft movements at secondary airports and in aviation mechanical engineering apprenticeships.

In a letter to Mr Fletcher, ­posted with the report on AOPA’s website on Friday, Mr De Stoop claims “government bureaucrats, through lack of understanding of the need for businesses to be commercially viable, have failed this industry”.

The letter quotes an author of the report, aviation safety expert Ken Lewis, as warning that CASA would seek to bury the document.

“The politicians will send it to CASA for guidance; CASA will then defer comment as long as they can, which will be after any coming election,” Mr Lewis’s ­advice reads.

Mr Skidmore fired off his email to AOPA the following evening.

Mr De Stoop said he did not believe Mr Skidmore’s resignation was an attempt to intimidate aircraft owners or pilots, but other aviation experts warned that may be the consequence.

Veteran aviator and former CASA chairman Dick Smith told The Australian he thought Mr Skidmore, who flies his own Globe GC-1B Swift, a stylish sports monoplane, was sending the wrong message.

“It’s outrageous that just ­because he’s an active general ­aviation pilot and for the first time in 10 years the AOPA actually criticises CASA, he as the director immediately resigns his membership,” Mr Smith said.

“It’s so pointed. Everyone will hear about this and the message will be, don’t join AOPA or identify with it.”

Mr Skidmore was understood to be travelling overseas ­yesterday; he did not respond to The Australian’s calls and emails.

Mr De Stoop said he understood that Mr Fletcher had been asked by Malcolm Turnbull to ­investigate ways that cuts to general ­aviation red tape could revitalise the industry.
AOPA represents 2600 general aviation aircraft owners and pilots in private, commercial charter and airline operations.

Mr De Stoop said its Eureka report recommended privatising Airservices Australia and using the proceeds to help revitalise the industry, while “radically” streamlining regulation.

[Capn Bloggs]

A list of true luminaries... and Dick Smith! Is Marc De Stoop serious?

Mr Skidmore fired off his email to AOPA the following evening.
Firing off emails definitely has a better effect that just sending them...

Mr De Stoop said he did not believe Mr Skidmore’s resignation was an attempt to intimidate aircraft owners or pilots, but other aviation experts warned that may be the consequence.

Veteran aviator and former CASA chairman Dick Smith told The Australian he thought Mr Skidmore, who flies his own Globe GC-1B Swift, a stylish sports monoplane, was sending the wrong message.

“It’s outrageous that just *because he’s an active general *aviation pilot and for the first time in 10 years the AOPA actually criticises CASA, he as the director immediately resigns his membership,” Mr Smith said.

“It’s so pointed. Everyone will hear about this and the message will be, don’t join AOPA or identify with it.”
One part of me sympathises with your position. The other part of me says you deserve everything you get. Dick's ranting, as said by someone else on the myriad other threads involving him, is just shooting himself/the cause in both feet with a shotgun. Skates has been there for a heartbeat in the big scheme of things and you are smacking him around like he's Fidel Castro. Pull your heads in.

Where can I get my hands on a "stylish sports monoplane"? For goodness sake...

[LeadSled]

A list of true luminaries... and Dick Smith! Is Mark De Stoop serious?
Bloggsie,
Why would you doubt his seriousness?? Because you are not a "luminary"?? In my opinion, you certainly project certain characteristics of the Illuminati.
Perhaps Marc should be thanking AVM (Rtd.) Skidmore for his assistance in achieving such instant nationwide publicity for Project Eureka.

you're not quoting Skidmore here but Leadsled's opinion!

Arm,
My dear chap, drawing attention to AVM(Rtd.) Skidmore's written statements about criticism of CASA or CASA officers is simply not just "Leadsled's opinion".

Indeed, I was reminded by an old friend, just a few minutes ago, of an audit NCN/RCA/Whatever that said that the subject of the audit was an "anticasaist", so the idea that CASA is above criticism (and above reproach) is common enough within the ranks of the officers in CASA, and the troops in general.

Fortunately, being "anticasaist" is not yet a strict liability criminal offense, but give it time. Perhaps S.18C of the Racial Discrimination Act applies.

Tootle pip!!

[no_one]

This whole episode has prompted me to join AOPA. Hopefully they can apply enough pressure the politicians to consider the whole regulation situation..

Alex

[Capn Bloggs]

Why would you doubt his seriousness?? Because you are not a "luminary"?? In my opinion, you certainly project certain characteristics of the Illuminati.
Leddea, I know you secretly hold me in high regard, but that's not the point. Including Dick Smith in that list of Australian aviation luminaries is, in my opinion, not appropriate.

Now let me think, who was it that created the regulation-reform monster all those years ago?

[LeadSled]

Now let me think, who was it that created the regulation-reform monster all those years ago? Bloggsie,
As it all started in the modern era with the "Lane" report in the mid-1980, is this to which you refer? If so, blame "Dusty" Lane, Ansett DFO.

Or perhaps you are referring to the recommendations of Minister for Aviation Schwartz, in his report to Parliament on the Air Navigation Act, in 1966, recommending we adopt FAA style regulations?

Or the Darling Report (Labor's Elaine Darling, MHR) HORSCTs report into Sports Aviation?

Or perhaps the results of the "Seaview" and "Monarch" reports/ Royal Commissions and the Morris Inquiry that then Opposition Spokesman John Sharp, and then Opposition Shadow Minister for Transport, Senator Warwick Parer, put together as the Liberal/National aviation policy, "Soaring Into Tomorrow", in 1996.

It is true that AOPA (along with all the other alphabet soup aviation associations that were not unions) supported "Soaring Into Tomorrow", and John Sharp's CASA Review, 1996-1998 was the substantive result.

Tootle pip!!

[Trent 972]

Including Dick Smith in that list of Australian aviation luminaries is, in my opinion, not appropriate.
Flew a helicopter solo around the world, 1st non stop balloon flight across OZ, flew around the globe by the poles, and more.
Get back to us when you've achieved a fraction of what Dick has.

[aroa]

AOTW... not quoting Leady at all.
Angry Man The McComic had a spray about exactly that in a Senate hearing in 2011.
Prob have a transcript buried in my CAsA archives somewhere.The **** Box.
Thus my statement.
His syntax and vocabulary got so tangled during his verbal vomit / upchuck he couldnt even complete the sentence... its a classic.
No pass for Pilot English there.!

And did he protect his illegal bastard staff ....indeed he did.!
Illegal behaviour tossed off as 'breaches of the CAsA code of Conduct' ....that silly document that is a sick joke.:mad:

And to get'em off the hook...cost the taxpayer 1/4 mil plus. Beyond outrageous.:mad:
But thats the Iron Ring and the 'public purse' for ya ! Anything goes. :mad:

You should pull yr arm in...its illegal to drive with aotw... and I'll bet there's a CAsR, instrument, directive, CAO or part with strict liability for doing it from an aeroplane as well.
Mind yr head.!

[CaptainMidnight]

Well now that you Frank, have given this email such publicity AOPA will have to investigate this breach of privacy of a citizen and probably the person who sent it on from AOPA will lose their job, probably rightly so too. Agreed.

They haven't done themselves any favours by this leak.

[Capn Bloggs]

Get back to us when you've achieved a fraction of what Dick has.

Actually, if and when I do, I won't be telling you or the world... unlike some...

[Arm out the window]

aroa, thanks for the grammar lesson - all these years I've been under the impression that when you take the exact same wording as someone else has written and put quote marks around it, you are quoting them ... well, there you go, learn something new every day.

And I'm stuffed if I know why I would have thought what you reposted in your post with quote marks around it (not quoted of course) was Leddie's opinion:

Sadly, AVM(Rtd.) Skidmore has, in my opinion, previously made it very clear that criticism of CASA and individual officers of CASA is not acceptable to him.

Anyway, I'm suitably chastened now and am starting to respond to the stream of anti-CASA material. I'll start to become known as an 'anti-casaist' at this rate!

[TBM-Legend]

Australia is full of side-line commentators. Pull on a jersey and join a team to play the game some of you. Get yourself elected to the committee of an organisation don't just take pot-shots at the "doers"...

I've agreed with Dick on many issues but I fully support his intentions and many of his ideas.

[actus reus]

Aroa,

I am pleased to see that you have taken over the role of 'grammatical monitor'.

AOTW,

I tend to agree with you that 'anti-casaist' is a hyphenated word but I suspect it can be spelt both hyphenated and unhyphenated.

It is somewhat like 'non-compliance' which can be spelt a number of ways including one way, well known at an airfield South of Brisbane:
W-I-L-G-A

[Lead Balloon]

It is somewhat like 'non-compliance' which can be spelt a number of ways including one way, well known at an airfield South of Brisbane:
W-I-L-G-A.Just goes to show that the regulator will never let go, especially after it's been proved to have stuffed up.. The word "vindictive" springs to mind, actus. :=

[actus reus]

Balloon,

I was writing about some of the rather 'unusual' modifications that an engineer pointed out to me (and many others) when the aircraft arrived at its new home from NQ.

Practical issues for the new owner; not regulatory issues.

Others can go around the axle about the regulatory history.

[ramble on]

"King of the who?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAaWvVFERVA

[LeadSled]

Folks,
A word of advice to anybody, based on hard (and uncomfortably) won experience, don't send anything by email, that you don't want on somebody's front page, next day. We wuz hacked -- an Association server.

I always take some basic precautions re. defo., in any email that mentions anybody else --- again as a result of experience ---- no such thing as a "private" email.

To anybody who thinks I am teaching you to suck eggs, not my intention, just relaying one of my personal experiences --- and there are some very smart hackers "out there".

I am surprised that AVM(Rtd.) Skidmore didn't know this, or let his guard down on this occasion. Even a 128bit encrypted VPN is not immune. He has not done himself any favours, as his Minister will, no doubt, advise him.

I would not be in any rush to blame "the usual suspects".

Tootle pip!!

PS: in RCAs/NCNs/whatever they are called this week, one CASA spelling is "anticasaist".

[Frank Arouet]

Two thoughts come to mind. CAsA /Metadata and the dawning of the new day of consulting with industry. Both need scrutiny and should be treated as suspicious.

[aroa]

Balloony... actus rhesus just proves CAsA is beyond vindictive...and likes to monkey around with the truth.
And just in case he missed it, as did 3 Senior Airworthiness Inspectors, fraudulently posing as experts, highly paid on the public purse, the Wilga elevator, singular, meaning ONE, is 3.7m long and was never off the tailplane.

But the 3 Amigos swore in signed testimony to be use in a prosecution that they witnessed LEFT and Right elevators being removed and replaced.!! On drugs were they?

Is that a practical issue, a regulatory issue or a criminal issue ??
No wonder the CDPP bolted. Didnt want to suck CAsA's lemon.

So the axle of history turns. All three are out of the building, along with the so called "investigator", now a brave bus driver. One bolted, having been involved in serious criminal aviation activity, which CAsA chose to ignore, one retired hurt and early, one got promoted but has been restructured.

So even blind freddy can see CAsA is a house of honesty, morality and integrity and worthy of our trust and respect, NOT. NO. NONE.

Maybe the political tide is turning and the Eureka Project will get some monkeys out of the zoo and back into the forest where they belong.
Although being habituated to bureaucratic sloth and the public purse they may not adapt well out in the wild.

Bring it on !

[Hempy]

Flew a helicopter solo around the world

You sure about that??

[LeadSled]

... actus rhesus just proves CAsA is beyond vindictive...and likes to monkey around with the truth.Aroa,

Just monkey around --- a bit more than that!!

Which Director said, face to face, to his Minister:"But, Minister, If I have to have proof, I will need another 100 investigators".

Which Director said to inspectors: "Do whatever you have to do, we will back you ----" which is what happened re. a Wilga back of Cairns -- we are going to get this bloke, just make it up.

Which Directors (plural) said: "We are capital R regulators" and "We are policemen".

Which CASA person said: "aviation law is for lawyers and judges, for the safe conviction of pilots and engineers".

Which CASA person said:"Pilots and engineers are just criminals who have not been caught yet".

Which CASA person said:"There should only be two kinds of aviation, airlines and military".

On another thread, another pilot, of you acquaintance in FNQ, was maligned and his integrity and competence impugned --- and the poster doing this was trotting out the CASA playbook on the incident -- a fabrication.

As was subsequently proven.

Some of the things that have happened in the Sydney region, over the last few years, have been every bit as bad,( one pilot lost his C&T job, but if he had bowed to CASA demands, he would have lost his life) so it will be interesting to see if the new Sydney Acting Area Manager can make any inroads into the "culture", at least he is a cleanskin, with some relevant aviation background, as opposed to a sandbag.

I wish him luck, but am not holding my breath.

Tootle pip!!

PS: I know the answers, because, on each occasion, I was a witness.

[Stanwell]

You sure about that??

May I quote my old man?
"The wise old owl, he sat on the oak..
and the more he heard, the less he spoke."

I'll take that up with you later. This is serious.

[Aussie Bob]

You sure about that?? I am Hempy, unless the book I own is a total fabrication. It is a very good read too. He was certainly a whole lot more solo than a heap of latter day aviators who make the same claim.

Now back to the pram ...

[Eddie Dean]

Hempy needs to stay on jetblast with his other master debater mates.

[rjtjrt]

I certainly have noticed a marked improvement in my interaction with CASA since the previous incumbent was replaced by Mark Skidmore.
I think we should give him cautious support whilst we see what he can do to countrr the residual dark forces remaining in CASA.
Not everyone in CASA is our enemy, although the cancer that was the screaming skull has left some metastases. Mark Skidmore will not be perfect, but I think he is trying to move CASA into a more responsible and responsive organisation, but it will take time
Hopefully he has a better minister now than Truss.

[Air Ace]

For a set of steak knives, who made the following statement to a Parliamentary Committee ten years ago, on 14 February 2005:

Senator MARK BISHOP — Now that [the Regulatory Reform Program] has been refocused away from a timely conclusion, what is the new completion date and how is it proposed to stop it drifting along forever?

DAS, CASA — We do not have a firm completion date at this stage, but we should be able to generate that fairly soon..............

Senator MARK BISHOP — When do you think those regulations will go to the minister?

DAS, CASA — I anticipate we would start sending some of them from about the middle of this year. I do not see this delaying the overall program excessively. We have an action item to develop a plan to forward to the minister about when we plan to have them to the minister, and I assume that plan would be done in the next couple of months. I would be hopeful that it would not be long after early 2006 that most of the draft rules are delivered to the minister.

I'd love to see that "action plan"! Twenty seven years and something north of $400 million on regulatory reform - how can CASA expect to have any credibility?

Australia has safe skies not because of, but despite CASA.

It appears AOPA may have turned the corner and is now seriously representing it's Member's interests, rather than the rabid rabble it was a few years ago? Well done! :ok:

[Lead Balloon]

The initials BB spring to mind.

Now they get to spend decades sprouting empty rhetoric about when they expect to fix the bugger's muddle they've made. Nice work if you can get it .... :yuk:

[actus reus]

Gee, and to think that with the Wilga, I was talking about alleged modifications to the fuel system!

The comments (from those who are better qualified than me) followed the (alleged) engine failure on the delivery flight.

But I guess none of this happened and I am so pleased to hear it.

[aroa]

Wow actus rhesus...more monkey business ! Are you quite sure of that.? Proof positive ? etc...after all this is a rumour network
That might be you story, but I heard another from an impeccable source...that differs, greatly.

Never mind, Ive long understood with CAsA to make a 'case' or bolster their bastardry or denigrate the victim, any old BS will do.

[Arrrj]

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a pilot. I thought that those guys (and girls) must be so smart.

Then I became a pilot, and occassionally read prune, and I realise that the spread of intelligence amongst pilots is no different to the normal population. Some pilots are super smart and some are just bloody ignorant.

Hempy - obviously you weren't born when Dick flew his tiny little 206 (low skids) VH-DIK around the world ?

And weren't watching the news when he did lots of other cool aviation stuff.

Now I don't always agree with Dick, and sometime I argue with him (which he encourages), but there is no taking away from the facts.

Have a read - and then google more.

Richard 'Dick' Smith AC - Australian Museum (http://australianmuseum.net.au/richard-dick-smith-ao)

[Dora-9]

And it quotes Dick "flying solo around the world" - as usual, no mention of the support team that paved the way and assisted him throughout (the best money could buy). As with all self-promoters, all is not at seems...

[Stanwell]

D-9,
As I said to Hempy, that's another subject.
Start another thread, if you like.
What's really being discussed here is a bit more important.

[Frank Arouet]

Fight you bastards! That's exactly what CAsA want you to do.


Divide and conquer. Well, we're already divided by the "small poppy syndrome".

[Eyrie]

Well Skidmore at least can still fly legally without being a member of AOPA. Everyone should have the right to resign from organisations whose methods, ethics, views and honesty he or she disagrees with.
Unfortunately Mr Skidmore, you and your organisation demand that thousands of Australian citizens remain members of various private aviation bodies in order to carry out their favourite aviation activity and have thus removed this right that you just exercised.

[Arm out the window]

Well, it's either belong to a sport aviation association type body or fly on the VH register with a CASA licence, so overall the choice isn't so bad. What's the alternative, to fly with no regulatory framework or supervisory body at all?

[LeadSled]

---- but I heard another from an impeccable source...that differs, greatly.aroa,
What really happened, did it run out of motion lotion, and the illegal "run on air" mod didn't work, or wouldn't the engine run with the fuel tap in the "OFF" position??
Tootle pip!!
PS: To be fair to CASA, it is often sworn bullsh1t, that makes it more credible, doesn't it??

[Eyrie]

AOTW,
Have a look at part 61 and you'll find for example that there is no such thing as a PPL (G) (for glider) in Australia. Yes there is a CASA issued PPL (G) but it is NOT valid for use in Australia. It is issued by CASA on request and after jumping through many hoop,s for use overseas so that Australian glider pilots can fly gliders in other countries for contests etc. Everywhere else in the world wants a government issued licence not some piece of paper issued by a private body.
In fact, as overseas authorities issue temporary permits or licences on the basis of your home country qualification (that is good for use in your home country), I doubt that this subterfuge by CASA/GFA would in fact be recognised by anyone else if they knew it wasn't valid in Australia).
I've got no problem with flying a VH registered aircraft on a CASA licence (gliders and motorgliders are VH registered aircraft) but CASA says you can't do that as they don't have the licence.This is a result of some nasty collusion between CASA and the GFA to maintain the GFA in a monopoly position. Negotiated in part by CASA officers who were GFA members. Nice, eh?
Until 2009 you could fly a glider without actually being a GFA member and there was a process in place to formally allow this in future. McCormick ordered this to cease.

[Frank Arouet]

Yes, something about 500 hours in glider command before you can fly a motor glider comes to mind, but that's probably frog$hit as well.

[Arm out the window]

Thanks Eyrie, I didn't know that. So are there alternative glider groups to the GFA in a position to have similar standards oversight? I can see why the nomination of a particular group as the representative one would make sense from a standards and communication point of view, but if there's infighting and power struggles between groups it's obviously not good from the user point of view.

[GolfGolfCharlie]

Thanks Eyrie, I didn't know that. So are there alternative glider groups to the GFA in a position to have similar standards oversight? I can see why the nomination of a particular group as the representative one would make sense from a standards and communication point of view, but if there's infighting and power struggles between groups it's obviously not good from the user point of view.
What standards oversight is required when Aus glider certificates are not ICAO recognised and CASA requires an instructor with no ICAO recognised qualifications to sign out a ICAO recognised PPL holder with 2500 hour glider time and 1000 hours PPL time to fly an ICAO recognised registered aircraft?
The accident record of GFA is nothing to be proud of (witness coroners comments about glider admin following Goulburn crash) so standards is hard to argue. Communication WTF? The least safe place to be under instruction in an aircraft is a glider.
There is absolutely no need for an organisation, just a commercially based system of delegations like that which has worked for years in GA

[actus reus]

Sled,

The rumour from the owner was:

1. Modification to the carburettor, (apparently to stop excess fuel consumption?);

2. Modification with some sort of fuel cock mechanism under the cockpit floor (your guess is as good as mine); and

3. Modification to the fuel baffles in the tanks (to increase the useable fuel capacity?)

Lots of people will have an opinion I imagine because lots of people were shown all sorts of bits of wood etc (well, that is the rumour, right?)

But then again, as Aroa says, it is all bulls*&t and no doubt, CASA's fault.

[gerry111]

Whilst I realise that posting comments on PPRuNe are personal therapy for many, I have a question.


What has ever changed for the better with CASA from all the comments here?

[Arm out the window]

Just asking a couple of questions GGC, that's all. I don't fly gliders but I assumed from what Eyrie said that the GFA were the body designated by CASA to be responsible for glider ops and standards, but that some people didn't like it (by the comment about nasty collusion between CASA and the GFA).

The communication I refer to is from CASA to glider pilots and back via the designated sports aviation association, again the GFA (I assume), for better or worse, seeing as CASA has devolved its direct running of sports aviation type activities to the user associations in recent years as I understand it. Not saying that's good, bad or indifferent, just that as they are required to basically be in charge of all aviation in Australia there would have to be a means of them imposing various requirements and disseminating them down to the people doing the actual flying.

[Sunfish]

The problem AOTW, is one of "regulatory capture" - the GFA, SAAA, RAA, etc. become "arms" of CASA and cease to be representative of the views of their members, instead they become instruments by which CASA imposes its own policies on its subjects.

The first symptoms are when members notice that CASA imposes some new and onerous regulation (say the fuel reserves one) and your association, instead of vigorously opposing it all the way to the Minister, "explains" the regulation to you and mealy mouthed says it tried very hard to change things without success.

What happens next is that you discover that your association is meeting regularly in Canberra with the regulator and it is you are bluntly told by your national committee that THEY are running the show and your input is both unwelcome and unnecessary.

It happens regularly. Its happened to Yachting Australia which no longer represents yachtsman's concerns.. I've even done a bit of regulatory capture myself when working for Government.


To put it another way; you cannot serve Two masters, CASA and your members.

[GolfGolfCharlie]

Arm out the window, ever been involved in a sporting club and fallen foul of the managing clique? I know far too many people who have been involved in gliding since 1960's who have given up (and they still own gliders) because the regulatory burden imposed by the GFA - often quite independently from CASA's strictures - gets in the way of flying, something that they have done quite safely for decades. So what happens is those who want to be amateur regulators build paper road blocks to the growth of the activity resulting a decline in membership over the past 30 years of 50% and an even larger decline in hours flown. Have a look at the age profile of the gliding clubs and I seriously think that gliding will not exist to any meaningful extent with the next 10 years. The model is broken and unattractive to those living a modern life.

[dhavillandpilot]

All of you getting upset the man has resigned.

I'm surprised he didn't do so upon taking office as it could be construed as a conflict of interest being a member of AOPA and being the head of CASA.

And before anyone says I'm on CASA's side DONT. Anyone who knows me knows my attitude.

[Aussie Bob]

Skiddy has quit because he doesn't like the way AOPA has behaved. I am not upset about that. The thing I note on this thread is there are several CASA apologists.

AOPA seems to have finally realised that CASA is beyond fixing. Without a complete change of direction general aviation in this country is doomed. IMHO, CASA is broke, damaged beyond repair, unfixable and a total disaster for general aviation. Perhaps Mr. Skidmore realises this and is taking the only side he can.

[NOtimTAMs]

If the original email content is as presented here, it shows seriously poor judgment by a person holding such position of responsibility and power.

A more mature and even-handed approach would have been something like:

"Dear <AOPA>

As you will understand, my current position and membership of AOPA may be perceived as a conflict of interest. Resultingly, I am compelled to resign from my membership of AOPA with immediate effect.

I wish AOPA and its members the best in the future.

Sincerely....."


NOT

"....Please cancel my membership with immediate effect as I no longer want to be associated with AOPA....."

If this is representative of the attitude and response of CASA at the highest levels, no wonder the level of distrust is at such a level.

[Frank Arouet]

Gerry 111;


Short answer, nothing resembling a cure to the problem. However it's the squeaky door that gets the oil. Most here aren't whingers but out of touch whistleblowers without legal standing.

[Stanwell]

NtT,
That's what surprised me too.
I initially thought, 'Nah, that supposed leak can't be genuine'.
How did he get to the rank of AVM with that level of communication skill?

[Aussie Bob]

So, given AOPA's 20 odd year record of sleeping with the regulator, how long till they dump 90% of what they are asking for in return for 10% by exemption?

[TBM-Legend]

The Australian way of doing business is adversarial...no wonder no result.

[CaptainMidnight]

I initially thought, 'Nah, that supposed leak can't be genuine'.
How did he get to the rank of AVM with that level of communication skill? As yet I've seen nothing from the AOPA management saying the leaked email was genuine or otherwise.

Nor for that matter - importantly - how a member's private email came to be publicly released.

Did they suffer a hack to their system as someone has speculated (which brings it's own concerns for member's data), or was it deliberately leaked by someone for political gain?

[no_one]

OR Skidmore CC'd someone in or forwarded it after.

Given the circumstances it might be something that he wanted the rank and file in CASA to know.

[Frank Arouet]

Aussie Bob;


I've left your post go all day hoping someone would correct your assertion about 20 years in the bosom of CAsA. Nobody has challenged you and left uncorrected would become fact by modern journalistic practice. I would suggest your claim would include Dick Smith, Boyd Munroe, Bill Hamilton, Tony Mitchell, Jim Dawson, Bob Murphie, Chris McKeown, and a plethora of others.


All the above would challenge you and have good cause. CAsA grant exemptions, AOPA could only in the wildest of dreams present this as cause for a regulatory reform program. Intermediaries at AOPA have walked both sides of the fence and it gives me some happiness to know they are no longer there.


Facts please or be doomed as a literary prostitute.

[Aussie Bob]

Humour me a bit Frank, exactly how long is it since Dick and Boyd tried to run AOPA?

And hasn't the AOPA policy for the last decade or more been; "it is better to work with the regulator"? When I quit, pointing this fact out, how come no one bothered to dispute it despite my resignation being in writing? Surely if I was wrong, someone would have pointed out the error of my assertions instead of simply accepting my resignation without comment.

Hasn't the AOPA web site been actively promoting a lot of CASA initiatives, including taking advertising money off them for the last decade or more?

Maybe I have it all wrong, certainly feel free to correct me, even call me a literary prostitute :ok: although I am not so sure what context that is in.

Oh, and finally, how many meetings with CASA has AOPA management had in the last 20 years? Have they all been totally transparent?

Everyone in GA knows CASA is broken and unfixable, continuing down the current path will see the end of general aviation sooner rather than later. AOPA only seem to have discovered this fact very recently and despite this, I am sure there are still a few in the organisation who would still rather "work in with the regulator".

Time will tell and we will see however I am prepared to give AOPA the benefit of the doubt and rejoin.

[Frank Arouet]

I'll allow you ten years. Long after Dick and Boyd ran AOPA.

[Pinky the pilot]

I must admit that this thread has provided me with more than a certain amount of bemusement!

I have not flown as PIC anything now in Australia for just over 10 years but the last position I held was on a casual basis for a now defunct Regional Airline.

And I can still remember the sad joke that was doing the rounds of the Pilots in this particular Regional at the time.

It went; What does AOPA mean?

The Answer was ; Amateurs Opposing Professional Aviators.:sad:

What makes it worse is that I have heard that reference used in the recent past as well.

Unfairly or not; It merely indicates to me that, in the Aviation Industry that there are serious problems to be solved and bridges to be built! How, where, when and by whom is beyond me. I have been out of it for too long.:sad:

[VH-MLE]

"Ozbiggles. I like people who disagree with me. What do I do? I open up friendly conversation". Just like with Caroline Thulip??

[Stanwell]

Spot on, Pinky.
Your last paragraph hit the nail on the head.

Those problems within the GA industry which, from my observations, seem to have developed over the last twenty five years simply must be addressed before any progress can be made with the CASA issues.

It seems that only now are people realising the consequences of years of ego-driven power-tripping disguised as "positive competitive practice".
This, in turn, has led to the internecine squabbling and, in some cases, all sorts of dirty tricks.
And, of course, this has made it all too easy for that old 'masonic principle' of "Divide and Rule" to be applied.

As for myself, while I've been away from the industry for some years now, I've maintained an interest in what goes on via social contact with friends and acquaintances.
Time for that bridge-building to get under way before it's too late.
I could be wrong and perhaps a bit hopeful, but rallying around what seems to be the new AOPA flag might just be the way to get that essential unity back into the industry.
Oh, and the HIA needs to be brought back onto the team, as well.

Just sayin', like.
.

[Dick Smith]

VH. If Caroline Tulip had ever spoken to me and discussed how some of our ideas differed and others coincided I would not have have had to spend a lot of money to ensure that happened.

Hard to have a friendly conversation with someone who remains anonymous while they write incorrect things about you.