Outrage at China-controlled Aussie airport
Foreign control of Aus
Dick does not seem to me to be trying to feather his own nest here, and in this case I think he has some relevant points which are relevant to Australia's interests.
The political influence of the Chinese government has been well documented, see for example the articles by Chris Uhlmann or the recent financial debacle around Sam Dastyari. Further, Chinese companies have very deep pockets and can afford to run businesses or own properties (urban or rural) in Aus for extremely long periods of time without contemplating a financial return, as long-term control is the aim of the game (lots of references).
Further according to last Fridays Australian " US politicians are calling for a national security panel to increase its scrutiny of billions of dollars in US investments by HNA Group, including possibly revoking its approval of earlier deals by the Chinese conglomerate. " FYI HNA now owns what was once Johnston aviation (PMQ), and is saturating KMP as well as PMQ circuits.
The Aust Fin Rev noted on June 16th 2016 that "Nanshan Group (owning nearly 20% VA) was named in corruption cases against officials", and it is important to note that the Chairman and founder had no adverse findings made against him. Suggest that you read the details.
An Australian company wishing to get CAAC approval for flying training in Australia has huge hurdles to overcome (must have graduated 50 pilots per year over the last 5 years, must be able to satisfy CAAC officials, by not only documenting but paying for the accreditation process initial and on going).. etc.
However a Chinese company (who already has CAAC accreditation in China) can simply buy an Aussie CASR 141 accredited company, and immediately start training in Aus subject to keeping a suitable instructor cohort ( ref. CSWAFC).
Setting up flying training by a foreign owned company in China is effectively impossible I suggest, and the field is not level. A foreign owned business in China is entirely at the whim of local officials and the Party, and there is no rule of law (not in the way in which we understand it in Australia), for example Chinese criminal convictions are over 99% (refs easy to find).
The bluster from Chinese media about Turnbull setting up laws to inhibit (prohibit) foreign influence suggests a nerve has been struck, and that foreign influence and control is indeed the long term aim.
Approval of foreign ownerships by the FIRB seems to be naive at best and IMO it is time our politicians started thinking about Australias interests, not lining their party or personal pockets with foreign cash or accepting foreign visit expenses.
Recommend that you all keep up your reading into these issues.
Seabreeze
The political influence of the Chinese government has been well documented, see for example the articles by Chris Uhlmann or the recent financial debacle around Sam Dastyari. Further, Chinese companies have very deep pockets and can afford to run businesses or own properties (urban or rural) in Aus for extremely long periods of time without contemplating a financial return, as long-term control is the aim of the game (lots of references).
Further according to last Fridays Australian " US politicians are calling for a national security panel to increase its scrutiny of billions of dollars in US investments by HNA Group, including possibly revoking its approval of earlier deals by the Chinese conglomerate. " FYI HNA now owns what was once Johnston aviation (PMQ), and is saturating KMP as well as PMQ circuits.
The Aust Fin Rev noted on June 16th 2016 that "Nanshan Group (owning nearly 20% VA) was named in corruption cases against officials", and it is important to note that the Chairman and founder had no adverse findings made against him. Suggest that you read the details.
An Australian company wishing to get CAAC approval for flying training in Australia has huge hurdles to overcome (must have graduated 50 pilots per year over the last 5 years, must be able to satisfy CAAC officials, by not only documenting but paying for the accreditation process initial and on going).. etc.
However a Chinese company (who already has CAAC accreditation in China) can simply buy an Aussie CASR 141 accredited company, and immediately start training in Aus subject to keeping a suitable instructor cohort ( ref. CSWAFC).
Setting up flying training by a foreign owned company in China is effectively impossible I suggest, and the field is not level. A foreign owned business in China is entirely at the whim of local officials and the Party, and there is no rule of law (not in the way in which we understand it in Australia), for example Chinese criminal convictions are over 99% (refs easy to find).
The bluster from Chinese media about Turnbull setting up laws to inhibit (prohibit) foreign influence suggests a nerve has been struck, and that foreign influence and control is indeed the long term aim.
Approval of foreign ownerships by the FIRB seems to be naive at best and IMO it is time our politicians started thinking about Australias interests, not lining their party or personal pockets with foreign cash or accepting foreign visit expenses.
Recommend that you all keep up your reading into these issues.
Seabreeze
Last edited by Seabreeze; 28th Dec 2017 at 05:41.
Thanks for the last two posts. Time will tell
No. I would not open a training business because the present Australian regulatory regime would send it into bankruptcy
No. I would not open a training business because the present Australian regulatory regime would send it into bankruptcy
Tax breaks would be a start.
The problems with Merredin is they are asking the impossible.Anyone who has the high qualifications to be their chief pilot will never settle for an airport in the middle of nowhere.
The job is only open to Australians who have probably better things to do with their ratings such as go and fly for an airline.
I have never understood why the Australian government demolished its thriving GA after 9/11 by imposing hefty security regulation on the foreign pilots who used to support all the self fly outback tours plus those who wanted to do their flight training in a warm climate.
If people like Dick Smith can't be bothered to fix it with all his contacts who can?
Last edited by Mike Flynn; 28th Dec 2017 at 12:14.
It wasn't only the security regs (it is now easier to get an ASIC for someone overseas than ever) but also when they moved the C of V processing from the regional offices to CLARC and it went from taking 24-48 hours to 6-9 months. That was why I stopped advertising flying safaris...you had no idea if these people were going to be able to get the C of V even with several months lead time and all fees paid.
Thread Starter
Jay Sata needs a few lessons in history.
He tried.........
"Anyone other than Dick Smith who joins CASA, becomes “infallible" DICK SMITH, August 1998.
"That's the way the system works. They think: "We are powerful and we are totally unaccountable. "' DICK SMITH, August 1998.
"When he made those comments, Dick Smith had already found the battle against authoritarian, intransigent and what he has sometimes called `incompetent' bureaucracy, tougher going than he had expected."
He tried.........
"Anyone other than Dick Smith who joins CASA, becomes “infallible" DICK SMITH, August 1998.
"That's the way the system works. They think: "We are powerful and we are totally unaccountable. "' DICK SMITH, August 1998.
"When he made those comments, Dick Smith had already found the battle against authoritarian, intransigent and what he has sometimes called `incompetent' bureaucracy, tougher going than he had expected."
It wasn't only the security regs (it is now easier to get an ASIC for someone overseas than ever) but also when they moved the C of V processing from the regional offices to CLARC and it went from taking 24-48 hours to 6-9 months. That was why I stopped advertising flying safaris...you had no idea if these people were going to be able to get the C of V even with several months lead time and all fees paid.
I see Dick Smith is anti ADS-B.
In the UK the CAA is very proactive.
Colin Chesterton, CAA future systems coordinator, said:
“We are very keen to put electronic conspicuity systems into GA aircraft cockpits as soon as possible. But it's important we also include the users' requirements in our decision-making. We have a real opportunity to put in place an affordable system which will increase the safety of GA pilots and give them some really useful features, such as live weather data, and also provide controllers with the data they need to do their jobs.
Last edited by Mike Flynn; 29th Dec 2017 at 01:23.
Thread Starter
I see Dick Smith is anti ADS-B.
This article appeared in The Australian:
Chinese airlines are poaching *experienced Australian pilots by offering more than $750,000 a year, leading to concerns pilot shortages may spread from *regional Australia to major routes.
Combined with a decline in Australian pilot training, the *lucrative Chinese contracts have prompted some pilots to warn of potential shortages of major airline captains amid a developing global shortage.
Captain Murray Butt, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, representing 2250 Qantas Group pilots, told The Australian Chinese airlines were offering salaries for domestic pilots beyond the capacity of Australia’s main carriers.
“They are talking about 737 training captains earning *upwards of $US600,000 ($769,000) tax-free and that’s going to be difficult even for the major Australian airlines to cope with,” he said. “The evidence is out there. People have been talking about a worldwide shortage for a long time and we’ve been a little bit protected because of the number of Australians that have been overseas and have wanted to ... come back.”
It is understood significant numbers of Qantas pilots granted leave without pay to work with overseas carriers during a cost-cutting period are now returning, with pilots again in demand. While this is helping to offset any attrition for Qantas, the decline in pilot training — and the purchase of Australian pilot schools by Chinese airlines — has raised concerns about pilot numbers in the long term. “That’s the problem you have when you are not feeding (new pilots) in from the bottom and allowing people to go through a system to get to the top,” Mr Butt said.
Industry sources told The Australian experienced pilots could earn more operating 737s on Chinese domestic routes than at the controls of Qantas’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Globally advertised 737 captain positions for Chinese domestic routes offer salaries in excess of $400,000; roughly double the salary of a Jetstar or Tigerair 737 captain (about $200,000, according to industry sources).
Sources said Dreamliner captains were expected to earn about $330,000. In China, Xiamen Air is offering $400,000 for 737 captains, Suparna Airlines $415,000 and Fuzhou Airlines $375,000 for EMB190 captains.
Qantas Group spokesman *Andrew McGinnes said the airline had no difficulty attracting *pilots, with a recent recruitment drive attracting 1000 applications for 170 positions.
Combined with a decline in Australian pilot training, the *lucrative Chinese contracts have prompted some pilots to warn of potential shortages of major airline captains amid a developing global shortage.
Captain Murray Butt, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, representing 2250 Qantas Group pilots, told The Australian Chinese airlines were offering salaries for domestic pilots beyond the capacity of Australia’s main carriers.
“They are talking about 737 training captains earning *upwards of $US600,000 ($769,000) tax-free and that’s going to be difficult even for the major Australian airlines to cope with,” he said. “The evidence is out there. People have been talking about a worldwide shortage for a long time and we’ve been a little bit protected because of the number of Australians that have been overseas and have wanted to ... come back.”
It is understood significant numbers of Qantas pilots granted leave without pay to work with overseas carriers during a cost-cutting period are now returning, with pilots again in demand. While this is helping to offset any attrition for Qantas, the decline in pilot training — and the purchase of Australian pilot schools by Chinese airlines — has raised concerns about pilot numbers in the long term. “That’s the problem you have when you are not feeding (new pilots) in from the bottom and allowing people to go through a system to get to the top,” Mr Butt said.
Industry sources told The Australian experienced pilots could earn more operating 737s on Chinese domestic routes than at the controls of Qantas’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Globally advertised 737 captain positions for Chinese domestic routes offer salaries in excess of $400,000; roughly double the salary of a Jetstar or Tigerair 737 captain (about $200,000, according to industry sources).
Sources said Dreamliner captains were expected to earn about $330,000. In China, Xiamen Air is offering $400,000 for 737 captains, Suparna Airlines $415,000 and Fuzhou Airlines $375,000 for EMB190 captains.
Qantas Group spokesman *Andrew McGinnes said the airline had no difficulty attracting *pilots, with a recent recruitment drive attracting 1000 applications for 170 positions.
There is no shortage of pilots in Australia. There are hundreds and hundreds of good, competent drivers (and I'm talkingones that have significant ME=IFR and turbine experience) that got the "thanks but no thanks" from Qantas and others.
BTW, Chinese and Asian airlines reject 50% of the expat applicants on medical grounds.
BTW, Chinese and Asian airlines reject 50% of the expat applicants on medical grounds.
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Chances are it was only worth $1 and the local govt not have the funding for the maintenance required to keep it a licensed aerodrome (closure in the wind) Merredin is only 200km from Perth so not a long drive & theres nothing there other than sheep, sheep, more sheep & some grain which all goes by truck.
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1. It is a lease there is so many protections from it becoming "Chinese" property
2. Why doesn't an Australian airline start up a school there?
3. Many airports require permission especially the private ones
4. If there is. looming pilot shortage then it would be a savvy investment for an Australian right?
5. Other option would be for them to lease space at a major city and clog that airspace, give them some sort of credit for making students learn to balk a landing
6. Imagine the cash this generates in the region!
Talk about putting money where your mouth is... Let's shut everything if an Australian doesn't want to buy it
2. Why doesn't an Australian airline start up a school there?
3. Many airports require permission especially the private ones
4. If there is. looming pilot shortage then it would be a savvy investment for an Australian right?
5. Other option would be for them to lease space at a major city and clog that airspace, give them some sort of credit for making students learn to balk a landing
6. Imagine the cash this generates in the region!
Talk about putting money where your mouth is... Let's shut everything if an Australian doesn't want to buy it
