Jetstar and Ballina again
Who’s “they”?
It seems like the regulator (CASA) is now so bereft of expertise that it won’t do anything unless a proposal is submitted to it by (in this case) Airservices.
Must be terribly frustrating for CASA to be sitting there, chewing its corporate finger nails, unable to make a regulatory decision unless someone outside the regulator recommends the decision be made.
The subsequent inquiry will be comedy gold, albeit predictable.
It seems like the regulator (CASA) is now so bereft of expertise that it won’t do anything unless a proposal is submitted to it by (in this case) Airservices.
Must be terribly frustrating for CASA to be sitting there, chewing its corporate finger nails, unable to make a regulatory decision unless someone outside the regulator recommends the decision be made.
The subsequent inquiry will be comedy gold, albeit predictable.
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Originally Posted by Lead Balloon
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Is the “company” one that continues to operate HCRPT in and out of Avalon? If yes, “the company” cannot disregard the implications of “the case” of which it is aware. A regulator too incompetent to deal with risks of which “the company” is aware does not absolve “the company” of liability.
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A regulator too incompetent to deal with risks of which “the company” is aware does not absolve “the company” of liability.
I agree with you DJ.
You ask: “What price do we put on risk?” Good question.
If no price is put on risk, all decision-making thereafter might as well be based on astrology. (In Australia, it’s based on politics. That’s why there’s an RFFS but no tower at Ballina.)
Folks like alphacentauri and UTR have put the arguments far better than I can.
You ask: “What price do we put on risk?” Good question.
If no price is put on risk, all decision-making thereafter might as well be based on astrology. (In Australia, it’s based on politics. That’s why there’s an RFFS but no tower at Ballina.)
Folks like alphacentauri and UTR have put the arguments far better than I can.
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So are the big boys internally actually doing anything or talking about this? Or is all just on here only?
Do CPs not have any influence anymore on such matters?
Do CPs not have any influence anymore on such matters?
No because the CPs don't go anywhere near Ballina and seem to think that it must be just second rate crews that are the problem. Their solution is to just issue more notices and procedures on how the job should be done. Yesterday there was Jetstar, Virgin, Fly Pelican, QLink a corporate, helicopters, overflying GA , a warbird and circuit traffic all within the space of an hour. If there is no clear case for a tower now then there will never be one. Fortunately as LB has pointed out, the RFFS is on hand to rescue the survivors but only if the collision occurs within the airport perimeter.
The CPs of the world like Broomy are long gone. Can you imagine if one went up to Gareth, Jayne or whoever advising they wish to halt operations into xxx due to safety? Nobody would have the balls anyway.
Having worked for Ken way way back in the past. If I had a problem, or even an idea, I put it to him. A discussion always followed. It does not matter how far down the line you sit, your view was heard. CPs have connections to those that we down the line don’t, and I like to think we made sone great progress with third party operators by working together.
Now, fast forward today, if I sent a email off now I would be classed as a nuisance. Management would probably see me as threat with my common sense ways of working and they would try and make my life more difficult. Half the reason why I based myself as far away from HQ as possible.
Having worked for Ken way way back in the past. If I had a problem, or even an idea, I put it to him. A discussion always followed. It does not matter how far down the line you sit, your view was heard. CPs have connections to those that we down the line don’t, and I like to think we made sone great progress with third party operators by working together.
Now, fast forward today, if I sent a email off now I would be classed as a nuisance. Management would probably see me as threat with my common sense ways of working and they would try and make my life more difficult. Half the reason why I based myself as far away from HQ as possible.
Last edited by PoppaJo; 21st Apr 2021 at 06:38.
Originally Posted by PoppaJo
Now, fast forward today, if I sent a email off now I would be classed as a nuisance. Management would probably see me as threat with my common sense ways of working and they would try and make my life more difficult. Half the reason why I based myself as far away from HQ as possible.
Last edited by cLeArIcE; 21st Apr 2021 at 15:50.
Fortunately as LB has pointed out, the RFFS is on hand to rescue the survivors but only if the collision occurs within the airport perimeter.
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Yesterday there was Jetstar, Virgin, Fly Pelican, QLink a corporate, helicopters, overflying GA , a warbird and circuit traffic all within the space of an hour.
Two helos and a lightie in the circuit, a -8 arriving while the jet was condicting a 10 mile straight in approach to 24. the fly pelican departed just after the jet arrived and a 737 arrived about 5-10 minutes after that. There was also the issue of Evans Head airspace being active with Centre not being sure which was active according to the NOTAM. They advised the Jetstar aircraft that they were about to enter restricted airspace which wasn't NOTAMed and had a lower limit of 5000' anyway. The forecast for the day indicated a north-easterly coming in around 2pm but the wind favoured 24 for the whole time. In case you are not aware, Ballina is short and narrow for jet aircraft and they don't need much tailwind before the numbers don't stack up. So the choice of runway is dictated by the wind not just what everyone else is doing. The icing on the cake is the company requirement to tanker fuel to max landing weight so any tailwind could potentially put that RFFS station to good use. When the Jetstar aircraft departed there was a 172 departing for the northern training area, a corporate that had just landed and was waiting for the bay the Jetstar aircraft was about to vacate, a CT-4 coming in from the west and another lightie coming in from Lismore and overflying Ballina for the Gold Coast. The lightie that was supposedly going to the northern traing area all of a sudden showed up in the circuit ahead of the CT-4. By the time all the lighties were on the ground and Jetstar took off the 737 had taxied out followed by the corporate that had arrived earlier. For RPT jet traffic there is a lot going on at Ballina and as the ATSB reports show the margin of error is not very wide. So I agree that it is busy but I don't agree that as it currently stands, that it is healthy.
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the jet was conducting a 10 mile straight in approach to 24
So the choice of runway is dictated by the wind not just what everyone else is doing.
the company requirement to tanker fuel to max landing weight so any tailwind....
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Originally Posted by Lookleft
I would be more than happy to let the locals farnarkle around their short narrow runway and make them drive up the highway to Coolie.
