Poor Dick
 

Couldn't get a clearence because he didn't know which frequency to use.

"I may get an engine failure on the last 10 miles of a 700nm flight"

Maybe your fuel calculations were wrong Dick. Should have declared an emergency mate.

No wonder Airservices has to increase their charges - having to pay silks to defend this sort of garbage -

Actually I don't know of any facts and am purely speculating but wouldn't it be hilarious if out of this it turned out that he did not have correct reserves or some such and ended up owning himself.

I remember reading somewhere in some obscure journal I suspect, that one of the first definite signs of pure megalomania is that the afflicted person starts believing their own press releases.
Come to think on it that could also apply to not a few politicians as well.
Come on Dick and admit it. You have blown it big time!!

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

tobzalp

There is no such thing as "Correct Reserves". Not since 1993 anyway.

Check your CAAP's.

TBT

Oh well. Maybe the 'or some such' will still happen?.

Nah, 20 says XXXX's charts were out of date......he was requesting clearance on the wrong freq 'cause "his" charts don't have the freq printed on them!

Sounds like the some such. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.

Maybe it's a brain tumor???????????

"Is not a Toomer!"

Who said it and in what movie?????

TBT

The Governator, in Kindergarten Cop

Death rattle, perhaps???????

A

I have tried to keep an open mind about Mr Smith's agenda - I figured that he honestly believed that he was doing the 'right thing', for a certain segment of the aviation community at least, regardless of the fact that I disagreed with many of his proposals, and thought some of them outrightly dangerous.

However - this incident (as reported by The Australian) has now seen removed any credibility that Mr Smith should have to all segments of this community.

Is there anybody out there who can explain to me why Mr Smith is in the right in this case? Mr Smith - would you care to enlighten us folks as to why you are coming out with this rubbish? It is one thing to play to the audience of The Australian (allegedly a slightly more educated demographic than the average tabloid rag), but can you let us know your thinking? Perhaps there is a valid argument that I have missed? I would be keen to be educated if that is the case!

The real issue here is the apparently common practice ATC has of refusing a clearances to VFR aircraft which want to transit CTA and have not pre-filed a plan.

I rarely fly VFR but operate through MEL CTA all the time and "clearance not available, remain outside controlled airspace" is one of the most frequently heard transmissions to VFR aircraft.

If nothing else perhaps DS' lawsuit will encourage AsA to think about the safety implications of (in Melbourne) requiring VFR to funnel through the Kilmore Gap and hug the eastern ranges to Sugarloaf at 1000-1500 AGL rather than transiting the open terrain down towards Moorabbin.

No citation jet, the real issue here is that due to the arrival and departure happenings at Sydney, over flight is not allowed at A085. If nothing else comes of this, Dick will learn that there are just some things in this world that he has to suck up and live with. With regard to your ' remain OCTA' comments, with the heap of **** ATC equipment that he himself was responsible for, it is very very workload intensive to input details let alone when doing Terminal control.

He's probably a bit spooked about Lord Howe Island in his Bravo - look what happened last time - I think the strip was a bit short at one end!
His Agusta A109 Power doesn't have the legs to get to that destination with the required reserves.

So Dick is going to write to the acting Chairman of the Board of Airservices Australia. Is this the same Dick Smith who claims not to have any influence? I think writing to the acting Chairman is most inappropriate and hopefully Fisher will tell him so.

CitationJet - no, the real issue is Mr Smith grandstanding to an uneducated audience in the hopes of advancing his credentials as an aviation 'authority'. This despite the fact that he was wrong in so many ways (apparently - unless he would care to defend his actions)

Dear Mr. Smith
 

Fishead,
With you 100% regarding your thoughts. It is no secret that Dick reads these pages. Why has he not responded? One of two things I think is happening here:

1. Mr. Smith has read the thread and realised he's made an absolute tool of himself and is very much so keeping his head low due the self inflicted embarrasment. Nothing more humbling than realising that one is a goose especially in the way he constantly 'puts it out there'...........................or

2. In his own 'world' he firmly believes that he is right in what he says. Although his thought process has been, I think, proven to be not much better than that of a PPL (no offence to PPL holders. Many of you would perform to a much better standard no doubt) he is adamant that he is going to have success in a court of law with his his flipant lawsuit.

I seriously think that Mr. Smith might be having some issues regarding his mentality. I find it almost surreal that he would even bother to raise such an issue with the press when almost all the professional aviation community, be it friend or foe, shakes their head in disbelief that he's carrying on over this.

Ultimately it would be to the satsifaction of the greater aviation community if he would put finger to keyboard and attempt to justify himself to all that peruse these forums.

So there it is Mr. Smith if you're listening, and we know you are, come forward and put us in the picture reference your dissatisfaction with the standard of ATC in Sydney. And while you're at it please advise why you chose the tracking that you did in your single engine aircraft from Lord Howe and enlighten us on your thoughts regarding ditching and perhaps how you can best increase safety margins reference this when embarking on a long overwater sector as you did. I hope you have the internal fortitude to respond and justify your statements to the press (if infact the press got it right and I very much doubt that they did but that's another story).

Happy days to you

Concerned Citizen:suspect:

This is not directed at Dick Smith per se, but is it REALLY THAT HARD to actually lodge a bloody flight plan if you want to transit CTA, and then comply with the requirements in ERSA??

In the words of he much loved & dearly departed: 'Throw me a friggin bone here'