Small plane missing near Lucyvale Victoria
She's trying to deflect blame.
Crap weather is crap weather, it matters not what you're flying. He was assessed as meeting the standards, and would have needed to pass the RAAus theory test nonetheless. Any practical training he'd have done, no matter how many hours, would have been in VMC. Ever since Icarus got too close to the sun, pilots have been pushing the boundaries of iffyness with bad weather, and her fiancé was simply the latest statistic.
Harsh words, but true nonetheless.
Crap weather is crap weather, it matters not what you're flying. He was assessed as meeting the standards, and would have needed to pass the RAAus theory test nonetheless. Any practical training he'd have done, no matter how many hours, would have been in VMC. Ever since Icarus got too close to the sun, pilots have been pushing the boundaries of iffyness with bad weather, and her fiancé was simply the latest statistic.
Harsh words, but true nonetheless.
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I quite agree that the fiance is trying to shift blame away from where it lies - I'd also read the deceased's prior posts and formed an opinion on what we were dealing with. If however, the quote in the ABC piece on the inquest is an accurate reflection of the training that he received, then I have questions, many questions.
"She submitted to the inquest that Mr Farrell had not completed the normally required 15 hours of dual and 3 hours of pilot-in-command flying hours because of his paragliding conversion, which offered an accelerated pathway."
I had a few hundred hours of paragliding experience when I started my PPL and don't believe that it conferred much of an advantage over the next, moderately savvy and co-ordinated youngster; the handling characteristics and flying environment have very little in common. I still took a little over 10 hours to go solo and was signed off after 42 hours ( 40 was the mjnimum back when Pontius was a student pilot) Conversely an airline pilot friend was training on a paraglider at the same time that I was and didn't advance markedly faster, indeed he received a wake up slap from a wingtip the first time that we ridge soared together, having passed close behind, but slightly higher than my glider. It was brought home to him, that wake turbulence rises along with rising air.
"She submitted to the inquest that Mr Farrell had not completed the normally required 15 hours of dual and 3 hours of pilot-in-command flying hours because of his paragliding conversion, which offered an accelerated pathway."
I had a few hundred hours of paragliding experience when I started my PPL and don't believe that it conferred much of an advantage over the next, moderately savvy and co-ordinated youngster; the handling characteristics and flying environment have very little in common. I still took a little over 10 hours to go solo and was signed off after 42 hours ( 40 was the mjnimum back when Pontius was a student pilot) Conversely an airline pilot friend was training on a paraglider at the same time that I was and didn't advance markedly faster, indeed he received a wake up slap from a wingtip the first time that we ridge soared together, having passed close behind, but slightly higher than my glider. It was brought home to him, that wake turbulence rises along with rising air.
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Old news perhaps, but here's the ABC's breakdown: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-...rash/103414984
Late on Friday, RAAus disclosed evidence to the court that may now prolong the inquest.
Council assisting the coroner Adam Baker said it was not good enough to receive the evidence, in the form of a historic email, at such a late stage.
"[This email] is centrally relevant to the human factors … very specifically some of the qualities of Mr Farrell as a paraglider pilot and the factors that led to his decision to fly on December 18," Mr Baker said.
"The experts gave written reports in circumstances while they were oblivious to this email.
"There was deafening silence from RAAus. I'm not in a position to suggest that it was deliberately held, but it is a most concerning state of affairs that we learnt about this on the final day."
Mr Over said there was a risk the email could force the inquest to start over.
A new request for evidence will be handed to RAAus and the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia.
Coroner Paul Lawrie said the failure to disclose the email was "at the extraordinary end of this sort of failure".
"It puts a completely different picture on the man that we've been trying to understand — how he made such a bad decision," he said.
The coroner's investigation into Mr Farrell's death remains ongoing.
Council assisting the coroner Adam Baker said it was not good enough to receive the evidence, in the form of a historic email, at such a late stage.
"[This email] is centrally relevant to the human factors … very specifically some of the qualities of Mr Farrell as a paraglider pilot and the factors that led to his decision to fly on December 18," Mr Baker said.
"The experts gave written reports in circumstances while they were oblivious to this email.
"There was deafening silence from RAAus. I'm not in a position to suggest that it was deliberately held, but it is a most concerning state of affairs that we learnt about this on the final day."
Mr Over said there was a risk the email could force the inquest to start over.
A new request for evidence will be handed to RAAus and the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia.
Coroner Paul Lawrie said the failure to disclose the email was "at the extraordinary end of this sort of failure".
"It puts a completely different picture on the man that we've been trying to understand — how he made such a bad decision," he said.
The coroner's investigation into Mr Farrell's death remains ongoing.
The experts gave written reports in circumstances while they were oblivious to this email.
Captain Matthew Gray — formerly the head of training at Qantas with over 30 years' experience flying – prepared an expert report for the inquest and gave evidence in court.
Mr Gray said his assessment of the training record showed Mr Farrell's flight training under Mr Wood was "too short and inadequate".
He believed paragliding experience was not transferable to a powered three-axis aeroplane.
But another expert and Bonza airlines pilot Paul McKeown said Mr Farrell's paragliding skills were transferable.
However, Mr McKeown added it would have been "very important that he only operated in conditions and on tasks commensurate with his ability".
He said in a report prepared for the inquest that Mr Farrell's flight training under Mr Wood was "unorthodox" in approach but did meet the Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) requirements for converting pilots.
Mr Gray said his assessment of the training record showed Mr Farrell's flight training under Mr Wood was "too short and inadequate".
He believed paragliding experience was not transferable to a powered three-axis aeroplane.
But another expert and Bonza airlines pilot Paul McKeown said Mr Farrell's paragliding skills were transferable.
However, Mr McKeown added it would have been "very important that he only operated in conditions and on tasks commensurate with his ability".
He said in a report prepared for the inquest that Mr Farrell's flight training under Mr Wood was "unorthodox" in approach but did meet the Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) requirements for converting pilots.
That's a big problem with Aviation, those outside of it think that an airline pilot is an expert, when that on it's own means nothing to other areas of Aviation. At least the Qantas pilot is further qualified as having held a senior training position, although that still means very little if they have not had extensive experience in GA/RAA as an instructor with initial training knowledge.
I'd hate to say it, but it's the same as having two bus drivers of unknown background as expert witnesses on a motorbike accident. That being said I would trust the QF pilot at least having some form of training background to make an assessment of the training records. We don't even know if the Bonza pilot has ever trained/instructed in his life.
Now this is an interesting point, possibly key to whether the training was adequate. Was the pilot aware of his own limitations? Did the training make sure that not only the pilot had the required skills for the level of certification, but also the training included knowing what they were not capable of, where they should draw the line. The basics of air law in GA focus on legal privileges and limitations, which also includes weather limitations and so on. The limitations are the finite limit of what you can do with the licence/certificate and in what conditions and then the candidate should have it ingrained that the legal limits are far lower than you should venture, set higher limits to prevent you going below them "commensurate with his ability". Finally was there any notes in the training files that specified the candidate had any further limits and what those were.
I'd hate to say it, but it's the same as having two bus drivers of unknown background as expert witnesses on a motorbike accident. That being said I would trust the QF pilot at least having some form of training background to make an assessment of the training records. We don't even know if the Bonza pilot has ever trained/instructed in his life.
However, Mr McKeown added it would have been "very important that he only operated in conditions and on tasks commensurate with his ability".
It’s a slippery slope that they allow to take place.
I had my powered parachute pilot certificate from about 3-4 hours of instruction, then did 2-3 hours dual and went solo in 3 axis. Did a dual for my navs and that was it.
I then did 3.5 hours dual (from memory) in a 172 and walked away with an unrestricted PPL.
One day if I crash they will probably look at that and say it was inadequate even though the entire system allowed it to take place.
PS: I’m not gifted in any way.
I had my powered parachute pilot certificate from about 3-4 hours of instruction, then did 2-3 hours dual and went solo in 3 axis. Did a dual for my navs and that was it.
I then did 3.5 hours dual (from memory) in a 172 and walked away with an unrestricted PPL.
One day if I crash they will probably look at that and say it was inadequate even though the entire system allowed it to take place.
PS: I’m not gifted in any way.
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Just like those who do CPL hour building in the cheapest possible way with the cheapest possible aircraft. You will thank yourself later if you did more of the opposite.
RAus is popular with many because GA down under is simply so cost prohibitive.
You will see a lot of people these days converting from a RPC to a RPL. Save a few thousand bucks doing it that way. Someone was telling me a way to go via RAus then convert to a PPL, saves many thousands.
RAus is popular with many because GA down under is simply so cost prohibitive.
You will see a lot of people these days converting from a RPC to a RPL. Save a few thousand bucks doing it that way. Someone was telling me a way to go via RAus then convert to a PPL, saves many thousands.
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It’s a slippery slope that they allow to take place.
I had my powered parachute pilot certificate from about 3-4 hours of instruction, then did 2-3 hours dual and went solo in 3 axis. Did a dual for my navs and that was it.
I then did 3.5 hours dual (from memory) in a 172 and walked away with an unrestricted PPL.
One day if I crash they will probably look at that and say it was inadequate even though the entire system allowed it to take place.
PS: I’m not gifted in any way.
I had my powered parachute pilot certificate from about 3-4 hours of instruction, then did 2-3 hours dual and went solo in 3 axis. Did a dual for my navs and that was it.
I then did 3.5 hours dual (from memory) in a 172 and walked away with an unrestricted PPL.
One day if I crash they will probably look at that and say it was inadequate even though the entire system allowed it to take place.
PS: I’m not gifted in any way.
Duty of care was talked about in other threads, I think there seems like a dangerous perception that just because the law allows the candidate to convert with x amount of hours, that somehow you can skip checking some stuff to ensure competency. This does not alleviate the trainer and tester from ensuring the candidate is fully competent for what they are being issued. Testing officers will often say it's very hard to assess competency on one single flight, so a lot of burden also applies to the training outcomes prior to the check flight to show consistency of standard, which might require more than a cursory few hours dual.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-...held/103787962
"New evidence was delivered before Coroner Paul Lawrie during a directions hearing in the Coroners Court of Victoria on Tuesday.It showed Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) held extensive correspondence amongst its senior members outlining concerns about Mr Farrell's certification just weeks after his death.
The documents brought forward as new evidence by barrister Patrick Over, who is representing Mr Farrell's fiancee Karen Waller, had not been disclosed to the police or at any time during the inquest.
They showed the then-RAAus Head of Flight Operations, Jillian Bailey, had disclosed to then-CEO Matthew Bouttell just weeks after the crash that she may have inadvertently certified Mr Farrell in contravention of the operations manual."
"New evidence was delivered before Coroner Paul Lawrie during a directions hearing in the Coroners Court of Victoria on Tuesday.It showed Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) held extensive correspondence amongst its senior members outlining concerns about Mr Farrell's certification just weeks after his death.
The documents brought forward as new evidence by barrister Patrick Over, who is representing Mr Farrell's fiancee Karen Waller, had not been disclosed to the police or at any time during the inquest.
They showed the then-RAAus Head of Flight Operations, Jillian Bailey, had disclosed to then-CEO Matthew Bouttell just weeks after the crash that she may have inadvertently certified Mr Farrell in contravention of the operations manual."
