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Maurie Baston November 4, 2011 8:13 am
Dear Mr. Phelan,
How can this be? I refer to your article regarding the prosecution of Mr Quadrio.
CASA is a Regulator and its role is clearly defined in the Act, Regulations, Orders etc, but there is a fundamental lie in the way Mr. Quadrio has been hounded. This has now resulted in the AAT’s upholding a decision, an administrative decision by CASA, the basis of which had been rejected by the public prosecutor.
How can any person or operator, without matching financial resources to CASA’s, ever seek protection from the abuses of power and privilege, or receive justice, against the methods employed by CASA as you have described in your article?
The procedures described in this case can only be described as draconian and applying administrative persecution of an individual until CASA’s agenda has been satisfied i.e. win at all costs, regardless of the safety result.
This win, I doubt would have provided little, if anything, in the way of an improvement in flight safety. Certainly it would have caused much heartache and financial loss for Mr.Quadrio. Here is another pilot forced from the industry due, in the main, to the procedures applied by several CASA persons.
In my time as Regional Manager in the previous, CAA, reporting to the then CEO, now renamed “Director”, we battled, sometimes successfully, at times unsuccessfully, several minor “Fiefdoms” that evolved during a restructure. I lament what I now see what CASA has become – one very large “Fiefdom” and one that seems to have unlimited legislative manpower resources and what can be perceived as an almost fanatical desire to use them.
Regardless of what the Director advises in his monthly newsletter, some of the staff identified in your article have become corporate bullies, seemingly protected and allowed by senior management to intimidate the industry with little regard for the real issues of flight safety. Tactics born from dictatorial attitudes, dogmatic agendas, innuendos and intimidation, not to mention threats to an employee’s employer, create nothing but contempt for the individuals. Furthermore, those attitudes tarnish those staff trying to operate professionally and in accordance with the published Government and CASA Charter.
Indeed, the good personnel in CASA all become typecast and stereotyped when the poor behaviour and processes you describe are placed in the public arena.
In respect of the CASA Charter, I wonder how many staff, managers especially, actually know of it and how it describes clearly the methods CASA staff are to conduct business? Here is the link for those who would like to acquaint, or reacquaint themselves with the document.
http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_92927
I wonder also how the industry feels about the value of the monthly advisories of Director Mr McCormick, compared to the actions of some staff and the Charter? It would surprise me if many did not reach a conclusion where one or both documents were classified as meaningless Spin.
I would hope that not to be the case.
In my own CASA executive life I sought to achieve clear objectives, the first being to seek out the “cowboys”. The good operators actually needed little regulation – only communication and some education as to both organisation’s responsibilities. There are still policies mandated by CASA either as Regulations, Orders and/or Policies that are counter-productive to safety.
Power can be a seductive influence; but with power there must also be responsibility, accountability, reasonableness and a focus on real aviation issues. It should not be used as a cloak for a near paranoid legislative determination in the false name of safety.
Yours sincerely,
Maurie Baston

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When you occasionally have a really bad day, and you just need to take it out on someone, don't take it out on someone you know, take it out on someone you don't know.

I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I'd forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered, saying "Hello."

I politely said, "This is Chris. Could I please speak with Robyn Carter?"

Suddenly a manic voice yelled out in my ear "Get the right f***ing number!" and the phone was slammed down on me. I couldn't believe that anyone could be so rude. When I tracked down Robyn's correct number to call her, I found that I had accidentally transposed the last two digits.

After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.

When the same guy answered the phone, I yelled "You're an asshole!" and hung up. I wrote his number down with the word 'asshole' next to it, and put it in my desk drawer. Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills or had a really bad day, I'd call him up and yell, "You're an asshole!" It always cheered me up.

When Caller ID was introduced, I thought my therapeutic 'asshole' calling would have to stop. So, I called his number and said, "Hi, this is John Smith from the telephone company. I'm calling to see if you're familiar
with our Caller ID Program?"

He yelled "NO!" and slammed down the phone. I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're an asshole!" and hung up.

One day I was at the store, getting ready to pull into a parking spot. Some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I had patiently waited for. I hit the horn and yelled that I'd been waiting for that spot, but the idiot ignored me I noticed a "For Sale" sign in his back window, so I wrote down his number.

A couple of days later, right after calling the first asshole (I had his number on speed dial,) I thought that I'd better call the BMW asshole, too.

I said, "Is this the man with the black BMW for sale?"

He said, "Yes, it is."

I asked, "Can you tell me where I can see it?"

He said, "Yes, I live at 34 Oaktree Blvd, in Fairfax . It's a yellow rambler, and the car's parked right out in front."

I asked, "What's your name?"
He said, "My name is Don Hansen,"

I asked, "When's a good time to catch you, Don?"

He said, "I'm home every evening after five."
I said, "Listen, Don, can I tell you something?"
He said, "Yes?"

I said, "Don,you're an asshole!"

Then I hung up, and added his number to my speed dial, too. Now, when I had a problem, I had two assholes to call.

Then I came up with an idea. I called asshole #1. He said, "Hello."

I said, "You're an asshole!" (But I didn't hang up.)
He asked, "Are you still there?"

I said, "Yeah,"

He screamed, "Stop calling me,"

I said, "Make me,"

He asked, "Who are you?"

I said, "My name is Don Hansen."

He said, "Yeah? Where do you live?"

I said, "Asshole, I live at 34 Oaktree Blvd, in Fairfax, a yellow rambler, I have a black Beamer parked in front."

He said, "I'm coming over right now, Don. And you had better start saying your prayers."

I said, "Yeah, like I'm really scared, asshole," and hung up.

Then I called Asshole #2.

He said, "Hello?"

I said, "Hello, asshole"

He yelled, "If I ever find out who you are..."

I said, "You'll what?"
He exclaimed, "I'll kick your ass,"

I answered, "Well, asshole, here's your chance. I'm coming over right now." Then I hung up and immediately called the police, saying that I lived at 34 Oaktree Blvd, in Fairfax, and that I was on my way over there to kill my gay lover.

Then I called Channel 9 News about the gang war going down in Oaktree Blvd. in Fairfax .

I quickly got into my car and headed over to Fairfax. I got there just in time to watch two assholes beating the crap out of each other in front of six cop cars, an overhead news helicopter and surrounded by a news crew.

NOW I feel much better.

Anger management really does work.

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supposed journalist

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