Request to Rename SubForum
 

To better reflect the content these days, may I suggest that this SubForum be renamed:

The Pacific: General Aviation, Questions, & Dick's Whinges.

How droll!
Tootle pip!!

Seconded.

Unrelated to your post at all, how do you block an individual user?

Thirded! :D

I was going to suggest the Dick Smith and AOPA rejects forum.

Not a lot else to read here nowadays, apart from constant whingeing from people who are not professional pilots.

Perhaps we could rename this the Private Pilots Rumour Network? Wouldn't even have to change the abbreviation :D

It would appear you blokes sit and grizzle and do nothing but when someone actually tries to do something you just knock them and bag them out.

Seriously, (with the exception of Leady) what exactly are you blokes doing for the betterment of aviation in Australia? Like him or not, at least Dick is having a go. Unfortunately to achieve anything in politics these days, whinging and postulation are a requirement. It's only the squeaky wheel that gets attention.

So, its over to you; Blogs, Swifty and Traffic, an outline of your attempts at improving Australian aviation please.

Thanks! I've been waiting for someone to post something like this. I've felt for better or worse, Mr Smith has had nothing but the best interests of GA at heart. He's probably one of the few that could afford the demands that are being placed on GA, but still speaks out for the rest of us. I say get behind him and see what happens. Couldn't be any worse then where we'd be headed without him.

Styx

Yes, he is the Donald Trump of GA.

My attempt involves getting rid of posts like "Do as CASA says and DIE" or words to that effect.
They are not helpful. Sensationalism and constant negativity are of no assistance to anyone.

My second attempt would be to reevaluate recruitment in the industry. I have a lot of friends who are good pilots with solid experience and who can't get jobs up the ladder anywhere else. Not even interviews. Whereas there is a seemingly steady (albeit slow, but stready) flow of those who "know the right person" and get jobs with nothing near the same experience levels.

Every election brings a flurry of hysterical and shrill posts from Dick that tends to bring nothing positive, resembles nothing more strongly than preaching to the choir, and certainly doesn't seem to get any cut through with the wider lay press.

The general public is the audience that actually needs to hear... something more positive.

Let's look ( I ask again) to channel Dick's undoubted passion and energy to a positive message about the positives of aviation for the everyman.

Unfortunately to the great unwashed, "GA" is just seen as a hobby for the well heeled. Dick, for all his good intentions, is just seen as another rich guy complaining about being hard done by. Joe public pays him as much heed as they do the horsey neighbour being upset that the council is resuming his polo fields. Sensationalism, brow beating and accusations of unprofessionalism thrown at everyone who disagrees with him are not doing him any favours.

Excuse me? Have I ever complained about the setup here (with the exception of the stupid stuff, like E airspace, that we have force-fed down our throats by the "experts" like you-know-who)?

The short answer is the Forum title won't be changed.

One user recently reported a number of Dick Smith posts for reasons unrelated to our rules and asked that Dick Smith be banned from PPRuNe.

That user also objected to Dick Smith's use of the term "military mentality" in his posts. My response to that user:

Go read this thread if you want confirmation that Dick Smith has both supporters and detractors in PPRuNe, in almost equal numbers: http://www.pprune.org/pacific-genera...rything-2.html

Reading these Aussie forums, there are many, many individual posts within threads which are highly critical of aviation regulation management in Australia - read the thread "Alliance switch to NZ AOC" as just one example.

Conversely, it is exceedingly rare to find any posts that support our regulation management, aviation legislation or aviation regulator. Indeed, the CASA Cheer Squad appears to consist solely of abysmal and incompetent Ministers for Transport, the odd retired senior Air Force officer and a few CASA employees that can't get a real job outside the public funded umbrella.

As an Aussie with over 30 years aviation industry involvement, I personally find it deplorable that so far it has taken CAA/CASA 28 years and probably somewhere north of $400 million to re-write the Civil Aviation Regulations, from a mostly rational, coherent, useful document pre 1988, to a mumbo jumbo which will ultimately destroy private aviation and general aviation in Australia. It took New Zealand and Canada five years to re-write their Regulations to better meet the needs of their contemporary aviation industry. Why is Australia satisfied with a very expensive third world aviation regulatory structure?

Sometimes I open these Aussie PPRuNe Forums and think: "Oh God, Dick has been here again!" But then I remember that few others are prepared or have the guts to champion the cause of recreational, private and commercial aviation in Australia, restricting their obvious frustration to the odd PPRuNe comment which will not lead to change. He may not always be right but at least he has a go!!

It is not a Moderator's task to censor any thread or post, or determine the veracity of any thread or post (unless it is obviously ludicrous); a Mod's task is to ensure all posts are within the rules and posts remain relevant to the thread title.

Like any other user, Mr Smith's posts will remain whilst they comply with the PPRuNe rules. If you don't want to read threads he starts, you are at liberty not to open his threads.

You all have a great day!! :ok:

Thank you Tail Wheel,
well said.

Well said Tail Wheel.......

Thank you Tail Wheel.
My post was meant purely tongue in cheek. In no way would I want Dick or his opinions removed from PPrune. Someone challenging the status quo is always good value, even if their methods do not always meet everyone's approval. As the original poster, could I request the thread be locked.

Well it wasn't me that asked for him to be banned! I argue with him a fair bit but I wouldn't suggest we try to stifle debate.

Seeing as it's been raised again though, this 'military mentality' thing comes across as really quite insulting to those of us who've spent a considerable portion of our working lives there, and despite all disclaimers, it serves to tar us all with the same brush. It's also a bit of a smokescreen, because the argument about what's wrong with CASA then stops at 'it's run by ex-RAAFies and therefore we're all stuffed.'

If you throw enough crap it sticks, and to see every second post about what's wrong with aviation in Australia being linked to the military keeps reinforcing the stereotype. As has been said, and as I hope everyone sees, pig-headedness is not limited to the services.

Maybe AOTW you could counter with the "entrepreneur" mentality that a lot of self-made business people have. You know the mentality that considers that because they made a lot of money it means they can turn their hand to anything and make it a success. The mentality that thinks all government should be run like a business and if people disagree with what they want to do then there is something wrong with the people. The mentality that pushing an agenda can't be flawed because they made a lot of money so they must be right. Of course I'm talking about Donald Trump in case you were wondering.:ok:

Another juvenile request>>