Dick Smith - Wagga RSL Media Presentation - Thur 26th April
 

PUBLIC PRESENTATION BY FORMER CASA CHAIRMAN DICK SMITH - DAMAGE TO AUSTRALIAN AVIATION

THURSDAY 26TH APRIL 2018 - 11AM to 1PM
WAGGA WAGGA RSL - CONFERENCE CENTRE

AOPA Australia member, Dick Smith, will be addressing a public gathering in the city of Wagga Wagga. Come hear about the staggering damage which is being inflicted on the general aviation industry in Australia and particularly on aviation in the bush.

Hear how Australia can become a world leader in flight training and recreational aviation.

AOPA Australia members are all encouraged to attend this event.

The AOPA Australia Members Coach will be departing Bankstown Airport, Thursday 26th April at 5am - sharp. Please call (02) 9791 9099 to reserve your seat - be quick as places are limited.

I reckon that the city of Wagga will come to a stop when Dick and Ben arrive.

(Thank goodness that I realised being a member of AOPA was a complete waste of money 15 years ago.)

I reckon that 15 years ago you were correct. I agreed with you.
"This time it's different" and I stumped up and re-joined a couple of years ago.

The other charter operators I know all agree that Regional Aviation Assoc Australia don't give a tinkers about Charter operators - god knows their new CEO said as much to me about 18 months ago.

Gerry111 I don't know what sector of GA or ultralights you consider yourself to be a part of, but AOPA is actively representing the GA industry now and I urge everyone to get behind them.

Gerry. Sorry you are so angry.

It’s clear that AOPA is becoming effective politically like AOPA in the USA.

AOPA in the US is second only to the National Rifle Federation as an effective lobbying organisation. Watch out politicians!

Dick, I'm not angry at all. Perhaps I'm pretty frustrated though?

(I've been around GA during the last 25 years of CASA "reforms" and well before then.)

If you really think AOPA Australia is becoming as effective as AOPA in the USA at lobbying, then you are simply deluded. We could learn a lot from them.

No. Not as effective. But clearly more effective than it was.

What do you think is the best way forward?

Negative campaigning in marginal electorates is the only approach that will succeed. CASA and the Department will wear you down in endless committee meetings if you engage wth them ("what precisely do you mean Mr. Smith?"). You will die of old age before the institution changes that way.

The only way forward is for a frightened Government to instruct PM&C to fix the CASA and give AOPA what it wants. You need lessons from the attack dogs of the CFMEU.

Dick

If you want to maximise the leverage you have, you need to spend minimum time defining the problem (commonly called “whinging”) and spend maximum time defining the cause of the problem and what you consider to be the solutions, in words of one syllable.

Purely hypothetically, because these things need to be your earnest opinion...

The problem: Destruction of General Aviation in Australia. Small businesses providing pilot training, passenger transport and aircraft maintenance services cannot survive in the current regulatory environment. Regulatory over-kill, security over-kill and airport charging over-kill mean that Australia is not training enough pilots to meet demand and people are being driven out of aviation as a means of private transportation. Our regional and remote aerodromes are ghost towns compared to what they should be.

The cause: Bipartisan neglect and abrogation of responsibility for promoting and enhancing civil aviation in Australia.

The solution: Do not vote for the major parties until they have done the following things:

- changed the Civil Aviation Act to say....

- done this about the regulatory reform program....

- ceased granting 457 visas for pilots

- enforced airport leases

- make ATCers wear pink bunny suits

- whatever you want to put on the list.

As I say, Dick, you need these lists to contain what you believe.

The only suggestion I can give you is that if you back one major party over another, you are doomed to perpetuate the problem. The problem is the cosy duopoly. They always win when one or the other always gets a turn at the trough. Threaten the duopoly and you’ll get pink bunny suits on demand.

Thanks. Good advice. Everyone keep watching. I have not given up on this.

I am fortunate as I can afford the costs and don’t have to earn money from Aviation.

However I am proud of our country and don’t believe these highly paid bureaucrats should be allowed to damage it. Even if they are doing so un intentionally.

[QUOTE=Dick Smith;10125552What do you think is the best way forward?[/QUOTE]

Perhaps keep a tight rein on Ben at Wagga? For only he has been known to fall for being duchessed, when the limelight fell his way.

Surely you jest? Spencer never fallen for that one?

Gerry111 Im really interested, exactly how have I been duchessed?

BEN MORGAN
AOPA Australia Executive Director

By Aminta in WEU perhaps? :hmm:

I heard a rumour that Ben heartily congratulated CASA when they announced Class 2 medical reforms. Only to now find those promises to be rather empty.

Gerry. Are the reforms going ahead? Do you have evidence that they are not?

Here's an example perhaps Dick.

We were told that all DAMEs would be able to issue a Class 2 medical for the whole 2 year period or whatever, themself.

Well that's only true, IF they do some online training thing and apply to become a "DAME 2" So we've all been conned, again.

I await to see how they "aviationise" the Austroads drivers medical standard, just like when we were all conned last time over the Driver's Licence Medical - "aviation" to which the average GP said WHAT THE?

Good luck with your meeting Dick, It's a bit far for me.

Can it be broadcast live on Facebook, too short notice to get there.

The announced medical certification ‘reforms’ are, as a matter of practicality, mostly a scam.

Oh OK.
So we should all just have a cup of tea and forget about it then. You're right.

No. My apologies if that’s the implication of my post. It’s not intended.

I was merely trying to comment on the particular point raised by GIII: Care needs to be taken not to congratulate where congratulations are not due. CASA medical certification ‘reform’ is an area in which congratulations are not due.