Dick Smith's open letter to John Anderson
 

I was interviewed by Laura Jayes on Sky News today in relation to my open letter to John Anderson. It looks as if Bloggsie wrote her introductory piece.

Here is a link to the interview.

To me, it sounded like she was very much against you before you even started.....

Or maybe she has done her research.

Yep. Mcoates. But I don’t mind that.

The more open communication about Airspace safety the greater the likelihood that someone in the Canberra bureaucracy will say. “ hold on - this is ridiculous- we should do something about this”

And then ATCs will not have to sit and watch while planes collide and people die!

It was a good interview.

She had done her research and so had you and you rebutted accordingly, adding value to your arguments. Well done.

She has an action to talk to the current transport minister, so let’s see what happens there.

Wasn't mine, Dick, I don't even call them planes, let alone aircrafts.

Traffic lights for all intersections NOW!, I hear him scream. Or do I? :cool:

Why would they start to change their thinking now?

Four fatalities at Mangalore?

Were there any RPT aircraft involved?

No. But four professional pilots.

Could be RPT at Ballina next time?

Thats my point. Until it is RPT nothing will change. They have already had enough evidence that see and avoid does not work at Ballina yet they keep fiddling at the edges. They put in a fire station, now its a 15nm CTAF. The Canberra bureaucracy, that even you were unable to bring to heel, will continue to accept that there is no problem that a little tinkering won't fix. Its only when the TV news has wall to wall coverage of the burnt wreckage of a (insert airline of choice) then will action be taken.

it's a whole new type of airspace they've created, an MBZ.

Now when I'm doing flight reviews I give my usual spiel about mandatory CTAF radio calls, and then finish with "except when you're within 15nm of Ballina..."

Its a Broadcast Area (which have been around in various places for many years) not an MBZ (which disappeared many years ago), nor is it a CTAF.

Geez - don't confuse your students any more than they probably already are :)

Doubt they'd be confused by the name given to it. What it's requirements are though however...

Does Dick Smith always talk in 3rd person

For those who may be interested in reading the open letter to John Anderson, here is a link: https://aopa.com.au/dick-smith-issues-open-letter-to-former-aviation-minister-mr-john-anderson/?fbclid=IwAR1ENddU79-pejV640qjvCLZ4lMH29JNtYIm3btzAetvhrJX3LpX1_SnWOk

One of the prime reasons I have written the letter is because it will go into the aviation archives, and when future generations want to understand why GA in Australia was destroyed, they will have the information.

Dick, I understood that Anderson's directive to ASA regarding RADAR Class C airspace was issued on the understanding that you would withdraw your threat to stand against him in seat of Gwydir.
Is this correct or was I mis-led?

An "Advanced Search" on this site's "PPRuNe Worldwide" forum for the keyword "Gwydir" might turn up some interesting threads around the early 2004 period.

Missy. Great story! But it’s not true.

The radar directive was to get the E back in above the D.

Just like Broome! And all of the USA.