Aw: - not fair boys.
For Wombat, FWIW - the rumoured, without a shred of evidence version as told in the pubs.
Back in the dark ages there arrived a family from (take your pick) an 'Eastern Bloc' nation - here begins the tale of one Peter Illich of dubious origins; most believe Mother Russia - others tell it differently. The story goes that some form of 'legal' qualification was obtained and a position of 'Parliamentary Draughtsman' was obtained. A secondment to the then (possibly CAA) aviation authority was authorised, the purpose to assist with the 'drafting' of the regulations. From there on in, I regret, there is nothing but here say, rumour and a bad smell attached to the name. How much of it is factual is an unknown.
However the legend has grown and been embellished so much now that it is almost impossible to separate cold hard fact from fiction. Some say the foundations of the 'Iron Ring' were laid by Illich; some say he had a hand in winning the hearts and minds of 'Legal' and was instrumental in the 'legal' ascendancy over 'operational' philosophy. Others have it that he was instrumental in the demise of Byron and Vaughan and the death knell of FAA/ ICAO compliance. Then, there is the tale of his being unceremoniously 'slung out' of CAA and relegated back to parliamentary drafting of some kind; and, warned off 'matters aeronautical'.
How much is true, how much is idle gossip, how much is sour grapes or even Canberra fairy tale is a mystery. There are those who possibly know the 'facts' - but they won't speak; well not in public anyway.
So there you have it - a name used to scare the children. A bogey-man lurking, influencing and manipulating the way CASA legal does business. A shadow cast over our regulatory philosophy. True or not? - I have NDI. But the legends live on as fireside yarns and have as much intrinsic or practical value as those yarns do.
That's it.
![[Image: 8e07dedb6a2bbda9880f7bc1458b940a.jpg]](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8e/07/de/8e07dedb6a2bbda9880f7bc1458b940a.jpg)
For Wombat, FWIW - the rumoured, without a shred of evidence version as told in the pubs.
Back in the dark ages there arrived a family from (take your pick) an 'Eastern Bloc' nation - here begins the tale of one Peter Illich of dubious origins; most believe Mother Russia - others tell it differently. The story goes that some form of 'legal' qualification was obtained and a position of 'Parliamentary Draughtsman' was obtained. A secondment to the then (possibly CAA) aviation authority was authorised, the purpose to assist with the 'drafting' of the regulations. From there on in, I regret, there is nothing but here say, rumour and a bad smell attached to the name. How much of it is factual is an unknown.
However the legend has grown and been embellished so much now that it is almost impossible to separate cold hard fact from fiction. Some say the foundations of the 'Iron Ring' were laid by Illich; some say he had a hand in winning the hearts and minds of 'Legal' and was instrumental in the 'legal' ascendancy over 'operational' philosophy. Others have it that he was instrumental in the demise of Byron and Vaughan and the death knell of FAA/ ICAO compliance. Then, there is the tale of his being unceremoniously 'slung out' of CAA and relegated back to parliamentary drafting of some kind; and, warned off 'matters aeronautical'.
How much is true, how much is idle gossip, how much is sour grapes or even Canberra fairy tale is a mystery. There are those who possibly know the 'facts' - but they won't speak; well not in public anyway.
So there you have it - a name used to scare the children. A bogey-man lurking, influencing and manipulating the way CASA legal does business. A shadow cast over our regulatory philosophy. True or not? - I have NDI. But the legends live on as fireside yarns and have as much intrinsic or practical value as those yarns do.
That's it.