[Kharon]

Of Temerity - writ large.

Tonight (in Australia) Sky News will present a documentary relating to the MH 370 event. I wonder what a world wide audience will make of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) sorry track record in this story? How will the performance of Dolan followed by Hood be assessed? We have a fair idea, based on comments and correspondence received; but, those are now part of the legend surrounding the 'mystery' of not only the 'disappearance' but of the way in which the event was stage managed.

History aside, the ATSB have a new public face - Mitchell - you can meet him from about the 28:00 minute mark in the video below.

I confess that after about five minutes of that Senate GA Inquiry session, I'd picked a video clip to add to his own file:-

Whether or not Sky invited the early release of the ATSB piece 'starring Angus' or not is immaterial. The 'work' done on the investigation is not ATSB work; they ( including Angus) had no input to the research. Perhaps Sky just wanted to add ATSB credibility to the piece - who'd know, or care? What the majority of aviation folk do care about, very much, is the pathetic performance of the ATSB accident investigation reporting.

There exists a a very real list of current tragic events; all of significant value to overall safety performance, which have not been finalised (years). There exists an even longer list of almost risible reports into accidents, which, after an unreasonably long time between 'accident' and publication provide little of intrinsic or practical value to the aviation community.

The never ending mantra of 'scant resource' (and the handy 'Covid' thing) have long been used as a standard excuse for piss poor performance. Yet wee Angus can find the time to step into the spotlight's glare and revel in the close up shots - and talk about 'his' take on the MH 370 debacle. Perhaps that time could be better spent getting reports finalised; getting reports to have substance, benefit and increased safety awareness. Hell, he could even begin to clean up the seriously tarnished track record, that of being the best 'top cover' agency in town - credible deniability - abandoned in favour of real accident reporting (I wish). I really want to know why ATSB washed their hands of the Jodel fatal (can't be bothered?) yet have time to fanny about on TV promotions, particularly when one considers the hourly rate of pay our Angus tucks away.

Anyway; no doubt the world and its wife will be able to see the new face of the ATSB in all it's hoary glory this evening. 

Toot - toot....