A Sunday ramble – Part 1, (the long version).
It was my intention to draft a pleasant Sunday ramble through the dark woods which surround Sleepy Hollow. But the Canley Vale matter has been so very poorly dealt with; and IMO, needs either a Royal, Judicial or Senate inquiry leading to a royal commission. It is a disgraceful affair, by any measure and following so closely on the heels of the Pel-Air debacle/report, which shamed us all, it sets precedents which cannot continue, unchecked. Anyway, FWIW read the P2 data above and then come for a walk on the dark side. Ready?– right then, "Steam On GD".
The ‘Ollow as it’s known is a dark, dangerous place, not really suitable for picnics with the little uns. Things happen; but, if you can avoid the deep dark dells, then a stroll through the surrounding woods are; or can be enjoyable, provided the Purdy ‘over and under’ is handy and your dogs know their business. Today's ramble, sans canine support, takes us deep into the dark, dank, sinister woods surrounding the ‘Ollow itself.
We shall take the time honoured pathway and start at the beginning. First there is the incredibly steep up hill slope to get to the canyons rim; once there, AOC nirvana seems secure, the tough part is over. Then there comes the gently sloping plateau, things look good and we bowl along merrily, ignorant of what awaits us. The descent into the actual ‘Ollow.
Now then children, you all know my job and where I work; and, if you think that’s tough wait until I tell thee what occurs on that treacherous descent. First lesson; you must not presume that ‘you’, personally, are a target of choice for the denizens of this deep dark place. You are not. You are just another tasty morsel delivered ready for the feast. Those who have come in peace and abject compliance are tolerated. But those with delusions of rights, those who actually dare think they have a right to exist, will be picked off long before they reach the tower of Babble, where the big beasts live in obscene luxury and decadence.
There are a vast array of ‘treatments’ available. If, for example, you have carved up an innocent cake with a Minister; you will be given the de-luxe service, where nothing is too much trouble and annoying details are made to vanish (by the palace vizier) at no great monetary cost. There is always a cost though, ain’t there? And so, for those on ‘soft ride’ packages, small annoyances, like ATSB reports can be arranged so that there is the minimum of fall out. Take the latest Pel-Air go around; the audit was neatly and swiftly laid to rest, the report massaged to suit and there was even a handy scapegoat. The management of this wonderful atrocity was entrusted to a non qualified (aeronautically) manager with top cover from the home office. It was one of Sleepy Hollows finest moments; aircraft lost, passengers recovered, no big deal, even the CVR unit was left to disintegrate in the still, warm, not too deep waters off Norfolk Island. No point to recovering them; the die was cast (Alea iacta est) – pilot error. The safety report was doctored to suit and the cake was cut, shared amongst the mates. It was, as I say, a fine effort by all concerned, there was even scope and time to plagiarise 'write' a powerful, although private report on the matter. That report of it ‘self, was a master stoke. It achieved (in some circles) fortune and glory for the author; it neatly skewered the qualified ‘drones’ while appearing to be the answer to a pagans prayer. A definitive discourse of all that the CASA fellahin had got wrong; drafted by the saviour of ‘aviation safety’. Top secret of course, alas, despite strenuous redaction, the author could not prevent his name appearing on the top of the first page.
Even so; let us forgive this atrocity for the nonce. Let us focus on the benefits this audit and report provided for aviation safety. Well of course, the pilot ‘dunnit’; gross negligence verdict assured and embuggerance to follow for the rest of his days. It shows just how effective a safety guru the manager in charge was; a Senate inquiry, independent report and a peer review all nugatory, thanks to the work of one man. The company got off Scot free, not a blot on a very messy copy-book. CASA even hired the incumbent chief pilot, so ‘delighted’ were they with him. Bravo..
Conversely, this treatment is not available to the general hoi-polloi, the riff-raff, who don’t have connections to seats of power beneath the grand viziers of Sleepy Hollow. No Sir. Under the same safe hand as managed Pel-Air we find the airtex case file: and a complete reversal of form. NCN by the ream, fact, circumstances and ‘evidence’ provided, as and when required. Made by the mile, cut off as needed. It matters not that fact had little to do with that which has been preordained. In fact; ‘facts’ can be distorted, manipulated and bent to suit. Airtex was; as a case in point, worthy of mention, for many reasons. One being the incumbent head pooh-bah needed a juxta position from the soft, fluffy, friendly treatment Pel-Air received; a balance if you like; a Ying and Yang if it pleases. From between way too soft through to way too harsh, balances the scales.
For those not familiar, here’s the background. Airtex lost a Metro and pilot one night. There was much speculation about the cause, although little was provided by way of support for any one particular theory. ATSB finally decided, despite expert advice and demonstration that their theory was the right one.
The ATSB dustcart followed along behind the Lord mayors parade. The manager of ‘Bankstown’ at the time (Botany Bay) was a reasonable fellah. There had been some questionable reports and there was some evidence of things not being done according to Hoyle. So, rather than shut down the operation some fairly hefty ‘directives’ were attached as conditions to the Airtex AOC (see P2 above), tough but not onerous, if Airtex played the game. One of the top weight conditions was a complete rewrite of the check and training system (which was bloody awful) and a conversion to multi crew operations, which for Metro aircraft is, IMO a first class idea. So, they set to work and by the September 09, a new chief pilot and support crew were in place; big tick and Airtex staggered into the real world. Compliments were offered, independent audits were passed, even a couple of CASA audits were passed without too many problems. The future looked reasonable.
Here we must pause and examine time lines : Pel-Air happened in November 2009 and by Christmas 2010 the audit and reports were pretty much done and dusted, there was some pushing and shoving but, to all intents and purposes; the dissenters had been ousted and Wodger was pinching penning his secret report for either McConvict or fat Terry. There had to be a balance struck and a show to convince the world that CASA had acted in good faith with Pel Air; one soft audit deserves a tough one to follow up with; just to maintain the legend of the big R.
The Airtex boss about the new year decided that despite the conditions being gradually removed from the AOC, he wanted the last four gone; now – now. Against advice, he wrote a letter demanding the immediate withdrawal of the remaining conditions. That poked a wet noodle up the tiger's arse and an audit was declared. Due to past bad blood, remnants of a couple of shouting matches, the edict “shut ‘em down” was issued.
What happened next is truly mind bending. Many senior, qualified aeronautical and legal experts have been asked to make comment (or even sense) of the ‘bizarre’ audit conducted in Feb. 2010; all have failed to produce a rational explanation. Whichever way you cut it up, always the same result and verdict. Bastardry on a grand scale.
For those still with us at the end of this introduction, there is more to follow, next we shall take a look at a potted version of some very strange happenings and the lead up to the Canley Vale tragedy. I’m not deliberately stretching the story out; but it’s complex and to do it any sort of rough justice; it needs some explanation and background.
Here endeth the Sunday ramble – Part 1.
Now, where’s the Ale? I have great need of quiet reflection with a pint or two for company.
Selah.
It was my intention to draft a pleasant Sunday ramble through the dark woods which surround Sleepy Hollow. But the Canley Vale matter has been so very poorly dealt with; and IMO, needs either a Royal, Judicial or Senate inquiry leading to a royal commission. It is a disgraceful affair, by any measure and following so closely on the heels of the Pel-Air debacle/report, which shamed us all, it sets precedents which cannot continue, unchecked. Anyway, FWIW read the P2 data above and then come for a walk on the dark side. Ready?– right then, "Steam On GD".
The ‘Ollow as it’s known is a dark, dangerous place, not really suitable for picnics with the little uns. Things happen; but, if you can avoid the deep dark dells, then a stroll through the surrounding woods are; or can be enjoyable, provided the Purdy ‘over and under’ is handy and your dogs know their business. Today's ramble, sans canine support, takes us deep into the dark, dank, sinister woods surrounding the ‘Ollow itself.
We shall take the time honoured pathway and start at the beginning. First there is the incredibly steep up hill slope to get to the canyons rim; once there, AOC nirvana seems secure, the tough part is over. Then there comes the gently sloping plateau, things look good and we bowl along merrily, ignorant of what awaits us. The descent into the actual ‘Ollow.
Now then children, you all know my job and where I work; and, if you think that’s tough wait until I tell thee what occurs on that treacherous descent. First lesson; you must not presume that ‘you’, personally, are a target of choice for the denizens of this deep dark place. You are not. You are just another tasty morsel delivered ready for the feast. Those who have come in peace and abject compliance are tolerated. But those with delusions of rights, those who actually dare think they have a right to exist, will be picked off long before they reach the tower of Babble, where the big beasts live in obscene luxury and decadence.
There are a vast array of ‘treatments’ available. If, for example, you have carved up an innocent cake with a Minister; you will be given the de-luxe service, where nothing is too much trouble and annoying details are made to vanish (by the palace vizier) at no great monetary cost. There is always a cost though, ain’t there? And so, for those on ‘soft ride’ packages, small annoyances, like ATSB reports can be arranged so that there is the minimum of fall out. Take the latest Pel-Air go around; the audit was neatly and swiftly laid to rest, the report massaged to suit and there was even a handy scapegoat. The management of this wonderful atrocity was entrusted to a non qualified (aeronautically) manager with top cover from the home office. It was one of Sleepy Hollows finest moments; aircraft lost, passengers recovered, no big deal, even the CVR unit was left to disintegrate in the still, warm, not too deep waters off Norfolk Island. No point to recovering them; the die was cast (Alea iacta est) – pilot error. The safety report was doctored to suit and the cake was cut, shared amongst the mates. It was, as I say, a fine effort by all concerned, there was even scope and time to plagiarise 'write' a powerful, although private report on the matter. That report of it ‘self, was a master stoke. It achieved (in some circles) fortune and glory for the author; it neatly skewered the qualified ‘drones’ while appearing to be the answer to a pagans prayer. A definitive discourse of all that the CASA fellahin had got wrong; drafted by the saviour of ‘aviation safety’. Top secret of course, alas, despite strenuous redaction, the author could not prevent his name appearing on the top of the first page.
Even so; let us forgive this atrocity for the nonce. Let us focus on the benefits this audit and report provided for aviation safety. Well of course, the pilot ‘dunnit’; gross negligence verdict assured and embuggerance to follow for the rest of his days. It shows just how effective a safety guru the manager in charge was; a Senate inquiry, independent report and a peer review all nugatory, thanks to the work of one man. The company got off Scot free, not a blot on a very messy copy-book. CASA even hired the incumbent chief pilot, so ‘delighted’ were they with him. Bravo..
Conversely, this treatment is not available to the general hoi-polloi, the riff-raff, who don’t have connections to seats of power beneath the grand viziers of Sleepy Hollow. No Sir. Under the same safe hand as managed Pel-Air we find the airtex case file: and a complete reversal of form. NCN by the ream, fact, circumstances and ‘evidence’ provided, as and when required. Made by the mile, cut off as needed. It matters not that fact had little to do with that which has been preordained. In fact; ‘facts’ can be distorted, manipulated and bent to suit. Airtex was; as a case in point, worthy of mention, for many reasons. One being the incumbent head pooh-bah needed a juxta position from the soft, fluffy, friendly treatment Pel-Air received; a balance if you like; a Ying and Yang if it pleases. From between way too soft through to way too harsh, balances the scales.
For those not familiar, here’s the background. Airtex lost a Metro and pilot one night. There was much speculation about the cause, although little was provided by way of support for any one particular theory. ATSB finally decided, despite expert advice and demonstration that their theory was the right one.
Quote:The practical demonstration also included other failure scenarios, and the various warning lights that could not have gone unnoticed.
As far as I am concerned, this demonstration conclusively proves that one ATSB scenario, that the Right Essential DC bus was not powered, and the static inverter selector switch was selected to this unpowered bus.
In none of the scenarios could the warnings have gone unnoticed. The notion that enough double bulb indicators all had blown bulbs, such that all visual warnings were absent is not credible, the statistical probability (even without an engineering reliability analysis) is too unlikely.
The ATSB dustcart followed along behind the Lord mayors parade. The manager of ‘Bankstown’ at the time (Botany Bay) was a reasonable fellah. There had been some questionable reports and there was some evidence of things not being done according to Hoyle. So, rather than shut down the operation some fairly hefty ‘directives’ were attached as conditions to the Airtex AOC (see P2 above), tough but not onerous, if Airtex played the game. One of the top weight conditions was a complete rewrite of the check and training system (which was bloody awful) and a conversion to multi crew operations, which for Metro aircraft is, IMO a first class idea. So, they set to work and by the September 09, a new chief pilot and support crew were in place; big tick and Airtex staggered into the real world. Compliments were offered, independent audits were passed, even a couple of CASA audits were passed without too many problems. The future looked reasonable.
Here we must pause and examine time lines : Pel-Air happened in November 2009 and by Christmas 2010 the audit and reports were pretty much done and dusted, there was some pushing and shoving but, to all intents and purposes; the dissenters had been ousted and Wodger was pinching penning his secret report for either McConvict or fat Terry. There had to be a balance struck and a show to convince the world that CASA had acted in good faith with Pel Air; one soft audit deserves a tough one to follow up with; just to maintain the legend of the big R.
The Airtex boss about the new year decided that despite the conditions being gradually removed from the AOC, he wanted the last four gone; now – now. Against advice, he wrote a letter demanding the immediate withdrawal of the remaining conditions. That poked a wet noodle up the tiger's arse and an audit was declared. Due to past bad blood, remnants of a couple of shouting matches, the edict “shut ‘em down” was issued.
What happened next is truly mind bending. Many senior, qualified aeronautical and legal experts have been asked to make comment (or even sense) of the ‘bizarre’ audit conducted in Feb. 2010; all have failed to produce a rational explanation. Whichever way you cut it up, always the same result and verdict. Bastardry on a grand scale.
For those still with us at the end of this introduction, there is more to follow, next we shall take a look at a potted version of some very strange happenings and the lead up to the Canley Vale tragedy. I’m not deliberately stretching the story out; but it’s complex and to do it any sort of rough justice; it needs some explanation and background.
Here endeth the Sunday ramble – Part 1.
Now, where’s the Ale? I have great need of quiet reflection with a pint or two for company.
Selah.