My (first) Sunday ramble.
Always been a troubling pair of questions those “V”. The best guesstimate we have is the Senators were not expecting so much to hit the surface (PtP) as it did; well briefed as they were, the degree of ‘gobsmack’ was overwhelming. Consider the mental obstacles they needed to overcome.
The mystique of aviation safety and inherent political ‘fear’ which accompanies that.
The cultural, deeply held belief that ATSB was beyond reproach, which, up until the beyond all reason season, was well deserved, although in decline. The IOS have charted the slow demise of a once proud, independent organisation from the best ATSB have ever been, to the present day, with great sadness. There was, after Lockhart a steady decline; many factors involved, the Miller report, the MoU, a lack of political support and interest as CASA ascended, a lack of funding; all contributed to a slow, but measurable descent into limbo. With the advent of the beyond all reason model and a willingness to supply only bare bones of investigation; and, a MoU which, effectively, allowed CASA to write the report (control the narrative) in support of their own skewed agenda; things deteriorated to the present state. Pel-Air was simply one more marker on the path to irrelevance. ATSB with a couple of minor adjustments may be rehabilitated to full, robust, health. Remove the MoU, close down the CASA AILU, make ATSB independent, reporting to Senate oversight; provide a suitable commissioner and watch the changes take place, overnight. As it stands, the ATSB reputation is shredded, although the last couple of reports have shown a distinct resemblance to ‘proper’ investigation and reporting; the latest SR a beacon of hope. The question is, will the CASA response render that SR nugatory, ignore it; dismiss it; or, just placate the minimum needs of response and be shelved for attention – at some point in the future? We shall see.
The cultural, deeply held belief that while CASA was never beyond reproach, it also had top cover and had successfully beaten off many expensive reports and inquiry which all called for reform and attitude adjustment. It’s a big ask to expect a bunch of politicians to just accept, let alone believe that theirs was the ‘watchdog’ slaughtering the lambs. Close observers and students of the Sleepy Hollow antics need no such encouragement, but to the rest of the world, CASA is an upright, law abiding stalwart of aviation safety. It’s bollocks of course; but to that man ‘at the back of the room’ the CASA story almost beggars belief; in many cases, it does exactly that. Little hope of rehabilitation there, the board told to bugger off by the CASA boss; not one of the McComic Casamites shown the door; in fact many of the worst have been gifted prominent positions and allowed to run riot. The current DAS can barely tie his boot laces without assistance let alone reform the ‘old boys’ network; there is great doubt that reform was ever contemplated. Anyway, you know the rest, so I’ll quit there.
So there we were, Beaker on the verge of internal disgrace; AFP involved; NGA with recorders still languishing in 50 meters of sheltered water; Mc Comic heading off to Montreal and 370 vanishes. After a brief hiatus where things were ‘done right’ who should be put in charge – Beaker. Did you hear a roar of objections from the Senate ? – No. Howls of dismay from Malaysia?- No. Cries of outrage from ICAO? –No. What we heard was the silken glide of the junior reporters pen as the Beaker lunch special was scripted.
The Pel –Air aberration, the revised report? Who knows when that will surface; it’s been delayed. “K” is running two tote boards on this event and a competition. Board 1 is for the date of the report's release; board two requires you to pick the official response and the competition is for the closest IOS version of that report to one which may, sometime in the future be published.
PAIN has finished their version; it ain’t a pretty picture. The decision to publish has not been made yet; the arguments for and against are compelling. One of the most persuasive is why bother; no one is listening and little has changed which would engender confidence that the plain truth will make one iota of difference.
Just realised; this is my first and probably last Sunday ramble. Strange thing to do, once you get rolling, it’s hard to put the brakes on –.
Ale, I need ale.
Always been a troubling pair of questions those “V”. The best guesstimate we have is the Senators were not expecting so much to hit the surface (PtP) as it did; well briefed as they were, the degree of ‘gobsmack’ was overwhelming. Consider the mental obstacles they needed to overcome.
The mystique of aviation safety and inherent political ‘fear’ which accompanies that.
The cultural, deeply held belief that ATSB was beyond reproach, which, up until the beyond all reason season, was well deserved, although in decline. The IOS have charted the slow demise of a once proud, independent organisation from the best ATSB have ever been, to the present day, with great sadness. There was, after Lockhart a steady decline; many factors involved, the Miller report, the MoU, a lack of political support and interest as CASA ascended, a lack of funding; all contributed to a slow, but measurable descent into limbo. With the advent of the beyond all reason model and a willingness to supply only bare bones of investigation; and, a MoU which, effectively, allowed CASA to write the report (control the narrative) in support of their own skewed agenda; things deteriorated to the present state. Pel-Air was simply one more marker on the path to irrelevance. ATSB with a couple of minor adjustments may be rehabilitated to full, robust, health. Remove the MoU, close down the CASA AILU, make ATSB independent, reporting to Senate oversight; provide a suitable commissioner and watch the changes take place, overnight. As it stands, the ATSB reputation is shredded, although the last couple of reports have shown a distinct resemblance to ‘proper’ investigation and reporting; the latest SR a beacon of hope. The question is, will the CASA response render that SR nugatory, ignore it; dismiss it; or, just placate the minimum needs of response and be shelved for attention – at some point in the future? We shall see.
The cultural, deeply held belief that while CASA was never beyond reproach, it also had top cover and had successfully beaten off many expensive reports and inquiry which all called for reform and attitude adjustment. It’s a big ask to expect a bunch of politicians to just accept, let alone believe that theirs was the ‘watchdog’ slaughtering the lambs. Close observers and students of the Sleepy Hollow antics need no such encouragement, but to the rest of the world, CASA is an upright, law abiding stalwart of aviation safety. It’s bollocks of course; but to that man ‘at the back of the room’ the CASA story almost beggars belief; in many cases, it does exactly that. Little hope of rehabilitation there, the board told to bugger off by the CASA boss; not one of the McComic Casamites shown the door; in fact many of the worst have been gifted prominent positions and allowed to run riot. The current DAS can barely tie his boot laces without assistance let alone reform the ‘old boys’ network; there is great doubt that reform was ever contemplated. Anyway, you know the rest, so I’ll quit there.
So there we were, Beaker on the verge of internal disgrace; AFP involved; NGA with recorders still languishing in 50 meters of sheltered water; Mc Comic heading off to Montreal and 370 vanishes. After a brief hiatus where things were ‘done right’ who should be put in charge – Beaker. Did you hear a roar of objections from the Senate ? – No. Howls of dismay from Malaysia?- No. Cries of outrage from ICAO? –No. What we heard was the silken glide of the junior reporters pen as the Beaker lunch special was scripted.
The Pel –Air aberration, the revised report? Who knows when that will surface; it’s been delayed. “K” is running two tote boards on this event and a competition. Board 1 is for the date of the report's release; board two requires you to pick the official response and the competition is for the closest IOS version of that report to one which may, sometime in the future be published.
PAIN has finished their version; it ain’t a pretty picture. The decision to publish has not been made yet; the arguments for and against are compelling. One of the most persuasive is why bother; no one is listening and little has changed which would engender confidence that the plain truth will make one iota of difference.
Just realised; this is my first and probably last Sunday ramble. Strange thing to do, once you get rolling, it’s hard to put the brakes on –.
Ale, I need ale.