“K” – “Nice to know we do have some” – good men and true, that is. The Mandarin article brings to the front one of the great ‘worries’ of many people I know, not just in aviation. What they (the writers) are proposing makes such excellent sense, I’m surprised that the OPM has not jumped onto it – as a huge potential vote winner; reducing red tape, pruning budgets and reducing the burden of paying for not only new law, but the support of the bureaucracy needed to manage it all. Aviation is a ‘classic’, I won’t bang on about the cost of compliance or the money needed to keep the ‘reform’ of regulation process rolling. Although I will mention the fuel levy, which was to be taken off years ago; the additional cost burden is punative, particularly as many aerodromes now are without fuel facilities. These airports are now owned by councils who are wondering how to support the ever increasing cost of the thing. Fuel available would be a fine thing, can’t use Piddlemere, what about we stop in at Kickinatinalong; they’ve got fuel. Premium price of course, fair enough, but when you add the ‘levy’ (in whatever form it takes) the costs stack up toward prohibitive.
In days gone by, it was always said that fuel was cheaper than engines – so it is, but the gap is closing. We can only hope that the wise council provided by McCullogh and Reid lands in fertile ground and the notion takes root. We can hope.
Speaking of which, I hope the next round turns up soon, I’m not a glass half empty type of bloke. A full one beats a half empty one – any day. IOS v BRB tonight – could be interesting.
In days gone by, it was always said that fuel was cheaper than engines – so it is, but the gap is closing. We can only hope that the wise council provided by McCullogh and Reid lands in fertile ground and the notion takes root. We can hope.
Speaking of which, I hope the next round turns up soon, I’m not a glass half empty type of bloke. A full one beats a half empty one – any day. IOS v BRB tonight – could be interesting.