From: Mike Cleaver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
This is quite simply a consignment of ancient testicles (i.e. a load of old
bollocks). If Graeme thinks he poses such a threat to other traffic, what
is he going to do about it?
Nothing, Mike. It doesn't faze me. I've assessed the risks and I live
happily with them. I don't believe I pose a higher risk than other glider
pilots. I believe that the stats show that ALL glider pilots are at greater
risk of a near miss than other forms of aviation. I take my own personal
steps to minimise the risks. That's what life's about. One of the things
on this group I get tired of is the large component whose personality seems
to demand that all risk be regulated away.
Now back to your description of my comment - you're certainly correct - at
the moment. Your point about the current CASA hierarchy is a good one but
you miss my meaning.
"IF more near misses are reported" was my opening comment. I didn't discuss
an increase in actual near misses - just an increase in reported near misses
(which Geoff Kidd seems to see as a good thing). More and more, CASA
airspace policy is driven by politics. The publicity barrage by the
regional airline pilots over NAS 2c is a good example. Rationality had been
carefully cultivated for years but it was trodden on and trashed by a few
weeks publicity. Millions of dollars of educational material was thrown out
and the whole policy re-negotiated.
IF there is an increase in REPORTED glider near misses, what weapon do you
think the regional airline pilots will seize next time their tranquillity is
threatened? In the ensuing publicity battle for the hearts and minds of
politicians, what makes you think glider pilots - sport aviation generally -
will win?
The US paradigm has made us believe that the natural order of things is that
airspace is free and open to all unless declared otherwise. The East
European system - in fact much of Western Europe too - is that all airspace
is forbidden unless specifically declared open. If gliding is seen to have
a horrifying rate of near misses, I think it entirely likely that all our
supporters in CASA won't be able to stop us being restricted from mixing
freely with other users.
Let's have this conversation again in ten years time.
Cheers,
Graeme.
CASA is well aware of the
relative risks that sport & recreational aviation poses and legislates to
minimise the risks to ground-based "innocent bystanders" and to other
airspace users. Now, as always since the GFA was formed, there are a number
(at least 7) of active glider pilots in significant jobs in CASA to be able
to accurately assess and represent the realities to senior management.
Provided gliders use the same procedures in Class A, C and D airspace as
other traffic, and behave responsibly in Class G and Class E in VMC, there
is no problem and no unacceptable risk.
The efforts of glider pilots to develop devices such as Flarm, and to
enable it to interact with ADS-B, shows how responsible they are.
(Incidentally, the first 4 ADS-B ground stations will commence operation
around mid-year (THIS year!) with the RPT fleet to be equipped by around
mid-2007 and GA likely to follow by the end of 2009. Provision of ADS-B
transmitters for General Aviation is a commercial decision for Airservices,
based on safety cost analyses yet to be completed.
Anybody who flies in a way that poses a threat to other traffic, please
identify yourself here and then get re-trained!
We have no shortage of airline pilots and Air Traffic Controllers flying
gliders to know what goes on and to present the professional knowledge to
the gliding community. (Still, New Zealand has out-done us with a glider
pilot - Max Stevens - retiring recently from the position of Deputy
Director of Civil Aviation).
Wombat
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