YOUR COMMENTS
Got something to get off your chest?
Australian Flying welcomes your input.
Send your AirMail, with your name and
contacts (which can be withheld from
publishing upon request) to: stevehitchen@
yaffa.com.au or write to: Australian Flying,
GPO Box 606 Sydney NSW 2001.The eyes have it
Tony Taggart’s article regarding
AvMed in Sep/Oct edition of
Australian Flying has motivated me to
tell of my own experience with AvMed.
Until I retired a few weeks
ago, I was employed flying B747-
400s and B747-8Fs out of Hong
Kong. In November last year, I
discovered that I had cataracts; as
the operation was covered by my
medical insurance I chose to have
it fixed by having the lenses in my
eyes replaced with artificial lenses.
Two 15-minute operations one
week apart, and hey presto instant
excellent vision! I now had superb
vision from infinity to computer
screen. I could also read the text
on my phone something I had not
been able to do unaided before. All
my graduated glasses were off to the
Glasses for Africa Fund.
After the requisite six-week
recovery period, my ophthalmologist
completed a questionnaire for
the Hong Kong Civil Aviation
Department(HKCAD), the company
doctor checked me over, and I was
back to flying 400 passengers and
crew, with the only requirement being
that I have available reading glasses.
A few weeks later it was time for
my HKCAD six-monthly first class
medical, my DAME completed the
four-page medical and printed out my
certificate on the spot, complete with
audio and ECG renewal dates. He
also carried out my seven-page CASA
Class 3 medical form. This, along with
the HKCAD ophthalmologist report,
was forwarded to AvMed.
A few weeks later I received an
email that AvMed required more
information. Another appointment
with the ophthalmologist and the extra
information was forwarded to AvMed.
A few more weeks later I finally
received my rather tatty photo-copied
Class 3 medical, stating that I still hadShort, but effective, this
letter says so much more
than just the words that
are written here. Indeed,
governments in Australia
in all aspects of life have
stopped being enabling
and started being
disabling, regardless of
what the official rhetoric
says. We can read into
this letter that aviation
itself is being crushed
by over-governing; that
activity will indeed
eventually cease. And
although it was written
in response to my Short
Final last issue about
charity flights, it is
applicable to almost all
general aviation in this
country. It is even signedanonymously, which
illustrates the industry’s
fear of retribution from a
bureaucracy that leans
towards abuse of power.A capital complaint
Hi Steve.
Canberra! A law unto itself, a
city remote from reality. there for
no other reason than to keep the
bureaucracy safe from the real world;
a task it performs most admirably.
I have a friend, who was a BASI
Inspector/Air Safety Investigator,
who has a saying: “When an
activity commences and flourishes,
and a Government steps in
to regulate that activity,
eventually that activity
will cease.”
Goodbye
Angel Flights.
Those sick kids
and their motherswill now have to use road transport,
travel for hours over rough roads
... but hey, that’s fine, it will be in
accordance with new regulations,
which of course will enhance safety.
Kindest Regards,
AnonymousCourtesy of
Concept Aviation
Supplies
Our reader wins a
Jeppesen CR-2 Computer
for being our Editor’s
Pick. To be in the
running to win this
same prize and have
your views published,
submit your letter
to the Editor now.
See e-mail/postal
addresses at the
top of this page.AirMail
10
Editor’s Pick
CASA has proposed an
increase in regulation
for charity flights,
which has one reader
concerned for the future.AUSTRALIAN FLYING January - February 2015