A_F_2015_03_04_

YOUR COMMENTS

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GPO Box 606 Sydney NSW 2001.

An Open

Letter from Dick

Mr Jeff Boyd, Deputy Chair,

CASA

Mr Greg Hood, Executive

General Manager (Air Traffic

Control), Airservices Australia

Air Chief Marshal Angus

Houston AC AFC (Ret’d),

Chair, Airservices Australia

Mr Mike Mrdak, Secretary,

Department of Infrastructure

and Regional Development

Mr Mark Skidmore, Director

of Aviation Safety,CASA

Dear Gentlemen,

I thought you might be

interested in my latest ADS-B

quote for my [Citation] CJ3.

You may remember that

I received a quote of about

$50,000 and explained that it

was ridiculous and I am sure,

when the ADS-B mandate

comes into effect in the USA,

the costs will be far lower–it is

basically a software change for

the Collins equipment.

As my aircraft is effectively

grounded for flying in non-radar

airspace, I have been pushing

Cessna for an update on the

price. Attached is the latest

quotation I have received –as

you will see, it is more than

$130,000. There is not one

measurable saving I will receive

from fitting this equipment.

Please understand that I am

not complaining–by keeping the

aircraft in its hangar I save money.

I am, however, concerned

with the number of small

aviation businesses who are

paying amounts similar to this to

upgrade. More to the point, I am

concerned about the aircraft which

have not been upgraded and we

have a situation where innocent

passengers are chartering jet

aircraft and are forced to fly below

flight level 290 but are not being

told of the situation.

I would imagine that in the

USA the attitude is,”if they

are that stupid in Australia

to lead the world by six years,

we will screw them and we

will screw them completely!”

In my view, it is such a pity

that so much damage is being

done to an industry when John

McCormick ’s original plan of

giving dispensations similar

to that being given for RVSM

would have sufficed. This is

what happens in Canada.

I recently walked around

Bankstown Airport and most

of the large flying schools have

gone and many of the hangars

are now just used for storage.

It’s all such an incredible pity

and all so unnecessary.

Yours Faithfully,

Dick Smith

Mark’s Wish List

Steve,

The CASA Briefing Newsletter

for January opened with the wish

list of new boss Mark Skidmore

citing his five guiding principles

as aviation safety first and

foremost, then communication,

cost, complexity and consistency.

As one jaded from years of

frustration negotiating with

CASA on behalf of general

aviation I suggest we all know the

above ideals are unmeasurable

and unmanageable and easily

perverted by middle management

• as the new CEO will find when
  those entrenched in the current
  culture place regulations and
  requirements before him citing
  safety as his imperative.
  CASA always falls back on a
  High Court decision – “where

Tony Taggart has fought

a long battle to have his

medical restored after an

incident of Transient Global

Amnesia. He took his fight

to the CASA, the AAT and

the pages of this magazine.

At last, some good news for

Tony: his war is won.

Tony’s Victor y

My bitter 2½ year fight with CASA’s

Avmed is over. I have prevailed. My

Class 1 and 2 medical certificates

have been restored without

restriction, (save for wearing glasses

• which was never in dispute). The
  weight of common sense, truth
  and medical case facts was too
  strong for the barriers put up by an
  Avmed that lacked the
  skill and expertise to make
  a medically-based case
  against me sustainable.
  Apologizing for drawing
  attention to an under-
  qualified Avmed was
  never appropriate.
  I would like to take the

opportunity to thank one person in

particular. Dr John Hastings MD,

the senior member of the panel of

neurological advisors to the FAA,

who worked tirelessly to provide

the unassailable factual base upon

which I built my case.

Only those whose right to fly has

been withdrawn can appreciate the

relief that this victory has brought.

My message is: stick to the facts and

never give up.

Yours faithfully

Tony Taggart

ARN

AirMail

12

Editor’s Pick

AUSTRALIAN FLYING March – April 2015

Courtesy of AvPlan

Tony wins a one-year VFR

subscription to AvPlan for

being our editor’s pick! To

be in the running to win the

same prize and have

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