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Last Updated: June 23,
2008
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Introduction
Dick Smith is an Australian
businessman who was appointed to the Board of the Australian Civil Aviation
Authority from June 1988 and was made the Chairman from February 1990 until
February 1992. He was then on the Board of the Civil Aviation Safety
Authority from May 1997 and appointed Chairman from December 1997 to March
1999. Both times Dick has been Chairman of these organisations he has
been involved in major regulatory reform. He says that only 20% of
the necessary reforms, which provide high safety levels and at the same
time allow Australian aviation to remain financially viable, have been
completed.
Dick Smith's Introduction
We could be leaders in the world
with both high safety and participation levels if we copy the best
My business success with Dick Smith Electronics and Australian Geographic
was a result of copying some of the best ideas around the world, asking advice,
surrounding myself with capable people and enthusing them to
perform. The same is possible with aviation reform. I’ve
been fortunate to fly in every continent and to have the time, money and
curiosity to visit aviation regulators and ask lots of questions.
I learned that although the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ensures some common
practices worldwide, each country has its own unique differences. Airspace
systems, for instance, evolve from local political and industrial pressures.
My vision for Australia’s aviation reform is to look at each
country’s practices, take the best ideas and put them into one system
– something no one has ever done.
I’ve done well in my businesses in
Australia by constantly asking advice and copying the best. It would give
me immense satisfaction to apply these principles to aviation reform.
The problem is that aviation presents far greater challenges than retail or
publishing industries.
I’ve found that Australian aviation
is surrounded by people who have been trained in a particular system and
want to stick with it. They are absolutely genuine workers who are happy
with their present jobs and have no interest whatsoever in how things are
done overseas. I call it the “it wasn’t built here” syndrome. Not
surprisingly, many of these people regard any change as a threat.
I've put a lot of hard work into
aviation reform and I’m not about to give up. Given the chance, I’ll
incorporate the experience I’ve gained from thousands of flying hours and
the best ideas from around the world, such as Class E airspace, which
maximises the use of air traffic control and radar, and combine them with
Australia’s best, such as our practice of self-separation in terminal
areas.
I believe that we can create a system
that will make Australia the world leader in both flight training and
recreational aviation. The return to Australia would be thousands of extra
jobs and hundreds of million of dollars in revenue. Just look at the
graph below at what is happening to general aviation. It is so sad
and it is so unnecessary.
Most importantly I am very concerned
at the moment both in the way that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, the
ATSB and Airservices appear to be “captured” by the big end of town.
I’m also extremely concerned that our airspace classifications and
procedures have never been properly updated since the old Flight Service
non-radar days.
I believe if these changes are not made that we will end up with a major
airline crash – most probably a controlled flight into terrain caused in
part by the lack of the proper use of the Airservices radar system, or even
more likely a collision in the circuit area or on the runway at an
aerodrome because the air traffic controllers are not using modern
international procedures, or at a non-controlled aerodrome because we do
not have a UNICOM local radio operator.
If ever I get the chance to make the
reforms mentioned above, I will do it.
Unfortunately, the present Government
has no overarching policy or vision in relation to aviation. Without
this, the various departments and organisations pursue their own agendas
with their own self-interest. There is clearly a culture of never asking
advice and never copying proven safe systems from overseas.
The Government needs clear, visionary
policy backed by legislation which includes that there be a safe and
financially viable aviation industry with the highest participation levels
possible.
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General Aviation hours flown
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