Ten years of aviation safety neglect

Current operations at those airports would be illegal by the standards of most of the developed world. Why are they tolerated in this country?

Why is graphical weather data now available in the cockpits of aircraft in the US, unavailable, and not even on any published safety agenda, in this country?

Why is there no consideration being given to using the safety improvements known as the Wide Area Augmentation System which is being introduced this year in American skies?

Why has our country been sleeping for the last ten years and what will make it wake up?

We proudly point to having some of the world’s busiest air routes, such as Sydney to Melbourne, yet we allow practices in our skies that are third world.

While I was chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority during the Hawke administration I was able to advance safety reforms. Now there is a culture of change aversion that has effectively removed Australia from identifying and participating in improvements to air safety.

But I expect my critics will continue to be obsessed by the man and not by the dangers inherent in current standards and procedures that are blithely pushed to one side by the airlines and government.

So why do I keep beating my head against the brick wall of indifference to make these points?

Because one day one or more passenger jets are going to be ripped apart in an accident that could not happen in most of the developed world.

And a prime minister and a transport minister will try and express shock and amazement and say “But we didn’t know about this”.

I’m saying these things now to make sure that they do know, and that there is no excuse for such ignorance and indifference, and such wilful, foolish and disgraceful neglect.

** Promoting alternative technology.