So what's the big announcement on Friday

[dsam]

In the corporate world, lots of deals are done "informally" on a golf course. That would have been cheaper than this PR stunt, and perhaps just as effective.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

So do you have to be on Facebook to get RaAus news now?

 

 

[facthunter]

What are PRODUCTIVITY officers? Wouldn't we be better with "Perfect in Every Way" officers? Nev

 

 

[Kununurra]

Happy hour Friday's

 

 

[facthunter]

Red nose wine. ? Nev

 

 

[jetjr]

I feel the same way about pointless safety initiatives and live with them daily BUT they do have a role and are an part of running business especially one in federal oversight.

 

Plenty of the general public, CASA, GA pilots and lots of fringe and prospective members think we have a crap attitude to safety. Like it or not it wont be allowed to continue. We either play the game or have it forced from above. If that happens we will be in whole new world of unworkable poinless activities.

 

Not long ago some very long threads on loosing mates at around one per month. Whats being done? Plenty was said that safety culture had to be developed. Well here it is being introduced. Was nver going to be fun.

 

It needs to be a bigger feature of RAA but also needs to be SEEN as a bigger part of how the thing runs. It is going to cost money. Id have thought CASA have requested/demanded more attention to safety and in true Public service style it will involve PR as much as substance.

 

The hard part is how to develop the message without it being an email no one reads. Right or not ill bet more saw this than many other safety messages in last decade.

 

This is a promotional event no doubt, but it got DAS there and in pictures which is a big deal. In a small way this shows CASA endorse this new approach.

 

As far as costs goes, get some facts first then complain. This type of thing takes a couple of hours and linked with a coffee shows staff they valued. Part of being good staff manager. A couple of face to face meetings with Das could probably cost more and gnerate less value.

 

 

[Fishla]

I'm happy for the staff to be given a half-day outing. Every (good) employer does things like that. I hope the staff had some well deserved fun. Every time I've called or emailed them they've been helpful and efficient. Probably better not to advertise the outing in this way though!

 

As for the idea of a safety month I guess its in response to all the accidents lately.

 

A better response might be a safety lecture by our new safety officer put up on youtube or something else which would be just a tiny bit actually useful to pilots and cost very little. Hell, maybe they should provide a complete set of training material? This very website has some very good tutorials for free!

 

As a student pilot I have to say I don't see what I get for my money.

 

 

[facthunter]

These days everyone want's to look as if something is being done, and tick boxes. THAT doesn't work. I can't think of any instance with planes where a high visibility vest did, or would do any thing. Flying with one on could even cause problems. It's OK if you are working in a public thoroughfare but... Lets improve safety in real situations. Analyse causes and rectify/educate/train people better Nev

 

 

[DGL Fox]

So do you have to be on Facebook to get RaAus news now?

Yes apparently, I don't see any of this news on there website? Probably to busy on Friday to put it up....I guess it would be to much to ask that our new safety officer go around Australia visiting RA-Aus flying schools and holding safety lectures for students...maybe to much to ask for..

David

 

 

[Deskpilot]

I let my certificate to fly laps a long time ago so I don't visit airfields much these days. On my occasional jaunts down to Aldinga for a coffee, I see all safety precautions being adhered to so a have to ask, just how many 'on ground accidents' have been reported to bring about this totally useless piece of legislation? Are those accident recorded anywhere in RAA HQ, and if so, can we please see them. Just trying to figure out how the brain of the twerp that initiated it works, if it works at all.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against hi-vis clothing in certain areas like road works and industrial places that use fork-lifts, even non flying/ground crew need them but in our environment, the only non flying people on the flight line should be passengers who's safety is the pic's concern. If an aircraft needs the attention of a LAME, pull it to a safe place to work on it. Away from revolving propellers.

 

 

[kgwilson]

They will announce the rego number for my aircraft.

I was right. I got my rego number yesterday (Friday) 19-8664. The rest of it was just a side show. The Legend looks nice too except for the white panel. Too reflective.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I'm happy for the staff to be given a half-day outing. Every (good) employer does things like that. I hope the staff had some well deserved fun. Every time I've called or emailed them they've been helpful and efficient. Probably better not to advertise the outing in this way though!As for the idea of a safety month I guess its in response to all the accidents lately.

 

A better response might be a safety lecture by our new safety officer put up on youtube or something else which would be just a tiny bit actually useful to pilots and cost very little. Hell, maybe they should provide a complete set of training material? This very website has some very good tutorials for free!

 

As a student pilot I have to say I don't see what I get for my money.

Fishla...What you get for your money is the ability to keep flying in our level of aircraft at continued low cost, = freedoms and privileges not enjoyed by the GA end of town.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Just in case you have not all noticed there have been no less than 10 fatals this year so far at our end of the sport.

 

CASA has come a knocking with a 'WTF is going on here guys ? " ...as can be expected, they are just doing their job. It sure beats the hell out of 'It's over boys and girls' too many accidents, pack them all up and take them all to the dump !.....doesn't it ?.

 

CTA entry and a MTOW weight increase ?.......not a fat chance with our current safety record this year...that's just shear reality and pipe-dreams right now folks. In case you hadn't noticed we just dropped ten rungs on the ladder, now your organization has to start climbing again on your behalf, to just put us back where we were prior to Jan 1 2015.

 

The current board and executive has made more inroads into real areas of influence than any other board before it.

 

We now have close personal and respected links with the DAS ( Mark Skidmore) the minister for transport ( Truss) and the ATSB as required, plus other like bodies the SAAA, HGFA, APF and others. This is a very smart savvy move as for instance talking with Mark Skidmore instead of dealing with SASAO directly, pretty much puts them in their place. Remember two years ago when SASAO nearly closed us down after repeated audits in the office ?..our direct contacts with Warren Truss helped big time in this area at the time. Through this contact our Board President Michael Monck ( elected by you ) has been appointed as a member of Warren Trusses' Aviation consultation committee where real leaverage and influence can be had to further improve our cause. Try to imagine this a couple of years ago. Not even our beloved Middo reached those dizzying heights of influence.

 

In other countries such as the U.S. For example, these close personal contacts would not be possible without employing professional lobbyist to do our contact making for us....this of course would cost big bucks for often doubtful or unreliable results.

 

The link with Matt Hall was a result of a meeting at the recent Old Station Fly-in in Qld where he was one of the main performers. Another personal and important contact made by the CEO and board president, who attended that show as part of their 'meet the members directly' policy this year, a policy that is liked by the members and working, and one directed and approved by the current board, who by the way you elected.

 

The congenial meeting in the orange vests on the ramp at Canberra may well look like fluff on the surface, but you just don't get these type of very influential people and politicians together in support of our sport by shear chance. And as Andy has suggested you have to look at the larger picture.

 

Considering our dismal record this year I consider this nothing less than a miracle !.......and knowing the CEO as I do it would all have been done at absolutely minimal cost.

 

And yes great to see all the staff enjoying a nice sunny Friday arvo trip to the airport....they all deserve it.

 

Our organisation now has qualified and progressive people with their hands on the helm......our ship has never been in better shape....the board is overseeing a move into the future, rather than remaining in the past as the previous administrations have done. The attitude of the membership just has to catch up now.

 

And what should you the member do ?.......well stop whinging and being critical to start with, then get off your arses, go flying and continue to enjoy all the prevelages that we are maintaining for you against great odds.

 

I as a member, am very happy to see this orange- vested meeting on the Canberra ramp, Monck, Linke and crew have once again pulled the rabbit out of the hat for us, and welcome aboard Matt Hall. Now if we can just get him to run as a board member.

 

 

[Geoff13]

Maj

 

Have you considered applying for the position of members consultant. (Whats that you say, we don't have one. Maybe we need one). Simple explanations like you and previously Andy give via this forum are what the membership are screaming out for. We do not have to and in all likeleyhood never will agree with all decisions made, but if they are explained properly then we will be able to accept even those ones that we disagree with.

 

I have said before on this forum that the members are not fools nor are they mushrooms. in this modern age of technology the members want to be kept informed.

 

There are 5 simple and effective ways of doing that.

 

1. The website. I understand it is a dinosaur and not user freindly and is in the process of being revamped. That does not mean that it should not be kept up to date and utilised to keep the members informed. There is no point revamping the website if members are turning away from it because it is so out of date to be useless.

 

2. The larger social media platforms. We live in a modern world. Even yesterdays FB posts actually gave very little detail.

 

3. Forums like this one. They can and should be a valuable tool used in the correct manner. I know its a public forum, but many users here are at the very least interested in the workings of RAA.

 

4. The email outs that like many things started enthusiastically and have recently dropped of to a fairly basic meet your registration clerk non event. (Yesterdays event was screaming out for an email notification/explanation.

 

5. The magazine even though it is a dying beast. I have actively over the past 2 weeks asked 13 people who are members of RAA, who actually reads the magazine. 3 read the online version. One subscribes to the paper version. Of the rest all but one used to at the very least brush through the mailed out paper version in the past, but will not/do not go looking for it.

 

Communication or lack of it will either make or break any organisation. As for a members consultant it could be one person or a group of people. It could be a paid position but would probably be far better as a volunteer position. It does not need to be a board member but it does need to be someone who has access to the board and the discretion to know what and when to release.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Maybe by publically displaying their attitude to low flying and VCAs would be a good start.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

MajHave you considered applying for the position of members consultant. (Whats that you say, we don't have one. Maybe we need one). Simple explanations like you and previously Andy give via this forum are what the membership are screaming out for. We do not have to and in all likeleyhood never will agree with all decisions made, but if they are explained properly then we will be able to accept even those ones that we disagree with.

 

I have said before on this forum that the members are not fools nor are they mushrooms. in this modern age of technology the members want to be kept informed.

 

There are 5 simple and effective ways of doing that.

 

1. The website. I understand it is a dinosaur and not user freindly and is in the process of being revamped. That does not mean that it should not be kept up to date and utilised to keep the members informed. There is no point revamping the website if members are turning away from it because it is so out of date to be useless.

 

2. The larger social media platforms. We live in a modern world. Even yesterdays FB posts actually gave very little detail.

 

3. Forums like this one. They can and should be a valuable tool used in the correct manner. I know its a public forum, but many users here are at the very least interested in the workings of RAA.

 

4. The email outs that like many things started enthusiastically and have recently dropped of to a fairly basic meet your registration clerk non event. (Yesterdays event was screaming out for an email notification/explanation.

 

5. The magazine even though it is a dying beast. I have actively over the past 2 weeks asked 13 people who are members of RAA, who actually reads the magazine. 3 read the online version. One subscribes to the paper version. Of the rest all but one used to at the very least brush through the mailed out paper version in the past, but will not/do not go looking for it.

 

Communication or lack of it will either make or break any organisation. As for a members consultant it could be one person or a group of people. It could be a paid position but would probably be far better as a volunteer position. It does not need to be a board member but it does need to be someone who has access to the board and the discretion to know what and when to release.

Geoff13...I have just sent an Email to Board President Mick Monck highlighting the urgent need to upgrade the current website...I agree with your comments and I also have been pushing for an upgrade for over a year now. It needs to be done and done soon. Rather than a board member communicating directly with the CEO, board protocol requires me to communicate through the executive which I have done.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Maybe by publically displaying their attitude to low flying and VCAs would be a good start.

Welcome back Frank...hope all the news at the Jab conference was good..Could you give us an update on what happened down there.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Maj,

 

Thanks for the insight.

 

But i agree communication is really lacking, the farcebook comments on unpgrades for the safety stuff but this should be front and centre not a 'we are also doing....shortly to be released..

 

That stuff should be given promotion as the focus, and we should all know about it. I congratulate the new focus but not the PR style of doing it.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

MajHave you considered applying for the position of members consultant. (Whats that you say, we don't have one. Maybe we need one).

 

Geoff13.......thanks again for your Imput, however as I see it there are 13 'members consultants' ....currently those being your elected board members. We are required by the constitution to 'represent all members '.....It is a pity more board members choose not to communicate on this forum, however the constant negativity posted by many forumites has been mentioned as one of the reasons.

[DrZoos]

Safety in 4 simple steps

 

Allow unough weight to not under build, to carry fuel 2 pob and equipment

 

Allow us to fly thru perfectly safe cta like coffs tamworth

 

Give us safe routes all the way up and down eastern seaboard and past major cities

 

Allow us to do flight reviews in our own category aircraft

 

Everything else is BS in compareison

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

In respect to your questions re: cost of the meeting at Canberra airport, employee wages and purchase of orange vests, signs etc. I believe the Safety month program is being funded by a sizeable CASA safety cash grant .

 

 

[Camel]

In respect to your questions re: cost of the meeting at Canberra airport, employee wages and purchase of orange vests, signs etc. I believe the Safety month program is being funded by a sizeable CASA safety cash grant .

Maj, congratulations on your well put support for RAA . The packages that was sent to CFI's was well accepted and was obviously well intended to address safety issues that have brought RAA into unnesssecary controversy. The safety issue seems to focus on Non compliance of rules and regulations and is about getting this situation under control by greater awareness.

 

It is not BS as Dr Zoo puts it as many have died because of it! If DrZoos is not happy with RAA then he should go get a PPL ! And if he can't get a class 2 medical then he should thank RAA for having him !

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Look, if we want to tackle safety, we should hire the best possible staff for the RAA, people that have a background in safety, education and dangerous work places. That means paying them enough to attract more competent and skilled staff.

 

We also need to ditch the state based rep system and have reps to working on functions related to RAA functions and activities.

 

 

[rankamateur]

As a student pilot I have to say I don't see what I get for my money.

Don't feel too special. You aren't being singled out.

 

 

[Happyflyer]

.It is not BS as Dr Zoo puts it as many have died because of it! If DrZoos is not happy with RAA then he should go get a PPL ! And if he can't get a class 2 medical then he should thank RAA for having him !

Steady on. DrZoos is entitled to express his view without being told to leave RAAus. From where I sit, his views are shared by many.