Gentreau

If you can hover at about 120,000 ft yes .

Hi Nev, I would contend that the board voting system may be contributing to the behaviour of the board and as such is worthy of review ASAP. See my post above for the reasons.

The 2 great flaws in that voting system are the potential for coercion and the loss of information. 1. Any voting system which is not secret is open to abuse because certain voters may be afraid to be seen to "rock the boat". This is particularly true in any situation where a cosy club has grown, but retains a core clique who wish to run it their way. While the votes cast by individual voters is open to scrutiny and criticism, this will favour the vocal and or aggressive clique members. 2. A system which declares the vote closed upon reaching a simple majority, robs everybody of vital information. A motion carried by 51-49 has much less moral authority than one carried by 99-1. If the vote is closed as soon as 51% vote yes, how can anyone judge the true level of support for that motion ? If it is the case that personalities, rivalries and cliques may play a part in the voting process, anyone being pressurised by a clique but waivering in terms of continuing to follow them has no idea of how strong the opposing feeling is, if the vocal clique get their votes cast early. .

Exactly what I was trying to say.

Oh, you're replying to my question on the previous page asking why he wants to fly 500ft circuits ! I was hoping that planet47 would tell us why he wants to fly low circuits where the terrain is unsuitable. That document doesn't really answer it for me, unless you are saying that they are obligatory. If the terrain is unsuitable for low level circuits, why would you not fly higher ? .

Huh ?? Quoi ?? .

Is it really a good system ? Not in my opinion. Seems to me like it favours the status quo and allows those who are worried about rocking the boat to effectively abstain from voting as "a majority has already been reached". It also favours a small majority group (some of whom may be under pressure to tow the line). You will never know what the sentiment really was on the board as 49% of them don't ever need to vote. How will you know whether the full vote would have been 51%/49% or 95%/5% ?? It would also be interesting to know how the system defines those who did not vote before the majority is reached (abstained?). IMHO the only truly fair way to vote on board matters is a secret ballot with 100% obligatory participation. That way the individual members cannot be subjected to pressure or revenge and the true level of support for any motion is communicated by the vote.

Aircraft knowing about delays, blimey those onboard computers are getting THAT intelligent ??

How about this for an unbelievable place for a road..... (Gibraltar)

Is there some specific reason that the circuits have to be at 500ft ? If not then I would design them to be within gliding distance of the strip for the largest amount of time possible. .

As someone looking from the outside, that just about sums up the whole problem. Why is politics even involved in the licencing of pilots and the registration of aircraft ???????????? As far as I know, you're not running a country, a state or even a city with differing political aims, but implementing fixed regulations laid down by Australian and international law !!! .

You can find it here if you want to read it. .

Could have been a whole aircraft carrier full of em by the size of the black splodge ! .

That does explain the black smudge, always wondered if it was the French government hiding something there.

Please AM397 do try to keep up with the discussion. Where exactly did I call you those things ?

I'm not suggesting that journalists always write rubbish, however they have neither the time nor the resources to fully investigate all the stories they publish. I'm sure that most would like to confirm their sources and cross reference, but they have deadlines to meet and consequently have to do the best they can with the sources that they have available. I completely agree that if the pilot is guilty he should be punished to the extent allowed by the law. However I also believe that should only happen after a full investigation and not after one news report. We have no idea what other pertinent facts may come out. All I have ever tried to say in this thread is that we cannot know all the facts and so should not be castigating him based on that one story. It's unfortunate that some people are unable to have an informed discussion about such a subject wthout resorting to personal attacks, but that says more about them than anything else.

Yes, before finishing someones career, someone who I presume started flying for the same or similar reasons that we all did, I'd like facts. What would you like to have presented if you were the one being accused of something, heresay or facts. Otherwise let's just have a kangaroo court and execute anyone we don't like eh ? Here's a thought for you. The report that the pilot was asleep came from the nurse. What was his relationship with the nurse ? Do you know ? Does she have an agenda ? Did they have a relationship and just break up ? I don't know and neither do you. I am surprised at you AM397, you say you work in journalism but you're prepared to hang a guy you never met on the basis of one newspaper story. Shame on you !

I don't know, neither do you, none of us have the full facts. All I am saying is that the pilot should be given the same rights that everybody has, and be assumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. All we have is a news report and as we know they are all meticulously researched and triple checked ...... Anyone here got proof ?

Whether you believe it or not doesn't change the facts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine "Although rarely prescribed,[4] dextromethamphetamine is FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD andobesity under the trade name Desoxyn, while levomethamphetamine is a non-prescription over-the-counter nasal decongestant." I hope nobody ever judges you in the same manner you are judging that pilot.

His duty times or an illness could explain him falling asleep. As noted earlier the positive test could be due to legal medicines. That's why you should not judge him until ALL the facts are known. I do hope you're a little more sympathetic in real life than you come across in that last post !

Why oh why do we still attach so much weght to the fact that 10, 15, 20 or maybe 25 years ago, somebody managed to get a degree ? I'm a radio engineer and I've lost count of the number of idiotic university graduates I've encountered .....

Or the fog limited his options for the emergency landing ... .

Be careful jumping to conclusions and hanging the guy before he has a chance to defend himself. The RFDS only did what they were legally obliged to do, there may be extenuating circumstances. If you research just a little about Methamphetamine you will discover that it is used in low doses in certain legal medicines such as nose sprays. I think the pilot should have his say before you all hang draw and quarter him.

"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill .

I have a question for you guys. Where are the flying clubs in all this debacle ? Surely they represent more people and can put more pressure on the board or regional reps of RA-Aus as they should have a louder voice than any one individual? If the board are not performing their duties to members as laid down by the constitution (eg. publishing accounts) why are they not pressing them for the information ? Is it out of fear of upsetting the boat, or some other reason ?? Or am I incorrectly assuming that you have a similar club setup to France and the UK....? .