Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific Airline and RPT Rumours & News in Australia, enZed and the Pacific

Dick Smith Autobiography

Old 24th Nov 2021, 05:17
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Queensland
Posts: 2,422
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
Dick Smith Autobiography

Dick Smith has published his autobiography "My Adventurous Life". Like or loath Dick, he was certainly out there when it came to business, adventure, aviation and life generally.

The book includes a full chapter on aviation, giving examples of overseas aviation practices versus the complexity of comparable aviation practices and regulation in Australia. Dick writes: "I learned that nearly everything in Australia was more complicated, resulting in a higher cost either for the Government or for the aviator and ultimately for the paying passenger."

Comparing Australia's prescriptive aviation regulations, Dick notes: "In countries like the USA, the UK, Europe and Canada, the regulations left room for the pilot to make commonsense decisions, but not here. The pilot was treated like an irresponsible child." (in Australia)

It is interesting that Dick considers he failed at most of the reforms he wanted Australian DCA/CAA/CASA to consider and adopt, the Authority is far too inflexible and deaf to experienced aviation operators and the aviation industry generally to make reasonable and logical change to Australian regulatory philosophy.

As when Dick Smith posts on PPRuNe, I am sure there will be those who support his aviation philosophy and those who oppose - vehemently in a few cases! Dick obviously has a thick skin as he always bounces back with a response.

I wonder if the majority of Dunnunda PPRuNe users would have supported Dicks proposed changes?

https://books.google.com.au/books?id...page&q&f=false


Torres is offline  
Old 24th Nov 2021, 06:16
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: In the Cab
Posts: 127
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Was looking for the perfect Christmas present
Double_Clutch is offline  
Old 24th Nov 2021, 07:29
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Great South East, tired and retired
Posts: 4,349
Likes: 0
Received 193 Likes on 89 Posts
I have had a bit to do with Dick since 1979 (before the epic chopper flights) and I thoroughly admire him for his achievements.

The best change I saw in the helicopter world was opening up the chopper lanes through the SY zone via the harbour and V1 down the coast. Next best was eliminating full reporting for VFR.
Ascend Charlie is offline  
Old 24th Nov 2021, 23:59
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: North Queensland, Australia
Posts: 2,980
Received 14 Likes on 7 Posts
Sometimes he pushes his own agenda to extremes, to his own detriment I think, but he's done a hell of a lot in his life that many of us probably couldn't. I fully agree that our regulations are ridiculously overblown and not conducive to sensible and efficient aviation, so good on him for continuing to push for change there.
Arm out the window is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 01:05
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: A better place.
Posts: 2,318
Received 23 Likes on 15 Posts
Met him at the ABC in the Q&A Green Room and had a long chat.
Thoroughly good bloke.
tartare is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 01:16
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: The Best Place!
Posts: 208
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Torres
Dick writes: "I learned that nearly everything in Australia was more complicated, resulting in a higher cost either for the Government or for the aviator and ultimately for the paying passenger."

Comparing Australia's prescriptive aviation regulations, Dick notes: "In countries like the USA, the UK, Europe and Canada, the regulations left room for the pilot to make commonsense decisions, but not here. The pilot was treated like an irresponsible child." (in Australia)

Ask any of your colleagues who have worked for carriers overseas, or are currently working for carriers overseas, and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who disagrees with this statement. Australian = Oztronaut. Ridiculous regulations, over-legislating practices and it has lead to an abomination of an aviation sector.
mmmbop is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 03:30
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 0
Received 65 Likes on 26 Posts
Ascend Charlie, thanks for the positive comment. Yes the Victor Lane came from my experience of flying in the VFR lane passing on the ocean side of JFK airport during my world helicopter flight. It is a great example of “copying the success of others.”

There is one other important quote from my book that I would like to put here:


“My efforts were successful in nearly all of these, but not in aviation. This lack of success didn’t affect me financially, because I had the wealth to cover the high costs, but it was disappointing nevertheless. I have been forced to watch as the general aviation industry has almost been destroyed by regulations that added to costs but not to safety. We could have become world leaders. It was incredibly sad.”
The aviation reform program was started back in 1990 with a simple direction from the Board to “remove every unnecessary cost.” Of course, it has morphed into the opposite – some of the most expensive requirements in the world.

Then again. The CASA act states that the most important consideration must be safety so that's the result you get!



Last edited by Dick Smith; 5th Dec 2021 at 06:33.
Dick Smith is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 08:16
  #8 (permalink)  
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan next year, but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
Age: 69
Posts: 2,959
Received 87 Likes on 50 Posts
Devil

the most important consideration must be safety
Wasn't there some apocryphal statement allegedly once made by a CASA Official that the only way to ensure complete Aviation safety was to abolish GA in its entirety?

PS; Dick; What's the chance of a personally autographed copy of the book?
Pinky the pilot is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 08:32
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Age: 58
Posts: 261
Received 30 Likes on 25 Posts
I had the pleasure of meeting Dick one day in Bankstown Tower when he popped in via push bike to say g’day, first and last time the hierarchy in CASA/CAA ever made an effort to put themselves in the shoes of the workforce! 73s
markis10 is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 13:25
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: N/A
Posts: 5,880
Received 362 Likes on 192 Posts
the Victor Lane came from my experience of flying in the VFR lane passing on the ocean side of JFK airport during my world helicopter flight. It is a great example of “copying the success of others
When did the Victor lane come into existence? Regular Navy practice, from 1970 that I have familiarity with, was coastal from Nowra, 500' at CTR, coastal to the heads and turn left for Navy base of choice. Perhaps that laid the groundwork?
megan is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2021, 20:06
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Great South East, tired and retired
Posts: 4,349
Likes: 0
Received 193 Likes on 89 Posts
You could usually get a coastal transit through the zone, but it needed a clearance.

In (I think) 1991 Victor 1 was created, 500' over water with a straight line from Malabar to Bondi to keep those nasty helicopters away from those gold-plated aeroplanes 1500' above them. But also the Chopper Lanes were created, through R405, to allow free movement over the harbour at 1000' east of the bridge and 500' along the Parramatta River. The TV lanes were created to allow access into Willoughby for Ch 9 and 2, and up the Lane Cove River for Ch 10 - Ch 7 was already outside the zone at Epping.

The straight line in V1 put single-engine choppers over water outside auto range, a bit of a quandary, so it was possible to ask for a clearance to hug the coast if traffic allowed. To highlight the stupidity of this straight line limit, I took one of the CA$A FOIs up and sat over the beach, on the extended centreline of Rwy 25 at 1000'. On the sight line between us and the runway threshold was a thumping big pine tree in Randwick or Kingsford, so any plane would have to be well above that line to be safe. But Howie just shrugged and said "Them's the rules."
Ascend Charlie is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2021, 01:24
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 0
Received 65 Likes on 26 Posts
Pinky. You would have to post it to me and will sign and send it back.

Unfortunately I don't have books available as they are produced by the publisher Allen and Unwin.

I note that Dymocks and Booktopia are selling at a discount but it's best to support your local bookshop if you can!
Dick Smith is offline  
Old 26th Nov 2021, 08:04
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: S33E151
Posts: 1,086
Received 59 Likes on 29 Posts
I'll buy a copy because I've admired you more and more since The Electronic Dick.

Few have the luck (created the luck) to give it a red hot go - fewer still actually go forth and do more to create and creat and create.

I hope you have a chapter at the end to thank all for the billions and billions and billions you've made for investors through crypto with your secret advice

Just in case anyone doesn't get the joke - the last para is FIRMLY tongue in cheek...
V-Jet is offline  
Old 27th Nov 2021, 01:54
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 0
Received 65 Likes on 26 Posts
Thanks. I am amazed that Facebook and Google and this site can get away with making money from fraudulent ads re Bitcoin
Dick Smith is offline  
Old 27th Nov 2021, 06:28
  #15 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Queensland
Posts: 2,422
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
I'm not amazed Dick, I'm disgusted with the fake/scam Google adverts published by Facebook and PPRuNe, as you well know!

I have made a conscious decision not to buy any goods or services advertised by Google Ads.
Torres is offline  
Old 27th Nov 2021, 08:50
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: Mesopotamos
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Another worthy book to add to my collection. Thanks.

Internet scams are a phenomena of the modern electronic world that mostly afflict the elderly. The young care not one iota for it and it's a shame our telcos are just too fat, dumb and lazy to put a lid on it.
cattletruck is offline  
Old 30th Nov 2021, 06:25
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 0
Received 65 Likes on 26 Posts
For those who have not been able to get a copy I have been told that there is a second reprint that should be available in bookstores in mid December.
Dick Smith is offline  
Old 1st Dec 2021, 07:22
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,455
Received 49 Likes on 33 Posts
You are a true inspiration for the younger generation Dick, not only in aviation but also in business and in just being a true Australian.

Your Autobiography is certainly a book that I look forward to reading.

It’s also great to hear you regularly talking to Australia on Sunday mornings with Macca!
Duck Pilot is offline  
Old 2nd Dec 2021, 07:02
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 131
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Having just finished reading it, a total inspiration. I met Dick in Wynyard in the mid 90s when he brought in his Citation when I was in GA. Couldn't put it down once I started reading it, and the photos at the end, really made it!
G.A. Boy is offline  
Old 5th Dec 2021, 00:32
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 0
Received 65 Likes on 26 Posts
Thanks GA

I was particularly pleased by the quality of the end paper maps from the Australian owned printer.

Drawn by the Australian Geographic cartographer Will Pringle

Last edited by Dick Smith; 5th Dec 2021 at 00:46.
Dick Smith is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.