HIGHEST FATALITY RATE EVER


“WHO WILL BE NEXT?” ASKS DICK SMITH

The
carnage is continuing. On Friday 2 December Australian businessman
Peter Menegazzo was killed while being flown by a professional pilot in
a weather related accident.

In the last 12 months, top
Australian businessmen Brian Ray and Brian Oxenford have also been
killed in weather related accidents while being flown by professional
pilots.

In just over a 3 year period, there have been 70
fatalities from air crashes flown by professional pilots. In the same
period there have only been 9 fatalities in aircraft flown by private
pilots.

Dick Smith said, “This is the reverse of what should be
happening. Professional pilots, with their extra training and regulated
standards, should be far safer than private pilots.

Dick Smith
said, “I believe the rising commercial accident rate is because the
Government authorities responsible for aviation safety and
investigation have become dysfunctional. They are concentrating on more
and more complex, prescriptive rules rather than promoting good
airmanship and commonsense.

“Most of the fatalities have been
caused by weather. Surely an experienced professional pilot would not
fly an aircraft without radar close to a thunderstorm?” Dick Smith
asked.

“There are sure to be more and more accidents. I’m
dreading the day we put an airliner in. That is when I’m told the
reforms will go ahead,” said Dick Smith.

“I wonder how long the media will keep this highest fatality rate ever a secret?” said Dick Smith.