Just a quick question for everyone.
A lot of people here and Cat Driver in particular seem to always say that TC never goes after corrupt operators . However as soon as we see posts about TC going into audit a company like Skyward and eventually shutting them down every starts crying that TC is picking on the operators and holding them to unrealistic expectations.
Which is it?
Also, Cat, I will be the first to admit that you have probably forgotten more about aviation than I will ever learn but I think you do yourself, and your causes a great diservice with how you critique TC. Instead of sounding like a knowledgeable person with a legitmate beef you quite often come across as bitter and unwilling to work with the regulator. I don't know the story behind what TC did to you but I would love to know. If you can send me a PM with the background of your story.
I worked at TC for two summers while I was in university and while I will be the first to admit they are not perfect I never saw anything that was outright malicious or vindictive.
Question for Cat and other people who think TC is awful
Moderators: Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, I WAS Birddog
Seems to me, most of the complaints about are the same as they were ten years ago when SATOPs was finalized.
SATOPs
SATOPs
Transport Canada's audit and inspection methodology was criticized as not being sufficiently operations-oriented and not occurring frequently enough. Inspections and audits that check only the paperwork don't give a true perspective of the actual operation. As an example, since aircraft inspections are done in a stationary aircraft rather than when the aircraft is in flight, the inspector can only confirm that the instruments are installed, not that they are functioning. If Civil Aviation inspectors performed "inflight" inspections, especially now that industry has more delegated authority to perform pilot proficiency checks, it would provide Transport Canada with a better understanding of operating conditions, operational practices and pressures. Inflight inspections should be conducted in both single- and multi-engine aircraft.
SR 58 - Recommend Transport Canada conduct more operations-oriented audits and inspections.
SR 59 - Recommend Transport Canada conduct in-flight inspections in Air Taxi aircraft.
Transport Canada was criticized for providing sufficient notice of an upcoming audit that the operator had time to get the paperwork in order before the auditors arrive. Less notice would give Transport Canada a better indication of the air operator's actual operation. Also, more random inspections should be done, especially during the operators' busy season. Pilots commented that Transport Canada inspectors rarely conduct inspections on job sites, that the inspections are limited to ramp inspections or audits. Non-compliance with the regulations was thought to occur more frequently in areas removed from main airports where inspectors are less likely to conduct random inspections. There is also the perception that regulatory compliance is not applied uniformly among operators and that some operators have an obvious disregard for the regulations but Transport Canada is either unaware or chooses to overlook this.
SR 60 - Recommend Transport Canada conduct more random audits and inspections.
SR 61 - Recommend Transport Canada provide more regulatory compliance presence, especially in northern and remote areas.
Transport Canada was also criticized for not conducting follow up of audit findings. When audit findings are not rectified by the air operator, the unsatisfactory operating condition continues and often the deficiencies are noted in the subsequent audit.
SR 62 - Recommend Transport Canada ensure all audit follow-up is completed.
IA 62 - Recommend air operators ensure all audit findings are rectified.
Air Taxi operators and pilots feel that air carrier inspectors do not have the appropriate background to understand VFR issues and issues that are specific to certain operations or regions. For example, the west coast operators and pilots felt that there was no one in Commercial and Business Aviation, Pacific Region who had recent experience in the unique operating conditions of west coast float operations. All Transport Canada inspectors must possess an Airline Transport Pilot Licence in order to qualify for the position. Often this means that the inspector has not been flying in VFR operations for some time before being hired by Transport Canada. The same comments were received from operators and pilots throughout the other Regions. It was suggested that Transport Canada should have inspectors on staff with strong VFR backgrounds who could deal sensitively with VFR issues. Many negative comments were received about Transport Canada hiring inspectors with no commercial operating experience.
SR 63 - Recommend Transport Canada Regional Commercial and Business Aviation inspector personnel are more representative of the demographics of the aviation industry.
The attitude of some Transport Canada air carrier inspectors was criticized as being arrogant and uncooperative. A more cooperative attitude between inspectors and the industry will enhance the working relationship and eliminate the "we vs. they" mentality. Since they are part of the aviation system, air carrier inspectors should be perceived as being approachable and a good resource for information, not just as the regulator who is interested in catching pilots and operators who are breaking regulations. Industry has no recourse if they are concerned about a particular inspector's behaviour.
SR 64 - Recommend Transport Canada establish a conflict resolution program where members of the aviation industry can confidentially report problems with individual Civil Aviation inspectors.
Former Advocate for Floatplane Safety
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snaproll20
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Well, Frank, as most of us critical of TC have said repeatedly, most of the people who work there are decent folk. During my career I have worked with some great people employed at TC
There are however a very few who are dishonest, corrupt, vindictive and given to personal vendettas. They do not live within the guidelines of the Civil Service Code of Conduct, nor the various manuals and other codes they are supposed to abide by. They poison the water for everyone. When these people are retained by TC, even in the face of criticism from their peers, it is evidence of a corrupt management.
If you believe that Cat Driver is bitter, then I suppose it can only be said that you yourself have never suffered at the hands of these people and then been frustrated and financially ruined in being unable to resolve the issue because they are protected by tax-funded Crown lawyers.
For myself, I have repeatedly echoed the recommendation of Justice O'Connor, who listed TC as one of the ministries needing an Ombudsman. Such an entity could resolve issues without legal fees on both sides. There may even be some mutual respect and improvement in how things are done if this was put in place.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is jackboot methodology because TC can afford to use delay tactics to ruin a complainant financially while they fight in courtrooms.
Cat Driver and I have long advocated the prosecution of "bad" operators, by TC. We do not need them in this industry and actually applaud suspension of OCs in such cases.
You specifically mention Skyward. Skyward was subject to a lot of negative criticism by employees there over a long period. TC certainly found issues.
If you go back and read some of the people who criticized TC for shutting Skyward down, I believe you will see that most of the people were complaining because a tight "family" of pilots was being disrupted. I do not remember much sympathy for the owners.
There are a lot of dead (innocent) people because TC did not act properly to shut down companies who were actually openly criticized by TC. It is a real question as to why they repeatedly failed to show due diligence. The infamous Wapiti crash was a prime example. Twenty three years after the crash, the owner still felt an opening to sue TC. Loose ends!!!!
This forum is filled with evidence to back Cat Driver's opinion, (besides others of us who feel the same way. ) We did not get there by choice, believe me.
You have to understand that this is a discussion forum and some of the evidence we have can only be disclosed in a venue where action can be expected.
I hope this helps you.
There are however a very few who are dishonest, corrupt, vindictive and given to personal vendettas. They do not live within the guidelines of the Civil Service Code of Conduct, nor the various manuals and other codes they are supposed to abide by. They poison the water for everyone. When these people are retained by TC, even in the face of criticism from their peers, it is evidence of a corrupt management.
If you believe that Cat Driver is bitter, then I suppose it can only be said that you yourself have never suffered at the hands of these people and then been frustrated and financially ruined in being unable to resolve the issue because they are protected by tax-funded Crown lawyers.
For myself, I have repeatedly echoed the recommendation of Justice O'Connor, who listed TC as one of the ministries needing an Ombudsman. Such an entity could resolve issues without legal fees on both sides. There may even be some mutual respect and improvement in how things are done if this was put in place.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is jackboot methodology because TC can afford to use delay tactics to ruin a complainant financially while they fight in courtrooms.
Cat Driver and I have long advocated the prosecution of "bad" operators, by TC. We do not need them in this industry and actually applaud suspension of OCs in such cases.
You specifically mention Skyward. Skyward was subject to a lot of negative criticism by employees there over a long period. TC certainly found issues.
If you go back and read some of the people who criticized TC for shutting Skyward down, I believe you will see that most of the people were complaining because a tight "family" of pilots was being disrupted. I do not remember much sympathy for the owners.
There are a lot of dead (innocent) people because TC did not act properly to shut down companies who were actually openly criticized by TC. It is a real question as to why they repeatedly failed to show due diligence. The infamous Wapiti crash was a prime example. Twenty three years after the crash, the owner still felt an opening to sue TC. Loose ends!!!!
This forum is filled with evidence to back Cat Driver's opinion, (besides others of us who feel the same way. ) We did not get there by choice, believe me.
You have to understand that this is a discussion forum and some of the evidence we have can only be disclosed in a venue where action can be expected.
I hope this helps you.
I'll jump in on this one as someone who has been personally affected by Transport. I completely agree with what window's posted about safety audits. I've posted this before but I think it's worth reposting.
My problem with TC is all of the information regarding safety audits is confidential. If Transport was justified in shutting Skyward down, why not make the findings public? I wasn’t in aviation for very long but I heard tons of horror stories and I’m sure everyone else has about how other northern airlines are operated right across the country, but they are still allowed to operate. Although Skyward had its problems, it’s my intuition that something else was going on behind the scenes during the audit as well.
My solution to this problem is making the company safety audits public information. The accident investigation division does an excellent job and then publishes their final report when they’re finished. The enforcement division makes fines against both companies and pilots and the reasons public information. Even the airplane registration database is public information. Why do safety audits have to be so confidential?
Having the safety audit department make their reports public would solve many problems. Most importantly, there would now be transparency in the system and legal precedent set. This would stop an auditor on a power trip or on a personal vendetta (ie. Cat Driver’s situation). With legal precedent set for safety audits, Transport would now have to clearly interpret their rules and apply them fairly right across the country. People on here have been complaining about that for as long as I’ve been reading this board. For example, if precedent was established that company abc is allowed to do something, then there’s no way company xyz could get shutdown for it.
Also, after a company is shutdown for safety violations, why are the same owners allowed to open up another company and start again with a clean slate? Why aren't criminal charges brought against the people responsible for putting lives in danger?
My problem with TC is all of the information regarding safety audits is confidential. If Transport was justified in shutting Skyward down, why not make the findings public? I wasn’t in aviation for very long but I heard tons of horror stories and I’m sure everyone else has about how other northern airlines are operated right across the country, but they are still allowed to operate. Although Skyward had its problems, it’s my intuition that something else was going on behind the scenes during the audit as well.
My solution to this problem is making the company safety audits public information. The accident investigation division does an excellent job and then publishes their final report when they’re finished. The enforcement division makes fines against both companies and pilots and the reasons public information. Even the airplane registration database is public information. Why do safety audits have to be so confidential?
Having the safety audit department make their reports public would solve many problems. Most importantly, there would now be transparency in the system and legal precedent set. This would stop an auditor on a power trip or on a personal vendetta (ie. Cat Driver’s situation). With legal precedent set for safety audits, Transport would now have to clearly interpret their rules and apply them fairly right across the country. People on here have been complaining about that for as long as I’ve been reading this board. For example, if precedent was established that company abc is allowed to do something, then there’s no way company xyz could get shutdown for it.
Also, after a company is shutdown for safety violations, why are the same owners allowed to open up another company and start again with a clean slate? Why aren't criminal charges brought against the people responsible for putting lives in danger?
Snaproll,
I'm not saying that Cat doesn't have the right to be bitter. If I had been through the financial crunch he was subjected to I would be bitter too, I'm sure.
All meant was that if he really wants to see change he may need to consider approaching the situation with out the chip on his shoulder. I may not like how he posts or how he comes across but I can't argue against the fact that he has a wealth of experience and knowledge that is valuable in any conversation about how we might improve saftey in this field. My concern is that people won't listen and pay attention to him beacuse they can't get past his bitterness. And that would be very unfortunate for all of us.
I'm not saying that Cat doesn't have the right to be bitter. If I had been through the financial crunch he was subjected to I would be bitter too, I'm sure.
All meant was that if he really wants to see change he may need to consider approaching the situation with out the chip on his shoulder. I may not like how he posts or how he comes across but I can't argue against the fact that he has a wealth of experience and knowledge that is valuable in any conversation about how we might improve saftey in this field. My concern is that people won't listen and pay attention to him beacuse they can't get past his bitterness. And that would be very unfortunate for all of us.
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laststandingpilot
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Cat Driver
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Frank D:
I am sorry that I come across as bitter, however if you and your family were ruined by several people in TCCA who were protecting their own who were in violation of the very laws they are sworn to uphold how else would you be expected to come across?
Try this little exercise.
I come across as bitter because I was denied due process under law by TCCA aided and abetted by Merlin Preuss personally.
A member of Parliament is on record as I understand it for stating that Merlin Preuss under questioning about how he oversees TCCA is in contempt of Parliament.
Who in your mind is the greatest threat to aviation, and therefore to all those who work in aviation?
Me or the DGCA?
I am sorry that I come across as bitter, however if you and your family were ruined by several people in TCCA who were protecting their own who were in violation of the very laws they are sworn to uphold how else would you be expected to come across?
Try this little exercise.
I come across as bitter because I was denied due process under law by TCCA aided and abetted by Merlin Preuss personally.
A member of Parliament is on record as I understand it for stating that Merlin Preuss under questioning about how he oversees TCCA is in contempt of Parliament.
Who in your mind is the greatest threat to aviation, and therefore to all those who work in aviation?
Me or the DGCA?
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Transport must quite strongly dislike the internet.
In the past, they could get away with doing some pretty awful things, and only a few local people would find out about it.
But now, information flows pretty freely, which I can see upsetting some of the powers-that-be, who would really prefer to sweep their messes under the carpet and have them quickly forgotten.
In the past, they could get away with doing some pretty awful things, and only a few local people would find out about it.
But now, information flows pretty freely, which I can see upsetting some of the powers-that-be, who would really prefer to sweep their messes under the carpet and have them quickly forgotten.
Cat,
At no point before nor do I now think you are a threat to aviation...in fact, just the opposite. You have seen and experienced more in this industry than most if not everyone on this board. You now what works and what's required to improve saftey. All I am trying to say is if you tone down your posts more people will listen, and maybe something will get accomplished.
Unfortunatley many people here write you off as a bitter old man and thats very unfortuante as these people are the current people in the industry who can bring change where it's required...dismissing your input is a loss for all of us.
At no point before nor do I now think you are a threat to aviation...in fact, just the opposite. You have seen and experienced more in this industry than most if not everyone on this board. You now what works and what's required to improve saftey. All I am trying to say is if you tone down your posts more people will listen, and maybe something will get accomplished.
Unfortunatley many people here write you off as a bitter old man and thats very unfortuante as these people are the current people in the industry who can bring change where it's required...dismissing your input is a loss for all of us.
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Cat Driver
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Yes, Frank D I know that is going to be a problem with my posts.Unfortunatley many people here write you off as a bitter old man and thats very unfortuante as these people are the current people in the industry who can bring change where it's required...dismissing your input is a loss for all of us.
But I suffer from a common human frailty, lack of a means to be rational faced with a problem that is impossible to resolve.
And it will remain impossible to solve as long as Ministers of the Federal government feel complled to accuse the person holding the highest office in Transport Canada Civil Aviation in contempt of Parliament.
You see by holding Parliament in contempt Preuss is holding you in contempt.
So please forgive me for being bitter.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
I worked with TC for a number of years and I can say with honesty there are individuals high in the TC - MGT structure in CYOW who are capable of doing damage to individuals. However, the average working level CAI did their jobs with the best of ability whilc coping off the wall Mgt initiatives. Having said that, I had the pleasure of working with some very good TC managers who were indeed capable and did outstanding work and were a credit to themselves and the Department.
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Cat Driver
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55+ :
None of us here who have been around for years would disagree with what you say.
However until something changes within the upper levels of TCCA to bring accountability and integrity back into the regulator everyone suffers.
Sadly the good people in TC suffer most.
. E.
None of us here who have been around for years would disagree with what you say.
However until something changes within the upper levels of TCCA to bring accountability and integrity back into the regulator everyone suffers.
Sadly the good people in TC suffer most.
. E.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Cat,
Just so you and I are on the same page...I did not mean anything in this thread to be a personal attack so I hope it didn't come acorss that way and if it did I sincerely apologize...I don't blame you for being bitter...I'm just frustrated because I think that all of the knowledge and experience you have are being wasted because of how people see you.
In a perfect world I'd like to see you get past the bitterness and work with people like widow and others like her to improve safety, even if it means working with the current crop at Transport. Think of it this way, if you can work with the current crop of bad apples imagine what you'll be able to accomplish once they're gone.
Just so you and I are on the same page...I did not mean anything in this thread to be a personal attack so I hope it didn't come acorss that way and if it did I sincerely apologize...I don't blame you for being bitter...I'm just frustrated because I think that all of the knowledge and experience you have are being wasted because of how people see you.
In a perfect world I'd like to see you get past the bitterness and work with people like widow and others like her to improve safety, even if it means working with the current crop at Transport. Think of it this way, if you can work with the current crop of bad apples imagine what you'll be able to accomplish once they're gone.
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Aunt Jemima
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Good grief, man! Have you not actually read any of Cat's or Widow's posts? He IS working with Widow and others. If he chooses to vent some frustrations on an internet forum, and you don't enjoy said posts, there's always the option to not read them.FrankD wrote:Cat,...In a perfect world I'd like to see you get past the bitterness and work with people like widow and others like her to improve safety, even if it means working with the current crop at Transport. Think of it this way, if you can work with the current crop of bad apples imagine what you'll be able to accomplish once they're gone.
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Cat Driver
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No offence taken FrankD.
Some time ago widow contacted me and I feel privileged to do what ever I can to aid her in her " Quest for justice " , in fact I was the one that coined that phrase.
Don't forget Snoopy and her partner who are 703 operators who are standing up to be counted.
I am in a very different position than most here as I am free to express anything I feel like as long as it is not libleous which would put Avcanada in jeopardy.
You will note there are not many of my allegations deleted by Joe and his monitors.
By the way widow has a lot of my documentation with a lot more ready when she wades through it that clearly and without any doubt proves my allegations to be true.
And the part that should really disturb every member of the aviation community is it was your tens of thousands maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars that these corrupt TCCA managers spent trying to first destroy me and now find a way to discredit me...
So when I state that your DGCA is a disgrace to not only the office he holds but his actions are a mockery of the rule of law maybe its time for all you people in Canadian aviation to do something.
It would be stretching the imagination to think that Merlin Pruess and Dave Nowzek are not aware of my actions here and my intent to remove them from their positions for just cause.
Remember I no longer am directly affected because I no longer fly nor work in Canada.....
...but I still work outside Canada.
Some time ago widow contacted me and I feel privileged to do what ever I can to aid her in her " Quest for justice " , in fact I was the one that coined that phrase.
Don't forget Snoopy and her partner who are 703 operators who are standing up to be counted.
I am in a very different position than most here as I am free to express anything I feel like as long as it is not libleous which would put Avcanada in jeopardy.
You will note there are not many of my allegations deleted by Joe and his monitors.
By the way widow has a lot of my documentation with a lot more ready when she wades through it that clearly and without any doubt proves my allegations to be true.
And the part that should really disturb every member of the aviation community is it was your tens of thousands maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars that these corrupt TCCA managers spent trying to first destroy me and now find a way to discredit me...
So when I state that your DGCA is a disgrace to not only the office he holds but his actions are a mockery of the rule of law maybe its time for all you people in Canadian aviation to do something.
It would be stretching the imagination to think that Merlin Pruess and Dave Nowzek are not aware of my actions here and my intent to remove them from their positions for just cause.
Remember I no longer am directly affected because I no longer fly nor work in Canada.....
...but I still work outside Canada.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Good post FrankD. Very well written and the tone was calm and non-aggressive.
Cat Driver, I must commend you on your calm and rational replies to this thread. It seems like its been pick on (or pick a fight with) Cat Driver week on AvCanada but I think we all are just trying to say what FrankD said. We appreciate the knowledge that you have gained over the years, but sometimes just get tired of the other stuff you post. I’m sorry if my other posts seemed like an attack but trying to find the information can get tiresome when a post turns into what the majority of threads on AvCanada turn into to; a huge pissing match filled with insults and such. Perhaps a new section needs to be created where threads and posters can go once the feces starts flying. Fight Club or something like that. Then those who don’t want to wade through the crap can avoid that stuff all together.
Keep the good info flowing; we can all learn something new today.
Cat Driver, I must commend you on your calm and rational replies to this thread. It seems like its been pick on (or pick a fight with) Cat Driver week on AvCanada but I think we all are just trying to say what FrankD said. We appreciate the knowledge that you have gained over the years, but sometimes just get tired of the other stuff you post. I’m sorry if my other posts seemed like an attack but trying to find the information can get tiresome when a post turns into what the majority of threads on AvCanada turn into to; a huge pissing match filled with insults and such. Perhaps a new section needs to be created where threads and posters can go once the feces starts flying. Fight Club or something like that. Then those who don’t want to wade through the crap can avoid that stuff all together.
Keep the good info flowing; we can all learn something new today.
Yes, sometimes Cat repeats the sad tale of Cat vs TC too much, but I, personally, don't mind. In fact, many times we are all powerless against the %$@*^% government, against whatever policies or agendas that they seem all too willing to foist on us. If it is a politician, they have to face us in the polls to justify whatever latest nonsense they are trying to pull on us, but the bureaucracy is a law unto itself. Occasionally, and not very often, they get their asses handed to them, like that lying RCMP commissioner did recently. That is the exception, not the rule. For this reason, people like Cat serve a very important role in society and on this forum - never lose sight of the fact that those who are supposed to govern us have to be watched very carefully or they will screw us or rob us blind. Checks and Balances, they call it in the US.
In Canada, we are largely sheep - we expect the government to look after us and we don't pay too close attention. Then, when we get screwed, as eventually we all will, we sort of squawk a bit and get a little agitated and then forget it as being too much trouble to confront. Like that old saying about plucking a few feathers from the goose occasionally won't hurt, but take too many and it will hiss and attack. Atrocities like gun registry, sponsorship scandals, gutting the armed forces, closing battered women's centres, ignoring drug problems, gang violence, housing the poor, the helicopter fiasco, Jean Chretien, loooong line-ups for medical attention and not last nor least, aircraft safety/TC foul-ups. Oh, and Paul Martin and his offshore ship company is a personal favourite.
Far from complaining about Cat and Widow and others of their ilk, we should be encouraging and complimentary because whether or not you realize it, we all benefit from their efforts!
In Canada, we are largely sheep - we expect the government to look after us and we don't pay too close attention. Then, when we get screwed, as eventually we all will, we sort of squawk a bit and get a little agitated and then forget it as being too much trouble to confront. Like that old saying about plucking a few feathers from the goose occasionally won't hurt, but take too many and it will hiss and attack. Atrocities like gun registry, sponsorship scandals, gutting the armed forces, closing battered women's centres, ignoring drug problems, gang violence, housing the poor, the helicopter fiasco, Jean Chretien, loooong line-ups for medical attention and not last nor least, aircraft safety/TC foul-ups. Oh, and Paul Martin and his offshore ship company is a personal favourite.
Far from complaining about Cat and Widow and others of their ilk, we should be encouraging and complimentary because whether or not you realize it, we all benefit from their efforts!
"What's it doing now?"
"Fly low and slow and throttle back in the turns."
"Fly low and slow and throttle back in the turns."
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Cat Driver
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Xsbank, may I take the liberty of correcting this to better reflect reality?we all benefit from their efforts!
Hopefully we may someday benefit from their efforts
In the present way Canada is being run the fix is in far to deep to get any satisfaction with regard to making any signifigant change in the top management of TCCA.
I often wonder what Preuss has on someone in government that allows him to flaunt and ignore the very laws he is sworn to uphold.
As difficult as many here may find this to believe I prefeer to work and live in countries where at least you can buy off people like Preuss.
Unfortunately in Canada these people ( Preuss ) are entrenched in a power structure where they are the law. But only to suit their own needs and agendas. In their world there are two sets of laws, one for the Canadian citizens and their own ability to flaunt those laws which they believe do not include them..
The RCMP guy was an abberation in the system, something went on behind the scenes that was out of the norm and he lost whoever normally would have protected him.
This best portrays why Canadians get shafted big time by people in government.
You just about nailed what is wrong with Canadians Xsbank, indifference to what their leaders really stand for.Oh, and Paul Martin and his offshore ship company is a personal favourite.
Seeing as this is a special moment for me here on Avcanada where I have most of you looking at a rational sane outline of what is wrong in TC what I would give anything for is the opportunity to confront Preuss in a public forum preferably on TV where I could ask him a few questions....I'm not what Preuss is used to going upagainst as I am a street fighter and give no quarter to people who think they are powerful.
How about it Merlin you willing to answer some questions?
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
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happily.retired
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(Not all. I've encountered some really great people there over the years.)This is an often-repeated sentiment. But stop and think for a moment.I've encountered some really great people (at TCA)
Let's say you have a "great guy" who sees a kid fall into a stream, but walks away. The kid drowns. Is he really then still a "great guy"?
One must wonder if someone really is a "great guy" if they sit quietly and ignore bad things that they see happen.
Cat maybe you can briefly recap what you're experience with TC was that caused your financial ruin and loss in faith with them. Or guide us to a previous post that details it. I've looked back in your posts but cannot find the details about your case and situation. I understand that you had an aviation business that had some issues with TC and Mr Pruess. Can you tell us what it was again?
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Cat Driver
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blachang, very briefly I had applied for a FTU-OC and had been approved by Flight Training TCCA.
When I sent my SOMCM ( Small operators maintenance control manual ) in to TC M&M for approval the inspector who had been assigned to my company threatened me that he.
"Quote" Was going to show me how difficult he was going to make it for me to ever get anything approved....
When I requested another PMI be assigned to my company Dick Murray the person in charge of M&M in YVR at the time refused my request.
A request from my lawyer resulted in another refusal, my lawyer elevated it to Don Sherritt in Ottawa and he sent it back to Vancouver to Dave Nowzek, Nowzek refused.
It went to Art LaFlamme the DGCA in Ottawa at the time, he ordered a meeting between me, my lawyer and Dave Nowzek, Dick Murry and two other top level managers in Vancouver.
They set me up and sand bagged me big time at the meeting.
It went back to Ottawa and into the hands of Robert Sincennes the head of TCCA quality assurance TCCA, he stonwalled and it went back to the office of the DGCA who was now Merlin Preuss and from there it went further down hill until finally the top bureaucrat in Transport Canada stepped in and conducted a legally binding investigation into all my allegations of dishonesty displayed by these individuals...
Two days after the Director General left my house where our first meeting was held the M&M inspector resigned from TCCA and I could not call him to testify at the investigation.
I would suspect that the sworn affidavit that I produced of criminal behaviour by said inspector may have had something to do with the swift resignation two days after the Director General saw the evidence.
Anyhow another year went by and finally the ruling was made in my favour on 41 different issues of wrongdoing by the individualds up to and including Preuss.
Subsequent to my winning my case TCCA refused to recognize any training done by me in Canada so I went back to the Director General who once again found in my favour, within a month or so I lost another client due to TC once again adviseing my client that they would not approve of any training done by me.
By this point in time two and a half years had passed.
That was about four years ago, and to this day I have never flown a minute as a working pilot in Canada and it is unlikely I ever will.
That is a brief overview....
There are far, far more issues and actions by TC in their drive to protect their own and deny me the right to work in Canada.
I have hundreds of pages of documentation to back up these issues.
If you have difficulty believing the above the most fair way to get to the truth would be for you or anyone else here on Avcanada to demand that I be brought in front of a Fereral judge to answer to my allegations....
Please contact the Justice Department in Ottawa and request they supobena me for lible if they feel they can prove my story to be untrue...
Here is a quick way for them to find me:
Charles W. .
Canadian pilot license # AA38841
My address is still the same as they have in their records.
When I sent my SOMCM ( Small operators maintenance control manual ) in to TC M&M for approval the inspector who had been assigned to my company threatened me that he.
"Quote" Was going to show me how difficult he was going to make it for me to ever get anything approved....
When I requested another PMI be assigned to my company Dick Murray the person in charge of M&M in YVR at the time refused my request.
A request from my lawyer resulted in another refusal, my lawyer elevated it to Don Sherritt in Ottawa and he sent it back to Vancouver to Dave Nowzek, Nowzek refused.
It went to Art LaFlamme the DGCA in Ottawa at the time, he ordered a meeting between me, my lawyer and Dave Nowzek, Dick Murry and two other top level managers in Vancouver.
They set me up and sand bagged me big time at the meeting.
It went back to Ottawa and into the hands of Robert Sincennes the head of TCCA quality assurance TCCA, he stonwalled and it went back to the office of the DGCA who was now Merlin Preuss and from there it went further down hill until finally the top bureaucrat in Transport Canada stepped in and conducted a legally binding investigation into all my allegations of dishonesty displayed by these individuals...
Two days after the Director General left my house where our first meeting was held the M&M inspector resigned from TCCA and I could not call him to testify at the investigation.
I would suspect that the sworn affidavit that I produced of criminal behaviour by said inspector may have had something to do with the swift resignation two days after the Director General saw the evidence.
Anyhow another year went by and finally the ruling was made in my favour on 41 different issues of wrongdoing by the individualds up to and including Preuss.
Subsequent to my winning my case TCCA refused to recognize any training done by me in Canada so I went back to the Director General who once again found in my favour, within a month or so I lost another client due to TC once again adviseing my client that they would not approve of any training done by me.
By this point in time two and a half years had passed.
That was about four years ago, and to this day I have never flown a minute as a working pilot in Canada and it is unlikely I ever will.
That is a brief overview....
There are far, far more issues and actions by TC in their drive to protect their own and deny me the right to work in Canada.
I have hundreds of pages of documentation to back up these issues.
If you have difficulty believing the above the most fair way to get to the truth would be for you or anyone else here on Avcanada to demand that I be brought in front of a Fereral judge to answer to my allegations....
Please contact the Justice Department in Ottawa and request they supobena me for lible if they feel they can prove my story to be untrue...
Here is a quick way for them to find me:
Charles W. .
Canadian pilot license # AA38841
My address is still the same as they have in their records.
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Don't know if i'm allowed to post this but its a great article on you, if this is cat driver. I'll remove if you like.
From Generalavaitionnews.com
By Russ Hulet
2002
If it involves aviation adventure, there is a good chance that . . has done it.
In nearly 50 years of flying, he has flown passengers and supplies to Canada's high Arctic, dropped fire retardant from Northern Canada to the southernmost reaches of South America, been shot at while filming civil wars in Africa, flown crop dusters and helicopters and piloted a plane in a Hollywood movie.
And he probably knows more about the PBY Catalina — and logged more hours in them — than just about anyone on the planet.
Mr. . was born in Newfoundland in 1935 before it became a part of Canada, so he holds both Canadian and British passports. He now lives in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, B.C., and earns his living training pilots and ferrying PBYs all over the world.
"Some of my earliest childhood memories in Newfoundland were listening to reports of World War II on the BBC radio," he recalled. "I wanted to fly those Spitfires and Hurricanes."
His family moved to Windsor, Ontario, during the war and he grew up in the Detroit-Windsor area. Rheumatoid arthritis in his teens delayed his flying. He began his career as a crop duster in southern Ontario when he was 24 years old.
After crop dusting for seven years, Mr. . took a job flying DC-3s and Catalinas for Austin Airways out of Timmins, Ontario, to the high Arctic. "We flew to James Bay and across the Hudson Strait to Baffin Island," Mr. . said. "We ferried passengers and served those isolated communities with mail, food, and all of their supplies. We flew with wheel skis. I logged about 5,000 hours in the DC-3 during those years."
One assignment flying in the high arctic became an unforgettable experience for Mr. .. "In late February of 1975 I was flying out of Johnson Point, an oil exploration base camp on Banks Island," he recalled. "We were supplying a cat train that was shooting seismic lines for oil exploration.
"I was flying a Twin Otter that had just been installed with a new Global Navigation System. We left on what should have been an easy, routine flight. There were no clouds, with stars from horizon to horizon. It was such a clear night that after we reached the cat train my co-pilot and I decided to fly back to home base using the astro compass.
"We got out the almanac and shot Arcturus because of its brightness and position in the sky. After a while I asked my co-pilot if Johnson Point was showing on the automatic direction finder. He said he was having no luck and I came wide awake. This didn't look right.
"Suddenly a possibility occurred to me and I asked him what time he had. We discovered that our watches were three hours apart. We had departed the cat train with our direction indicator setting almost 45 degrees in error.
"I realized that we could be so far off our track for Johnson Point that we might never be found. Low fuel became a factor. Our radio reception was too poor to make any contact and trying to recognize any features below was hopeless in the endless white of the Arctic.
"It turned out to be my watch that was wrong. We made a position guess based on nothing but our instinct and the time we had flown on our heading. We turned 90 degrees to the right and started a slow climb to conserve fuel. All of a sudden the ADF came alive and we could see the lights of Johnson Point on the horizon."
For the past six years Mr. . has devoted his work exclusively to the Catalina. In 1997 he flew a Catalina with a crew of 25 for a French television company in Africa. "We flew in 28 different countries in Africa," he said. "There are a number of civil wars there and a lot of no fly zones. People on the ground have shoulder-launched ground to air missiles and it can be very dangerous."
In 1998 he was invited by Aero Postale, the French postal service, to make a commemorative flight to mark the 100th anniversary of French aviation. He flew a Catalina from Toulouse, France, to Chile, by way of Spain, Morocco, across the Atlantic from Dakar to Natal, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and across the Andes to Chile.
His reputation as a Catalina expert recently brought him a phone call when he was on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. It was Miramax Films, which was making a movie about a World War II submarine accident.
In England, where the movie was filmed, he flew a replica of the Catalina that found the German battleship Bismarck. "When there was a close-up scene in the cockpit, they used an actor," he explained, "but I did all the flying."
Recent jobs have taken him to South Africa, Portugal, France, and England. He flew a PBY war bird restoration from South Africa to England. From there he ferried it to a flight museum in Virginia Beach via Iceland and Greenland. In Portugal he trained five Australian pilots to fly a Catalina owned by the Australian Historical Aircraft Restoration Society of Sydney.
"The reason I fly Catalinas is that it gives me a chance to travel all over the world to work with interesting people doing what I love," he explained. "I'm on the phone and the Internet with people in more than 40 countries. At my age and with more than 25,000 hours, I could retire, but I'm having too much fun."
From Generalavaitionnews.com
By Russ Hulet
2002
If it involves aviation adventure, there is a good chance that . . has done it.
In nearly 50 years of flying, he has flown passengers and supplies to Canada's high Arctic, dropped fire retardant from Northern Canada to the southernmost reaches of South America, been shot at while filming civil wars in Africa, flown crop dusters and helicopters and piloted a plane in a Hollywood movie.
And he probably knows more about the PBY Catalina — and logged more hours in them — than just about anyone on the planet.
Mr. . was born in Newfoundland in 1935 before it became a part of Canada, so he holds both Canadian and British passports. He now lives in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, B.C., and earns his living training pilots and ferrying PBYs all over the world.
"Some of my earliest childhood memories in Newfoundland were listening to reports of World War II on the BBC radio," he recalled. "I wanted to fly those Spitfires and Hurricanes."
His family moved to Windsor, Ontario, during the war and he grew up in the Detroit-Windsor area. Rheumatoid arthritis in his teens delayed his flying. He began his career as a crop duster in southern Ontario when he was 24 years old.
After crop dusting for seven years, Mr. . took a job flying DC-3s and Catalinas for Austin Airways out of Timmins, Ontario, to the high Arctic. "We flew to James Bay and across the Hudson Strait to Baffin Island," Mr. . said. "We ferried passengers and served those isolated communities with mail, food, and all of their supplies. We flew with wheel skis. I logged about 5,000 hours in the DC-3 during those years."
One assignment flying in the high arctic became an unforgettable experience for Mr. .. "In late February of 1975 I was flying out of Johnson Point, an oil exploration base camp on Banks Island," he recalled. "We were supplying a cat train that was shooting seismic lines for oil exploration.
"I was flying a Twin Otter that had just been installed with a new Global Navigation System. We left on what should have been an easy, routine flight. There were no clouds, with stars from horizon to horizon. It was such a clear night that after we reached the cat train my co-pilot and I decided to fly back to home base using the astro compass.
"We got out the almanac and shot Arcturus because of its brightness and position in the sky. After a while I asked my co-pilot if Johnson Point was showing on the automatic direction finder. He said he was having no luck and I came wide awake. This didn't look right.
"Suddenly a possibility occurred to me and I asked him what time he had. We discovered that our watches were three hours apart. We had departed the cat train with our direction indicator setting almost 45 degrees in error.
"I realized that we could be so far off our track for Johnson Point that we might never be found. Low fuel became a factor. Our radio reception was too poor to make any contact and trying to recognize any features below was hopeless in the endless white of the Arctic.
"It turned out to be my watch that was wrong. We made a position guess based on nothing but our instinct and the time we had flown on our heading. We turned 90 degrees to the right and started a slow climb to conserve fuel. All of a sudden the ADF came alive and we could see the lights of Johnson Point on the horizon."
For the past six years Mr. . has devoted his work exclusively to the Catalina. In 1997 he flew a Catalina with a crew of 25 for a French television company in Africa. "We flew in 28 different countries in Africa," he said. "There are a number of civil wars there and a lot of no fly zones. People on the ground have shoulder-launched ground to air missiles and it can be very dangerous."
In 1998 he was invited by Aero Postale, the French postal service, to make a commemorative flight to mark the 100th anniversary of French aviation. He flew a Catalina from Toulouse, France, to Chile, by way of Spain, Morocco, across the Atlantic from Dakar to Natal, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and across the Andes to Chile.
His reputation as a Catalina expert recently brought him a phone call when he was on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. It was Miramax Films, which was making a movie about a World War II submarine accident.
In England, where the movie was filmed, he flew a replica of the Catalina that found the German battleship Bismarck. "When there was a close-up scene in the cockpit, they used an actor," he explained, "but I did all the flying."
Recent jobs have taken him to South Africa, Portugal, France, and England. He flew a PBY war bird restoration from South Africa to England. From there he ferried it to a flight museum in Virginia Beach via Iceland and Greenland. In Portugal he trained five Australian pilots to fly a Catalina owned by the Australian Historical Aircraft Restoration Society of Sydney.
"The reason I fly Catalinas is that it gives me a chance to travel all over the world to work with interesting people doing what I love," he explained. "I'm on the phone and the Internet with people in more than 40 countries. At my age and with more than 25,000 hours, I could retire, but I'm having too much fun."
