Australia's Government has destroyed the pilot training industry and led it into bankruptcy, according to former Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith (9news.com.au/Daily Advertiser, 24-Apr-2018). Mr Smith noted that over the past five years, the aviation industry in Australia has seen pilot numbers decline by more than 30%, while noting that flying schools are closing across the country or are being sold off to Chinese buyers. Mr Smith is, as a result, calling for the government to change the Civil Aviation Act 1988 to make it more affordable for Australian pilots to obtain their commercial licence. Mr Smith stated: "Teenagers leave school and want to become a pilot but find it too expensive... Everything is more in Australia - the cost to set up a flying the school, the staff required, and the number of flying hours needed and exams to do to... get a commercial licence. I believe we have an incredibly safe aviation system but we don't have enough pilots because the government has sent the flying school industry broke... I'm concerned about this because I'm a proud Australian. None of this affects me. I have my own aircraft but I see an industry being destroyed".
'I see an industry being destroyed': Dick Smith calls for Australia's aviation protection
25 April, 2018