Mark11 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi All, Almost got into the defence force academy when I was 16...(final 12).... Started Civil Engineering instead (at 16) Adelade Uni... When asked to try again that year, I said too late - you had your chance... Now, I'm on a journey to get my PPL. I'm interested in owning and flying a SeaMax in several years time (When I move to Tasmania) Regards Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farri Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi Mark and . My son, Michael, is a civil engineer and the manager of the Cairns branch of Aecom engineering firm. Do you know him? Cheers, Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome Mark... Regardless of the branch I reckon any engineer brings a lot to the flying fraternity. Enjoy your training... Have you found a school yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarly Gnu Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome Mark, hope you enjoy the ride. Yeah I agree an amphib like the SeaMax would be wonderful in TAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 All, thanks for welcome posts. Farri, Aecom is doing some work on our project (facade design check) but I don't know the guys up in cairns --- very big firm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 I'm considering Dave's flying school. I have done two trial flights - one with Basair and one with Sydney Microlight centre (airborne Microlight) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi, couldn't work out how to reply via iPhone app yesterday.... I am considering Dave's flying school ... Went out for a drive on the weekend to the oaks and Dave was kind enough to make us a coffee... As with my seniors cricket, it's a lot about the social side for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome Mark, hope you enjoy the ride. Yeah I agree an amphib like the SeaMax would be wonderful in TAS. I think these planes are fantastic --- the option to land on the water just in front of my place (huon river which is about 2km wide and dead flat) is a great thought. You can get a folding wing version, so you can launch it off the boat ramp.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Tha Welcome Mark Thanks dazza. My next lesson (thiscweekend) is in the front seat of a microlight.... Hang on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I'm considering Dave's flying school.I have done two trial flights - one with Basair and one with Sydney Microlight centre (airborne Microlight) Welcome to the forums Mark. Having been a visitor to The Oaks for many years, and flown with Dave a few times, I have always found both Dave, John and everyone i've met there, very friendly. Apart from the fact that it is cheaper than training at Bankstown, you don't have to waste sometimes 10 minutes or so of every hour taxying and getting clearance. Good luch with your training, wherever you decide to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome Mark... Regardless of the branch I reckon any engineer brings a lot to the flying fraternity.Enjoy your training... Have you found a school yet? Hi, thanks.... I guess I should know a good airstrip if I see one... Could also knock up a pretty good hangar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome to the forums Mark.Having been a visitor to The Oaks for many years, and flown with Dave a few times, I have always found both Dave, John and everyone i've met there, very friendly. Apart from the fact that it is cheaper than training at Bankstown, you don't have to waste sometimes 10 minutes or so of every hour taxying and getting clearance. Good luch with your training, wherever you decide to go. That's good feedback thanks... I felt very welcome... I'm no millionaire either... So that is one consideration.... I might try and book my first 10 lessons today!!!! One every two weeks (that's all the budget will allow...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clansman Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Welcome Mark, fellow Civil Engineers always welcome! Though I'm now long retired from that fraternity (1985). Practised for about 12 years in water resources, and have since had a highly varied career, computers, recruiting, now career counselling. Actually yearned for aeronautical engineering at high school but Sydney Uni had the only degree course at the time (1969) and folks had no way of funding that from Adelaide, so did civil at Adel Uni. Agree with you on the Seamax, very tempting. One day..... Interestingly one of my former flying students also plans a Seamax-style retirement into Tassy in a few years time. My flying started with a discounted TIF from the Barossa Air Show in 2000 - till then I'd always figured costs were beyond my means but Jabirus changed all that. From memory they were around $75 per hour then, now up to $170. Recently stumbled on an old (1965) advert in Readers Digest for TIFs for $2 in C150s at Parafield! In the end costs are all relative to the economy I guess. Welcome again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Welcome along Mark to the biggest fun park in aviation...oh, we also learn lots as well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Welcome Mark, to the great aviation fraternity. I thought the opposite to a civil engineer would be an uncivil engineer. I've got a sort of background in metal too. Beware .. most think that if you are good with your hands , your brain is not too strong. Well, it's certainly a hard way to make any money, ( Working for it). Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Welcome Mark, fellow Civil Engineers always welcome! Though I'm now long retired from that fraternity (1985). Practised for about 12 years in water resources, and have since had a highly varied career, computers, recruiting, now career counselling. Actually yearned for aeronautical engineering at high school but Sydney Uni had the only degree course at the time (1969) and folks had no way of funding that from Adelaide, so did civil at Adel Uni.Agree with you on the Seamax, very tempting. One day..... Interestingly one of my former flying students also plans a Seamax-style retirement into Tassy in a few years time. My flying started with a discounted TIF from the Barossa Air Show in 2000 - till then I'd always figured costs were beyond my means but Jabirus changed all that. From memory they were around $75 per hour then, now up to $170. Recently stumbled on an old (1965) advert in Readers Digest for TIFs for $2 in C150s at Parafield! In the end costs are all relative to the economy I guess. Welcome again. Paul, I grew up in Adelaide, went to Adelaide uni and mum and dad still there... Often looked at the planes doing their circuits and wanted a go... Been to barossa many times, but never to the air show... Will have to look that up... Civil engineering has been rewarding because you get to see the buildings that you have helped build.... But, I'm really looking at a retirement plan which hopefully includes flying... I've kind over really fell for the searey now as the seamax is going to cost me too much... But hardly any for sale in Australia, and I doubt I would be able to build the kit... However, loads available in America for less than the cost of the kit!! I'm looking into importing one for less than $50k. Know anyone who has done this? Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Welcome Mark, to the great aviation fraternity. I thought the opposite to a civil engineer would be an uncivil engineer. I've got a sort of background in metal too. Beware .. most think that if you are good with your hands , your brain is not too strong. Well, it's certainly a hard way to make any money, ( Working for it). Nev Thanks nev, Well with the price of property nowdays, everything we earn goes to the bank... Another reason to go to tassie, it was affordable when I bought my block about 4 years ago... Best thing I ever did! Absolutely love tassie... (and so does everyone else who lives there!) I'm at the start of my flying journey, but enjoying the practical theory ... Currently 4/5 through Jim Davis book ppl. It's really great book.... I've got all the other theory books and will progress onto them after... See you in airport lounge! Regards Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnarly Gnu Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Mark you would love Alaska, a crazy amount of float planes & amphibs there. I'll see if I can post some pictures later. Importing from Alaska is complex and more expensive, from the lower 48 a container currently costs around $4000 from the west coast (plus a bunch of fees & GST this end) but you will obviously incur costs with inspection, disassembly and packing. I can recommend Skyview Aviation in Tracy CA, they helped me out for a very reasonable fee & regularly send aircraft to AU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingVizsla Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hi Mark, Welcome! I came out of retirement to be a site engineer on flood damaged roads, including some I built. Now that leaves me less time for flying. Something about Engineering and flying - they seem to go together. A bit like electricians and Scouts. Might be just a local observation, but I am sure someone, somewhere, has done a Doctorate on it (occupations & complimentary social activities ...) Enjoy the forums. As for more flying in retirement - I found I was busier than when I was working and actually did less. Good luck with the move to Tassie. Sue 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth lacey Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Welcome Mark definition of an engineer, a boilermaker with his head kicked in(just a shop floor joke from a retired boilie) welcome again and enjoy the flying cheers Gareth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Mark you would love Alaska, a crazy amount of float planes & amphibs there. I'll see if I can post some pictures later. Importing from Alaska is complex and more expensive, from the lower 48 a container currently costs around $4000 from the west coast (plus a bunch of fees & GST this end) but you will obviously incur costs with inspection, disassembly and packing. I can recommend Skyview Aviation in Tracy CA, they helped me out for a very reasonable fee & regularly send aircraft to AU. Thanks for the info. I'll have a look at what skyview have to offer. I lived in Canada (Calgary) for a year and loved it - especially banff ... I can imagine how beautiful Alaska would be and how fantastic it would be to fly around there... Might have to add that to the itinery if I end up buying a plane (I'll probably go and look at it first and add the trip onto the purchase price)..... Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hi Mark,Welcome! I came out of retirement to be a site engineer on flood damaged roads, including some I built. Now that leaves me less time for flying. Something about Engineering and flying - they seem to go together. A bit like electricians and Scouts. Might be just a local observation, but I am sure someone, somewhere, has done a Doctorate on it (occupations & complimentary social activities ...) Enjoy the forums. As for more flying in retirement - I found I was busier than when I was working and actually did less. Good luck with the move to Tassie. Sue I reckon you are right, I have met quite a few engineers ... Who now fly.... Maybe we all really wanted to be pilots and our parents would let us.... In retirement I will definitely be busier than when working .... Because I will not want to sit still and let a day pass without doing something outside .... Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark11 Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Welcome Markdefinition of an engineer, a boilermaker with his head kicked in(just a shop floor joke from a retired boilie) welcome again and enjoy the flying cheers Gareth I got to agree with you... Many engineers are not always practical.... I spent most of my career on the site contractor site (rather than design side) so I often had to teach practical engineering to the designers.... Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightyknots Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Welcome, Mark. I am sure you'll enjoy being in this forum. I hope your aviation plan/retirement plan works out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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