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Missing Phil


SDQDI

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Welcome back for a Pom you caused a major search and rescue scene down here 096_tongue_in_cheek.gif.d94cd15a1277d7bcd941bb5f4b93139c.gifI was a thinking that Phils havering a wale of time but no in wales freezing his tits of sorry 009_happy.gif.56d1e13d4ca35a447ad034f1ecf7aa58.gif

That 5.5 drive sounds like a pub crawl to me I won't tell 111_oops.gif.41a64bb245dc25cbc7efb50b743e8a29.gif Neil

Noooo. . .! From Abertawe ( Swansea ) it's all bloody motorway [ 180 miles ] ( freeway ? ) M3 / M50 / M5 / M6 . . . in Horrible snow and icy conditions. . .people driving too damn fast as usual, counted eight traffic accidents on the return trip. . . apart from the guy in his 4x4 Chelsea Tractor who took out the power pole causing us to lose the rest of the weekend away. . .! So much for 4x4 vehicles. . .they still require a sensible pilot. . .

 

 

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You have noticed Phil's subtle re entry. That's nice, and glad to know he's alright, but what have we done for his ego.If this get's out in Pommyland he will be something of a hero. Collateral damage? Nev

 

 

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Thanks for the pic David. . . .I'd lost the original. Incidentally, I'm not pregnant,. . . no,. . .that was just an extremely thick tee shirt. . . It's one I got for Christmas,. . .Wifey bought it,. . .and Eldest Daughter bought an Identical one the previous year, shown hereunder at a band gig at the Airfield. . .Good to see and hear that you are ok mate... 002_wave.gif.62d5c7a07e46b2ae47f4cd2e61a0c301.gif

 

David

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I hadn't realised that Wales was so modernised that they had electricity for heating. The bit I know still uses wood for open fires and oil for the house heating.

 

The roads are much better than when I left the UK. Drove from near Cardigan to Hastings in England at Christmas time, snow and ice and it took ten hours. Been back a few times and when you get off the motorways average speed is not speed at all.

 

 

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Nah, Yenn...Its Somerset that is back in the dark ages re fuel. Just put 1000l of kero in the tank after the ruddy thing almost ran dry! Uses more that a 747 with afterburners.

 

Was up at B'ham yesterday to see the little-un in a concert.. Had a couple of hours spare, so ended up in the Walkabout sipping a can of VB - should have gone for a Crownie - actually - should have gone to a proper pub. As I was driving could only have one - but had the necessary taste of Aus.

 

Next time Phil; Medical tomorrow; then application to transfer my now expired JAA to EASA PPL (as I missed my previous medical due to flu), so should soon have a reason to fly up. Though, the M5 was pretty clear both ways for me 014_spot_on.gif.1f3bdf64e5eb969e67a583c9d350cd1f.gif

 

 

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I hadn't realised that Wales was so modernised that they had electricity for heating. The bit I know still uses wood for open fires and oil for the house heating.The roads are much better than when I left the UK. Drove from near Cardigan to Hastings in England at Christmas time, snow and ice and it took ten hours. Been back a few times and when you get off the motorways average speed is not speed at all.

Heating was LPG external tank feeding a combi-boiler. But it needed Leccy for the pump and control innards mate. . .

 

When small Daughter was at Swansea University we often went on visits across the Black Mountains route, most picturesque views of the rear ends of many caravans being towed. . . but in bad WX this is definitely not recommended !

 

 

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Nah, Yenn...Its Somerset that is back in the dark ages re fuel. Just put 1000l of kero in the tank after the ruddy thing almost ran dry! Uses more that a 747 with afterburners.Was up at B'ham yesterday to see the little-un in a concert.. Had a couple of hours spare, so ended up in the Walkabout sipping a can of VB - should have gone for a Crownie - actually - should have gone to a proper pub. As I was driving could only have one - but had the necessary taste of Aus.

 

Next time Phil; Medical tomorrow; then application to transfer my now expired JAA to EASA PPL (as I missed my previous medical due to flu), so should soon have a reason to fly up. Though, the M5 was pretty clear both ways for me 014_spot_on.gif.1f3bdf64e5eb969e67a583c9d350cd1f.gif

Rules could well have changed by now Sir,. . .but when I traded in my Australian PPL in 1983, they gave me an R/T lcence as well, with no requirement for any kind of re-test. I had a General Flight test, ( Now termed a GST ) and one Solo Nav excercise. . . Halfpenny Green to Oxford, then across to Staverton ( Gloucester ) and return to the Green. Just under 3 Hrs flight duration. My PPL is still JAR, and what will happen to the EASA licences if and when we separate from the EU isn't clear, but it would be sensible to retain licenses like that to maintain harmony with European fliers in my view. Not ALL EU rules are pointless or discriminatory, as many of them were drafted following UK CAA proposals anyway.

 

You might find that the CAA Flight crew licensing people are rather good and efficient to deal with. . . I don't know anyone who has had any problems with them. . . usually staffed by pilots, or ex-pilots so you are speaking the same lingo. . .and it does make a significant difference when compared with 'OTHER' Quasi - autonomous non - Govenmental authorities. . .they're pretty much the only Qango in existence that is worth keeping !

 

I recall that airspace of the controlled variety was quite sparse in the 1970s in Aus, you might find it a little more congested dahn sarf, although I have to say that I have never been refused a control zone crossing clearance. . . if you 'Sound' half sensible on the wireless, they wll normally let you enter / cross even large airport zones VFR, assuming you are Txpdr equipped.

 

Keep us posted on yer progress old chum.

 

Phil.

 

 

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I've got the JAR licence (only got an Aussie GFPT before moving to Blighty of ol', but not a full Aussie PPL). Darned thing expired middle of last month and needed a current medical to convert to EASA (why, I have no idea as I can't fly without a medical, and it is really just a paperwork exercise). Had the medical booked for late-ish December and came down with the lurgy to end all lurgies.. then rebooked for early Jan - work decided, for the first time in about 5 years, I needed a Jolly... in Singas...

 

Anyway, my concern is when I get my medical tomorrow (both EASA and Aussie for the planned trip later this year) and immediately submit for an EASA license (I have the Englursh L6), the CAA will say, because of some technicality, "Sorry mate, would like to help you but you don't actually have a JAA licence as it has expired - so you have nothing to "convert" from - so you will have to do it all again!" We'll see what happens! Blubby flu (though in fairness, I should really have not left it to the last minute). I fear this because, although for my last Single Engine Piston revalidation (sort of like a biennial in Aus), I had all the hours and the hour with the instructor before it expired - but didn't get the actual official reval paperwork until a day after expiry - too late even though I could evidence all was in order; Rules are rules and the paperwork has to be done before expiry!. Thankfully my instructor hour was with my examiner; so two rather rotund fellas took the pencil sharpener with wings (C150) for the reval flight test and thankfully it was bumpy and he was in a hurry - "orrrrr-roighhht...I've seen you do everything a couple of weeks ago.. let's get back to the field.".

 

To be fair, the CAA are pretty good compared to a certain regulator around 11,000 miles sou' east of here. When I went to do my license here, they took a look at my log book, which had quite a few hours in it* They wrote back and said I didn't need to do any more official hours and as soon as the school was happy for me to take the test, do it. I did it under JAA even though I could have waited about 4 weeks and issued a license under EASA, but EASA, as you know Phil, has largely been a nightmare for CoA flying until recently when there was a change of guard.. I was advised by the CAA to do the JAA as EASA would only accept 10% of foreign hours... I didn't want to spend 30-odd hours at £205/hr dual/£185hr solo (Avgas as over £2/litre at the time) getting my license.

 

* When I was doing my PPL in Aus, my "new" instructor got me hooked on aeros. I was out of Moorabbin at the time, with 700 sqkms of training area; when I got my GFPT, we moved to Coldstream, which has something like 2.5ksqkms of trainign area. As I was more into aeros than nava and there was enough to take pax up for a joyflight, I sort of forgot about the nav bit... Next thing you know, out of the blue, I was being transported to Blighty!

 

 

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Sounds interesting that. . . I hope you manage to defeat the runes and get 'Ticketed' up. . . I'm not doing much flying at the moment, need a reval but since retiring in June 2015, funds are tight, which is why I begain doing odd 'Jobs' here and there. Only problem with that is, as soon as I cop a wedge, Wifey spends it on home improvements ! ! !

 

Nemmind,. . .I'm still doing a bit but the flying will have to wait a little longer. In the meantime, I'm chief whinger on the radio at the local airfield when the weather improves a little at least. Not much aviating going on there for a while, most of our guys are fully employed weekend warriors, which reduces the chances of a good weather day here somewhat. . .the good bits never seem to coincide with Saturday or Sunday. . . .

 

We can't get vehicular access to the site at the moment, as some scumbag has vandalised the large lock on our 'Jurassic Park' style airfield gates, and the lane outside is too narrow to park cars on. . . I believe someone is going to replace the lock tomorrow. . . .Good job the wx was 'orrible this weekend. . .

 

You didn't mention whether you've managed to acquire an R/T ticket, along with the other paperwork issues ! !. . . But if you've passed the 'Yah Maan I spik Inglish' test you must have I guess. . . these used to last indefinitely. . . but later they reduced this to five years. . . you mentioned the word 'Rotund' blokes in a 150 !. . .Me being a Phat bugger, I was politely asked to take a BMI check. . .this entailed sitting in the cockpit command chair, strapping in and demonstrating that all the controls of the aircraft could be safely operated without me gut getting in the way of the yoke. . . . I had no difficulty with this incidentally ! ! . this is completed on the ground, and no need to actually fly. . . .hence, No Fee ! YAY.

 

When I presented myself to the CFI at Tatenhill ( EGBM) airfield for the procedure, I said to him, "I'm here for the Fat Barstard Checkride" . . .he had a giggle, but afterwards, he actually wrote 'FBC satisfactory' over the logbook stamp, I'll have to dig that out and scan it. . .I thought it was 'ilarious. . .

 

Bon Chance Monsewer. . .

 

 

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