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Ozbeowulf

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  1. I have an RAA license and have also reactivated my old commercial licenses, primarily for access to the Townsville CTA. But the difference in hire costs between RAA and GA aircraft is astonishing. I can drive 50 minutes south to Ayr and rent a nearly new Jabiru for $143 an hour. I can drive for 5 minutes to YBTL and pay $230 an hour for a 30+ year-old C-172. For me, it depends on the mission. To take my infant grandsons for a fly, I need to take another adult along, too. Otherwise, I use the Jab.... even though I don't really trust Jabiru 2200 engines over much. While flying first one, then the other aircraft, I have noticed that Jabs and C-172s are very much alike. Similar cruise speeds, climb performance, shoulder space, etc, plus they are both annoyingly nose-heavy with only two adult males aboard. With similar performance and such a price disparity, the Raa bird comes out on top most of the time.
  2. Hi, Frank... Very interesting. Thank you. Btw, I now see that my post may have indicated that Aces Field has only two or three aircraft based there. Not so. When I was out there a few days ago, there were four Jabirus, a Savannah, as well as four or five other birds I'm not yet familiar with. No one around when I visited, but it seems to be a going proposition. Cheers, Glenn
  3. Hi, Frank... It's a recreational school which is an offshoot of a Melbourne or Sydney (can't remember which) organisation. It seems to be one instructor (a nice guy named Steve O'Donnell), one Gazelle and a Thruster... or is it a Drifter? Apologies for being so vague. It operates out of Aces Field, which is quite a nice little setup near Woodstock, about 35 minutes drive from Townsville. I'll know more when the Gazelle gets well and I can actually get involved. Cheers, Glenn
  4. Thanks, Ian... Way back when, I flew all the pre-80s Piper singles and twins, most of the Cessna singles, plus a fair selection of larger birds, so I don't think it will be too big a chore to get back in shape. Lot of cobwebs to blow away, though. I must admit I wonder how the very small wheels and tires on tricycle-gear sport aircraft would handle an off-field landing, if it came to that. That's mostly personal prejudice, though. I'm just an old foop who started in...and still loves... tail-draggers. Cheers, Glenn
  5. Thanks, Merv... It's good to be aboard. Cheers, Glenn
  6. Hi, all... I guess I'm the latest new guy. Right now, I'm waiting to check out in the only local flight training aircraft (a Gazelle currently in bits). It's been 25 years since I've bored holes in the sky, so I'm quite looking forward to it. It will be fun to see how long it takes for the old skills to come back. I stopped flying for pay 25 years ago, but presumably it's not too hard for an old dog to re-learn old tricks. :big_grin: Cheers, Glenn
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