leestanley

i have a few at home that i grab from qantas when i fly commercially... perfect for the job... i'll collect more and leave at lilydale if you like...

Give Jono a call 03 9739 1211... probably still another couple of months off. Aall this activity would seem to indicate RAA/GA scene around Melbourne very healthy ATM.

Positive Stories? Lots of very good info here but do any readers have good news stories to share re their aircraft ownership? i.e comments that would recommend ownership to others :) Cheers, Lee

I must admit I found the transition from Jab to 152/172 more difficult than I anticipated/ was led to believe it would be... Toe brakes/steering made ground handling more challenging initially and the wheel in place of the column on the jab felt unnatural to me... also (surprisingly) relying on my left hand doing most of the work in the Cessna was disconcerting at first... Of course you get the hang of it eventually but I certainly don't subscribe to the 'if you can fly a jab you can fly anything' line! Just my experience, of course :) Lee.

very good news! any pics of the new rooms? lee.

congratulations... what's the deal? new cfi? just RAA or GA as well? cheers!

yes, this is being discussed by people around water coolers that have no knowledge of aviation... everyone is aware of this one! tragedy + past youtube footage = repercussions that may touch us all beyond empathy for the families involved...

my experience with both Tyabb and Lilydale has been very positive. get yr BAK out of the way asap and apply for your SPL and AVID/ASIC. with your hours and types you are a long way in front but will need to meet the school's standards, of course, and this will necessitate a review nav and some circuit work so they can see where yr at. then probably a couple more navs and some solo student time - maybe another 10 - 12 hours for you depending on yr proficiency... ask for a grade 1 or 2 instructor so that you get an adequate review with a minimum of fuss. most importantly, meet the CFI first off and agree a program with him - establish a good rapport with the guy that is going to do yr flight test! just my thoughts good luck and keep us posted!

many good comments on this one, and especially cficare's letter to the editor but a couple of points: 1. I'd be interested in the reaction from schools that instruct both RA and GA - surely they wouldn't find the comments helpful... 2. Paraphrasing the comment "if you can fly a Jab you can fly anything..." - am I the only person who found 172s after gaining my Jab PC and XC incredibly difficult?.. weight, inertia, ground steering, required flare and that infernal wheel!! Lee :)

Better still... get the so called 'real' smartphone people to improve their marketing so that they can tell us all why the iPhone is a piece of garbage!! e.g does your smartphone allow you to use google voice search to find a restaurant, be shown a map with directions and the phone number you can touch to call?? THAT is slick! Lee :)

Well, it is in Melbourne so having it thoroughly checked out will be easy. I would have no qualms about buying from eBay... standard precautions apply in terms of inspection, seller motivation, etc and further investment to have her airworthy - but yr asking all the right questions. you'll need a decent shed though! cheers

... in the time it takes to make a cup of coffee! I love the mix of fast forward and real time - very cool! Lee.

... and good advice on Recreational Flying!! :)

thanks shags - not a waste of time at all! all feedback is good... with all the super changes in the wind you should be a very popular man! David's feedback and links were very useful... the $20k threshold appears to be v important. I'll be seeing an accountant over the weekend who has aviation clients so I'll post back any pertinent updates. Cheers, Lee.

Hi All, Looking at the options for owning an aeroplane and putting it on line at a school to generate income and therefore make expenses tax effective. Do any of you have experience here, are there particular thresholds that the ATO will expect you to meet in terms of usage, income etc? Please note that this is primarily a tax question - and NOT a general question about having aircraft on line. And, of course, I will consult my account for professional advice - just interested here in any lessons you have learnt :) Cheers!