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No, whatsup .com and .com.au are taken...this needs to be a site just about Australian topics

That domain is already taken unfortunately

Currently the Off Topic site is named Whats Up Australia (.com.au) which I feel is a bit long. I am about to rebuild that site into something more powerful and sociable so I am wondering whether to just call it Jackaroo (.com.au)...what do you think? The Off Topic site is purely for discussions on anything to do with Australia...politics, news, current events and affairs etc.

Today the site has been moved to a new server and it is in France. Even though our previous server was in Australia it wasn't optimised and needed a lot of work to firstly optimise it and then tweak the site. I believe that to obtain a greater audience and use of the site it had to be more appealing, performance wise, to the rest of the world but without sacrificing the performance to use all here in Australia. So I engaged a guru not only in server management but also a specialist in the site software we use and today he completed the setup of the new server, in France, and fully tweaked the site to get the best performance possible. The performance figures are: Load Times: Country Aust Server New Server Australia 1 sec 1.1 sec USA 2.8 sec 1.3 sec Europe/UK 3.2 sec 1 sec NOTE: WE ARE ALSO USING CLOUD STORAGE OF IMAGES SO THE CACHE NEEDS TO BUILD UP LOCAL COPIES OF THE IMAGES SO THEY MAY BE SLOW LOADING FOR A LITTLE WHILE I also have obtained a new Australian server which will contain Whats Up Australia (the off topic site), Clear Prop (the pilot supplies shop), Jackaroo (my personal domain and RecFly (my testing domain). As these are all specific to just Australia it is best to keep them here in Oz. Whats Up Australia is now also going to get a full makeover, including the move to a fully optimised version of IPS software, and promotion to make it a more social experience and a resource to discuss anything pertinent to Australia. Both Recreational Flying and Whats Up Australia will also have stronger ties to Facebook with 2 separate Facebook groups, 1 for each site, as well Before Whats Up Australia is moved I need to decide whether to keep the name WhatsUpAustralia.com.au or change it to a shorter iconic Australian name of jackaroo.com.au...Note that there is a new TLD coming out of just simply .au so no .com so I am thinking jackaroo.au sounds good...what do you think?

Yes, the site is currently being migrated to a new server and the Search function has to be re-indexed to find all the new posts again...it will take several more hours to go through the entire site, in fact you are now seeing the site on a Server located in France and there is very little impact to us in Australia but a massive performance improvement to potential International users. Our server guy in Greece is working away at it and then will set up the new Australian server for Whats Up Australia and Clear Prop. Load Times: Country Previous Now (or will be) Australia 1 sec 1.1 sec USA 2.8 sec 1.3 sec Europe/UK 3.2 sec 1 sec This should bring a greater International audience to the site plus I am creating a greater link to Facebook and Twitter as well

Yes, the site is currently being migrated to a new server and the Search function has to be re-indexed to find all the new posts again...should only be a little while now, in fact you are now seeing the site on a Server located in France and there is very little impact for us in Australia but a massive performance improvement to potential International users

For those with not so good eye sight (hmmm, and you fly a plane ) I have made the text on the site larger and pure black in colour

The posts that were thread drift in here have been moved to the Engines forum:

The quiz in the first post is an example of what needs to be created for a quiz...it isn't an actual quiz or at least it isn't at the moment In reference to your question, try a google search on non-Polished engine

Hi, the site is desperately looking for an aviation learned person to act as or Quiz Master. All you need to do is come up with quizzes of about 10 or so questions each and send them to me. They need to be multiple choice questions with at least one correct answer and an approx time it should take a person to complete. For example: Questions and Answers 1. Select from the following choices the answer that is NOT one of the four forces acting on an aircraft in flight. A. Thrust B. Speed C. Drag D.Lift [*]2. If you are flying into a direct headwind of 28 knots, at a true airspeed of 156 knots, what is your ground speed? A. 156 knots, as your groundspeed is not affected by wind B. 184 knots, as wind and true airspeed is additive C. 128 knots, because TAS minus headwind component = GS D. Cannot determine from the data given [*]3. You're taking off in a tailwheel aircraft with a non-Polish engine. As you begin your takeoff roll, you use no rudder displacement. On which side of the runway will you most likely depart the prepared surface prior to getting airborne? A. Left B. Right C. Neither, as the aircraft will track straight with use of ailerons only D. Unable to determine the answer without knowing the wind direction [*]4. As a general rule, as ambient temperature increases, aircraft performance increases. A. True B. False [*]5. Hydroplaning is when the aircraft tires lose traction with the runway surface due to rain or standing water during takeoff or landing. Which of the following formulae can be used to determine the speed at which hydroplaning will occur? A. .6 times the stall speed with takeoff flaps B. 9 times the square root of the tire pressure C. Aircraft weight divided by the square root of the tire footprint in sqare inches D. Cannot be determined, as hydroplaning speed varies with the tread pattern just like in your car [*]6. There are OLD pilots and there are BOLD pilots, but there are few OLD, BOLD pilots! A. True B. False [*]7. Name the two factors which affect Density Altitude. A. Pressure altitude and gross weight B. Gross weight and temperature C. Engine power and flap setting D. Temperature and pressure altitude [*]8. Your friend flies his single engine plane into Beloit Airport for the Spring Fling Pancake Breakfast and Auto Show. After he shuts down in the parking area, he tosses you a rag and asks your help in cleaning bugs off the plane. The leading edges of the wings are covered with bug splats, but there are no bugs at all on the front of the propeller. Why not? A. Bugs can "see" the propeller and will avoid it at any cost. B. The propeller "blows" them out of the way so they impact the wings instead C. Tractor propellers are pitched such that the first surface that contacts the air (and bugs) as the plane moves forward is the back side of the propeller blades D. The propeller power pulses project a vibration ahead of the plane that bugs don't like and naturally avoid E. None of the above [*]9. What is the minimum number of hours prior to flying that a pilot may consume alcohol? A. Half an hour B. 4 hours for beer or wine; 8 hours for hard liquor C. 8 hours from "bottle to throttle" D. 24 hours [*]10. Pilots who fly tricycle gear airplanes are sissies. A. True B. False PLEASE, if you feel you would like to contribute to the learning of pilots and just create some fun quizzes by being the Quiz Master then URGENTLY let me know...thanks for any help you can give

In line with the proposed Site Menu Structure: What's New Forums Clubs Blogs Events Media - with sub sections of Gallery, Videos, Articles, Aviation News Resources - with sub sections of Downloads, Maps, Links, Tutorials, Tools and Calculators, Quizzes Reference - with sub sections of Aircraft, On This Day, Famous People, plus any other reference items Commerce - with sub sections of Classifieds, Suppliers, Pilot Shop, Product Reviews Members - with sub sections of Leader board, Online Users, Staff, Site Support (as it is now) Off Topic I have now created the new Resources Section. In this section, available by clicking Resources on the main menu, you will find the sub sections for Downloads, Tutorials, Google Earth Maps for Airstrips, Airports and Members. Coming soon to this section will be all the different Pilot Tools and Calculators and a whole new Quizzes sub section In the Media Section we are still building the Articles and Aviation News sub sections

"Spratt answered"...With a booming loud OMG it's the Capt, the NES king, no one is safe, he's back, we need to hide in the...

It has been a good last few weeks for the site in our quest to having the greatest single repository of all information a recreational aviator needs to enjoy their flying safely and being more informed. All the Aircraft listings from the old site have now been migrated and @red750 is doing a great job on adding more and more aircraft into the aircraft section to act as a reference point on all the different aircraft out there...thanks Red More and more Events are getting added to the Event Calendar by @Old Koreelah helping us all to know what events we may like to attend in our flying activities, thanks O'K We have a new site Homepage that hopefully portrays an inviting message to all who visit us and hopefully get them to join in. The Clubs section has been renamed to "Groups" to reflect more of what that feature provides...still a little more work to do on that one Slowly we are getting the John Brandon Tutorials into the site which meets our objective of pilot education...give these a read to keep the information fresh to make our flying safer. I have also been slowly migrating many of the videos from the old site over to here. We now have the Maps section which not only adds all the Airstrips into a Google Earth Map but also site users that will enable members to perhaps go for a fly and meet up with other site members and form new friendships all having the same interest in recreational flying Thanks to the great @Ahmed Zayed the site has an amended Whats New, an accepted new site theme and many other improvements, some obvious and others not so obvious like enhancements with the Facebook and Twitter login, core software upgrades, Weekly Email, and many more so a huge thanks to Ahmed. And above all thanks to you the user for your great contributions to the site and creating an enjoyable environment and let's not forget the fantastic work that the Moderators do in supporting that enjoyable environment What's happening next... Ahmed and I are looking into bringing the Aviation News section back and are exploring different ways to bring the latest aviation news to everyone here. This will also support the new Articles System and Special Picks of Interest system I have commenced work with an IPS guru on server performance. I have been waiting for 6 months for him to become available and today we started the exchange of finer details for him to start work in a few weeks. This may see us end up with 3 servers spread across the world that continually exchange data so a user will experience fast performance no matter where they are in the world so hopefully we will see a greater international audience contributing to the discussions we have here on Recreational Flying (.com). So, I will continue with the Tutorial migration and the Video migration plus start experimenting with many different new sections like Famous Aviators, On This Day, Aviation Product Reviews and more. Also on the agenda is to migrate Clear Prop into the site but a Payment Gateway needs to be developed first before that happens. Hope this post keeps you in the loop on the site/resource moving forward and as ALWAYS, any suggestions on how we can improve the site for you is always appreciated...thanks

Thanks mate, I just tried it and it works ok so not sure exactly what you may be referring to: On the Recreational Flying (.com) site: 1. Click Off Topic in main menu column takes you to the Whats Up Australia site in a new tab 2. Click Off Topic in the sub menu on the Whats New page takes you to the Whats New on the Off Topic site On the Whats Up Australia site: 1. Click Rec Flying on the sub menu on the Whats Up Australia site takes you to the Recreational Flying (.com) home page in the same tab Is there something that's not working right elsewhere?

Thanks all, the new Home Page is now up, hope you like it and as always, any suggestions on improvements are greatly appreciated

Thanks FV, generally all the entries are "dynamic" as in they reflect the latest entries. For the first section of the page it shows latest threads, now if there is trolling or flaming going on in the thread then yes some of it may get shown until another post is made in that thread or it may completely disappear shortly after with other new posts posted in other threads causing that thread to be listed instead...if that makes sense

Thanks Mate, the objective of a Home Page is to show a new person landing on the site what it is all about and to then generate enough interest that entices them to go further into the site and hopefully they like what they see enough to register as a member and keep coming back...the Home Page is meant as a huge advertisement of what is in the site

I have created a proposed Home Page for the site and have a few concerns about it so I would very much value your opinion on it before I turn it on. You can see it at https://www.recreationalflying.com/index.html/ Does it load fast enough? Is it too cluttered? Is it missing something? Each section has too many entries or not enough entries? Is the layout right and the different sections in the right order? Is there enough importance placed on the right sections like centre or side column? etc etc etc Please post your comments and also remember there are still several more components to add like Articles, Tools and Calculators, On This Day, Famous Aviators etc

September 2019 Enhancing pilot – Expect the unexpected In 2019, CASA's Aviation Safety Advisors (ASAs) will run a new series of AvSafety seminars—Enhancing pilot skills—Expect the unexpected. This seminar will explore three key safety topics: preflight planning aeronautical decision making. The seminar will discuss how sound planning practices can prepare pilots for unexpected events and assist decision making in all phases of flight. The seminar will review the resources available and provide practical hints and tips to help pilots operate safely and efficiently. The information is designed to enhance and refresh pilot's knowledge at all levels. Using practical examples, the seminar will also explore the role of checklists and highlight the importance of a disciplined approach to their use. The seminars are an ideal opportunity for you to interact with your ASA, discuss local issues and ask questions of the regulator. Register now via Eventbrite. Attendance is free. Locations and dates are as follows: Location Date Registration Darwin Tuesday 3 September Register for Darwin Katherine Wednesday 4 September Register for Katherine Cairns Monday 9 September Register for Cairns Rockhampton Tuesday 10 September Register for Rockhampton Jacobs Well Saturday 14 September Register for Jacobs Well Atherton Sunday 15 September Register for Atherton Maryborough Tuesday 17 September Register for Maryborough Aldinga Thursday 19 September Register for Aldinga Gold Coast Tuesday 24 September Register for Gold Coast Redcliffe Friday 27 September Register for Redcliffe William Creek Friday 27 September Register for William Creek PM William Creek Saturday 28 September Register for William Creek AM The presentation includes references to the CASA website. Please feel free to bring your tablet or smartphone to follow the information live. Engineering – the Human Component The new Engineering AvSafety Seminar titled The Human Component will discuss three key topics: engineering errors and the lessons learnt the Human component of engineering proposed GA Maintenance and CAW regulations. By using various case studies, the seminar will delve into engineering errors, the lessons learnt and techniques for avoiding pitfalls. We will explore the human component and cost factor involved in maintenance error. This seminar will also discuss the proposed GA maintenance regulations for private and air work operations Your Aviation Safety Advisor will be available for discussion and questions, both during and after the presentation if required. Register now via Eventbrite. Attendance is free. Locations and dates are as follows Location Date Registration Victoria River Downs Thursday 5 September Register for Victoria River Downs Cairns Monday 16 September Register for Cairns Mackay Thursday 19 September Register for Mackay Adelaide Tuesday 24 September Register for Adelaide Parafield Wednesday 25 September Register for Parafield Please join us at your local venue to discuss your professional development, improve your safety knowledge and encourage your colleagues to do the same. A list of all seminars and more information is available on the CASA website. Help make the skies safe for all, attend a CASA AvSafety seminar in 2019.

You know guys, you can click any of the arrows on the left of a post...up arrow as you favourite answer or down arrow as your least favourite answer...similar to the Likes system but as a voting system which helps the user asking the question which is likely to be the best answer and they can then click trophy as their best answer...this is what the the Question forum is all about and helps to provide an education element to flying and goes towards one of the site's objectives

Ummmm, you need to ask the question in the Question forum https://www.recreationalflying.com/forum/73-questions/

I have added the table function buttons on the toolbar when composing new posts. These table buttons only appear when composing a post on a desktop size screen as there are so many options for you to choose from. I added these as I think it would be helpful in some instances where a post contains table data...hope you find it useful when you need it

Yes, an email automatically now goes out 1 week before the end and then they get 3 days grace after that as well

I am sure that all users get a lot out of the site and there is still a lot more to come in the coming months but as you would have guessed, it does take a huge amount of time (more than a full time job) and money ($250 a month just for the hosting) to keep the site going. Over the years some members have gratefully donated towards some of the site costs by becoming First Class Members for a year and I thank them so much for their continued support. So like the old site I have created a small box in the side column of many of the site sections where you can click the button and be taken to the Donations and First Class Membership page for anyone that would like to support the site. Corrine, the kids and I thank you very much for your support

Announcing a great new feature here at Recreational Flying (.com)...a Q&A forum called "Questions" as a sub forum to the main forum of "Student Pilot & Further Learning". This is a great feature as it allows any user to ask a question within the realms of Student Pilots and Further Learning and other users can post answers to it. Answers can then be rated by other users and the highest rated answers are shown first. The user asking the question can then select what they consider is the best answer. I am sure you have all seen these Q&A lists on many other sites and is a great opportunity for everyone to join in so let's see how it goes and if it is well received then perhaps we look at a similar Q&A forum for site support. It is at Questions