Mike Gearon

Thanks MattP. That’s a whole lot of good information. Our Garmin installer is of the option on the G3X install will meet IFR requirements. We will work toward this regardless of completing IFR training in USA or Australia. Yes, N numbered.

Just arrived Dubuque. 6 hours and I did wonder f I should have told that story. Glad I did and very thankful for support. Speaking of which…. Deb did really well. Good padding helped. Osh Kosh tomorrow

Enjoyed watching the dog and the take off. Very cool. Landings please! That’s an interesting strip! I’ll share my tail of woe from yesterday. At 350 hours and 35 IFR hours I was feeling confident. Actually thought about following IFR with commercial. Then yesterday happened. We almost always take off 17. Easy read back… at or below 3500, maintain runway heading change to 124.0 taxi echo via alpha to 17. All the radio stuff that used to feel impossible now easy across 5 frequencies from atis to clearance to ground to lincoln tower to Omaha departure.. Instructor decided we’d do an intersection departure from 18. Completely threw me. On my own I’d have been heading up 17 after actually reading back the 18 instruction. I was remembering hold short 17 and was headed to do that. I’ve learned to leave the mistakes behind. We all make them. Biggest mistake I’d been making in the past was dwelling on them instead of getting ahead of the aircraft. Recovered then because the plans I’d made for cross country couldn’t be done my carefully prepared approach plates and homework were out the window. Thrown a second time. OSH KOSH this coming week. My wife is bravely going to travel with me 4 days after a shoulder operation (boating accident South Dakota ongoing repairs) I haven’t told her the surgeon said she would be too uncomfortable to travel the 9 hours in car. My compromise is half today and stop in Dubuque Iowa. I’ll work out if IFR continues. I know 2 things. No more afternoon flights. I won’t do banking in the afternoon due to decreased performance. I’m not going to do IFR in the afternoon either. I also won’t fly with a young instructor again with the added bonus I won’t have good landings messed with. Assistance to float back up from a great landing can be disappointing! I’m at the stage where I need seasoned instructors to help bring it home. IFR test at 86% and I sit the exam at 90% for a 70% pass. Doable! IFR checkride…. 90% not this year. Maybe back in Oz with Nic in between building aircraft. Mid August back to Oz and Nic and I build very cool aircraft. Images…. Orange was my screw up turn. Red was the intersection departure we actually made. runway 18 just ahead has one of the presidents 6 aircraft. One of them is always 2 hours from POTUS and yes, you wonder why they’d bother with Trump or Biden. other pic was a boat psssingnthrough swing bridge at Omaha. I gave up and just asked the instructor to fly us home. No point in accumulating IFR hours I didn’t need while really unhappy. OSH Kosh will fix this.

Yes, Cessna has a clock with reset. I also purchased a stand alone clock. I absolutely get how useful this is. Especially after prop stop from not setting 30 minute alarm to change tanks! Thanks for asking. I’m with my old CFI tomorrow as safety pilot so he can log approaches and holds. Looking forward to an easy flight for once 😀My job apart from lookout will be working on radio calls. Slowly improving.

Here’s the game changer. IFR clearances can be long…Yeah, I know! As in video… Just write them down and don’t think about them as you do so. A question stops information coming in, Well, that’s what the video says (Sportys IFR course) and I’d like to add you are expected to start on the new heading immediately. ATC don’t like it if you don’t immediately start on new heading. Otherwise, yes. Write and reply then take time to understand. Today was actual IFR. Coming into Crete we had simultaneous hood off and out of clouds. Crete had a breakfast flyin with numerous spectators so landing had to be excellent. 350 hours and 35 IFR hours now. I can’t recommend enough doing and sticking with IFR training. It’s sharpening all the things I’ve learned over 3 years and adding big time. IMG_1092.MOV

I think the last sentence most important. I have been forgetting to enjoy it. Trying to take pleasure in great take offs and landings with the view out the window while it lasts. Agreed 100% on sim. I don’t think it’s as common in USA outside the large cities. All done in aircraft. Rapid city as example. No chance to sim and people even driving 3 hours from Wyoming to train there. Proficiency. Yes, I’m very confident under hood as of this week. Scan is effortless. I also like the reminder this doesn’t stick. It falls away quickly. I’ve heard a number of pilot stories at Linocln. Great thing with having a hangar I’m right next to the hangar that seems to have a bar in it. Up to 8-10 pilots gathered some late afternoons. Good knowledge soak. IFR training has suffered from 3 moves. Phoenix, Rapid City to Lincoln. Can’t blame anyone for it. I now know what is needed and I work toward that with good instructors.

IFR training at Lincoln, NE. Garmin MARQ automatically starts when I take off then sends the flight to Strava as a “run”. It’s impressed my Facebook friends. Pic here is it deciding while indoors it can direct a flight back to Lincoln from the coffee shop. That and oxygen sensing and being my birthday present almost makes the 3k AUD okay. IFR training at 32 hours is finally a little easier. Holding attitude and heading while under hood easily while programming approaches in the Garmin 650 even in windy thermslling conditions today. Final little ARC in approach track above Lincoln in map was circling approach. Runway 32 then circle around and land 35. I actually enjoyed that bit amongst the torture. Programming and Flying approaches now seems easy. Test IFR exam at 82% and will exam when I hit 90%. Same 70% pass needed like CASA. Radio not easy. I’m going to spend time listening to ATC live and give my wife random long heading and altitude info with “cleared for approach etc I’ll read back. More than 3 items and I’m struggling still. I’m thinking both practice and good prep/ understanding of approach plates will help. That and just more time on radio. Bloody faulty call buttons in 2 or 3 of the 7 aircraft annoying. I showed the instructor the indentation from trying to wiggle and push the damn thing into working. How much is a call button? 2 1/2 hour lesson with say 1 1/2 hour flying is some 400 USD/ 600 AUD. They make enough to replace call buttons.

Your cockpit organisation is impressive. I like those checklists and tail number reminders. Very cool. I will duplicate! Nynja rudder authority… That’s it. Fuel behind the pilot as original design. Way better in the wing tanks. Changing COG throughout the flight would be annoying to say the least so who’d want to go back there. It does seem a mod is in order though. Question is… would say another 50mm of up elevator as example be enough to allow the nose to lower more gently under 40-45kn?

I’ve just seen this post. Sad thing is I couldn’t even tell you if the Melbourne Crazy Horse is still there.

Nynja is a little lacking in elevator authority landing. That’s about it’s only negative to a great little aircraft.

simulator here is crap. They get a new one September. 3 curved 50” screens. This one is worse than useless. At least a 2 second latency. It’d be great to pause and review or pause and correct. Last flight when approach gave me too much and I was rattled I delayed turning. Still, it’s a lesson. Hear the heading and altitude and turn and start descent etc as it’s read out. Ask again for the rest. Anyway, that’s my current take on it. As far as safety goes we have the instructor. 200ft AGL foggles off. I’ve never or so far had the slightest concern with safety. Yes, if I was just 30 years younger I’d go Air Transport Rating. My ATR friends here invariably say they’ve never had a job. They just get to fly. I’m starting to think I could do this. Practice exam at 81% yesterday and just need one more 80% or higher and I can sit the IFR exam. I won’t do so until I hit 90%. I’ve discovered prognostic charts are actually useful and should be understood. Work in progress. I reviewed Omaha approach ILS 14L and I could do this on my own right now IFR. Barely. Like the 90% exam I won’t take IFR checkride unless super confident. There’s always 2023 to take it after a 1 year breather then reinforce all I’ve learned. Image below. Waypoint/ fix CFTZP is puzzling. I read the 5 letters must be pronounceable. We had a bit of fun attempting it. Australian ZED and USA ZEE didn’t help. I’m really glad the instructor didn’t push us over to 14L. He was telling me we were right of course and I could see it on instruments….Just didn’t want to over correct close in. Lesson learned! In a repeat I’ll take a very definite 5 degrees briefly then straighten up again even before needle centres. Repeat as required smaller closer in. 14R burned into memory,amd we weren’t completely over to it.

I flew in the Nebraska cornfields with an 802 called himself Whisky 3 years ago. All his work season was my learn to fly season. I guess you run Wire cutters on the wheel struts? I was told by Whisky these are handy for the obvious reason and he’s used them once. Wonder what the compliance rate is for a paper plan? That being said I have one for a trip on the knee pad. I want it all laid out in sequence with contingencies. We certainly don’t for the IFR stuff I’m doing in USA. It’s all iPad.

Does all the reg stuff look like this? I’ve read that 3 times and it doesn’t make any more sense so no point in 4 goes. I suspect it actually says Experimental aircraft can’t have these rules applied to them and can’t fly IFR. 26.16 Application — VFR and IFR flight requirements do not apply to certain Australian-registered aircraft (1) In this section: relevant aircraft means any Australian-registered aircraft that is not an experimental or light sport aircraft. (2) Division 26.3 or 26.4 of this Chapter does not apply to a relevant aircraft if the aircraft is fitted with equipment, compliant with the requirements of, or approved under, Part 21 of CASR, which provides for the aircraft’s intended operation a level of safety equivalent to that which would be achieved if Divisions 26.3 or 26.4 (as the case requires) applied. (3) For subsection (2), CASA’s consideration of safety equivalency must take into account whether the type certificating authority for the aircraft considers that the aircraft achieves, for its intended operation, a level of safety equivalent to that which would be achieved if Division 26.3 or 26.4 applied. (4) For subsection (3), type certificating authority means such an authority of a recognised country.

We will get along! I met up with an old friend yesterday who problem solves high end jets. He spent 2 hours explaining last weeks problems including a reverse thruster problem nobody could solve for a year. He hooked up all,his sensors and had the guys taxi from 40 to 60 knots. Risk taking there!. If he’d not found the problem there would have been grumbling over that. Bingo, at high speed taxi he found interference that caused the intermittent problem. A small adjustment snd the interfering part no longer doing so. All stuff that isn’t in manuals. Anyway, what would probably bore a lot of people I’m fascinated by. Great video. Screen shot of the interference coming up over canopy area. I’ll keep going on video…

Excellent. I’ll not research and simply abandon any IFR ambitions in Australia. you’ve saved me a lot of time. Flew Lincoln to Omaha yesterday and back with 2 approaches. All good until I was given a long read back fixes, headings and altitudes and couldn’t deal with it. That’s why we have an instructor! Take over the radio. At this point I’d say as I was advised. IFR training makes you a better safer pilot. That’s enough to justify the current torture and I don’t have to reach the finish line. Even the FAA SEL PPL conversion is challenging. CASA are steadily working with me. It does however seem to be something they usually do for flight crew. It’s a work in progress that’s been going on for many months. They are suggesting I convert the RAA certificate. I don’t care which works. Just the simplest option so I can fly the RANS S21 as N number in Oz. I submitted on form 61-9TX for foreign license conversion. RAA conversion is apparently form 61-1RTX

IFR aircraft instrument rules for flight USA FAA USA FAA requirements are surprisingly loose. Obviously pilot must be rated and have 6 approaches in sim or IMC past 6 months and equipment periodically checked. Generator/ alternator, rate of turn indicator, attitude indicator, ball, clock, altimeter, radio/ nav equipment (appropriate for flight!) DG/ heading indicator. IFR aircraft instrument rules for flight Australia CASA I suspect the kit build and Garmin G3X GNX375 we will use on Rans S21 won’t meet requirements in Australia. Can anyone shed light on this? I’ve been digging a bit with hard going… I think there’s a 50% chance I’ll finish IFR training here. Well, it changes day to day. Almost confident and just a few years younger and better hearing more energy and I’d be 90%. Whatever happens it’s definitely a huge learning curve and worth the time and effort to safer better flying. Pics…..instructor was jumping out of his seat a few days back. The actual IMC conditions allowed him to log the approach to Lincoln NE. 😀 IMG_1043.MOV

A couple of things stand out on that video. 1. He take a copy of Fluid Dynamic Drag on holiday. I get a kick out of people,who are way more quirky, almost makes me look good.😀 didn’t expect to watch the whole video. Thanks for sharing! 2. Flew a 300kg all up fuel and pilot to 170kn plus, set a world record, smashed his aircraft up at that speed and walked away. All remarkable.

Nice! Enjoyed seeing the short field take off, coastal view and landing. TDZ further in is good practice. Thanks for sharing. Note… my/ Vince’s Nynja should be up there now or soon. Ferry pilot bringing to Lismore when the weather is good.

That’s a great idea. I’ll take onboard. Each time I’ve had an instructor back onboard it’s been a useful experience. Also, I’ve now flown in the right seat a few times and I see what they see. You have a pilot engaged in multiple things and it’s super easy to see small control errors and I was surprised how easy it is to just to help with one control surface. Meaning…. I can see how an instructor can allow an aircraft to get a fair bit out of control so the pilot sees the error then bring it back with a little help.

That’s so true. This is why I’m always going to fly a Quick Silver. Seat of the pants flying. No 6 pack scan. Just make sure the wind in your face continues to be like sticking your head out the car window at 100kph, wings fairly level and the yaw string fairly straight. Round out and flare…. Simple. When it feels like your arse is going to hit the ground you flare. Simple.

IFR in actual IFR condition today. Wish I was even 3 years younger. It really is bloody hard. 340 flying hours snd 25 IFR and it’s slowly coming together. Course shows the DME arc for a while until clouds stopped our circle. Twist amd turn 10 degrees on VOR and 10 degrees on heading while maintimg distance from VOR FullSizeRender.MOV

And… my Lincoln NE dentist is building a hybrid S21. I knew he was building a Rans. Turns out he will be fabric fuselage hybdid with S21 wings. No doubt I’ll find out more next week while getting 2 crowns.

Update. Inspection in next few days and this is second wing. I was a bit ahead…Looks good to me! USA counting down to return. IFR is satisfying and achievable at 26 hours Tuesday followed by Wednesday’s good on approaches and radio terrible. Well… called clearance and released mike and heard instructions without my tail number. It was another aircrafts tail. I read back their clearance… Lesson. Take at least one second and think about it. Radio anxiety persists overlaid with scans while climbing/ descending and chasing OBS with foggles. I think in some ways it’s going to be easier when we actually plan a flight and I know what’s coming. I get we are building skills, it’s just never ending changes for now. CASA confirmed I can’t convert IFR, SES and night VFR (USA is 3 hours. CASA is 5 night VFR hours… I have to get 2 more in) in this application (now underway back in Australia FAA to CASA) A separate new application later. Takes pressure off completing IFR. I’ll still give it a shot. maybe. July 4th South Dakota was annoyed by my niece working out while I was trying to study IFR. Big breakthrough this week on shipping and ever changing aircraft decisions…. The Sinus motor glider in Moriarty New Mexico is coming to Australia with its 50ft wings. Robert has loading facilities and even packing stuff from when he’s imported Pipistrel’s to USA. Rans finishing kit will go to Moriarty. I’m selling the Quicksilver through Quicksilver USA and buying a new kit QS 2S that’ll ship to Moriarty. Puddle jumper floats will ship to Moriarty. Aerosport carbon parts to Moriarty. ULPower USA new engine cowling and UL520 motor mount with tricycle option will ship to Moriarty. Robert will consolidate and pack while I’m back in Australia . They even have a forklift and loading dock. The 75ft by 36ft hangar will have a tail wheel motor glider, amphibious quicksilver (Hirth 60hp air cooled coming from Europe separate) and the S21. Virus SW121 will be sold early next year. 220k if anyone wants a beautiful aircraft! That 135kn economical cruise is very attractive along with the inbuilt safety factors of 17:1 glide and BRS.

Reading all this I have the urge to create a lower cowling that has a large surface of stainless steel. Double skinned. Run your water pipes through it. Give it some fins. Added drag. Bugger all. Now, as with exercise I just need to wait until the urge subsides. I’ve made a promise not to invent in aviation. Just fly by the rules and follow advice.

Here is a Rans S21 for sale in USA. A couple of interesting things. It has 195hp and 140kn cruise. Be very interesting to see what the 220hp pushes that airframe along at. I know it’s draggy and the HP is giving us the cruise. Titan 180hp 135kn cruise. This Lyc 195hp. 140kn cruise. Probably 145kn cruise as long as Nic pays the fuel tab. I flew with Randy and he pulled back to some 115-120kn cruise to show fuel consumption similar to a Rotax. Also, the price. That S21 in advert below is pushing 270k AUD on current exchange rate. We have as 5th share importers (container split cost) some 70k in each aircraft as supplied by Rans. Well, we have tricycle kit now so say 75k. Engine. The 220hp ULPower will be landed at approx 80k. Note, the turbo bumps the price quite a bit. Avionics. Dynon or Garmin with dual 10” touch, GPS and autopilot some 50k plus or minus. CSU Prop. Some 15k Approx 220k. Plus other misc stuff. All prices AUD. Note.. I’ve been exchanging AUD/USD for some 30 years as importer/ exporter. I’d hang off if you can afford to wait on an exchange improvement. Currently any USD I have are going into AUD. I’ve learned not to give money advice. However, exchange rate has fair certainty but don’t bet that farm. It’s all in that chart below. Pretty obvious. I purchased a house in USA in 2011 at parity. I think that’s when our idiot government started closing the car industry. Sold last year and will flip those USD to AUD about now. Some 50% gain minus 15k a year in USA property tax. Lincoln NE some of the highest taxes in USA!