sseeker

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/one-dead-in-glider-crash-near-albany-20110714-1hg6w.html

Very sad news indeed. RIP Alfred.

Actually I think it's just clicked who Alfred is... Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/alfsrc - He commented on one of my videos after my gliding camp at Beverley with school and commented saying how nice the video was. He offered me a flight around the ranges this year. Once again I'm NOT sure if it's the same person, I really hope not. Very friendly person!

-Andrew

Yeah I was talking about Class A & C. Stupid me, he would have to have a transponder anyway if he was flying out of Jandakot...

So really, no excuses for no CTA flying? Although I know a lot of people that cross there without going into CTA, don't know why they do it.

-Andrew

He's in an experimental aircraft. Chances are non approved engine & possibly no transponder. I'm also not sure if CASA imposes any restrictions on experimental GA aircraft in controlled airspace, especially since most aren't LAME maintained.

-Andrew

I just heard on the radio of a glider crash approx 85km out of Albany, WA. Tried to find a website but can't find any info... Anyone know? Poteroo?

-Andrew

I'd say rego search has the engine information from the prior VH-SFG which was a Piper Pawnee... A guy at my aerodrome owns a Thorp and it shows on the CASA registry as having a retract gear, but it doesn't... No idea how they goofed that one.

-Andrew

Ave8rr,

This website has different things to say...

http://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/au/SFG

"No. Engines: 1

Manufacturer: TEXTRON LYCOMING

Type: Piston

Model: IO-360

Fuel: Gasoline"

Lycoming IO-360.

-Andrew

It's an 80% scale.

-Andrew

Controlled airspace... He's GA, but the spit is amateur built. No idea what legal implications that has.

Guys c'mon... He did a really good job, put yourself in the situation where there's a fire infront of your A/C and imagine the stress and pressure you'd be under. A fire is probably the worst thing that could possibly happen!

Just on a further note, if you want to depart to the East of Jandakot you must depart via Armadale then Canning Dam. Just punch into Google Maps "Canning Dam, WA Australia" and look at the surroundings. It's a mandatory departure point and look at its surroundings. If you wanna go East, have confidence in your engine, cause you haven't got many options!

-Andrew

Today the 10th of July, Day 17 of my trip around Australia my beloved MK26 Spitfire tested the boundaries of our relationship. It was a cool windy morning in Jandakot, Western Australia, but otherwise the weather was ok. I had completed my routine pre-flight inspection and was ready for departure to Kalgoorlie. “Cleared for take-off runway 06R” said the tower.” “Cleared for take-off runway 06R, SFG” I replied. Looking down, I checked: temperatures and pressures in the green, compass and dg aligned, wind, crosswind from the right. We departed by the standard eastern departure, via Armidale at 1000 feet and operations were normal.At 25 nautical miles from Janadakot the Spitfire decided to test all I had learnt in my aviation career. She decided to do this at 3000 feet, over Mount Dale, surrounded by heavily forested terrain and beyond the Spit’s glide performance to a suitable landing area. One emergency I had dreamt I would never have to consider was boiling up under the hood of my Spit. With no warning, her engine exhausted streams of smoke from here 12 exhaust pipes down the sides of her fuse.

 

A couple days earlier I was discussing with Peter Raffles (who is flying the Jabiru with my father and also owns a Spitfire) how a display smoke system on our Spitfire’s exhaust would look. I can confidently illustrate to him what this would look like as this image is now forged into my head.

 

With no hesitation I resorted to the emergency checks I had been taught and teach on a regular basis. Initial emergency checks were completed, no flames were evident from beneath the cowling and the engine appeared to be running normal, aside from the two large plumes of smoke trailing down her fuse. I quickly decided plan A was to return to Jandakot (the closest airfield) on her injured engine. Plan B; if a serious engine fire started I would place the aircraft into a dive in an attempt to extinguish the fire. If that was the case I was hoping I would still have sufficient height to reach the banks of the Canning dam where I would ditch the aircraft, wheels up! And extinguish the aircraft fire and myself! Something I really did not want to do, but these were my options, and this was a real emergency!

 

Remaining calm I made the following transmission to Perth Centre “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Spitfire SFG is 25 nautical miles east of Jandakot 3000 feet, experiencing an engine fire, 1 POB, tracking direct Jandakot.” The air traffic controller responded with “SFG track direct Jandakot, you have priority, emergency services have been alerted”.

 

Maintaining 3000 feet I continued to track direct to Jandakot. At this point in time the smoke from the engine began to decrease, with no obvious clues on the engine instrumentation as to what was causing the smoke. I now turned to my sensory receptors for help with analysis. Briefly opening a cabin vent I attempted to smell the dark nature of the smoke. It smelt like burning oil.

 

Earlier in the trip I had a small oil leak from the oil pressure gauge and my initial thoughts were that oil may have been leaking onto the engine and causing the smoke, but this does not explain smoke from the exhaust. The smoke was coming from within the engine and the aircraft needed to be landed ASAP, before the engine destroyed itself!

 

At this point in time I had passed Canning Dam and Jandakot was in sight, but still beyond the glide distance of my Spit. I was now approaching the built up area of Armadale and the new forced landing fields included the fairways of Golf courses. These are generally well maintained!

 

Travelling at 150 knots, in several seconds Jandakot was within gliding distance. A strong believer of “it ain’t over until the fat lady sings” I was giving myself as much margin as possible. I continued to maintain 3000 feet until overhead the field then conducted an approach well within my glide distance. PUFF checks completed and wheels touched down on runway 06L.

 

As there were no flames and or smoke coming from the engine the severity of the emergency was downgraded and in formal chat with a fire fighter was all that was required.

 

Back on the ground myself, Dad and Peter Raffles thoroughly analysed the engine. Once the cowls were off it was evident the engine had induced a significant amount of oil through the air intake. This may be the result of a damaged piston ring, but a leak down test tomorrow will reveal more information.

 

Although the spit has tested my faith in her, my love for her is far stronger. I will endeavour to put us both back in the air and re-join the rest of Wings of Life crew.

 

A love story to be continued….

-Andrew

The Thruster is Level 2 maintained and 25- registered, just not used in a school. That should be ok?

-Andrew

Hi Neil,

Serpentine is one of the options available however they require a $140 membership fee to be paid before ANY training is commenced. Ed operates out of a number of other fields though such as Narrogin and Geraldton, this may be an option!

Thanks for letting me know!!

-Andrew

I have no idea how I'll get this one done, may have to speak to some club members about borrowing their A/C at my expense for an hour or two. I dunno how they'll feel about it though, it would be dual training so it'd be just like lending the A/C to an instructor.

-Andrew

I didn't state that it does not exist. 2.07 only tells you how to get one.2.01, Flight Crew Limitations does not identify a two stroke endorsement as being required.

I might give the operations manager a ring on Monday to ask about that. Doesn't look like it is a requirement, although why have it if it's not required?

-Andrew

Hi Gnarly,

Thanks for the suggestion but because I don't have an aerochute rating on my licence, I don't think they'll count it.

-Andrew

I don't see a two-stroke endorsement as something required by the Ops Manual?

It's under section 2.07 with the heading, "Two Stroke Endorsement" it states that I need to undergo dual training with an RA-Aus examiner or meet the competencies and forward a letter to RA-Aus... Does starting/stopping/maintaining my lawn mower count?

It's an endorsement, so I guess if you were flying a 2 stroke and had an accident and didn't have the endorsement on your books there could be questions asked.. but that doesn't answer the question does it.Andrew, you could probably get away with just verbal instruction on it, but really the 2 stroke motors ARE different to operate, and not only that, but have quite different feel to them, including the power curve. You'd get used to it pretty quick, but it's more knowing the operation on oil mixture. Start up procedures.

 

I think the main thing they want people to have the extra knowledge on is the fact that you need to understand the need for oil, either by auto feed, or fuel mix.[/Quote]

 

Tomo,

 

I may just have to find someone willing to let my instructor and me do the endorsement?

 

it would be if u flew one..............[/Quote]Maybe I'm missing something?

 

-Andrew

Hi Don,

Unfortunately you can't take matters like this into your hands. Not having the endorsement and having an accident could pose serious legal problems. The endorsement might not train you for any engine failure but it protects you when your engine does quit and you damage property.

-Andrew

I don't mind flying one to obtain the endorsement, I just don't have the availability of two strokes like other states do.

-Andrew

I can't... The A/C I'm looking at is a single seater.

-Andrew

That just leaves me with one problem. How do I actually get the endorsement? Would it come down to having to borrow someone's plane?

-Andrew

Nightfill at Supa IGA :big_grin:

Help run the family business as well... But I don't get paid for that...

Hi Everyone,

Just a question that came across my mind when looking at an aeroplane for sale. Why is there a need for a two stroke endorsement? Looking over the syllabus it just looks like things that can be learned in a classroom and most of the items apply to four strokes as well.

The aircraft I'm looking at is a single seater which requires LP and 2S to fly. I only have LP. There aren't any aircraft with 2S engines for hire in WA so it could be incredibly hard to obtain the endorsement. The only option is to fly someone else's aeroplane and not a lot of people are happy for that to happen.

-Andrew

Evan,

I think Jake's flying in controlled airspace under permit (which many locations now have). Since you're in the process of taking off you're permitted to fly below 500' to carry out a safe takeoff. The controller warned Jake of the collision risk and asked them to make a safe turn to get away from the Jab infront. Bindoon aerodrome has a 24/7 restricted area straight infront of runway 09, unless your aircraft can climb at around 1000fpm you will have to turn crosswind early (below 500AGL) to avoid the restricted area, this is allowed. Yes the 500' AGL rule applies to non-controlled aerodromes as well as controlled Class D.

Also, at a non-controlled aerodrome the closest form of ATC assistance you would have is MEL/BNE CTR or your local radar service (e.g Perth Radar) These controller units can't tell you what to do at an uncontrolled aerodrome. They can warn you of collision risks though.

-Andrew

Had another lessons today in which we covered trimming, some basics of take-off and landing as well as climbing and such. The best part was I had no airsickness at all! Also, I flew 99% of the whole approach, and landed the aircraft too (albeit with some assistance) woo! All I did with the takeoff was keep the nose pointing straight with the rudder but I think maybe next lesson my instructor will let me take a more active role. It was another busy day with the aero club's Jabiru in the pattern and a few cherokees around for training, we were going to go to the area north but ended up going south where there was no traffic. Also, atc told us to make an early turn below 500' which I didn't think was legal...Also went over a full pre-flight, refuel and fuel drain.

Have fun with the rest of your training! :thumb_up:

-Andrew

Or 90 days, whichever comes first.

That's just what I want, how do I help to get that approved.Pete

-Andrew