Camel

I would replace the pads ! But for a quick solution as a motor mechanic the practice of heating or burning oil off can be done successfully if your careful, usually wash in petrol then use a blow touch to heat and burn but excessive heat will destroy, wash and repeat until clean ! I have done this with leaking axle seals in the old days on cars ! Auto Brake fluid is different as it dissolves in water not petrol ! If they are bonded pads you need to be extra careful with heat !

I'm a former resident of Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains ! I started my C172 taxi for a bit and warmed up, did checks ! Taxi to other end and lined up ! Quick check and rolled ! On climb the engine spluttered badly ! Heat applied and with a paddock lined up on descent the engine came good and climbed ! Never again will I do run ups and checks until I'm close to take off point or at least run with heat on after taxiing !

I did my training of Class C at Canberra and it is very straight forward, I recommend get your aircraft approved by RAA and that also means approved and calibrated transponder, calibrated airspeed and altimeter, then get an RPL with Class C endorsement, note that a PPL is already approved for all CTA and does not need an endorsement. Canberra charges have gone up and it's not a cheap exercise to land and park as I remember !

I use a paint pen !

One thing i know is that no pilot is permitted to fly over a crowd or gathering and if so it is deemed as an airshow ! Needing permission from Casa !

Maybe this should be a new plane too !

In my opinion !!! Natfly starting failing for very obvious reasons, I will not go until it is sorted and I have voiced my opinion to RAA on several occasions, a survey taken by a previous president a while back and I don't believe the result was ever made public because the reason is not what they want to hear ! , I have emphasised why I would not go ! May be trivial but the reason is shared by many ! The event has to be for several reasons ! seminars, seeing new aircraft, catching up with old and new friends, product displays, new technology and home built competition, tools, camping, demonstration aircraft, learn to fly promotion and RAA and Casa information ! What I don't want is Casa acting like it is running the show ! They need to stand back and observe and ENJOY ! And critique if nessecary ! RAA may be under direct supervision of CASA but I believe RAA has to make recomedations to Casa so it can be viable to operate small aircraft at an affordable and practical way and operate under current regulations and not let the bureaucratic mob interpret the rules so they can stop all the fun which has been observed many times ! First problem ! Natfly was a fly in ! Casa interpret it as an airshow ! An airshow is expensive and a lot of planning ! Plus requiring Casa permission and payment also Air traffic control ! Had this problem many years ago at a country fly in and Casa showed up after threatening the aero club but the conversation was recorded and the Casa guy jumped in the twin waiting and left with a gentle warning ! As his threats were unwarranted, unlawful and just a grab for justification for Casa existence ! Result was no more fly ins as was too popular ! Too many came !

In regard to crossing the Great Divide, Cessnock is one of the easiest places to cross as it seems to me as I'm further North and have crossed numerous times and heard stories of others and in bad weather on the range a lot cross in the Hunter Valley area and then travel coastal or inland.

I would replace all plugs with new also Bex, had no experience with Nippondenso but sounds interesting , I remember when NGK was a cheap alternative to Champion and Bosch !

Was referring to Temp reading of plugs with a hand held laser temperature meter ! Google laser temperature gun. ! The plugs getting fouled on avgas would be expected but not on mogas so your plugs faulty or gaps wrong or too rich a mixture or oil leaking past rings or guides and fouling ! Possible wrong plugs fitted too ! Rotax 912 ULS don't foul plugs unless on avgas. By the way do not let the engine idle at low revs during warm up or whenever sitting still, bring the revs up so the engine runs smooth, letting it idle at low rpm could cause problems !

If you have a temperature sensor the laser type you can determine the plug that is fouling because it would be the coolest one and know which plug it is, but because you only run on mogas this is unusual to have plugs fouling and I would replace all plugs with new ones !

Hi Glen, glad your on here ! I wonder if you remember me that's if your the one I think you are ! I meet you in Taree, flew a few circuits with you ! Glad your flying the Sierra still and well from the sounds of things ! Keep aviating, regards Ross

Ferrier & Associates | Aviation Specialists

Yes, just tried !

I am /was HGFA, AUF now RAA and PPL , I see the differerences and the reasons for their existence ! Those who have been flying a long time and can't see it need to have a better look ! But in saying all that I believe all aircraft should have VH Australian rego ! All aircraft under say 1000 kilos should be able to be owner maintained if they have the competency to do so or within a limit of their competency ! Anyone not competetent, or boggie should not ! Or attend a training program that can get them to standard required, I have owned a GA plane which some of the LAMEs that worked on it were very BOGGIE and I found very defective work and on discussion with CASA, found they were not interested as the LAMEs were protected by CASA ! Which I found disgraceful ! After this annual I walked towards the plane spotting defects at ten meters away ! This was the roughest place in existence, lazy, dirty, boggie, rough and expensive let alone things not done and parts incorrectly fitted ! It was in 2008 ! Hopefully out of business now ! But being protected by CASA seem to get away with it ! I'm a motor mechanic by trade and a L2 and will NEVER allow anyone else to work on my aircraft as it's my life and seen to many rough and sloppy LAMEs ! I have also seen some excellent LAMEs too ! In fact some are so meticulous it is very rewarding when you find them ! As far as training goes I think RAA in its current form is good and if you want more get RPL, PPL, medical etc ! RAA exists to make flying affordable, GA flying is expensive ! But if you keep adding on to RAA it will get expensive ! The current status is that an RPL is equivalent to a RAA pilot certificate so why can't a RAA instructor issue a RPL without Nav endorsements ! The system is a little weird but I would rather keep RAA than be under CASA as I find that CASA do not care at all and can't be bothered ! Basically a waste of time and money WOFTAM for those who understand ! When I went PPL from AUF I did 18 hours, circuits, navs, control at Class D and class C, instrument two plus hours on navs and unusual recovery ! All done to a high standard that improved my skills ! When you share the air with others it's nice to know they know how to communicate and avoid conflict ! Some GA schools don't like RAA and rubbish it and you need to go to a school that does both or one that has seen and experienced both sides ! Some Aero Clubs rubbish RAA and call them toy planes and this usually comes from pilots with below average skills and big egos and fly very little ! Most RAA pilot fly from the seat of their pants and this is the greatest flying skill you can ever get ! So to summarise a little ! RAA CFI issue a RPC RPC is equivilant to RPL A PPL can do specific training endorsements that he is skilled at ! A GA school needs an AOC but new rules changed a little, I'm not fully aware ! RPC to RPL is a nightmare if you go to wrong school ! RAA is frowned upon by some GA schools ! RAA is the way to start a flying hobby or career ! So why can't an RAA CFI with a PPL issue a RPL ? Say without Nav endorsement !

I'll have a guess, Murphy Rebel.

I would have thought that if the manufacturer makes an improvement by modification or replacement to any part of the Aircraft then it should still be approved under LSA or shoulfd I say if parts used are ASTM approved then it will meet LSA standards if done or approved by manufacturer !

Stop and have a chat and BBQ lunch, might follow you on the trip ! I learnt to fly with Dave R 20 years ago !

You seem to have the right idea about the differences but one more very important thing is what sort of plane, you said LSA so that means it's designed by the manufacturer, if it was kit and you could use any engine then another consideration is if it is stol you may have cooling problem with an air cooled motor also an engine with a gearbox is able to develope power quicker than a direct drive, my preference is air cooled and direct drive , I like the Jabiru 3300 and have a Jabiru 230, but I would still like more power, I had a Rotax ULS 100 with an in flight adjustable prop and it was perfect for short field work and steep climb, I would not dare attempt that in a Jab as the cooling is critical.

Well done Col ! Ian is next door, it is Old Station NSW and I call the place PlayStation ,

Is it a Lear Jet

Here is another clue, it is also a very well known place and it is approximately 5nm SSE of my airstrip, the photo should be easily recognised ! There is also an old unused airstrip in this photo not used in over 15 years to my knowledge.

Not Lannox Head, further South !

Here's another photo to give an approximate location, the strip is 10nm SW of here and there is another ALA strip about 1nm west of this location, the location in this photo is well known and is mentioned in radio and TV weather forecasts. Enjoy !

This is a google earth shot, the river in this picture is not the main river as in the second shot, it joins at the top of the shot to the main river. The airstrip is centre of picture.