pmccarthy

I understood that you needed to train in rag and tube types to be allowed to fly them under RAA. If you train in the high performance types you have to do extra training to fly something like a Drifter. Has that changed?

A spare tube, pump, spark plugs, lock wire, gaffer tape, insulation tape, plug spanner, spanners/Allen keys to change a wheel, oil, etc etc.

I did training in a Drifter with AUF thirty years ago, but I don’t remember what it cost per hour. So the problem is not owning and operating, but training? Around here instructors seem to charge about $100 per hour for their time. Unfortunately electricians and plumbers are the same. I guess if an instructor could get 3 hours work per day, 5 days per week, 47 weeks per year his gross income would be around $70,000 per year. The difficulty would be finding the students.

There is nothing stopping anyone buying and operating a cheap aircraft. I have seen them advertised in the $10-15,000 range recently. What is it about the recreational scene that is upsetting people who want to do that?

I have never been inside a Jabiru but I did research this question and the J230 came out on top. Practical and good load capacity. At the time there were several relatively new ones to be had around $90 k but I suspect they are not so available now. Autopilot would be very handy. Otherwise instruments don’t matter, steam gauges are fine, navigate with the iPad.

And this?

A separate category makes sense.

Tugan Gannet

Once you have learned, it is as easy as driving a car well.

I have been following Scrappy since episode 1. I don’t understand how he can drag race that airframe without wings. I would have expected a torque reaction that might need ailerons to manage.

A good looking aircraft for its time.

Ian, as you probably know I started a Group for our club when you added groups. I emailed quite a few people but no- one joined RF as a result. The two who signed up were already RF members. So there was no point in proceeding. I had expected to expand RF as a result as other clubs joined. I don't know what this means. But you may not get clubs involved.

I guess we all know that lawn bowls has the highest fatality rate of all Australian sports.

Apolo Bay if you are not familiar. Uphill strip, strong onshore winds much of the time.

There is a waiting list for hangar space at Kyneton. About 65 aircraft on the field.