billwoodmason

Four or five years ago I had a similar problem with mine ie (garbled transmissions), I sent it back to Microair for repair after I got a loaner radio from Jabiru to use while mine was away being fixed. There was a problem with a component "in the front end" of the radio which was a known failure with them at times. All good now.

In my experience with NAIPS it is good for 24 hours after your request. In recent years the weather reports they provide however seem to tend on the worst case scenario or in other words a more severe report than is ever the case. I guess they are covering their a--e, but sometimes when you read the report you wouldn't go flying when in fact you could quite safely? I now check multiple scources to get a more balanced opinion to make my decision whether flying to my destination is safe and take the NAIPS report with a grain of salt.

A poster on here who calls himself "Foxworker" knows all there is to know about Skyfoxes and Gazelles as he used to build wings and things for them and is keen to answer inquiries from anyone. Send him a PM (personal message) and see if he answers. Cheers.

Multi focal prescription lenses as in my avatar photo work really well for me, I also have the same prescription in a set of sunglasses for bright days. They were bought from Specsavers on a two for one offer.

Turbs, I don't argue there shouldn't be an SMS in place, I have issue with us having to pay for it. We are depleting our reserves keeping up with CASA's demands and constantly on our toes waiting for the next urgent issue to be dealt with. Meanwhile CASA conveniently side step any responsibility by making individual organisations accountable for producing their own version of an SMS.

I fail to understand why RAA has to spend it's money on an SMS and employ a safety officer. Surely this is the role of CASA. It is easy to understand why membership and registration costs keep rising when CASA up the ante on what it expects RAA to do on finite resources. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Why should we pay for and perform their functions that they are handsomely funded to do. Have CASA got an SMS in place for GA and if so who pays?. RAA management should be fighting these impositions on our funds and making CASA fund their own wish list. The rhetoric coming from the CEO seems to be acquiescent to all that CASA ask for, he needs to be told that we are his major stakeholders and employers - not CASA. I'm majorly disappointed in his performance ever since the Jabiru vendetta began and now that they are trying (or being told to) to take over all categories of recreational aircraft. If you can't make a go with 8500 members you wil never be successful. They are trying to do too much with too little to appease CASA. Costs to RAA membership cannot keep rising to fund someone else's role - leave us alone !!.

Call the Caravan Park, they may have sites left.

The disappointing thing about the recent board elections for me was the fact that only one aspirant actually published what he stood for. The criteria that aspirants published in the Magazine gave only their experience in relation to said criteria and did nothing to help voters understand whether particular nominees held views which voters approved of. I am eternally grateful that the Tony King cartel did not get all its members up and hope that provides scope for proper debate on all matters. I do see however that with a reduced board it will be easier to get all thinking in unison - perhaps to our detriment. I am troubled however, by the haste at which the Pres and CEO are embarking on their campaign of change to all manner of aspects of RAA - all without any meaningful consultation with the membership. We are being dictated to pure and simple!!. The plan is too have that many things going on at once that resistance to all is not possible. We are going to end up with an organisation which we will not be able to recognise as our association - perhaps that ship has already sailed, we are fast becoming another just another derivative of CASA - shame on you Linke and Monch you are going to destroy what was such a good thing. They are in bed with CASA and are selling us out - too bad if you don't like it because it's just going to happen. Gone are the days of going to flyins to support a growing good thing because going now means you support their actions - and be overseen by CASA as was alluded for the Ozkosh event. Why would we openly support these people whose mere presence will spoil everyone's weekend. Why did RAA involve itself with the Jabiru issue which just ended in misery for every Jabiru engine/plane owner. Proper investigation of the issue would have revealed that solutions had been found and actioned but no - CASA became involved and look what happened. They manage to screw every thing they touch. And now CASA wants RAA to look after all aircraft up to 1500 kg and Linke and Monch oblige and say look what we are doing for members - what they are doing is going to change the entire reason for RAAs existence and cost us money in the process. Under these two the cost of Recreational aviation cannot help but rise as long as they pursue their current course. We are screwed as long as these two are at the helm. Linke is looking to build his resume' and will leave and go on to his next conquest and RAA will be left to suffer the consequences.

Many thanks Ian, that's better.

The square design obviously suits my current photo better than the round shape. Tried to change it - failed because the new photo had too many pixels.

Mine cuts my head off.

The Tech managers GA background is irresistibly coming to the fore to the members detriment. It was also interesting to note the CEO stated in the recent podcast that they met with CASA weekly and the Chairman monthly to discuss issues. No doubt these meetings are where they are indoctrinated with CASA's wishlist. We need a member association to protect us against our own limited liability Co. RAA is losing it's way and becoming a clone of CASA. Introducing heavier classes of aircraft to the register will only make regs worse and increase the cost of membership and registration. ( It has already begun without consultation of members.)

We've seen what happens when CASA are asked to fix things by RAA in recent times with the Jabiru fiasco. CASA do not care what it costs anyone or about collateral damage to manufacturers or owners. I don't know if I can ever forgive this unjustified error of judgement.

2tonne I sincerely hope you are correct.

RAA already had penalties in place under the previous constitution. I personally know of someone who was suspended (six months) for an infringement into a military zone some years ago. I think the new constitution is a furphy - good governance is about the people running the association. The way this is leading I can see down the track fines will be introduced (ala CASA) to assist with the deficit and we won't be allowed or able to contribute to any debate on the issue. If this were to happen we should resist this with everything we've got.

There is no way I will vote for any of these 5. The whole idea of a clique on the board stinks. Surely people who are able to think for themselves is what is required. It seems to me the whole direction of RAA currently is that of a CASA wish list. I don't know why we have to pay the salary of a Safety officer - shouldn't that be CASA's role. The President and CEO seem to be pushing CASA style agendas. I'm over it. From the statements by the candidates in the mag you don't know what any of them apart from Rod Birrell actually stand for other than that they relish the opportunity to drive change and manage people. Megalomaniacs.

This would be detrimental to existing RAA members in my opinion. With the lines between GA and RAA blurred it will mean increased cost to members and increased scrutiny with regard to aircraft and pilots ( as is already happening it would appear). Don, the membership need to be consulted properly about this, I believe the only people interested in this idea are those like yourself at the top ( read expensive ) end of RAA aircraft ownership who have self interest in a bigger/heavier aircraft and can afford it. This is not what AUF/RAA was intended for. Our CEO is guilty of taking advice from the wrong people.

I fear the opportunity for the new board to become a boys club with the reduction in numbers is looming as a distinct possibility. I wonder who and how many of the change Cartel renominate to drive their agenda. I am not against change, but there needs a demonstrated advantage for the membership. So far all that has happened is fees have gone up, the magazine is now only available for those who pay extra, compliance requirements have been introduced, hard mail advice of registration and membership fees being due has ceased and communication to the membership is at an all time low. (How does anyone know if it is members who are reading the online mag.) It seems unbelievable that we would be left with only the executive running the show to implement what ever they please without consultation of any kind. A deliberate ploy to have the fox in charge of the hen house?. Did I read somewhere they asked to "trust us".

A sign of what is to come - a user pays GA alternative perhaps.

Is the RAA CEO just at the GFA meeting as a guest speaker or is he making a pitch to bring them under the RAA banner?. I don't recall anything like this being put to RAA members - then again I don't remember being asked about the increase in weight limits eventually to 1500 kg for RAA reg. aircraft. I hope he is going to address the gathering at Kyneton and take questions. Recent events need to be better explained so the membership can make informed opinions about the implications of changes.

Congrats, it will be something you'll never forget.

It has a reputation to match.

I'd like to see RAA take some ownership of the mess it helped to create and go into bat for Jab owners to remove the instrument in total but unfortunately I fear they are all too happy to distance themselves of any responsibility - and in any case who is there to do it ?.The board has been sacked and the CEO and President are too busy empire building (increasing weight limits to 1500kg to relieve CASA Of their responsibilities) to have any time to represent what amounts to a third of its fleet and a large proportion of its training fleet. Jabiru has been thrown under a bus and RAA doesn't care a hoot. RAA head office is now just an extension of CASA only in our case it's the members who pay to get screwed.

Don, is the upgrade of Head Office systems including a 30+ percent fee increase in any way a preparation for an influx of new members with the introduction of increased weight limits. I would hope not, as I don't believe that the majority of current members would be in favour of this move. I sincerely believe that members would want fees to be the way they were and to hell with adding GA to our membership. If we can't operate successfully with 8500 members then more members is not the answer - it will only complicate matters even further. It would seem that RAA management do not want to engage with the membership on issues they know are unpopular and with no board members to consult with the members have no voice at board level to represent them. Seems to me that recent events have been carefully orchestrated to force change within RAA with no opposition. A bloodless coup no less.

Robmus on here had one last heard - he may have sold his. It looked very similar to that one and was HKS powered I think.