FlyingVizsla

This book is available through Clear Prop (see Our Shop on side panel) on this site.  Finding Carla - it is a gripping true story of a family who crashed in 1967 after entering icing conditions over mountains.  From the pilot's perspective it is a warning not to blindly accept advice from others, although he seems to have done everything else right as possible (except leave the survival box behind to pack more holiday gear!).  Plenty of lessons for pilots.

The incredibly sad part is that, despite their injuries, they survived for 8 weeks and finally starved and froze to death waiting for rescue.  They spent their time writing a diary, letters, lists etc.  The outcome of the accident was an improvement in search & rescue and the US govt finally mandated the carrying of ELT.  Tests revealed that, had they been carrying one, the wreck would have been located in 1.5 hours, not 6 months and hundreds of flying hours by many planes.  The pilot had tried to walk out to get help and it was 2 years before his body was found.  A very gripping human story, with plenty to learn about flying, decision making & survival.  Written by a pilot with experience on type, with the family, including the son, an experienced search & rescue pilot who never gave up flying, hiking, and searching for his father.  Recommended reading!

According to the RAAus Technical Manual Section 5.1 Registration markings 10.1 - a 55 registered is a Factory Built Aeroplane under CAO class 101-55 (non-LSA). 

We also own a 55 registered.  Unfortunately, if the engine is out of hours or years and therefore "on condition" it can't be used for hire or training.  The MTOW is also a very limiting factor.  Ours can only take two people if they are under 52kg each or you leave the fuel behind.  Buyers give up when they realise that, and it doesn't go like the clappers either.  Had many inspect, only one made an offer, but hasn't come good yet.  Perhaps auction is the better way to go.

They had a rough start.  They started selling tickets in anticipation of CASA approving their route, however they didn't, and flights had to be cancelled with uncertainty as to when they could fly.  Approval took longer than anticipated and the media placed the blame on the airline.  The delays meant they had staff and aircraft sitting idle.  Then loss of public confidence.  They recently topped the list for on-time flights.  Friends who flew with them loved it.

Not unusual for a publisher seeking advertising to offer a package of "we give you a two page article, you pay for a full page advert".   Like the Air Park did.  The other offer is where a maker offers the journalist a "test fly" to write a favourable article mostly from the maker's literature and photos to promote the plane.  They may also have a paid advert.  It is lazy journalism, and there's an element of tax deductibility where someone did their Endorsement in order to write an article about it.  The Sport Pilot publishers specialised in glossy tourism / travel magazines, hence the early Sport Pilots were more travel log, and I suspect a very similar looking article was in one of their other publications (just tack a bit of Hey, it's got an airport!).

On 20/04/2024 at 11:39 PM, danny_galaga said:

I note that the latest issue of Australian Sport Pilot has an article entitled "Flying the Icon A5" 😄

After wasting 8 pages on it and a trip to Florida USA, the final word is "The A5 ... not currently registerable in Australia" 

Recreational Ballooning has gone to CASA & the Australian Ballooning Federation is no longer a SASAO.

Hang Gliding Federation is now Sports Aviation Federation of Australia, and there is still overlap with RAAus with Weight Shift Microlights & Power Parachutes.

On 04/10/2017 at 8:13 AM, Head in the clouds said:

I don't know anything about "May 1986, the Australian fitness Sports equipment company came to Nanjing to buy a AD100 aircraft", but around 1987 a delegation of Chinese travelled around parts of Oz touting this aircraft as being the fabulous new offering from China that was going to revolutionise the way we looked at sport/ultralight aircraft.

A friend has bought this single seater canard aircraft - the Nanjing AD-100 Traveller 10-1257 (rego lapsed 1993).  It has "Healthequip" on it.  The son who sold it didn't know much about it, but said his father "flew it all over the place".  I have dredged up specs from my sources, but he would like to know the history. 

It has a Robin engine (under powered), needs lots of work, but the new owner wants to restore it to flying condition as it is a pretty unique aircraft.  The wings are designed to be removed by one person and weigh about 10-20kg, it has L&R rudder pedals, and he says it is well designed.  Any one know more about it?

ATSB has been asked by the Qld Police to inspect the aircraft engine.  The report will go to the Qld Police, and then to the Coroner, so we may not hear the outcome.  I assume the Qld Police are footing the bill.

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2024/report/ae-2024-003

In the Members' Communiques - The CEO didn't renew his contract as he had another job.  The job was advertised.  Maxine, who has worked for RAAus for 20 years and acted as CEO from time to time, was appointed.  Jill Bailey retired - it is a thankless job and she works away from the office a lot.  Her Assistant has stepped up to the job and his job is now advertised.  So - no great conspiracy there.  These things happen in the best of organisations. 

Here's one of them ...

https://www.slatteryauctions.com.au/asset?auctionNum=AN-1-4-1-03326&consignmentNo=1-4-1-010248

Says it has on-going tourist bookings.  Auction starts 29 March 2024.

1 hour ago, Blueadventures said:

How did the 3 acr's finish up?  All pass?

Looked at the one for sale, needed more info, some work to be done, needs to see flying, so a Draft ACR awaiting these things.  Suggested we take the other home and he will do it there.  The third he didn't get to.  The lad buying the first one knows a L2 but, like ours, has to fit it in around his day job.  So nothing has gone to RAAus to see if it will pass.  I guess it will, because the L2 we used was very thorough.  The previous L2 (now long retired) wrote up the Log with little detail eg "changed prop" to what?? "Installed new engine" - type? serial No.? wasn't brand new, so how many hours and where did it come from?  The L2 is clarifying all this with help from us.  On-going saga.

There were some C150 variants registred as ultralights - they got there by going single seat and removing things to reduce weight.  CASA disagreed, especially when at least one was seen with the passenger seat back in and occupied.  There was one French built that was renamed a Robin (my memory is getting hazy) on the register.  The Cessna 140 can be registered ultralight.  All subject to weight etc. 

It is a grey area, getting a factory built and then altering to fit the ultralight registration.  In one case essential things, like the oil & battery, were removed to squeeze it in.  CASA was of the opinion that if it was built standard, then it should stay that way.  Some of these questionable planes were removed from the AUF/RAAus register after the failed audits.  Presumably the C150's could put everything back in and return to VH.

On 09/03/2024 at 9:23 AM, turboplanner said:

if they issue a qualification they need to be able to measure and guarantee it.

I don't know about Guarantee it, but they do oversee it.  Even back in the AUF days, The Bunny Farmer & Myles would visit the Club annually to see how things were going.  They were rather horrified by what they saw and their advice was given as a friendly suggestion, getting a little sterner each time.  They guy who maintained the Club's plane was a cowboy and his aircraft was about the worst advertisement for an ultralight.  They would suggest he take it away from the airport.

RAAus does check up on their L2s and one I know thought they had a vendetta against him as they asked him for copies of Log books for a plane he maintained 2 years running.  He has to renew ever 2 years.  He has since retired due to health & mobility issues.

If you supervise, oversee & train too much, L2's will toss the towel. 

14 hours ago, jackc said:

Word on the street is……no one has applied for. 760kg yet, if it’s true?

Yes, it is true because applications are not yet Open.  You can express an interest, and I know several who have, so RAAus can get a feel for how many applications they will get come D-Day and have extra staff to make it happen.  There are threads running on this subject.

AUF was offered up to 750kg by CASA back in the 1990's.  The response then was "we're too busy right now ..." Had the AUF accepted the offer we would not be having this grief now.

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The alternative For-Profit organisation to AUF/RAAus - the Experimental Light Aircraft Association of Australia (ELAAA) had a Maintainer's course run by Myles.  ELAAA never got off the ground.

The problems with running a course that teaches you how to maintain aircraft to L2 standard (how to use tools, etc) is 1. getting enough people together in one place on one date.  2. Dealing with the wide variation in experience - from the guy who has never lifted a spanner to the bloke who has loved engines all his life and built & owned several planes.

RAAus welcomes L2 applicants who can demonstrate mechanical knowledge, and then provides training and guidance on what is expected.  When I started with the AUF, anyone who put their hand up could do maintenance because they were all volunteers and nearly everything was home built.  I met some keen but useless ones and some good ones. 

I can understand why RAAus does not run apprenticeships for aircraft mechanics or Diplomas in Aircraft Design & Construction.  That is too involved and too long to be funded by members.  TAFE and industry run courses.  People get experience working with mechanics.  It takes years, not a 1 day course.  I note that some L2's restrict themselves - eg only do Jabiru, or don't touch fabric aircraft.  For some L2's it is a business and livelihood, because a lot of aircraft owners know little about engines and planes.

11 hours ago, jackc said:

I am more interested in the future policy for training L2s as many of the current problems will solve themselves if we grow the L2 population.

RAAus offers scholarships for training Maintainers.  The latest round closes 31st March.  If you want to get into L2 work, then here's the application form.  https://raaus.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Scholarship-Application-Form-Maintainer-2024_Fillable.pdf

The application form has a lot of information that relates to the Flying Training (CFI's recommendation etc), so they have a bit of work to divorce the AirServices funded flying training information from the Maintainers' which is fully RAAus funded.  Any age group, funding for tools, assistance with training placement.

I know two people who are presently going through the process to become L2.  Both are very experienced builders, pilots, but are retirement age.  The scholarship might help a bloke in mortgage stress etc who has a passion but not the funds or training avenues.

3 hours ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

Didnt make it

Sad to hear that.  RIP

VH Rego (can see it on the 9News picture).  Media are saying it was at the end of the runway.  His injuries - facial & smashed pelvis.  He was lucky the accident was quickly reported and responded to.  Hoping for a good recovery.

Pilot suffers critical injuries in plane crash south of Perth

7NEWS.COM.AU

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It took rescue teams about 25 minutes to free the man from the mangled aircraft.

Bunbury Airport: Pilot critical after light plane crash south of Perth

WWW.9NEWS.COM.AU

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A pilot is fighting for his life after a light plane crash south of Perth.

We are doing 3 ACR's this weekend, so we'll see how it all goes.  2 planes returning to the Register after years non-flying and one sold.  Two owners who don't believe in Log Books will complicate things.  The other owner got caught up in early RAAus log book audits, so that one "might" be OK, but there's no serial number for the engine installed, or any entries for the last 4 years.  "Trust me, I did what needed doing..." no longer cuts the mustard.  When were the hoses replaced?  Dunno. 

Fingers crossed.

1 hour ago, skippydiesel said:

RAA Aircraft registration is not the same as RAA membership - You can be a RAA member without owning an aircraft. You can not own an RAA registered aircraft, without being a member

Actually you CAN own a plane and not be a member - I know two.  I did ask RAAus regarding a non-member purchase and there is no requirement for an aircraft owner to be a pilot or member, there are some investors who own planes which they hire to schools or own so younger members can fly and some who no longer can fly due to health etc.

That Schedule of Fees pie chart covers ALL fees paid.  17% is insurance, which I suspect is pilot, building & contents, Public Liability etc. 

If you log in as a member and then go to Pilots -> Insurance https://members.raa.asn.au/pilots/insurance/

you will see insurance is part of the Pilot fee (spread over 10,000+) rather than the aircraft (spread over 3,000+ planes).  It says

A cornerstone of protection for members is our unique Members Liability Insurance Policy which provides liability protection for those members of Recreational Aviation Australia Limited who hold a Student Pilot or Pilot Certificate.

The cover, being applicable to the member (not the aircraft), means that the cover is “portable” even when piloting a RAAus registered aircraft owned by some other person anywhere in Australia.

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The fee for a non-flying member $129, is lower than a Pilot $325 as it does not have the insurance component.  Non-flying still gets the magazine, voting, training and similar benefits.  Non-flying is a bit of a misnomer as some are active in other types of aviation, just not ultralights.

The insurance is part of the Pilot Membership, not the aircraft.  You need to log in to see it - here's the link - go to Pilots - Insurance.

https://members.raa.asn.au/pilots/insurance/

Qld Transport fees for car rego - Yes, they have Bands eg "Vehicle 1, 2 or 3 cylinders, electric or steam", 5-6, 7-8, 9 to 12 cylinders.

There's a Seniors Card concession too.  So how about "Pensioner Special" for single seaters? 

Registration costs

WWW.QLD.GOV.AU

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Get an online free registration quote for your vehicle, motorcycle, light truck or boat in Queensland.

14 minutes ago, facthunter said:

2 strokes pay half of a 4 stroke. That's funny..   Nev

It was seriously suggested to me!  Qld car Rego goes on the number of cylinders .... 🙂