FlyingVizsla

In the lower latitudes you need a Night licence for the shorter days - take off before dawn and return after dark. Also handy to have a car at each end. Particularly if there is a problem and you need to drive home or to work. Plan B!

 

If you think it is going to work out, then see if the Council / Airstrip operator offers an annual landing charge, rather than a per use basis; saves paying Avdata every month. I would be making a contribution if there was no landing fee; if I was landing on a regular basis, particularly as I would not be a rate payer or Aero Club member, hangar owner etc. Keeps everything sweet.

 

I did a short commute at my expense for a short term assignment in a remote area, but I had camp accommodation when ever I wanted it and the strips were less than a 1km from each, but my NVFR was essential for morning & evening flights - we worked 12 hours - so you must watch fatigue. I wouldn't have relied on it for a longer period or for longer distance.

 

 

Investigation started

 

Investigation: AO-2017-062 - Collision with terrain involving a FU24 Stallion, VH-EUO, Upper Turon NSW, on 16 June 2017

 

FU24 Stallion, VH-EUO, Upper Turon NSW, on 16 June 2017

 

 

Agreed that the last annual accounts are there ... but where are the half year accounts ended 31-12-16? The previous years half year accounts are there but they were required to be puclished under the inc association rules we had ... now you get annual only

True

 

Constitution RAA Issue 12 Sept 2012.

 

15. Treasurer. ... (iv) The Treasurer shall produce a financial statement of accounts twice yearly and publish to the membership, the first occasion being not more than 30 days after the end of financial year, thereafter 6 months later.

 

Constitution of RAA Ltd (published 27/7/2016)

 

20.3 Before or at the Annual General Meeting, the Directors must, in accordance with law, make available information to the Members on the Company’s activities and finances during the period since the last Annual General Meeting.

 

Prior to July 2016, members were to get 6 monthly statements, after July 2016 it was Annual only. However, that 6 monthly was pretty hit or miss, depending on who was Treasurer.

 

RAA had one Treasurer who didn't know the difference between profit / loss and was described as "staring like a rabbit in the headlights" when asked questions at the AGM. Large cash reserves were earning peanuts. Questions like "how much does the magazine cost" were a bridge too far. Income & expenditure was poorly dissected. Like him or loath him, a certain President who resigned and tried to come back, did push better recording of finances. The stand out Treasurer, for me, was Jim Tatlock. He came on board during a period of crisis - he settled the recording of finances into better categories to answer the questions of "how much did x cost, earn" and published profit & loss MONTHLY until things settled down. I only wished he could have continued, but he had more pressing issues and he had done the lion's share and put RAA on a good footing and given the membership better data to work with. He is a champion in my books. One day I hope to meet him, as I only know him by reputation. Waiting 12 months is a bit long, but looking at the size of the Annual Report (against previous), it is worth it. Takes you 12 months to read ...

 

Sue

 

 

In reply to most of the questions - log into your RAA member portal. It tells me today there are:-

 

• 9625 members
   
   
  
• 3256 aircraft
   
   
  

 

 

Go to Governance - Meetings

 

• A list of all resolutions - who voted for/against/abstained (you can use that info when deciding who to vote for .... )
   
   
   
  
• Minutes of the most recent AGM
   
   
  

 

 

 

Go to Governance - Reports

 

• The last Annual Report (includes the financial statement)
   
   
   
  
• The Annual Financial statement
   
   
  

 

 

The Annual Report is a good read (but it's 12MB). There's a lot of statistics. Women are still only 3% or so of members (there's an opportunity!), the number of new Certificates issued is impressive, the average age of Pilots is coming down (older ones retiring, new ones starting earlier?). There's pages of reports. The year ends 30 June, so there will be another round of Annual Reports due soon.

 

Financials - This shows good reserves, however the cost each year of running the show exceeds the revenue coming in. Either the revenue increases to cover it, or some functions / services are cut; or they continue to eat into the Reserves until there's nothing left. I support the increase, because the big expenditure item - the printed magazine - is obviously wanted by a proportion of members. Insurances went up 13%. That about accounts for the deficit.

 

Happy to answer any questions from the Annual Financial Report, for those who are confused by Financial Statements, however I don't have any inside information.

 

Sue

 

 

ATSB preliminary report Investigation: AO-2017-061 - Collision with terrain involving Cessna 172, VH-FYN, 12 km WNW of Ballina, NSW, on 16 June 2017

 

Collision with terrain involving Cessna 172, VH-FYN, 12 km WNW of Ballina, NSW, on 16 June 2017

 

Early news reports said it was a helicopter - perhaps this picture lent credence to that assumption?

 

 

 

There's an option to do 2 years membership at the old price - just did that - so the price rise won't affect us until 2019.

 

I guess insurance (included in pilot membership) is rising faster than inflation. The single seat fleet is about 250 (out of 3,500) and been on the register for ages, so at half the 2 seater ($25 increase = $12.50/pa) that equates to about $3,000 they have foregone, but very few of them need "looking at" compared with new 2 seater models & kits coming into Australia.

 

Compare that with car rego - mine went up over 10% in 4 years - $50 in one year.

 

 

Ok, I'll bite :) What's an RNC?

Radio Navigation Chart

 

 

Hi SueDo you know what type of engine is in it? Regardless would be good to fly over and have a look at it.

 

BTW do you have a Vizsla? Love those dogs, would like to own one one day!

The owner of the Auster is a tall man, now over 70yrs, he's starting to have difficulty climbing in to the Auster and plans to trade it for a more accessible plane, and he no longer needs the speed and endurance, now he's not flying great distances. It has a 180hp, but between us we can't remember if it was Continental or Lycoming. I know of another Auster with a Gypsy in the Childers area. You'll get a seat, maybe even a fly.

 

Hungarian Vizsla - the Velcro Dog - loved them, but I married 9 years ago, the dogs all died and the Boss said "no animals" I pointed out we had possums in the roof & packing shed, assorted snakes, an 8' Carpet python, goannas, the neighbour's cattle, spiny ant eaters, pheasants, birds, bandicoots; what's wrong with one more? I'll have to swap him for a Viz.

 

Sue

 

 

Hi Heath, There's an Auster for sale at Childers Qld. I could put you in touch with the owner, but he won't be back there till July.

 

Caboolture is another place where there are a lot of historic aircraft. Could be worth a visit and chat to people who own and operate them.

 

Downside with 'historic' is also 'expensive'.

 

Sue

 

 

Try this link to an earlier discussion.

 

Can dogs fly???

 

 

:welcome:Welcome Low Flyer - Now you'll have to tell us about your snake story ...... And the US/Canada ... in more detail.

 

 

Sue

 

 

Welcome Everett. Bull - a user on this forum would be able to help you with those, having owned, maintained & flown in North Queensland Australia. If he hasn't responded here, I suggest giving him a PM - look him up on the Members list. You could also search for him and those planes on the forum - he did explain a bit.

 

Hope we can help you out.

 

 

Sue

 

 

Well, he's done it.

 

Teen pilot becomes youngest person to fly solo around Australia

 

Tasmanian teenager Oliver O'Halloran now holds a flying record.

 

The 17-year-old has become the youngest person to fly solo and unassisted around Australia.

 

He returned to Hobart today after a 20-day trip flying 15,000 kilometres circumnavigating the country in a single-engine aircraft, in a record attempt dubbed Solo17.

 

 

Hi Sue,I live 90kms west of sprinsure on a cattle station in the lochington area. Do you still get to fly her often?

Unfortunately not, but we are getting our flying fix with the RANS and working on the other planes. There comes a point where you spend more time working on planes that doesn't leave you with much time for enjoying them. Presently working on the fabric covering on the Lightwing.

 

Do you have a strip on the station?

 

 

Hi Kirby, We are from Springsure, although we spend most of our time elsewhere. Are you town or surrounds? My C152 is still based there.

 

Sue

 

 

Is there a chance that I could do an oldest pilot around Australia. What is the record for oldest?

Hey Yenn, some old bloke has beaten you to it.

Elderly pilot flies around Australia at 84 to get 'oldies' to dream big

 

Broken Hill Aero Club stalwart Lawrie Hutton has taken off on the flight of his life. In his old Cessna 172, modified to carry more fuel, Mr Hutton will be flying solo to the four most extreme points on the Australian mainland, a journey of 13,000 kilometres. It will be the longest flight Mr Hutton has embarked upon in his 84 years on earth.

 

 

 

Mr Hutton had to search his memory to recall other octogenarian pilots who have embarked on an adventure such as his. "I think the quick answer to that is probably no, not a lot," he said. "But I do come across a few from time to time. "There was an old retired guy, a 93-year-old, who showed up at Broome on his around-Australia flight in a Brumby light aircraft.

 

 

 

Elderly pilot takes off on round-Australia solo flight

 

 

 

Didn't know about The Flying Show - we have watched two shows and now hooked. Is there an archive?

 

 

Had a look at the Trail on the Groppo site. The last photo has "Trial" on the side of the plane - the rest have Trail - where's Dazza when they need him? Or was that one truly a Trial to fly?

 

 

 

ABC report here - Teenage pilot begins record flight attempt around Australia

 

Highlights:-

 

Tasmanian student Oliver O'Halloran, 17, ... climbed into a Cessna 172 and took off on the first leg of his attempt to set a new record for the youngest pilot to circumnavigate Australia, unassisted.

 

The plan is for a 20-day mission, taking off from Hobart, and stopping in Launceston, Merimbula, Coffs Harbour, the Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Cairns, Normanton, Darwin, Broome, Karratha/Port Hedland, Geraldton, Jandakot, Esperance, Ceduna, Parafield, Devonport, before landing back at Hobart's Cambridge airstrip; a round trip of around 15,000 kilometres.

 

As is the way of doing things these days, Oliver has pulled together the money for the attempt by crowdfunding, with sponsors also helping in return for their decals taking up much of the space on the Cessna's fuselage.

 

Oliver plans to take time away from the cockpit to speak at schools around the country. "I'm just going to speak to them about achieving their dreams," he said. "That's the main idea behind the flight, the record's just a bonus."

 

Cessna 172 on hire from Par Avion flight training.

 

 

 

I'm always a bit skeptical about an organisation carrying out a survey into itself.

I didn't think it was a survey into itself, it was a survey asking the members what they thought. Most businesses survey their members / clients and potential customers. I get a lot of surveys from 20 minute ones to one question from companies - that's how they know if they are offering what people want.

 

Some companies and public service, have internal staff surveys written into their management, some do them for crisis management - eg market share dropping, large staff turn-over. Usually in companies too big for one person to be able to see all the sections and know all the customers. RAA is getting a bit too big for the Board to know what 10,000 people are thinking. RAA doesn't have a forum like this one (thank you Ian), but if they did, they might have a better idea of the current issues facing the membership.

 

 

Agree with you Nev. It seems a case of "the pot calling the kettle black". Criticising RAA for not sending their Tech & Ops Manual updates to all 10,000 members for comment, when ELAAA P/L have not done the same, criticising or forecasting RAA fee increases, when the ELAAA site says theirs will go up by 3% or CPI annually; and many other issues.

 

The more I hear from this one director of ELAAA the less confidence I have in that organisation. I was seriously considering them, now I am not sure I want to take the plunge and change our aircrafts' registrations. I just hope they can improve their communications and provide some real facts soon.

 

I am glad RAA gave me the opportunity to express my opinion and add to their statistics. We'll hear in due course what the outcome was and what they intend to do in response. Those who know me, and follow my posts, will realise I keep up to date with RAA and seek to keep them "honest" with reporting etc. I have certainly seen an increase in responsiveness, transparency and communication since the dark days of the CASA audits and CASA refusing them permission to register aircraft. Things will never be perfect (as we all have different ideas of "perfect"), and the majority of members will continue to ignore the internal machinations, so long as they can "just go flying".

 

 

Just returned from Caboolture TAVAS flying display. Spent Sat there - Mr FV was most impressed that the PA chatter was at a minimum and he could listen to the engines. He likes the vintage engines, rotaries, etc. I liked looking at the very early replicas (we were on the aircraft owners' side of the fence & in the hangars). Chatted to other pilots and friends and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Went home via Gympie - how that has changed since we were last there. Middle of the day and still training and flying going in & around. Now home & happy, having enjoyed a weekend of vicarious flying.

 

Sue

 

 

I did the RAA survey. Unfortunately it wouldn't allow Mr FV to do his on our laptop, because it will only allow one response. Will be finding an alternative so he can have his say, which is different to mine in some respects. At least RAA is consulting members. I found rating 1 to 8 What is Important ... the hardest one.

 

 

Just as a side question, I noted something about a "competing (opposition) organisation" in one post then someone else mentions EAAA, guessing this is one and the same, so what is it? who is it? and more details please

The organisation is ELAAA Pty Ltd. ELAAA = Experimental Light Aircraft Aviators Australia. They have a website www.elaaa.com.au and facebook page ELAAA I have heard people calling it EEE - LAH, like we call RAA = R-AY-OZZ

 

The company is owned by 5 Directors (Rick-P and Keith Page post on Rec Fly). You can read their profiles on the website. They hoped to get approval to administer ultralights in a similar vein to RAA (but as a profit making company, with clients), are seeking to also administer GA and non commercial helicopters, but not some lighter ultralights. They hoped to get approval in October last year, but, I understand, have since asked for a higher weight & helicopters, and proposed start dates have been and gone. They are talking May 2017 now.

 

ELAAA Pty Ltd, are promising to be an alternative to RAA. Unfortunately, they have not been able to outline much of what they will offer eg, will they recognise RAA qualifications & aircraft approvals?, how will they provide their face-to-face training outside North Qld? Can you use a RAA L2 for maintenance, or only someone approved by them? Pilot insurance? I see they have their fee structure published now. Have to wait for next month for answers, if approved.

 

 

Hi Leena, There are scholarships etc for women & men, members and non-members through the Australian Women Pilots' Association (AWPA) Australian Women Pilots` Association Unfortunately they have closed. Applications for 2018 will be open from September 2017, close 31 Jan and be announced at the AGM end of April. Check each scholarship, as some have different closing dates and requirements. There may be something you can apply for in the future.

 

Unfortunately you have also missed the RAA Scholarships which closed 31 March Scholarships - RAAus RAA had an offer of "female prospective members to join RAAus during March and receive the value of their membership fee in flying lessons." during Women of Aviation Week (last month). Worth asking if it still applies in April.

 

Various flying clubs / schools offer deals or free flights from time to time. It's best to ring around to find out what is in your local area. You may find pilots willing to take you for a fly so you can observe what flying entails, so you are better prepared when spending real money getting formal instruction. You can start on the theory now. There are a number of good theory books around - try the Shop attached to this site "Clear Prop". There are also free tutorials on this site - go to Tutorials in the menu. Other threads have suggested good sites / books available free on-line. There's an "exam prep" course being advertised on this site too - worth a go.

 

Good Luck, let us know how you got on.

 

Sue