FlyingVizsla

I am not advocating that Spot or anything be mandatory; I am encouraging people to arm themselves with something "just in case" to make the search easier. We are required to leave a flight note with a responsible person (or lodge one or do the SAR thing). That may not happen with a great deal of accuracy due to the recreational nature of our flying - diverting to have a look at an interesting feature, sitting out the weather, hung by the tongue in a mate's hangar etc. Husband and I fly together, if anything happens the next of kin and person with the best knowledge has gone too. This accident has got me thinking about our situation. The PLB is peace of mind, but only if we are able to activate it. Perhaps someone could research an article for Sport Pilot on the options out there, how they work and what they cost. RAA might be able to do a "members only" deal with a supplier or two. ATSB / AMSA may have some info too.

This is the official weather from the BOM about half an hour before take off. This is Saturday morning 9am 18 April 2015. I don't know if the weather in Hervey Bay on Monday 20th was a factor - certainly the deteriorating weather did make the search harder. The crash site was 39km from take off, approx 10-15mins flying time. There doesn't seem to be evidence of squalls, the highest gusts were in the afternoons; only one station does cloud observations - it was overcast at the time. Gympie airport (take off point) and two others around the crash site:- Gympie airport at 9am 22.2 degrees 82% Relative Humidity Winds W 2km/h Mean Sea Level Pressure 1022.4 h/Pa Gayndah airport 9am 24.5 degrees 68% RH, Winds E 11km/hr MSLP 1021.6 Maryborough airport 9am 23.1 degrees 82% RH, Winds SE 11km/hr MSLP 1021.6 Cloud 7/8th The direct track Gympie airport to Dululu Gliding Field is approx 320 degrees NW. The wreckage was found 6km NW of Woolooga which puts it close to track (if reports are correct). If there was a diversion to Eidsvold, Woolooga might have been the turning point. Regardless, we have lost a remarkable man, and with him a wealth of knowledge, encouragement and support.

At the time, I was on the farm 44km NE from the crash site. We were doing weather dependent work (herbicides etc) so keeping a close eye on the BOM radar. There were light showers (white & light blue) on the radar and we received only a 'trace' in the gauge for that day. I remember hearing a plane or two in the distance, but I couldn't tell you what time, and I doubt now that I heard the J258. Winds were close to calm that morning (0-2.5knots NE), Relative Humidity was 65-85%, visibility was good. These are local observations from our paddock. Unfortunately I did not get an aviation forecast for that day. This was a very experienced pilot, aircraft builder and designer, who has erred on the side of caution before. He allowed plenty of time to get to his destination, he sent a text with his ETA shortly after take off (according to media reports), he was familiar with the route. There are many explanations that don't include pilot error. Let's wait for the evidence to be gathered first. One issue we should be looking at concerns the ELT or PLB or what-ever. My old ELT was armed to activate in an impact. His beacon did not activate, so I wonder if we should be looking at recommending those that do, or a system of activation for those that need manual activation? Should we invest in something like "Spot" to trace our movements when flying? Sue

I am a Scout leader. The Scout magazine was replaced with an on-line version some years ago (73 months). The local Group prints it out for those without internet, or unwilling to read on-line which is very few now. I get an email to say it is now available, and have to go to their site. From this month they will be splitting it into a streamlined version and a more comprehensive version. It will also be attached to the email, thus eliminating one further step to access. Maybe this is the way to go with Sport Pilot. I know I read attachments straight away and detach & save if it looks worthwhile, or I want to read it later. Having to go to another site (like Scouts) had meant I missed the odd issue. We also use Drop Box to share resources between Troops and post our programs and forms to the District Commissioner. The other format is like Flight Safety, where you have a list of articles and you click to bring up the article on its own (not very good for advertisers who want their content viewed along side), but I probably miss some good stuff because I don't check often and cherry pick what I want to read from the title. Sue

It took over half an hour, maybe even an hour, to fully load up for me on my verrrryyyy slooooow ADSL2 landline (Your line speed is 11 kbps 0.01 Mbps; your download speed is 1 KB/s 0 MB/s). However, once the first few pages had loaded (after a few rounds of Solitaire) I started reading and that kept pace with the buffering. I haven't worked out the best format to read; one page on screen has the text too small to read, part pages make navigating down harder - the > takes you to the top of the next rather than further down. Not the very best format - the magazine is better - but with practice it will be doable. My husband and I are both members, so we got 2 magazines. I am happy to go digital to save the $$$s and the trees. Only one criticism - pictures that span two pages - we don't get to see the whole picture, so it loses some of the graphical impact of the printed version. Similar with graphical elements such as Middo's Life Membership with the images spanning the two page spread. On line means you can zoom in on pictures and text. I think I would prefer a pdf as I am more familiar with that in Adobe. Provided I get an email prompt that it is available, I think I will read it. My husband prefers the print magazine. If he will pay the increased subscription is another undecided issue. Sue

The wreckage was found on Monday afternoon, the body is still missing, but it is assumed he could not have survived the crash. My sincere apologies to the family & friends who are waiting and hoping against hope that he somehow survived. In due course we will have closure, one way or the other.

Condolences to friends and family. For their sake, I hope they get an answer to "What happened?" Sue

If you go to Kitplanes, Completions, his Jab 258 is there from 2010 or 2011. Can't post a link as my mobile broadband is Sooo Slooow, insufficient to run a speed test at 70kb. It is a credit to Ian that Rec Fly is one of the few sites that works at that speed. Sue

Sorry Rick, I have posted the article below as it names both the pilot and plane, which will remove some of the speculation. Unfortunately they also mention Jab engine problems. I was out on the farm, but didn't really pay much attention to the aircraft in the distance. The pilot has been named here: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/still-no-sign-of-light-plane-that-left-gympie-on-saturday-morning/story-fnn8dlfs-1227310272005 Hoping for a speedy resolution. Sue

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The Donier PPQ is presently circling Biggenden Qld. You can see it on http://www.flightradar24.com/PPQ/60a1653 It co-ordinates the search aircraft below. Hoping it is not a Jab engine failure. The Courier Mail photo could be what a journalist considers to be a "light aircraft", however the media release does not specify the make or if RAA or GA. I can't find the flight tracking that used to be on the Rec Fly site. Lost in the menus?

The Courier Mail has a picture of a 24-Jabiru http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/still-no-sign-of-light-plane-that-left-gympie-on-saturday-morning/story-fnn8dlfs-1227310272005 Dixalea is the Dululu Gliding Club Lat Lon: 23.950812S 150.2701061E I know Keith Page's Lightwing is based there and Myles Breitkreutz had/has a flying school there. Hoping all ends well.

I got mine and read it all in one sitting. I had vowed to just read a little bit and keep the rest to read a few chapters every day. But once started, I couldn't stop! Recommended reading for all who remember the early days of ultralight flying. I read out bits to Mr Vizsla who usually won't read a book unless it is a manual, and even he found it riveting. The spelling is correct, it is just the word that is wrong - eg yolk for yoke, but that all makes for the "grassroots" flavour of the book. It is a great discussion starter for accidents and airmanship. We've had discussions about how that one could be avoided, or if that design element would achieve anything, and why anyone would do that. Put one in your local flying school. Recommended reading for young and old. Sue

We bought a Go-Pro type camera from Ian's shop (now Save More On Line) and haven't used it much, but the little use we did give it came out better than our other camera. The favourite part is being able to check its vision and that it is recording, on the smart phone. Our old one had to be adjusted with a lot of guess work, only to find it was a little off centre or had vibrated out of the clamp (out of focus of the back of his head...) Have not downloaded and edited any, so can't address that part of the performance. Good value as far as I am concerned. We also bought the Gro Pro case and a 360 degree clamp. Sue

Me too!

The mines are very touchy about allowing "private" people to use their strips. Rolleston Coal does not have an airstrip - they use the Rolleston Town strip (no hangars or facilities), but there is a private strip and hangar parallel to it. Minerva likewise, does not have an airstrip, they would use Emerald for RPT and Springsure if they charter. Blackwater has an airstrip which used to be "public" but it is on the mine lease and is now only open to RFDS and the mine's charters. Bandana's Springsure Creek (now in Administration) was to use RPT from Emerald and bus their staff from airport to camp to worksite. Nothing at Ensham. Gregory had a strip but only for mine work, Kestrel acquired a strip but I don't think they developed it. Any airstrip on a mine is a security problem if open to the public, so they usually dissuade employees from using it. Most towns near mines have small Council owned strips.

Yeah Emerald! There are more "security" people wandering around there than in Brisbane. They stand around the car park, the footpath outside the terminal, wander around the place - so many florescent yellow vests. So much fuss about the gate code. It was required to both enter and leave airside, and if you were running late (it changed after hours), they could not give it to you - you had to apply in writing giving 24 hrs notice on a business day. Pilots soon worked out how to get out through the hangars. Vehicles couldn't go airside without a lot of fuss, so to get Avgas in 44 Gal drums the trucks would pull up on the other side of the cyclone wire fence and the hose would be passed through the fence. Incidentally, the refueller at Emerald was one of only 2(?) certified in Aust to refill 44 Gal drums. The hose going through the fence was then deemed to be a security breach and the practice was stopped. The airport terminal was extended but not the car park which was running out of space, hence the rental cars being moved from their paid spots to a gravel area far from the terminal where thieves regularly stripped wheels, but still not enough room for all the patrons. Harvey Norman became the defacto airport long term car park. The industrial area was a sea of cars. When the car park was converted to boom gates, the price per car was to be $25/day with rental companies paying $5,000 per park. Fortunately the Councillors thought that a bit steep and one successfully lobbied for waiving the parking fee for people flying out for medical treatment on the Patient Transit Scheme as they often came from rural areas, needed to drive, and didn't know when they would be back. The taxi fare is over $25 (that's what I paid for my part of a shared trip to town). I regularly picked up and delivered employees to flights to save the company taxi, parking and other fees. There are also Council staff wandering around too - keeping an eye on things that were not "security". We really appreciate the quiet serenity of Springsure - only wish they would give us permission to build a hangar with out also requesting us to build half an airport. Husband's first application elicited a request for $67,000 in addition to other works, for a lease to build an ultralight hangar which would revert to their ownership in 20 years and cost approx $800 per annum in rates. Another applicant was requested to connect water, sewer, power and build a 500m sealed taxiway, drainage works and there were 10 pages in the agreement going through liquor licensing. He just wanted a roof over his plane. Rant over. I feel better already.

Emerald Council has some for rent - fees are on page 3 http://www.centralhighlands.qld.gov.au/web/guest/fee-s-and-charges I don't know if any are vacant. To avoid the landing fees and security (you need an ASIC) people I know have made arrangements with the local Ag companies to leave planes on their strips. There are a few around - like Calibreair, not far out of town. With the down turn in the mining industry you may find some hangar vacancies; certainly there are about 1,000 houses for sale and about 600 for rent with offers of months free if rented for a period. The parking at the airport has been an on-going saga - at $10/day there are plenty cars parked in the streets around the airport (it is a few km out of town) and Council has been putting up signs to ban overnight parking trying to force people back to paid parking. Work isn't as well paid or stable as it used to be. Good luck Doug.

Hi Ian, Did as suggested in Paint and I get 790pixels (down from 900). I did a refresh - the menu is still on the LHS as before. I lose it at 133% zoom and get it back again at 120% zoom. The 790 pixels I am not sure about as the image appeared stretched, as though it had lost aspect (ie got higher but not wider). I am happy with what I have, no need to upset the phone users.

Hi Ian, Further to the above. I just reduced my screen font size (ctl - / +) - a menu slid out from the LH side and remained there through the range of smaller sizes, but disappears when I enlarge past a certain point. Screen shot from Test menu, as above but with a few Ctl - clicks. Looks like I have solved my problem.

Hi Ian, I can't get the menu down the RH side, in either test menu or default (screen shot is test). The menu (3 bar) does a full screen - I preferred the pull out menu that took up a small area. Using Win 7 professional 64 bit, Firefox, laptop, 17" screen, resolution 1600 x 900, on painfully slow internet connection (sometimes does not draw the screens properly eg text only listed down LHS). You remarked before that I had some strange real estate, so it might only be me. Sue

Not a movie but a book - Temple by Matthew Reilly (read it a long time ago so the memory is foggy). 3 of them in a Maule catching up to & chasing a large cargo plane with a bomb in a tank? (set to destroy earth) to 30,000 ft. Our hero climbs onto the nose while the injured Israeli soldier inches it close to the back door so he can reach out and press the big button that opens the huge cargo ramp, pull back, and let the hero leap into the cavernous interior to fight the bad guy while trying to guess the passcode to disarm the bomb. No people got filleted or sconned by props or descending ramps and he lived to go into a sequel when his borrowed vest turned out to be a ground proximity sensing rocket assisted soft landing type device despite the fall from 30,000ft, part of that inside an armoured tank (missing the Maule "by that much" - with apologies to Maxwell Smart). Sheesh! Sue Campaigner for Truth in fiction.

Here's more from Tomo's little bro http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-13/the-sky-is-no-limit-for-this-young-queensland-astronomer/6091754