kaz3g

The Auster is relatively light, and has a large wingspan (36') and a good glide ratio for a GA aircraft. It therefore tends to be somewhat reluctant to come down and put its feet on the ground when you want it to.

To help the driver, it has flaps bigger than barn doors that hang straight down. It also sideslips beautifully but runs out of rudder well before aileron.

If attempting to lose XS height on final, I usually lower the into wind wing which gives me the greatest control especially if it is gusty.

If just(?) dealing with a x-wind, I use a combination of the crab and into wind wing to get me there. I also land on the extreme upwind side of the strip if necessary because the x-wind component is just 9 knots and groundloops are just a moment's distraction away.

Three points to ponder:

1. Beware fuel starvation should a strainer in a wing tank become dry (especially if the tank you are using is the downhill one - PA28's come to mind);
    
    
   
2. Watch your airspeed and height because instrument fluctuations can occur due a static vent on the fuselage being blanked; and
    
    
   
3. Beware loss of elevator authority in those aircraft where the flaps interfere with airflow over the tail (C172's for example).
    
    
   

On my Auster the fuel is stored in the fuse - a firewall tank and a belly tank - but some have wing tanks. And the elevators are very effective despite the humungous flaps.

kaz

Hey Kaz if you have one it is call a wig; when you buy the second one its called a wag, then you have a wig wag!Sorry couldn't help myself.

 

David

kaz

How do you wigwag a single landing light?

kaz

It has been an offence since 1 January 2002 in Australia to add lead, or any other prohibited substance, to motor fuel or to use leaded fuel, (other than for aviation) – maximum penalty $110,000!!!

There are still some exemptions for certain race vehicles but they are strictly controlled

http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/fuelquality/emerging/motor-sports.html

kaz

Broken Hill is a terrific place to visit and the locals are very friendly indeed. You will need an ERSA so you know locations, frequencies, elevations, rwy directions and a myriad other things about each of the places on the way. The AOPA airfield directory is a great companion reference as it provides the info for many smaller fields as well. Don't forget your WAC's and EnRoute Low for planning.

There is an RPT service there so check with Jim about the ASIC thingy... I seem to recall the light aircraft area is not gazetted but do check.

kaz

No idea but it would need more than a different switch to avoid blowing fuses and globes, I think. Are you sure it is the landing lights that are flashing and not strobes?

kaz

Can any Mexican out there suggest the best airport for RAA a/c to fly into with reasonable public transport access to the Melbourne CBD? Or access to rental cars?Thanks

There is quite a bit of activity at YCEM because the MAF also operates there so you could probably cadge a lift if you were nice :-)

When were you thinking and how long for?

kaz

Did you also give up your home phone? I have friends who just did that; gave up their home phone and instead bought a pre-paid Three USB stick with 12GB for $150, valid for a year. It saves them $70/month and is all they need. )

I use my laptop at home and when away but have a desktop and ADSL for work. The laptop runs on my Auster's 12v system and gives me AirNav moving map as well as internet connectivity in the air. Very handy!!!

kaz

Photo 23 looks like a good specimen of glossidia major (the common waxlip orchid)

Just got through the rest... fantastic and thank you for sharing.

kaz

And at AIP SUP H51 page 6.

See also http://www.casa.gov.au/newrules/airspace/download/nfrm0401as.pdf

kaz

Hi everyone,I just bought my first plane and flew it home from QLD last weekend. On arrival at Narromine I had a deflating tyre, probably from the runway or taxiway at Gilgandra. We fixed it (thanks Norm) so that I could continue my flight to Goulburn, but today I swung by the hangar and saw that my other tyre was low. The tyres themselves needed replacing anyway, but are only 2-ply so were vulnerable to start with.

 

Q1. The size is 4.00-6. What exactly does this designate?

 

Q2. Where can I get them? So far I've only found 5.00 and 6.00 on the net and I'd prefer proper aircraft tyres, at least 6 ply. I don't want to go any bigger as she only flies at 48 knots to start with and I don't want to slow her down any further!

 

Cheers!

http://www.dunlopaircrafttyres.com/products/size-search.aspx

kaz

I don't know about the veracity of the claims although I agree if a member here witnessed it then that should be enough.

I do recall, however, since people are now speaking about flying in ground effect, that I had to use a lot of forward stick to hold a Blanik just off the ground at speed and had a nose-down angle of about 10 degrees while doing this. Perhaps the forward swept wings added to the unusual attitude in this situation but the memory has stuck with me.

kaz

Davidh 10 said I use 1.5Mbps ADSL at home, having moved from 10Mbps HFC in the city, and this is posted from a laptop tethered to the 3G network through my phone (gee, its heaps better than dial-up, even if SSH does drop out fairly often, due to marginal signal.)

I live about 50 k's out of central Melbourne and 4 km from my local exchange. I had been connected to ADSL until recently and was then attracted to an offer of greater up/download capacity and wireless connectivity for my laptop. Initially, I was very disappointed as my connection dropped out all the time using the Samsung Elite USB connector supplied. I complained vociferously and was sent a new Next g Ultimate which has been great. No more drop-outs!

I also used one of their pay-up-front wireless connections in 2009 when doing a trip Outback. This gave me access to AirServices and emails but was too expensive for regular use. Now it's cheap and very convenient.

kaz

The cells in this network are a lot smaller, so the transmitters are, in fact, less powerful. But there will be a helluvalot more of them than current 3G.

Well, Abbott is an idiot, on this subject anyway. He is entitled to his opinion we shouldn't spend the money on the NBN. However, anyone who thinks that having just about every household in a suburb on wireless is going to a) work and b) is viable alternative to fibre, is an idiot. Or at least ignorant of the laws of physics and economics.

Yes, hard to beat the velocity of light with an overloaded wireless spectrum...

kaz

It is a great photo however it was obtained...

It's probably just my geriatric neurons bouncing at the thought but don't I recall some Yank doing a slow roll in a 707?

kaz

Note :Don't use non-aviation English phrasing such as '(call-sign) TURNS base' instead of '(call-sign) TURNING base'. Such phrasing is confusing

There are still a lot of LOTE GA students in Australia studying for their commercial tickets and comprehension is a 2-way thing. They will understand our calls and we their's if everyone sticks to the standard phraseology. Makes it safer for Kaz who would like to keep flying for many years yet.

kaz

kaz

Yes I was with OAMPS for a couple of years, but then I sent out to a few, for quotes, and RGIB worked the hardest for the money, so they got it this year.I was fairly impressed with the way they did business.

 

We are lucky to even get coverage compared to a few years back, and current premiums are quite reasonable. Around $2400 for 60 grand coverage per Annum, reducing each year for no claim.......................................................................................Maj...

kaz

Not all were grounded this one was flying just the other week, early thursday morning i think it was, although not for long :)

kaz

FAI Awards received by Alan PATCHING (Australia) | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI[/url]Blaniks have been around a long while now. Aluminium will fatigue - just a question of when.

I just went and pulled my old log book out and reminisced about the good times with Mike Valentine, John Viney, Peter Johnson and Gerry Rim.

I did a lot of aeros, some of them a tad "experimental" to say the least with Gerry in GUG, GBJ and and GOY. I also did a Holden Statesman advert with Peter which involved us flying two Blaniks side-by-side on aerotow behind GM's (then) finest. This got a bit boring after numerous re-takes so Peter and I both pulled up a bit harder and lifted the back wheels of the Statesman off the ground which proved too exciting for the very unimpressed driver.

<sigh> I remember when....

kaz

A quantity of air plus fuel in the tanks is more dangerous than full tanks if there is a fire... for a fire to occur you must have fuel, heat and oxygen.

Air in the tanks can lead to an explosion in the confined space whereas fuel in the open atmosphere will only burn (furiously).

kaz

St George 237 nm

Thargo 254

Innamincka 252

William Creek 284

Birdsville 242

Thargo 270

Go home from there.... and stay safe

kaz

Oh.. hope the poor fellow is ok.

Unfortunately, glider canopies are usually lower to the ground than the top wire of a farm fence and some horrible accidents have occurred when pilots have landed short or too long.

Ground loop, anything, but if you are in a low-slung aircraft don't go into that wire head on or you might just lose it.

kaz

Because he lost his nosewheel after takeoff, it would be the best choice to land gear up....Maj..

kaz

SBS has another aviation documentary on next Sunday night on the Battle of Britain,,, should be good

kaz

This movie is about the group of women in the UK who got to fly as ferry pilots during WW II - two of them were Australian.

According to Nancy Bird Walton AO OBE (Women with Wings, 2002), only two women ever got to do the same thing here in Australia despite the critical shortage of pilots for the war effort. Our misogynist defence hierarchy refused to allow women to fly even as non-combatants. Nancy records that the Minister for Defence of the time declared -

Aviation takes women out of their natural environment; the home and the training of the family: Harold Thorby, 20 June 1938.

The WAAF was formed in 1941 and 27,000 women enlisted in it during the course of the war, mainly in trade positions where they took the place of men. Many were also qualified as pilots but the edict stood.

The two exceptions were Nancy Lyle and Gwen Stark. Nancy used her own plane to tow targets for army anti-aircraft practice and to fly camouflage experts over Melbourne. Gwen was a staff officer stationed with the US Army Air Force at Townsville and the Yanks allowed her to fly their light training aircraft.

Back in UK, however, a significant number of women were enlisted in the Air Transport Auxiliary to ferry military aircraft to RAF bases. Two Australian women pilots, Mardi Gething and Victoria Cholmodeley were in UK at the outreak of war and also joined the Auxiliary.

Kaz