kaz3g

Marlo looks nice Alf! Kaz

Moama

Were you competing or judging? How did it go? I went to the Moama open day yesterday and the Edge and a couple of other wicked looking things were there doing some aeros. Nice little grass strip 5 NM due north of Echuca 16-34. Kaz

Looks very interesting Phil. Thank you. How did the Brits v Poles wash up? Kaz

I hope you also have someone to share with tonight, Aldo. Well done today. Kaz

Glider pilot killed in crash during national championships Kaz

Hi there...pardon the Aussie humour. It's a good group to subscribe to and some really experienced contributors to bounce things off. What are you flying and what are your interests? Kaz

Welcome to the Group x 3 Kaz

The photo in the first link was taken with a telephoto lens and is very deceptive but this one seems to be clear... No Cookies | Herald Sun Kaz

If that's the case I apologise sincerely...the site had no date and I thought it was the current incident. Both have ended up in a fence. Sorry everyone. Kaz

If the speculation were informed then I would agree. But uninformed speculation on lists like this or worse, in the media, can and often does cause additional grief to those intimately connected to the deceased. I support the release of an early interim report of the known facts and then some informed contributions may actually be of assistance rather than chasing rabbits down burrows. We SHOULD be able to discuss all the things that can go wrong without referring to a current investigation such as continuing to attempt to gain lift below a safe height, failure to continually identify suitable out landing areas within the glide slope, stretching the glide, turning back at low height, dehydration, failing to keep a good lookout, and flying when not medically fit to do so. Running into a wire fence has killed a few, including a friend's father, and I would therefore add the thought that landing wheel down in a paddock patently too short to pull up in even with a ground loop may not be the best choice. The desire to save the aircraft has to always be second to saving the crew but most of us have lost friends trying to do just that. Kaz

The media's job is to take photos and write a story. The Responders are acting to protect family members and others close to the deceased from distressing details but also to prevent wild speculation in the media around the cause. Kaz

Bits of the fence around the glider...not good Gallery - Category: Benalla Glider Crash Kaz

Ron, I had my tongue firmly in my cheek...and I wasn't offended at all. But I would also point out building a case each way is exactly the lawyers' jobs. They have to put their best arguments for or against and it is up to the court to decide the matter. And you might be surprised how many people want their day in Court despite their lawyer advising them to settle. Kaz

Indemnities are a bag of worms so I hope your club had professional assistance from one of those terrible lawyer types in drafting the form. And I hope the indemnity extends the protection to committee, aircraft owners, pilots and other club members as well as the incorporated association. This is because a party’s liability may also be reduced to the extent that a concurrent wrongdoer is also liable for the loss or damage... proportionate liability legislation applies. Kaz

Give it a rest...it was tomato sauce which is probably 20% salt, anyway and you are worried about adding more salt to it? What are you? A Greenie or some other environmental radical? And what's wrong with more lawyers, anyway? Kaz

Looked like a high speed stall to me...descending fast but flat attitude. Kaz

I remember complaining to my instructor at Benalla many years ago about the strength of the windshear on short final for 17 over the old Highway. It was a real washing machine job. I was flying a Warrior and his response was "Why didn't you go around?" I was still gliding then and pushing on with the landing was my reflex action. I've often reflected on it since. Kaz

More than a "few" if I remember correctly. And in the ASW20, the Ventus and many others over some 3000 hours which is a lot of time in a glider. Kaz

That's a lovely offer Phil, but I already have this autobiography in my little library of WW II aviation history. JJ clearly flew well and had the fighter pilot's thirst for a kill. Fighter Command gave him every opportunity to add to his score towards the end. Beurling was side-lined on a couple of occasions including by Johnson and managed to achieve most of his score in a few short weeks on Malta. Johnson had a whole wing around him whereas Beurling was usually fighting in pairs. Cheers Kaz

Hi Mike I remember you were well known in gliding circles even back in the late 70's when I started gliding at Benalla and then what used to be the Euroa Soaring Centre. I had very little power experience at that time but I enjoyed the gliding immensely and believe it did a lot for my skills and confidence. I mainly did winch launches so I got a lot of practice with take off and landing We also had an Rf 5 Fournier but, while a lot of fun in the air, this was actually pretty demanding in the landing phase because of the tendency to bounce on that big main wheel. I ended up as an Asst Instructor and got a lot of pleasure out of introducing others to the sport. I drifted away when I moved closer to Melbourne and found it easier to access powered. Interested to know the safety grounds for your decision to not now support initial flight training in gliders. Kaz

Thanks Snarf...I found that really helpful and I've already passed it on to a mate with an RV6. Kaz

Well, my vote would be for "Screwball" Beurling, but he was Canadian. Sailor Malan was South African. Closterman was French. Finnane was Irish. They all were better leaders than their stuffier British counterparts. Bader flew Hurricanes more than Spitfires and was a prick. I think Johnny Johnson has to be the best English Spitfire pilot if for no other reason than he had was the highest score (just in front of Beurling). Kaz

I still don't know what I'm doing, but I guess that's why fin and tail plane are cross-braced? Kaz

I'm glad I studied biology and law! Kaz