sfGnome

Makes some sense to me. I reckon that some times the best thing to do when you just can't 'get' something is to go away and sleep on it for a while - let your subconscious work on it in the background. Mind you, 2 years may be a bit longer than I'd normally suggest...

Good on you, TW. Now you get to discover that when the licence begins, the training begins! Never stop learning (Now, where have I heard that before... )

I reckon it looks too nice to risk actually flying...

Just be careful that it isn't too easily bumped when your passenger shifts position in their seat. Things got a bit exciting for me once when we suddenly went full throttle while idling on the taxiway...

I store mine in my flight bag on top of everything else so that when I'm getting out all the necessaries pre-flight, the PLB comes out first and goes around my neck - or around my beloved's neck if she's coming with me.

Pud, I had a fairly close old stare at the earlier sections of the video, and I can't see any indication of tail wheel wobble until after the landing. Granted, they weren't close-up shots, but the wheel wobble was pretty obvious in the final section, so it should have been apparent earlier too. Perhaps you might get some additional clues from the bits of the video that hit the cutting room floor?

Of course, if it was NASA then they'd fit explosive bolts... :big_grin: Seriously, you can never cater for every circumstance, but if you can at least cater for some of the more common ones (and sadly, flipping doesn't appear to be totally uncommon), then all the better. So, apart from wielding an axe, is there a better way to make perspex break when you want it to and not when you don't (like, when you're flying).

Oh-oh, Darky's going to the dark side...

Yep, I guess a small axe is easier to install than a hatch. All I'd have to do then is work out how to stop the beloved from wielding it in my direction when I hit the bumpy stuff... :hittinghead:

On the (many) occasions when I'm daydreaming, thoughts often turn to planes I'd like to build. I like some of the low wing types, but I'm concerned about the lack of exit options should it flip (such as in Rocketdriver's sad KR2 accident). Question is, would it be possible to build in a removable floor panel? First and foremost, would it affect the fuselage's structural integrity? In a monocoque body, the skin takes a lot of the stress, so it may not be acceptable on some types (eg Morgan?). Secondly, how would you latch it in such a way that it could be opened when needed by either pilot or passenger, but couldn't be accidentally kicked open by a restless passenger (I've had the between-the-legs throttle on an older Jab knocked that way). I guess if it were hinged at the front and latched at the rear then an accidental opening would give you a helluva fright, but nothing worse. So, is it; a) one of those simple ideas that leave you wondering why it hasn't been thought of before (not very likely ), b) one of those dumb ideas that's long been discarded as totally impractical (and if so, why), or c) already in use in a/c where it's a valid option?

One half of me says "Love it!", and the other half says "Ack! These blokes are crazy." Definitely not too much between the front bloke and anything coming the other way (like branches, if the engine stops). But... wouldn't it be fun

Isn't that a coincidence, Don? I got sprung with a diversion to Singleton on my nav exam too. Amazing! My fear was that he was going to put me through the restricted area near Dex's place and see if I noticed, but he wasn't that devious. Now it's just a pity you can't fly down to Canberra for the AGM. Enough thread thievery! Powerin, how many times did you worry on the way back home that you weren't going to find the strip? I still do that, even when I know I'm on the right heading and I'm seeing all the right landmarks. Never bothers me when I'm heading out though? Dunno why.

Oh ain't that the truth! Wish it hadn't taken so long to work it out.

Oh, for heaven sake. Imagine if all that effort had been put towards something useful (like, maybe a 1:1 scale model...)

Interesting. I was taught the same, and it's never even occurred to me to do it differently. Having read this discussion, I'll have to have a bit of a play next time I'm up...

Same here. I flew down the coast from the Seacliff Bridge to Wollongong this week, and I did a hell of a lot more preparation because of this discussion, so thanks to all of you. One conundrum though. Do I give my beloved a full ditching rundown as we approach the water and have her never go near an aircraft again, or do I go softly softly and have her less prepared than possible? I'm a wimp, so I went the softly softly approach...

Just got mine. Now, do I plan for tomorrow morning's flight and go to bed early, or do I sit up and read it... Decisions, decisions...

Won't take long for that 1.6 hours to become 16 hours and then 160 hours...

I have mine on the wall at work, so I only look at it about 145 times a day. Yes please!

I've often thought along the same lines as Tomo (even though I know that nothing would/could ever come of it). I have access to hiring one of two planes, or one more if I want to drive 3 hours to access it. Every time I'm at the airstrip I see all these planes just sitting there...

Actually, I want to know where there is a retirement village with a workshop big enough to build an aircraft in? I want to live there when I grow up.

That was sooooo cool!

I've always been pretty attuned to the events of commercial flights and I have a bad habit of laughing out loud when the landing's not a good one (I wonder if that's why my beloved hates landing?), so the only time I remember being scared was on a $50 flight from Paris to Rome when, at least by my reading to the wind socks, we took off with a strong tail wind. I've never willed the wheels off the ground quite as much as that day...

Doesn't all this belong in the 'Most famous RAAus Person' thread??

With all due deference, you lot are missing the mark by miles. Forget ginger. Forget desensitising. Just tell him that your last boyfriend chucked five times per flight and was tough enough to come back for more...