dlps73

I wanted to take the Quicksilver to YWOL last week but was informed by Dave that I would have to stay with it at all times as he hadn't fitted it with a locking mechanism - I also didn't have an ASIC card but that's a different thread :)

 

Question - Do the majority of owners have locks fitted and if so where and how?

 

Cheers..........Doug

 

 

Gerry - agreed but Dave thinks it's a fashion statement.

 

Darren - Shouldn't type past my bedtime....

 

 

Some shots from last week

 

Approaching YWOL

 

 

Mittagong to YWOL

 

 

Wollongong Harbour

 

 

Bushfire National Park

 

 

Wedderburn YWED

 

 

Cheers......Doug

 

 

Done deal - I've got some photos from last week trip so I'll dump them on tomorrow...

 

 

Ross - One of the good things about our hobby is that we have the capability to actually meet at some point in time.

 

Trust me, as soon as I've built my aircraft I'll be doing a lot of cross country flying and putting faces to names....:)

 

I put the smiley in there 'cos if you read it the wrong way it sounds like a threat!

 

Cheers........Doug

 

 

Dave's away on holidays too - so he timed it right!

 

 

Got mine to-day as well. They obviously look after the Oaks Flyers first - well except for Wayne - but he flies a Jabiru so he's used to disappointment.....

 

Just kidding Wayne

 

Cheers.......Doug

 

 

It's all in jest Ian - my instructor keeps telling me what a great aircraft they are but has yet to prove it! :)

 

Cheers.......Doug

 

 

And we're back...!

 

Darren - What ever happened to the Oaks Flying News? Given the number of forum members that fly from the Oaks we should be able to contribute something every (flyable) week.

 

B1rd's taking lessons so there's a few laughs there - even if we just post photos of model planes!

 

BTW B1rd - Don't hurt the Lightwing B1rd I want to get my tail wheel endorsement in her.

 

David -

 

And like you I can't understand why the rest of the world isn't consumed by the thrill of flight.

. I think today we're looking at a society that wants instantaneous satisfaction which isn't possible with what we do. A great part of the buzz I get when flying is knowing how hard I've worked to get here - finally reaping the dividends.Greg - It takes four hundred plastic bags to create a Jabiru but we shouldn't be facetious. Apparently there is quite a lengthy checklist to complete before you are allowed to purchase a Jabiru.

 

From what I can gather and please be aware that these are only a few of the enabling criteria that I know of.

 

a) Four out of the five voices in your head must agree with your choice.

 

b) Anyone found having a personality will be automatically disqualified.

 

c) The ability to be distracted by shiny objects.

 

d) Exceedingly low level of expectation.

 

e) Cannot let reality affect any decisions.

 

f) You must produce a certificate that proves you have purchased shares in either the Opera House and/or the Harbour Bridge

 

 

Cheers………Doug

 

 

Hi Ross - that's the problem with emails - you can't see the facial expressions. I will shamefully admit I was being facetious (which by the way is one of the few words in the English language that has all the vowels in order of appearance!) and was fully aware of capabilties of various photo editing programmes. I use Adobe Photoshop myself.

 

Again, sorry you misunderstood - I thought the winking smiley would be the give away.

 

Cheers........Doug

 

 

Aussie - I know Keith from the Oaks and he even tried to secure the garage that he used but some blokes using it to keep his car in - how precious is that!

 

My garage is two floors underground with no power points so it's not an option sadly.

 

And you don't have to tell us about the vintage plane, that might be breaking a confidence, just take a photo and post it!:big_grin:

 

Cheers.......Doug

 

 

You're quite right Mike - a silly comment. No excuse except limited tolerence due to driving in Sydney traffic everday and being deluged with moronic drivers.

 

I remember being on short finals once at Bankstown and realising I was lined up for the taxiway parallel to 29R! It was early morning with no traffic so that's my Muppet Moment. :confused:

 

Cheers......Doug

 

 

Damn! - I thought I had a choice....

 

 

Fantastic photos Paul - how'd you manage to write in the snow like that?

 

Must use that type of signage for my next cross country - save carry maps......;)

 

Seriously though magnificent gesture and obviously really appreciated by your friend - it's lovely when we can share this passion. Well done.

 

Cheers.......Doug

 

 

The new owner had flown in with his young son on board

That's frightening Ross. There's no excuse for risking the life of a kiddie. It's a sobering thought though. He was probably under the impression that there was no problem at all - where do these muppets get there license from?

 

 

Aussie,

 

Pretty sure that's Greg's beast - top bloke too.

 

Don't know where I'm going to build it. I live in a unit and the garages have dismal lighting. I did advertise in the local paper to rent a garage but had no joy.

 

Worst case scenario I'll rent something from Kennards but they're bloody expensive ($550 a month).

 

Whatever happens I'll post the address and you're more than welcome to drop in. I'll probably take some Long Service Leave, at least a month to get started.

 

If people are interested I might even do a weekly report on the forum.

 

Cheers........Doug

 

 

Geoff - Thank you.

 

Ross - Not incurable - I've been told there's a 12 step programme!

 

Doug - Sadly there is no smiley icon for total disdain so I'll just point out the obvious. I have a XC endoresment which would infer that I can fly to Adelaide. You still have to go round and round in circles.

 

Be afraid - be very afraid.......

 

Mike - very tempting thought with all the fame and adulation not to mention the groupies that would result by submitting it to such a highly regarded magazine.

 

The only problem is that whilst Dave is a technophobe and there is zero chance of him reading this he does receive the magazine on a monthly basis and out of our two instructors I have the horrible suspicion that he is the one that can read.....:)

 

BigPete - High praise indeed! I'm a naturlised Aussie - came out from pommieland 45 years ago...!

 

Cheers........Doug

 

 

Hi Sabre - I'm not sure about cheapest but the Skyranger ads reckon they're the fastest - 2 weeks with 2 men....

 

Cheers......Doug

 

 

Aussie Steve - the links aren't working for me but I believe the one you are referring to belongs to Greg Robertson. He's also a member of this board.

 

I saw Tony at Narromine as well but he didn't offer me a ride and I'd bought one of his bloody machines!

 

It's quite interesting, the Skyranger has a huge following in Europe >1000 but very few out here. Shame really as it's got some very nice features.

 

Any rate - you're more than welcome to come and have a sticky beak, even while it's being built.

 

Cheers.......Doug

 

 

The problem with flying is that it’s perceived as a fairly esoteric sport and as such the chances of being able to share any of the magic with your fellow office workers has about the same odds as winning the lottery.

 

On that basis I feel it’s only fair that I burden you lot with the joys of last Sunday’s flight.

 

I figure this way I don’t get the pitying looks and the quick change of subject, normally involving objects of a spherical nature and groups of men cuddling each other.

 

 

But first a brief explanation.

 

 

My aircraft of choice is the Skyranger – I’ve bought the kit and even as we speak it’s being rowed across the Atlantic by a team of swarthy, dedicated Frenchmen. Well, that’s an assumption I’ve made based on the time interval between the order being placed and the fact that I’m still waiting.

 

To that end I initially started my Ultralight flying with the Quicksilver 500. A rag and tube design with not to dissimilar flying characteristics to the Skyranger. And what a magnificent choice it was.

 

There is something almost mystical in flying an aircraft that responds with the same speed that I think at or slower. What other aircraft allows you to turn on to finals, take out the Thermos, pour a cup of coffee, drink said coffee with maybe a biscuit or two, clean up and still have time to round out, flare and touch down with barely a whisper from the tyres – it’s my kind of aircraft!

 

 

So you can understand how bewildered I felt when Dave, my instructor who’s conversant with Lightwings, Jabirus, Hunters, Quicksilvers and the Maquis de Sade stated that we wouldn’t be using the Quicksilver for my Cross Country navigational exercises as he wanted to use the tried and true navigational tools comprising a compass, map and stopwatch – with the Quicksilver we’d have to swap the stopwatch for a calendar - how mean is that?

 

 

So saying, he informed me that we would be using his personal Plastic Parrot to fly in. Now I’ve got nothing against Jabirus, in fact they’ve solved a long held curiosity of mine regarding where those white plastic bags that Woolies use go to after you’ve finished with them – I’d always thought they went to landfill so it’s nice to see they’ve been recycled in a positive manner. And notwithstanding the fact that the Aboriginal translation of Jabiru is “Shot Duckâ€Â. It’s just that they’re too fast and impossible to slow down – by me at any rate.

 

 

I’m quite comfortable flying along and being overtaken by geese, etc and you’ll never find any squashed bugs on a Quicksilver’s windscreen – they’ve got enough time to get out of the way before you hit them – the old see and avoid concept.

 

Speed is not what it’s all about. The objective behind my flying is to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

 

 

Irrespective, I bit the bullet and for the last six or seven weeks I’ve been screaming around the countryside (literally) in the Plastic Parrot with Dave as my not so silent companion. Thankfully these circumstances came to an end last Saturday when Dave reluctantly awarded me the Cross Country Certification. Now I’d like to think the reluctance derived from the realisation that he would miss my company but I have the feeling that it was more from the complaints he’ll receive further up the track. Nevertheless, I had finished with the Jabiru.

 

 

My normal routine is to fly once a week; this restriction is based on purely financial constraints and has nothing to do with Dave’s pleading and/or threats. However as a celebration and a fervent desire to fly something that I liked, I rolled up the next morning and requested the Quicksilver. Dave was more than happy to oblige – I’ve since worked out that the happiness was derived from the logic that if I crash, the engine, mounted on the rear, would use me as an airbag as it hurtled forward driven by its mass and inertia. So it was a win-win situation.

 

 

The minute I was airborne all the old feelings returned. This aircraft climbs (with one up) like a love sick angel. I’ll agree that you have to decrease the power a little in order to see the instruments otherwise the vibration deems the panel a large blur but what aircraft isn’t with out its idiosyncrasies?

 

There is a feeling that I get when flying that transcends any attempt to verbalise it and makes you very aware of the old adage that it’s a privilege to fly not a right. For the next hour I wallowed in that glorious feeling. I was King of all I surveyed, which wasn’t a lot given my poor eyesight. Up and down, round and round, Dave didn’t want me to go to far due to his belief there were strong winds on their way, personally I think it’s a trust issue.

 

All too soon it was time to call a full stop landing. I parked the aircraft with a smile bigger than a Cheshire cats and disentangled myself from all the paraphernalia that manages to surround you in a small cockpit. I sat there for a while just reflecting on how incredibly lucky I was to have found a hobby that repaid so much and as I had my afternoon power nap that smile was still there.

 

Thank you for listening……

 

 

Cheers……..Doug

 

 

Ross - I used to have a mate that flew for the Missionaries and then Air New Guinea back in the seventies and some of the horror stories he used to tell me regarding the strips and natives were frightening!

 

I take the message from all of your input that there's a steep learning curve associated with identifying forced landing sites - thanks for the heads up.

 

Cheers........Doug

 

 

Isn't there a breed of dog called "sh*tzu"?

 

 

Just when I feel re-assured by David's comments they're negated by Mike!

 

However, given the numbers of Skyrangers that are flying in Europe and not recalling one issue regarding cable failures I think the odds are on my side.....;)

 

Thanks guys....

 

 

Link taken from "Over the Airwaves"

 

http://www.glumbert.com/media/highpower

 

 

Brent - it looks like a pig on a broomstick - which would denote (to me) a Police Helicopter - but that's too obvious?

 

Cheers........Doug