Skyhog

Good one Guy.That is unfortunately not my strip,it is YFBS.The aircraft behind me is a Karasport with a 582.It originally had more of an open air cockpit but has now been enclosed fully.Very good performer with 65hp and only one seat.

Don't worry if you are flying a Technam or not,they are a nice plane but...in my opinion you would be best off flying the worst plane with the best instructor guiding you and Wally Rudin is,in my view one of the very best available.I'm not taking anything away from anybody else,but if you live in that area and want to learn to fly with somebody with bucketloads of experience and ability(and nerves of steel)...see Wally!

Mate,I think the bloke you're after calls himself MOTZARTMERV on this forum. (This post has been edited to remove a derogatory statement against another forum user - a 1 week ban from the forums has been imposed on this user - these forums must remain friendly - Ian)

I have not tried to do a nosestand,but,the point being raised by Yenn is not as black and white as you may think.All that I would like to point out is that on a 582 Thruster Gemini the prop is only centimetres in front of the nose of the pod so you may avoid a propstrike,whereas on a T500 it is maybe 50 or 60cm in front (maybe more?) so it would be nearly impossible to avoid a propstrike if the nose of the pod hit the ground.Just an observation.

It all depends what you are flying.I own a 582 Thruster but also have access to a 912s Foxbat.The Foxbat can reach 1000'agl before the end of the runway.Even if you turn onto crosswind leg at 500'agl in the Thruster,you probably won't make it back to the strip from there if the engine stops(climb to 500'agl will take about 1 minute,if my engine stopped there,I would expect to be on the ground in about 20-25 seconds,thats with no turns just jamming that stick forward to keep 50knots).After early downwind leg you will be OK for the remainder of the circuit as long as it is flown close enough to the field.So like I said at the start,it depends what you're sitting in.

HPD,it seems as if farming is a foolish idea at the moment,as you earn less than a skydiving instructor(which is little),but instead of seeing very excited and happy people every day we have to deal with drought/debt.But I really wouldn't want my life any other way right now as we have 2 great kids that can step outside the house and ride motorbikes,learn to drive,come for a fly in our plane etc.It really is a great advantage to have 4000+ acres to ourselves. Redair,good to see that you are one that has seen the light and given it a go(more than a couple of times by the sound of it),good onya mate!!

Good point Ozzie but my skydiving licence has expired and the wife hasn't flown the thruster yet,but the thought of wrestling my way through a reserve repack is enough to stop it happening(for now anyway).

Firstly,don't knock it unless you've tried it!! People that don't like the idea of skydiving are the same as people that don't like taildraggers(they just look and say it's too hard/scary or have tried it and weren't any good at it so they bag it). People say that you have a death wish,If that is so,why did I choose to live 2800+ times including reacting to 5 main parachute malfunctions resulting in reserve rides(1 with a tandem passenger on the front of me)? I have not jumped out of a plane for over 5 years but not because I don't like it,but for financial reasons(buying farms,drought,thruster,kids). I have always said that everybody should do it once and hopefully one day I will again.

I didn't go for plough method as the paddock had been cropped that year and was reasonably flat.I rolled it in both directions to break the wheat stubble and then ran the hayrake over it to move the straw aside before harrowing it.All of this made it very dusty and soft,it really needed a good fall of rain to pack it down,but rain(especially when you want it)has been hard to come by for about 6 years.It has been packed down well now for a couple of years but still needs to be mowed,sprayed or have a big length of steel dragged along it as required.As for sheep,anybody that has had anything to do with them knows that they all follow each other and they tend to drag their feet and leave tracks up to 40mm deep and 200mm wide(they use the track again and again).If I could keep the sheep out I would but our farming program has the sheep in the stubble after harvest.They respond well to a low flyover if they are on the strip,but the strip is 1100m long and I'm in a Thruster so can usually land before or after them. PS. I chose the only paddock we have in over 4000 acres that has no trees.

We've had 6 (7 shortly) drought years,and all of the images of my place show green paddocks.I cleared a good sized airstrip in 2001 and it's not there yet.

G'day Kevin.I can't comment on the forum shop headsets,although they did catch my eye.What I did find on US ebay was some called HD1200A,they were new,have volume control,flex boom with noise cancelling mic,and are very comfortable(I bought 2 sets).You can bid on them for US$59.00 or "buy it now" for $65.00.I used buy it now on Sunday and they were in my mailbox on Friday(I can't get stuff from Sydney that quick).They cost me AUS$115.00 each including shipping.I fly a 2 place Thruster without doors and these things work brilliantly.Hope this helps.

When did they change the cannon? I In the years that I was an armaments specialist on the F/A-18,the M61A1 cannon held 578 rounds and had a high and low rate of fire(6000 or 4000 per min).How long since they changed to a lower capacity and slower gun?

We have definately met Steve. We shared a DZ at Elderslie for years and have survived an adventure or two together.I left there about '99 taking with me a 5ft tall skydiver/C185 pilot(Kerry),who is now my wife.You would know me as Hog.Neither of us have jumped out of a plane since 2002,but have been flying quite a bit.Good to see you're still kicking 'round mate,I'll look you up when I'm next up that way.

I know that picture I spent many hours sitting on the bare floor of that aircraft(VH-SNX)hoping that it would make it to 12,500ft so I could get out.There was also a white one called VH-WRT,neither of them filled me with confidence.Both rego's have now been re-allocated now so hopefully the nomads have retired and won't be scaring any skydivers again soon.