Ben Longden

Fantastic! Ben

Click on this link.. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Cally460/?action=view&current=SpitfireWMV.flv Ben Longden

;) Nudge nudge..... Seriously, I'm 80% of the way through the rest of the show.. Ryan, Tiger Moth, Wirraway, Boomerang with a dash of Canberra and a duel with a Vampire and Meteor. I have also included the Spitfire in the compilation as well as doing it as a standalone. It's on DVD (or will be in a day or so..). Anyone want a copy in the club need only pay cost price; $10. incl P&P Just PM / email me with your address details and we can go from there. Ben

Shepparton's GV Aero Club "invaded" Temora over the weekend for the Flying Day at the museum. As most folks will know, this is the home of the nations only two airworthy and regularly flying Spitfires. 24Mb. WMV http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Cally460/?action=view&current=SpitfireWMV.flv Ben

Traffic checks, wind confirmation and selection of active runway are done well before this stage. If the strip is in a GAAP, then the tower would have advised. Otherwise its checked by monitoring radio traffic, and going overhead prior to joining the circuit. At Shepp, most Raa students go on and do their GA, so the school teaches the GA downwind checks. Ben

A Navajo Chieftain, I heard? Ben

Brilliant pix.... and Its sad to note (but good for Raa) that the one with less than average maint was VH registered.... Ben

Any ideas for connectors with the Motorola series that use a small USB connection socket? Ben

Shepp's newTrainer... Okay, well, I lied.. This Cessna Citation 2 zipped into Shepparton today.. and was promptly inspected by all at the airport (as you do..) andI was able to get a seat at thepointy endfor a few mins.. Fanbloodytastic...... but the running costs of about two grand an hour was a bit scary... Ben

"Extend down wind" is the second thing this guy should have done. The first thing was to open his eyes. I would really love to know which airlinehe will be flying for. Then I can make sure I never fly internationalwith them. Ben

"Eyes wide open" is the key phrase here.... And yes, I do believe an ability to use the radio especially when you have been repeatedly called, and other traffic KNOW you have the radio on is a collision waiting to happen - especially if they are being asked what their intentions are. Ben

I related this incident to a bloke at work.. not just any bloke, mind you, he owns his Vietnam War Bird Dog (complete with nine bullet holes) and has a twin command IFR ticket - and his son drives 747's for Qantas. His comment was that several schools in Melb churn out overseas pilots like chocolates on a production line with no real thought about their ability to fly - or fly safely. His advice was to formally notify CASA. I would far prefer Melb based schools to be alerted to this practice by their students than to have an ATSB investigation involving me in the PAST tense. Ben

Just a question.. Do Melb based GA schools teach their overseas students the basics of airmanship? The reason I ask is that today, while in the circuit at Shepparton with three other aircraft, all newish 172s, I had to abort activities in the circuit and depart the flight plan due to what can only be described as a breakdown in separation. I was halfway along the base leg of the circuit in a Tecnam with my instructor, when I heard thevery badly spokencall of a Cessna 172 turning base. My instructor looked over his shoulder and was startled to see the 172 bearing down on and level with us. At this time in the circuit, the Tecnam was at 60kts with first stage of flaps. At about 200m apart and seconds from my turn for finals, I aborted the landing and departed the circuit, flying firstly to the right and then up. I commenced the manouvre at the same time the instructor issued the command. There was no acknowledgement from the 172 pilot that he had seen us, let alone received our standard calls. The three 172s were essentially a flight of three students whom my instructor suspected were on their first solo navex and were from Moorabin. Any comments? Ben

Monday, 16 October 2006. 13:25 (AEDT) Man critical, woman stable after helicopter crash Paramedics in Victoria say it is amazing a man and a woman were not killed in a helicopter crash south of Bendigo this morning. Witnesses say the helicopter's engine stopped just after it took off from the property at Lockwood. Two people were on board, a 47-year-old Lockwood man and his 46-year-old wife. He has been flown to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition and she has been taken to Bendigo in a serious, but stable condition. Paramedic Graham McGrath says the woman was conscious when officers arrived at the crash scene. "She was obviously quite distressed about what had happened and obviously quite distressed about the other person who was in the helicopter with her at the time," he said. Police are investigating the cause of the crash. ABC news

The same question was asked of the BoM at the CASA CSI workshop in Shepparton. Sadly the answer was to blame it on ICAO, as they write the standards... Ben

The crash analysis was based on a flight from Merimbula toBathurst viaWollongong in October 1999. Essentially the weather developed into a situation over the ranges where it was rain and storm cells, but the cells were masked by therain clouds that had dramatically developed unknown to him while airborne. Mix this with a low cloud base and RISING terrain, with the cloud on the ground at the impact location near Oberon. Not so much a controlled flight into terrain, but the indicators were the plane impacted with the ground at a high speed and unusual attitude. The analysis revealed Spacial Disorientation was what caused the pilot to fly the plane into the ground. he did not know which way was up - and yes, he was an experienced VFR pilot and had three hours of instrument skills. The seminar concluded that IF he had asked for a hand earlier on, and made a diversion then he would be able to be at the seminar talking about the incident, rather than having his demise talked about. The guy from ATC said he would rather have a pilot ASK for help, than spend time activating a search. And yes, he also said no pilot (RA or GA)would get into trouble from CASA/ ATC / ATSB for asking for a hand on the area frequency. If the area frequency is busy, then they will ask you to change frequencies and then they will talk you through the issue to get back into VMC. The other fact they highlighted was most incidents occur after halfway in the trip, with the prevailing attitude of "oh, its not far, lets press on" being the common factor. He played a recording of one pilot asking for help. The chilling words in this real incident where when the ATC asked what his attitude was; "Im upside down" As they said, 70% of pilots who press on will die in the next three minutes. Ben

I was one of the lucky few who were able to book in to this seminar on crash investigation and the hazards of flying VMC into IMC. It really opened my eyes with the explanation of Spacial disorientation - and the statistic that over 70% of pilots entering this who press on with the flight, end up dead in 178 seconds. Also the astonishing factthatATC receiveone mayday call every ten days where someone flying VFRis in IMC and needs help. Speaking personally, thanks to the folks at CASA, the ATSB, Airservices, AusSAR and others for making it happen. Ben

Love it... it was buzzing the Fo*d dealership here the other day.. Well. they are a block down the road from the GMH dealership... Anyone have any specs on the thing.. engine size.. Wx restrictions and all that..? Ben

Unreal? Naaaa. Simply stunning... Ben

That is not such a silly idea... Makes a lot of sense to me.. but then I guess the Empire Builders and various pubes (public servants) will see it as a personal threat to their particular Kingdoms and not to the betterment of aviation, and they will do their utmost to ensure it never happens. Once a cynic..... Ben

Gone troppo! er, SOLO!! Thats right, I went solo for the first time on Saturday September 16. The anniversary that my Dad, John was shot down during the war (his 90th mission and sole survivor of his crew) It was in a Tecnam P92 Super Echo owned by the GV Aero Club at Shepparton, the CFI was Matt Ford of Air Shepparton. Ben Ben Longden

Magic? Worthy winner? Naaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..... Just incredible... bloody incredible... Top stuff. Ben

Jeez.... no wonder... as for change of undies, well I guess that would have been an understatement.. Next question would be why did they cruise through Cb.. hail has to come from somewhere... Ben

Is anyone able to assist with this small project of mine, please. I am trying to find out factual evidence behind commercial airline companies requesting to passengers that video cameras be switched off during takeoff and landing. Im not after urban myths, but solid facts with credible sources of incidents that have occurred, and aviation authority rulings (either FAA, CASA or other) insisting on this, as well as factual and research behind it. Either post it up here, PM me or email me directly at [email protected] Thanks, Ben

Why not.. pooches have hearing much more sensitive to ours, so why not offer them protection - not only in a plane, but also in any noisy environment.. Ben