naremman

One can never tire of such footage.

 

The irony is that the Lancaster evolved from the dud of the the Manchester.

 

There is a beautiful example of the Lancanster at the Air Force Museum at Bull Creek in Perth. In visiting the museum a few years ago had a chance to talk to one of the old boys who had completed a tour on Stirlings (lucky boy), instructed on Stirlings and then converted to Lancs. His comment was that with the bomb and fuel load "when you go got to 200' and had the flap and gear retracted you started breathing again"!! An engine quitting prior to that point resulted in seven telegrams being dispatched.

 

It is sobering to think of the number of Australian aircrew who provided manpower to Bomber Command and the price paid. Bomber Harris won his point, but how many lives were cut short for his opinion to prevail?

 

To think that a 20 yearld old sergeant pilot with 250 hours total time was in command of a Lanc with six other crew members, flying a 1000 mile mission over Germany at night facing flak, weather and night fighters heightens the respect of those in such a position.

 

This week as a St John Ambulance Officer I was involved in a transfer out to an RFDS evacuation for a lady a few weeks short of her 100th birthday. Her late husband was a fomer RAAF navigator who had completed two tours over Germany, and was highly decorated. A few discrete words to the RFDS pilot, and he was prepared to vary the track slightly to fly over the farm farm where this lady had spent so much of her life. It made one appreciate how close we are to losing living contact to those who experienced these machines, accomplishing so much in an demanding area.

 

 

Deadstick, you don't indicate what you are flying, or its range.

 

Resonable priced Avgas is available at Ceduna at the Eastern end, and Kalgoorlie and Esperence at the Western end. Anything in between you can anticipate at the significantly expensive end of the spectrum, though you will no doubt be pragmatic enought to accept and pay for it. Going West it is best to go full tanks out of Ceduna, and then see what range and the winds open up for options for you. I generally go CDU-CAG which is 435 Nm, and has the advantage of following the highway. Nullabor and Border Village then are possibilities.

 

CDU-Forrest is 300 Nm, and Forrest-KG is 343 Nm, which is mind numbing following the railroad.

 

Can remember flying my Airtourer 100 solo East in 2003 for the 25th Anniversary of the Airtourer Association, and was headed to Sydney to connect with my wife, who flown over with Virgin to spend time with family. Following the 360 Nm leg from home to Caiguna, I refuelled, grabbed a steak sandwich and drink, and payed the same as the Virgin airfare to Sydney, and still has 160 Nm to get out of WA!!

 

The flipside is that you will see some scenery that will reside with you for the rest of your days. It might dent your walllet, but will leave you richer in experience. The experience of flying South of the Nullabor cliffs, and still within gliding distance of the highway, cannot be priced.

 

Weather can become an issue quite quickly. A moist onshore Southerly can create some interesting conditions. And the Nullabor has experienced one of its wettest winter on record.

 

We look forward to you reporting your experiences Deadstick. Travel well, and safely.

 

 

Turbo, be careful not to offend too many of the flying farmers that frequent this site. There are a few of us. Tomo et al may well descend upon thee.

 

 

Any part on a machine that you have a spare on the shelf for is never the one to fail.

 

The paddock furthest from the workshop will always have the greater number of breakdowns, especially when the wife is at work teaching.

 

There is almost nothing that a farmer can't fix with a bit of good fencing wire.

 

"Yeah we do have a replacement part in Australia. It is in Melbourne" We live Central Wheatbelt WA!!

 

 

Oh yeah. It's all downhill from there. Tomo. (Just try to make it a Looooong downhill). Nev

Speak for yourself Nev. We have all occupied the space where Tomo and Winks are now, but des not aquiring an element of maturity give life a far more different perpspective?

 

 

Changing the naming of a night rating to Night VFR a number of years ago was sound reasoning because it gives far better definition. When I attained my night rating it was called a Class 4 Instrument Rating, which was a complete misnomer. Night time was not considered Instrument time, but you had to sufficient proficiency to do a 180 on instruments when on a pitch black night one penetrated cloud and the rotating beacon was winking back at you via the cloud.

 

I contend that not all night flying is the same. A flight on a moonlight night in a well maintained and equiped aircaft, no terrain challenges and good weather conditions with a well rested pilot is probably going to have a good outcome. A change to even one of these variables and the risk factor increases significantly. Aviation is renown for not being all that forgiving. Unlike the lead for this thread, sadly there have been too many examples where the crew are not present to give their perspective to the ATSB with bingle with a NVFR component.

 

Some of my most memorable and satisfying flights have been at night, and I am certainly glad that I have experienced flight at night and had the benefit of the skills accrued. One of the best decisions I have ever made in my life was in the early 80's when we were doing a winter flight from the West to Victoria. We were planning PIR-BLT with the last hour at night. I rang Parafield Flight Service (back in the days when you could actually talk with a person) and the bloke said: "I will start with the BLT TAF". Snow, rain and cloud base info made the decision very easy. Found a motel, ordered dinner with a nice bottle of red, and accepted that we would be arriving a bit later than planned. That weekend two aircraft crashed in the East at night, with five lives lost.

 

I accept that night flying will not enjoy universal acceptance, but I still regard it positively if you accept the limitations, and act prudently and safely.

 

 

 

Took a while Tomo, but I got it. We more mature blokes take a while to find a way around these computers!!

 

Easter Sunday in the Central Wheatbelt in WA.

 

Thankfully both the aircraft were in the hangar, and just a few dings in cars.

 

This cell was only about a mile wide, and for the rest of the season whenever there is any rain arounf it follows the path of the hailstorm.

 

 

Are you single Tomo? You might not make that "Old Pilot" category!!

 

 

Woops, a clanger on my part. Put an "e" into describing Scotch whisky. My Scottish ancestors will admonish me quite severely!!

 

 

When your address commences with RMB (Roadside Mail Box), and concludes with WA, with Australia Post involved, it's not a good idea to hold ones breath.

 

Whilst I enjoy an occassional Scotch whiskey, I hope that Old Bushmills Irish Whiskey is a portent of what will be served in heaven!!

 

 

The management of Qantas are bean counters all they are concerned with is the share price & profit $$$$$$

Said mangement have not being doing us too many favours on the the share price front. As one of the clowns who voted "nay" to the $6 sellout, I attempt to avert my glance away from QAN share price today!!

 

 

Knowing how to perform CPR is very worthwile. I had to perform it for around 20 minutes until Paramedics arrived. Even though I knew it was pointless, I kept going, until told to stop. Had I NOT been able to do ANYTHING then I would hazard a guess it would haunt me even more thant it already does. So, I urge everyone to have the training needed. If you work for someone else, why not ask your employer to pay for your course even. I did that with one of my employee's. Who knows - you may save a life one day.

Brett. I would hope that you received some affirmation and recognition for your actions. Whatever chance of survival your Pt had, your actions did not preclude that possibility. Within the ambulance environment we will review the considerations and pose the question: "Did I do my best?" In your case I think there is an obvious response. Sitting on your hands and waiting for the paramedics to arrive 20 minutes later would have had a pretty predictable outcome.

 

In acquiring First Aid skills we all hope never to use those skills. Life never seems to work out all that easily. The time and effort required to acquire my ambulance skills has turned out to be a blessing many times over, even outside the ambulance environment.

 

I look at my 80 years young Dad, and am grateful that my ambulance skills gave him a chance of survival two years ago when he had a heart attack. Cardiac arrythmia was covered in the theoretical sense when I did my ambulance training, and I certainly was not looking to my old man to provide me with my first practical lesson. That was the reallity I faced, and the medication I was able to administer, and subsequent actions at least kept him on deck.

 

Ironically, Dad was visiting his sister in Perth last week when she experienced a stroke. He was at least familiar with some of the issues, and managed to get a good number of them right. The attending paramedic made them comment to Dad: "You have have saved that lady's life". Made Dad feel pretty special.

 

First Aid skills should be seen as an investment in life. $200 max for a course valid for three years, and a resonable first aid kit for around $60 is pretty cheap insurance.

 

My wife is a teacher and she introduces First Aid concepts to her Year 3 charges at 8 years old. They are sponges for knowlege, and they put together a basic first aid kit together for $10 each.

 

Sadly aviation has all too many instances when people have survived the initial crash, and then perished throught quite easily preventable circumstnces. We may well assess ourselves as competent pilots. but just how well equiped are we to deal with pear shaped outcomes with a component of trauma?

 

 

I have a smart phone, but the phone has a dumb owner!! It really is taking me a fair while to put a handle on even a few of its features. The capability amazes me, and i am slowly getting around to using some of its features, but it aint a fast process.

 

 

Great advocacy for the First Responder concept by Litespeed and Jake.f. The stats on those within the general population who attain and maintain First Aid qualifications is not too encouraging.

 

The importance of the DRSABC sequence can not be understated. The incorporation of the "S": Summon Help, is really useful. Too often critical time is consumed before the call to summon an ambulance is placed. Mobile phones have been a boon to getting appropriate medical care to a scene promptly.

 

Remember that a little early quite often produces a better outcome rather than waiting for the arrival of the cavalry later on.

 

I suppose I am the ultimate hypocrite, waiting until I was 50 before I did my first formal First Aid course, and then joined St John Ambulance and attained Advanced Ambulance Care qualifications as a Volunteer Ambulance Officer. It is never too late, and it is surprising the reticence encountered when I attempt to promote to mature couples the benefits of doing an easily accessible First Aid Course. "Its a good idea, but........"

 

 

Fiction: Goodbye Mickey Mouse by Len Deighton is a good read.

 

In non Fiction: if you can find a copy of Tale of a Guinea Pig by Geoffrey Page, and read it in parallel with The Last Eneny by Richard Hillary is a fascinating contrast. Both authors were Battle Of Britain pilots who experienced horrific burns and were early patients of Archie McIndoe when he was pioneering his treatment of burns patients. That both guys could have such a similar experience, but relate it in an entirely different fashion, is what really interested me.

 

An old paperback that sits on my bookshelf, yet on ocassions gets a dust off is One Man's Window by Denis Barham. Barham was a fighter pilot posted to Malta in 1942, which was not conducive to living to be an old man. He also was an artist, which is what gives his book such a unique perspective.

 

War in s Stringbag by Charles Lamb leaves one absolutley amazed that he experienced what he did over such an extended period, and lived to tell the tale.

 

The Neville Shute Norway books are all great reads. Slide Rule is autobiographical in nature and relates quite a few of his experiences as an aeronatical engineer. Most people can recall airship R101 which crashed in France with a heavy loss of life. Little is recalled of R100 a Vickers airship designed by Barnes Wallis, that was built and successfully flown in the same era. Neville Shute led the team that did all the stress calculations and rose to be Wallis' assistant on the project. No computers then, all the calculations were done on paper with pencil and slide rule!!

 

Every time I go near a second hand book shop I tend to loose myself for a while seeking out the obscure and rare. Many is the time when a good read has followed.

 

The Royal Aero Club at Jandakot has an excellent library, so I don't know whether any of the other aero clubs might have something similar.

 

 

Last month I purchased a Repco branded hand pump from the bicycle section of Big W for about $20. It is made of plastic, but in the uses so far on bikes and around the farm, has performed well, and has the bonus of only weighing 470 grams. No battery required. Armstrong powered!!

 

It aint no Rega air pump, which at least had some metal incorporated and was made in Australia, but it might fit the bill.

 

Somebody had a Rega pump for sale on Ebay last month, complete with the original cardboard packaging, and it sold for $19.99, yet the postage was going to set the purchaser another $17.

 

 

I remember reading the book about the Airtourer circumnavigation as a kid - wouldn't mind getting my hands on it now again, certainly was a fantastic feat.

Spin, sorry to say that you will probably face quite a challenge to lay your hands on "Flight of the Kiwi". Cliff Tait attended the 1999 Airtourer Association Convention in Mildura, and even he said that he was finding it hard to locate enough copies himself so that he could give a copy to each of his kids and grandkids. He always scoured second hand shops hoping to pick up a copy.

 

Cliff also wrote "Water Under My Wings", which really is compelling reading, and gives a fascinating account of his delivery flights of NZ built aircraft, which includes details of over 100 single engine crossings of the Tasman Sea.

 

Claude Meunier's website, Earthrounders, currently has a photo of ZK CXU on its home page, and I think there are some more details on Cliff's flight within the website.

 

I currently have both of Cliff's books, but the only time I have let them out of my sight was to loan them to Claude, on pain of calamitous consequences for their non return, when he was developing his website.

 

Wishing you well in seeking out the book, and it really is a great story that is deserving of greater coverage.

 

 

Without wishing to make light of the contemporary flights, they certainly make an interesting contrast to the Around the World flight made by Cliff Tait in a 115 hp Airtourer in 1969.

 

Cliff managed to get his Airtourer registered in the Agricultural Category!! Max take off weight went from 1650 lbs (750 Kg) to 2000 lbs. The only navigation aid was a valve driven ADF.

 

One of the more challenging legs of his flight was the flight across Greenland. Weather meant that Cliff ended up landing in Sondre Stromfjord, and he was intent on proceeding onto Iceland. After assessing the options he took nine hours of fuel onbaord rather than a full load of 15 hours, and painstakingly coaxed the Airtourer to over 11000 feet to traverse Greenland!!

 

It is great to marvel at all aviation accomplishments, but the risk factors in these feats should never be lightly dismissed. I suppose Lindbergh has no shortage of people who thought he was crazy attempting the Atlantic.

 

 

One essential consideration in this process is taking the flap extension speed into account. In a lot of aircraft airspeed on the downwind leg exceeds Vfe, which means airspeed has to washed off at some stage before flap gets thrown out.

 

What my ex Army instructor taught me many moons ago on a C172 has stuck with me to today. Clear the turn, apply carb heat, commence base turn, throttle to idle (cos if you fly bigger iron later gear warning will activate should the U in BUMFH be missed), maintain nose on the horizon, rollout onto base leg, check inside Vfe, 20 degrees flap, advance throttle to 1700 rpm, and amazingly the trim setting on downwind is pretty close to where you need it on base leg. Any attempt to put flap down over Vfe triggered a veritable explosion from the right hand seat!! Students sensitivities were given scant regard then.

 

Making the transition to RAA aircraft the same technique was employed for both the J160 and Foxbat. The J160 when solo has about 20 knots to wash off from downwind before flap extension, and is certainly quite slippery when clean.

 

The various models of Cesna 172s that I have flown have quite significant differences in Vfe, and flap settings. The D model I learnt on had a Vfe of 80 knots with 40 degrees of flap. I then graduated onto a M model, and currently own one, with a Vfe of 85 knots and still with 40 degrees max flap, which I really like. The newer variants have the preselect flap, with the first 10 degrees able to go out at 110 knots, but are limited to 30 degrees of flap. Certainly a good reason to check the POH to make sure the right numbers are ingained into the grey matter.

 

 

Good outline of your vision Ian. Your competence in web development and refinement needs to be respected and affirmed.

 

In my opinion, generally if your fingers are in your wallet to keep whatever machine you choose to remain aloft, its recreational.

 

One of the strengths of this site is the diversity of backgrounds of those who choose to lurk, or even contribute. Just as it is great to observe the energy and enthusiasm of the latest converts. it is equally satisfying to see contributions from those who acquired skills and qualifications over many years.

 

That you can have Tomo, comparatively young, and with his boundless joy in acquiring and developing his flying skills, and with Facthunter, mature, and with his extensive knowlege and sage advice, on the same site means the basics are not too bad Ian.

 

Whilst I came with a GA background, I am also enjoying the RAA involvement too. My daughter has a RAA Pilot Certificate. I chuckle when I see my VH registered Airtourer have rings flown around it by RAA aircraft, most of them having less power!!

 

Wishing you some good feedback to your expressed thoughts.

 

 

ATSB has just posted the "Preliminary Report".After reading it, I suspect AF is going to come in for a good deal of scrutiny, based on the topics listed to be investigated for the final report.

It is inevitable that Angel Flight will come under scrutiny, and that need not be seen in an adverse sense. There is no organization of merit that will not benefit from external objective assessement. As a Volunteer Ambulance Officer with St John Ambulance WA , I have observed the fair degree of scrutiny that was placed on that organization following the Four Corners program just over two years ago. What was a fundamentally sound organization, has taken the scrutiny, incurred a few bruises, but has grown and got its perpective more finely tuned through the process. I am confident that Angel Flight will have a not dissimilar experience.

 

I am also an Angel Flight pilot, and was scheduled to conduct an Angel Flight from Jandakot to a WA Wheatbelt town last Friday. Weather was an issue to be considered, and AF had phoned me on the preceeding day stressing the need to make safety as an imperative, something I appreciated, in addition my intent to make it to be a very old pilot.

 

What ocurred on the flight date was a succession of a number of quirks of fate. Our Cessna 172, which was to be used for the flight, is currently based at Jandakot where one of our co-owners is learning to fly. Prior to accepting the flight it been our intention to drive to Perth on the Saturday for my daughters birthday. I had amended the schedule to drive down on Friday, do the AF, stay at home and fly back to Jandakot on Saturday morning and be back on schedule. On the dawn of the flight I took a look outside, and thought it did not look pretty, though on downloading the Area 60 forecast a VFR flight would not be ruled out. I phoned the pilot who had to come out of Jandakot, and he had concerns with the weather at his end, and we agreed to make a decision in an hours time. An hour elapsed, no improvement in the weather at JT, but VFR possible at this end. That I could make the drive a few hours earlier with the Pt made the decision easy. Hit the road, and the two lots of rain we passed through on the way to Perth vindicated the decision. Pt made her appointment time and we kept the option of a flight home open.

 

I was out at JT mid afternoon and had the C172 ready to go. There were cells of rain around, but in the main VFR flight was possible with caution. The Pts chemo ran later than anticipated, and last light was becoming an issue to contend with. I do have a NVFR rating, which is not current at the moment, which removed any flexibility that that rating would offer. I set a time for departure, which incorporated a 30 minute buffer as an allowance for weather realted diversions. Decision time arrived, decision made. Nett result: Pt transported safely and successfully, though not in the manner anticipated, and with bent backsides from 8 hours in the car.

 

Angel Flight were most appreciative of the decions made on their behalf last Friday. I followed my instincts and experience gained over 38 years of flying in making my decisions, and whilst the Victorian incident did nothing to influence the decisions, I was was never the less mindful of the outcome. I am confident the vast majority of Angel Flight pilots would have done likewise.

 

Got a lovely hug and kiss from the Pt when I delivered her home, and she is confidently looking to Angel Flight to transport for her next round of chemo. Can't say that I enjoyed the drive back to Perth next day for my daughters birthday!!

 

 

Faced this dilemma about twenty years ago when I was faced with agriculture imposed debt (again), wife diagnosed with breast cancer and two kids with boarding school looming, and somebody posed the question: "what happens if you go under a bus mate?'

 

All the initial inquiries resulted in addittional premiums because of 50/60 hours a years private GA flying. A 30% loading on my premiums did not greatly appeal to the component of Scottish blood in my make up. Fortunately one of the reps with one of the mainstream companies that I was dealing with was a former CPL (helicopter), and suggested we started horse trading. I made a case that they were happy to insure me as a farmer, one of the more dangerous vocations around without loading the premium, not take exception to the 50/60000 Km that I was on the roads, mainly country with a fair bit of it on gravel roads, yet wanted to whack me for a modest amount of private flying. I also contended that having a regular medical was a positive, and the skills and discipline I had acquired through aviation had a beneficial influence on my farming and driving. A 3 month brawl ensued, with the net result of no extra premiums, but with me agreeing to forego the night flying and aerobatics side of flying, which was probably not unreasonable with the circumstances that I was facing.

 

Twenty years down the track the insurance company has had premiums out of me every year without having to lay out a zac, though being in the second half of my fifties the premiums are starting to get a bit ugly. Still running with the agriculture imposed debt, sadly the first wife lost the battle with breast cancer, and happily, the kids got through boarding school and turned out to be reasonable human beings.

 

What I learnt I suppose was to not accept the first offer and keep negotiating. Whilst some might see insurance premiums as lost money, there are times that accepting a payout means you are dealing with not a good outcome.

 

 

I happen to have the good fortune of having a copy of Cliff Tait's book: "Water Under My Wings". For those not familiar with Cliff, he successfully flew an Airtourer around the world in 1969, embarking on the jouney with around 200 hours total time. He was then subsequently employed to ferry NZ made Airtourers, CT4s and Fletcher ag aircraft to international destinations. Over half of his total time was over water, and he ended up with about 100 crossings of the Tasman Sea, all in single engine aircraft. Of the seven engine failures he experienced none ended up giving him wet feet.

 

In Chapter 7 of his book, sub titled Survival, he thoroughly covers how he prepared for the possible ditching of a light aircraft, and it certainly is fascinating reading. "If the surface wind is not more than 20 knots the swell would be of prime consideration and one should avoid touching down of the face of the swell. Touchdown should either be on the back of a the swell or parrallel to it......... If the wind is over 20 knots the resulting reduction in ground speed may be more desirable and an into wind landing preferable."

 

He ends the chapter with a quote from Shakespeare: "All things are ready if our minds be so".

 

I can remember having a chat with Stan Tilley, the affable Taswegian, at one of the Airtourer Association gatherings and we were discussing our respective journies to the function. I mentioned to Stan that I would not be all that comfortable having to cross Bass Straight, and he was quick to counter that he would far rather cross Bass Straight than traverse the Nullabor!! At least Stan has crosssed the Nullabor, whilst I am yet to add a Bass Straight crossing to my flying experiences.

 

 

On the Sportstar SL there are tanks in each wing. On the end of the wing is a little tube for venting overflow.How does this work? If I park on a slope with a full tank, will it drain out?

 

I am planning an overnight trip and want to fill up that night for an early morning start, but I'm worried I'm going to vent all the fuel.

 

Does anyone know the intracisies of the vent?

 

Thanks

 

Ryan

Always good to fully understand the layout of the fuel sysytem on any aircraft that you operate.

 

Can remember many moons ago, not long after getting my PPL licence taking a PA-28 180 up to the Kimberlies. Refueled at Broome late in the afternoon and parked on uneven ground. Fuel selector placed in the OFF position. Next morning on pre flight noted one tank down just enought to cause concern. Felt like a bit of a ass asking the refueller to come out to refuel, which turned out to be a surprising 8 gallons.

 

Ventured out to Fitzroy Crossing quite easily, stayed the night, and slogged back to Broome in late Wet conditions with multiple diversions.

 

That 8 gallons meant the difference of me choosing where I landed, or having the decision made for me!!

 

When I returned from my 30 hour sojourn it was an interesting debfief with my instructor. He had taught me many things. I had learnt heaps!!

 

Moral of the story: Fly a Victa Airtourer. One tank, so no crossfeed problem, AND NEVER TURN THE FUEL SELECTOER OFF.

 

 

Finally, our new stock of Recreational Flying headsets have arrived and I know a lot of you who had placed orders over the last couple of weeks have been waiting but our next order of 100 have cleared customs and arrived here this afternoon.We order in lots of 100 and have a minimum stock level of 25 before we place an order however we sold 5 and then sold 20 in one order to the NT so that left us cleanly out of stock for the last few weeks.

 

So once again my apologies to those that have been waiting however your orders are being sent out as I type.

 

(your 3 included Tomo)

Wot, wot, wot, is this about giving acknowlegement to this bloke called Tomo?

 

I ordered a pair two weeks ago in keen anticipation of doing a good amount of flying this weekend and wanted some headsets for the rear seats of the C172. I have had to resort to trolling around my cobweb woven drawers for supplies, and have even resorted to a 30 year old Telex headset, which surprisingly works well still, but not with a lot of noise dampening quality.

 

Seriously Ian, good on you for selling out of your supplies, that is not a bad sign, we will keenly anticipate the new headsets in the mail, and maintain your pursuit of products that enhance our flying experiences.