Matt

Hi Kev, There's Sportstars available at Parafield and Aldinga, I'd recommend giving one of them ago. I've flown both types and owned a Sportstar, I'd suggest (my opinion only of course) the Sportstar would give you a better "transition" than the Jabbi.

I'm with Shags...bugger RA kit, if you've got that much money to waste... 1. Spitfire...Mustangs are soooo common 2. Sea Fury 3. Mustang...common so I could probably find one for sale if the above 2 fail :big_grin: 4. A jet of some sort...maybe an L39, they're a nice looking aeroplane 5. A helicopter of some sort...need to get from home to the airfield somehow 6. Oh, a property big enough for a strip for all the above....without any neighbours likely to whinge about aircraft noise...oh, but then I don't need a helicopter...nah, we'll still have a helicopter

A lot of it depends on where you live, but generally summer afternoons = bumpy ride. Spring is usually windy...and therefore bumpy. Autumn is generally the best time of year to fly. Winter is dependant on where you live. Melbourne it's usually cloudy, drizzly but smooth if you can get up. Canberra was beautiful for flying in winter - clear crisp days...cold but generally very still conditions. Kyneton I've found to be similar to Canberra, being on the other side of the range means you get those clear crisp days while the other side of the range is under fog & cloud.

Mick Poole will also be there with RA-Aus and generally there's a good turnout of "aircraft vendors" with their wares - Evektor, Foxbat, Tecnam etc. usually have displays there.

Morning everyone, just confirming (following the AAAA committee meeting last night) that camping will not be permitted on the airfield (airside or landside) as per the T&C's for the Echuca Airshow (link posted above). Hopefully that doesn't deter anyone from attending the event. There is a vast array of accommodation available in Echuca & Moama from camping sites in caravan parks to luxury resorts and everything in between. I'm not sure what BigPete has in store with his cunning plan, but if it encourages more attendees to the event then I hope it comes through.

We (AAAA) have got a committee meeting tonight and I'll raise the topic of "underwing camping" with the committee as I suspect there'll be possible AAAA members wishing to do the same if possible. Will let you know of the outcome.

From what I've seen of the Dynon products, there is no delay in the screen presentation of what's happening outside. The processing capability within, and accuracy to which these instruments are developed is very impressive...although that being said, in this day and age, is really to be expected.

From Dynon for thier gear: The EFIS-D100 uses three angular rate (gyro) sensors, three accelerometers, three magnetic field strength sensors, and three pressure transducers in its sensing platform.

One of the best presents you can get I reckon...so what was it, looks like a Yak 52.

The Parrot 'pit

Hi Shags, The air cadets would fly "like the military" who fly oval circuits for many reasons...most related to fast landing aircraft with poor forward visibility at high angle of attack / slow speed. I personally fly oval circuits wherever possible. Couple of reasons, firstly the flying manual for the CT4 only talks about oval circuit operations - being a military aircraft. I also find the approach easier, a constant radius descending turn avoiding tight turns at slow speed, the threshold is always in sight etc. Regarding crosswind leg / downwind leg spacing - I was taught to be no further than 1nm from the airfield whilst in the circuit to allow for a glide approach in the event of an engine failure in the circuit. For each aircraft I fly, I learn to identify reference points where the runway intersects at circuit height i.e. downwind spacing in the CT4 has the runway centreline track through the roundel on the wing. base turn is commenced when the runway threshold is 1 chord length behind the wingtip (not 45 degrees) and 20 degree angle of bank with a 500fpm descent rate etc. etc. again, all of this is in my flight manual. There's nothing to say you have to fly rectangle circuits or that the crosswind or base legs have to be straight...that I'm aware of.

It's definitely an 'interesting' strip! The "straight" part is about 500m and curves around the southern end for another 200 or so and 100 or so at the northern end.

thanks Brent. I can imagine the strip getting very rough and boggy, being sand and that close to sea level. I did notice quite a few strips nearby, one was marked with crosses, the others looked pretty good though. It's a lovely spot for flying when the weather is nice, 90 mile beach makes a perfect line feature for aerobatics!

Typical Melbourne - prepare for anything and everything. Having been to every Avalon airshow, I have seen days of 40 degrees with gusty northerly winds and days of 15 with rain - all during the same show and almost on the same day.

Hmmm, wasn't us, we were down Lakes Entrance way all weekend...there are a few Parrots around Melbourne who are venturing beyond their home strips. Our LAME at Penfield was telling us about one from Moorabbin that dropped into Penfield about a week ago...apparently they know us (or of us) but I didn't get the rego or # from my LAME. Must be a proud moment to be taken aloft for the first time by one of your children...even with her obvious dominant nature...where's that come from Mike ;)

Firstly - WOW, what a weekend! Kaz and I were invited to join friends (some old and some new) at Fraser Isand near Lakes Entrance in Victoria for the Australia Day weekend. Fraser Island is a homestead "resort" with a big old homestead which sleeps about 40 people and has a golf course with fairways placed to create a runway...as the first pic shows The journey started on Saturday morning with the plan to depart Kyneton, head down towards Geelong then along the coast to Lakes Entrance. That plan changed with the weather - a very strong south westerly blowing 25-35 knots. Our companions from Kyneton in an Auster and Searey departed first with a plan to track to Barwon Heads then round the bay to meet up at Tyabb where the majority of the gang were departing from. We departed about 15 minutes after our "slower" friends and within 10 minutes we were closing fast on them heading into a considerable headwind - their groundspeed showing about 60kts, ours 100. Within short time we had overtaken them and decided we'd head to Tyabb as well and meet the gang there. Thankfully by the time we hit Geelong and turned east, our 25 knot headwind became a tailwind and we had a speedy trip across to Tyabb where the wind was blowing strong...right across the strip of course. A call to our travelling companions to give them conditions and they decided to skip Tyabb and head straight for our destination...now with the benefit of a good tailwind. We continued into Tyabb to meet up with the gang there. After a bit of lunch we all packed up and headed off - we led the procession which included a Winjeel, Cessna 180 and a couple of Austers. The Winjeel and 180 joined us "in company" as we all had the same airspeed, despite 3 very different airframes and engines. On route to Fraser Island we got a local weather update from our "man on the ground"...where the weather wasn't looking good for us "heavies" to land - 25knot crosswind on the main strip (which suffers pretty bad windshear and turbulence from the trees - as per the first pic above) and the shorter cross strip was reduced in length (to about 250m) due to being covered in water at one end. After a bit of discussion we decided to head to Bairnsdale instead and make a further assessment from there. Our friends from Kyneton heard all this and decided to head to Bairnsdale as well, while the 2 Austers from Tyabb would try their luck on the shorter short strip - one Auster had already landed with the wind straight down the strip and needed very little landing roll. Overflying Bairnsdale the windsock was solid straight down the SW runway and our groundspeed indicated the wind at about 30knots as we joined circuit...a very fast downwind preceded a very slow approach and final and over the fence with a groundspeed of about 45 knots...airspeed was indicating 75. Probably one of the strongest winds I've landed in and made for one of the smoothest landings and shortest ground rolls I've experienced in the CT4...reminded me of the old Sportstar days One by one the various aircraft landed and fought the strong crosswind while taxying to the parking area - some left hand brakes were very warm by the end of that! Soon after we got a call from our man on the ground at Fraser letting us know the 2 Austers got in on the short strip after a couple of attempts and plans were made to arrange some cars to come and collect us from Bairnsdale. We'd be travelling the last 15nm by car and boat...a trip that took nearly 3 hours compared to a 10 minute flight! After an evening of great discussion, food and a few quiet beverages, it was time to return to Bairnsdale to collect all the aircraft we abandoned there. The weather on Sunday morning was perfect, not a cloud in the sky and a sea breeze of about 5 knots. I got a lift over for my first ride in an Auster and while it was a short trip, I enjoyed the simplicity of controls and instruments, the real "stick and rudder" flying and hanging my elbow out the window while cruising over the lakes and beaches at 500 feet. After the usual daily inspection, I took off for the quick trip back to Fraser Island to attempt a landing on the tree-lined runway...I mean fairway. Approaching the island at 1000 feet the whole place looked far too small to land on. I descended to 500' for my first pass of the strip to get an idea of the approach path to take - the approach is over a tree-lined ridge then over the water then a few bushes at the end of the strip. Another pass at 250' and I noted a bit of turbulence but nothing out of the ordinary so I flew round for a final 50' pass...the turbulence was a little more pronounced but that didn't get my attention - trees on both sides above me got my attention! A final circuit and a slightly bumpy landing followed as I braked gently on the sandy curving strip...one of the most interesting places I've ever landed I think. Here's a couple of pics of others on or over the strip. The rest of the weekend was spent playing golf, cricket, walking around the island, telling "war stories" and getting to know some of our new friends...and their aircraft A nice collection of Austers...and a beautiful example of a Cessna 140 A runway with less obstructions The view lining up the fairway For those planning on heading to the AAAA Airshow at Echuca in April - all of these aircraft will be attending...and many more like them.

Hey Maz, thanks for the comments and we'll definitely be in Wangaratta. Look forward to finally meeting you there...assuming you're going???

My 2c. The association's name is "Recreational Aviation Australia", I can't recall the exact reasons for the change in name from "Australian Ultralight Federation" but I'd assume it's because the association (of which most/all of us are paid-up and voting members) had/has plans to expand it's boundaries beyond "ultralights" to all forms of "recreational aviation". I don't expect there would be any changes to any existing RA-Aus aircraft weights or types or their owner/operators, it would simply allow the association to expand its responsibilities over a greater range of "recreational aircraft". The scope of RA-Aus would merely expand to include more aircraft types, not preclude the existing. What I'd like to see is someone actually define "recreational" and potentially even create a formal "category" along the same lines as LIMITED, EXPERIMENTAL etc. The administration of the "category" would then be much easier to define etc. i.e the LIMITED category is administered by the Australian Warbirds Association, the EXPERIMENTAL category is (effectively) administered by the SAAA and so on.

Sounds like you had a good trip and some new experiences. A trick for new players with Moorabbin (and all GAAPs) is the requirement to be on the GAAP tower frequency and contact the tower with your intentions if you are or plan to track within 3nm of the airspace boundary. This is where Moorabbin can get you if you plan to track "coastal" and yet remain outside the GAAP zone - you'll be within 3nm of the boundary and thus required to be on the correct frequency and contact the tower with intentions.

Given the reason for the accelerated retirement is due to concerns about wing spar health following the recent "hard landing" in PNG, I'd suggest that Maj is right - scrap or static displays will be the likely outcome.

Avalon East will only be GAAP while the tower is active, out of tower hours (before 7AM and after 7PM) I would expect CTAF procedures to apply...although that's not documented in the SUP. Another new one to note for this year is the Point Cook TRA (Temporary Restricted Area) for the duration of the Avalon Airshow, details here http://www.airservices.gov.au/publications/current/sup/s9-h02.pdf

Hi MM...can't resist the CT-4 bait - whereabouts are you located?

Hi Adrian, There is a good article in the latest AOPA (Australian Pilot) magazine regarding the procedures, approaches etc. for Avalon (East and Main). Suggest you also get a copy of the AIP SUP for Avalon available here: http://www.airservices.gov.au/publications/current/sup/s9-h01.pdf and have a thorough read and ensure you understand it. I'd also recommend reading the AIP regarding GAAP procedures and if you get the chance, go for a fly into Moorrabbin (or just listen to them on a scanner) to get used to the phraseology. Having flown into Avalon (Main and East) a number of times, the things to focus on are 1) lookout - the number and variety of types makes for some interesting sequencing, 2) know the procedures, 3) radio calls - the radio will be full of activity, know exactly what you need to say, what to respond with and keep all calls as brief as possible. 4) hang after and leave late if you can - there are plenty keen to get out of Avalon East as soon as the show finishes and you can be waiting in line for a while, we usually hung around on Saturday and headed off after 5PM - it'll still be daylight savings. It's a great experience to fly in to such an event and sure beats sitting in the car for hours!

Good question Ian and based on recent experiences in a variety of locations, it's either not being taught, being ignored or the glide ratio of many aircraft is far greater than I remember. The circuit "size" being flown by many I've seen would allow no ability to reach the field in the event of an engine failure. I personally operate a circuit size "by the book" (the "book" in this case is the RAAF CT4 flight manual) with the runway centreline running through the roundel on the wing. In the CT4 at 1000' AGL this puts me roughly 1nm laterally from the runway - a distance I was taught / advised when I started my training in a Gazelle and have maintained ever since in everything I've flown as it almost assure me of making the field in the event of an engine failure.

I'm with ya MM, and have commented elsewhere on other threads about getting exposure to spin and "real" unusual attitude recovery...mandatory and preliminary before conducting aerobatic training, but also, I believe, a very valuable experience for all pilots. As MM discovered and discussed, the spin entry is very violent and abrupt. It is also worth noting that aircraft that are designed to be "spin resistant" like most/all ultralight/LSA aircraft are also equally difficult to recover if you manage to enter one and do not recover before it fully develops. Funny how the thread went from engine failure to a stall/spin discussion...natural progression?