Chris Tarran

Hi Nev. No chance of me groundlooping as I don't have a tailwheel endorsement (perhaps I shouldn't tempt fate either) but I have done some wandering in the taxi and stamped on the wrong pedal to correct when I haven't been consciously thinking about what I am doing . The solution to the billycart issue was to program myself to "tread on the ball" when flying (and you have to tread on it hard in the Sierra) and this seemed to cement the correct orientation in. I was over 50 when I started training and even in the 5 years since I have noticed a decline in my ability to physically do what in the past I wouldn't give a second thought to. Just seems to be a gradual decline in the mind/body interface. Cheers Chris

Good idea Nev. I'd probably prang it. The older I get the more risk averse I become.

Hi OME, I'll add my name to the list. In early ab initio training I had to think about the rudder controls as I was getting it arz about as you put it. Explained the problem to my instructor but the sympathetic sod just chuckled and said "you'd better get that sorted out". Tendency disappeared quickly but it was a bit disconcerting early on particularly when practising cross wind landings. I wonder if I drove a billycart now (unlikely I know) whether I would have the reverse problem? Cheers Chris

Hi All, Long time between flights (and a long time between posts). I reckon I've broken a record here. The last entry in my logbook before Monday gone was 19/08/2013. That's a tick over 18 months. BFR out of date, currency down the loo, too busy, all of the usual excuses. Finally got organised and spent a day with my CFI and did the flight review and then spent a couple of hours wandering around enjoying flying. Still on a high four days later. Hopefully I won't wait that long again. Anybody waited that long between flights? Cheers Chris

I agree with Andy, Woomera would be near perfect. Only a small town but only 460km by road from a capital city. Huge amount of space and an enormous runway that used to take Starlifter and Galaxy freighters. Remember landing one day long ago in a Metroliner RPT and surmising we could have landed across the runway. Main strip is 2400 metres long so plenty long enough to land a 380 but too short to take off at MTOW (needs about 2700m).

Qualified instructor in the right hand seat? Doesn't matter what you call it. I started my flying with a TIF at a fly in in my local area. A number of other people had TIFs on the same day but only I signed up for training. I guess the rest of them were joy flights?

When Jesus played left back for Jerusalem?

Really cool. The joy in her eyes was lovely to watch. One day (maybe) I'll get to take my granddaughter flying. BTW she's a month old today.

You're right, hardly VFR. I'll edit it to say IFR. Pretty spectacular though.

Hi All, Got sent this my a pilot mate. Can't seem to load so will just have to add the link. http://www.chonday.com/Videos/pilotnewzdalnd1 Cheers Chris

You can also add in Cleve in SA. Easy walk but if you like ring me at the hotel and I'll pick you up and drop you back.

I was there on the day and at the time of the incident we were taxiing through the airpark to line up for departure. We heard the altercation (for want of a better word) on the CTAF and there was some debate about whether or not the Mustang touched the Jab but the Mustang pilot was absolutely certain she had not. We also heard her earlier (polite) request for a priority departure because the Merlin was getting a bit warm. There were aircraft entering from the park at the southern end of 34 across the piano keys and the rest of us were lined up along the eastern grass strip to enter from that side about 50 metres short of the piano keys at the same end. After this incident a marshall was placed at the end of the strip and coordinated traffic onto the strip for take-off. It seemed to go very smoothly after this. Perhaps this should have been done at the start? Interestingly the marshall didn't appear to have a radio. As we climbed out to the west we heard an aircraft making calls inbound for 34. I don't know how the marshall could have coordinated departing traffic without being aware of inbound traffic.

Hi Ian, I have modified the Cleve YCEE entry with a couple of notes and inserted the local councils URL for their aerodrome ops and contact details in the "Website" field as they are the owner and operator of the field. I think a seperate and fixed link to the relevant ERSA FAC entry might be useful but would take a fair bit of work I would imagine. Cheers Chris

I'm going to buy an iPad in the not too far distant future (although I am hoping the rumoured small one will be released sooner rather than later) but it will only ever be a secondary navigation tool. A chart, pencil and whizwheel are 100% reliable. Cheers Chris

When I did my Nav training I bought a whizzwheel and protractor (and some local WAC charts). All fits in a slim compendium with writing pad, pencil, pen and eraser. When CASA were offering their VFR planning kit for the cost of the postage (absolute bargain) I grabbed on of those as well as it included a knee board. Cheers Chris

Thanks Hongie, It all turned out OK but as I said earlier it was the most frightening experience I can remember. I am glad I was trained by an excellent instructor and under pressure his training kicked in. Bit of luck finding a good landing site but that was also part of the training ... always be looking. Cheers Chris

Thanks Nev. I hope that my experience will (can) help others. Even the possibility of flying into IMC is something I will avoid like the plague, unless I have undertaken the appropriate training and I am in an appropriately equipped aircraft. I think the key lesson for me has been make an early and firm decision based on the conditions and follow through immediately. Any delay could kill you. Cheers Chris

Thanks rgmwa and I hope you can but do you want a better idea? Don't get caught like I did, it was terrifying. I thought I was conservative .... I'm going to be a lot more conservative from here on in. Cheers Chris

Thanks Dazza. Me to (and my wife and family).

Hi Alan, I thought long and hard about whether to post my experience but came to the conclusion that the information and the combination of circumstances could be helpful to others, particularly low hours pilots like me. If it helps (or saves) someone else it is worth the public admission. Cheers Chris

Thanks TP. I guess this is a Human Factors thread really, i.e. how we make poor (or no) decisions in the face of the evidence.

Thanks Tomo. I appreciate your comments. Its always been said that getting your ticket is a license (or certificate) to learn. I just didn't expect the learning curve to be that steep. I'd like to emphasise it was entirely my fault. I believed the forecast and didn't modify my plans in the face of VERY compelling evidence it was wrong. I have learnt a heap out of this and if my experience prevents someone else from doing the same, and perhaps with different consequences, all the better. Cheers Chris

Did some flying Monday & yesterday. Monday was terrific, did a couple of sesssions of circuits for practice and had a couple of short flights up and down Spencer Gulf, just beautiful. Went up again Tuesday for another flight and decided on a short (100Nm or so each way) there and back between Pt Augusta & Cleve. Got the forecast, did my flight plan, pre-flighted the aircraft and took off. Cloud was a bit low but vis was good (emphasis on the was). Nearly to Cleve the cloud got lower and lower and there were a few light showers but I could still see my destination. Not for long. Suddenly I am boxed in and getting forced lower. OK , no matter, I'd planned an alternative into Kimba so change course and head there. Whoops boxed in again and suddenly I am at 1500 feet to remain in VMC (Elevation is 1000). OK plan C, urgently. Found a nice paddock with a made track down the middle and did a precautionary landing and remained there for over 4 hours. Cloud base raised itself over the afternoon and I eventually had an uneventful takeoff and return flight to Pt Augusta. Sounds OK? It wasn't. It was the most frightening experience of my life for a VERY long time and I will NEVER do that again. While it turned out OK and the only penalty was inconvenience it could have been much worse. Lesson learned? Make a firm decision early and if in ANY doubt return to base. Cheers from someone who is glad to still be here. Chris

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Thanks Dave. John covered all the standard stall and recovery stuff pretty thoroughly. It was not the most enjoyable part of the training syllabus I might add. Standard stalls are OK and the Tecnam doesn't have any bad habits but I particularly didn't like the incipient spin stuff and was having trouble with head spins until I learnt to look out the front and not to the downward side. I probably have all the tickets I need I suppose so I think I'll just practice what I have learnt and go back to John for coaching on things I think need work from time to time. I have no ambition at my age to become an aerobatic pilot although I might do my transition to PPL to open up some destination options. I can see my biggest issue being currency as I don't have the option of just hopping in an aircraft and doing an hour flight, John is 2 hours away in Port Augusta and there is another Tecnam and a Jab for rent an hour and a half away in Port Lincoln so it is a fair logistical exercise to 1. Get the time off, 2. Drive to the airstrip and 3. Organise a flight. Cheers Chris