Chris Tarran

25 years in Sales in Telecommunications & IT working for Telecom (pre Telstra) and various other equipment vendors and then bought a country pub (7 years ago).

Whoops. Just checked my original post. Should be $189/hour (inc GST)

Post No 4 is GST inc. As an add on I think my CFI (selectively) hires at about $150 wet inc GST.

Dual instruction in a Tecnam Sierra $159/hour

Me too although my instructor used LAPT (Look, Attitude, Power, Trim) at TOC and LPAT at BOD. On the original thread topic I have also noticed that as my hours go up (along with confidence and, I hope, skill) I fly the AC less and guide it more if that makes sense. On my recent nav once I'd trimmed out for cruise and set my track I was able to fly the AC largely hands off with just small rudder inputs and attention to throttle setting to fine tune. Cheers Chris

Hi Jake, I think you'll find there are 5 exams for your Pilot Certificate. They are Pre Solo, Air Leg, BAK, Radio & Human Factors. Cheers Chris

Hi Jake. I used the standard Dyson-Holland texts supplied by my CFI for all my theory work. They are reasoable priced at about $150 for the full set. I estimate that the ratio of book work to actual flying over the recent months has been about 3:1 so 20 odd hours flying and about 60 book and exams. Cheers Chris

Hi Peter, Yes John is a great instructor (IMO), calm at all times and well able to impart his vast knowledge and experience. The Sierra is beautiful to fly although handles quite differently with an empty right seat. Got my nice shiny new Pilot Certificate in the mail yesterday so I guess it's official now. Now have to complete the Nav and Pax ndorsements. Next flight is next Monday week, hopefully out of Cleve. Cheers Chris

Hi Jake. Should be easy. I soloed at 14 odd hours which seems to be a bit below average according to the survey on this site. I reckoned that if I wasn't going to have to relearn every time I flew then I needed to put in some intensive effort in decent size blocks to make it all stick and to get comfortable flying the plane. So I went up to Port Augusta on my days off (happens to be Monday & Tuesday in my business), flew as often as possible and hit the books during down time. As a result I had done and passed all 5 basic exams before I soloed. If you get enough hours in in the 8 weeks you could be well advanced. I now have 23 hours up (5.5 solo) and am part way through my navs and pax time so at about 35 hours I reckon I'll have the lot. You should be able to do this in 8 weeks at 4 or so hours a week assuming you have the time and an FI is available. Cheers Chris

Hi Jake. Started in mid October last year and committed to 2 day sessions on my days off to get some serious time in. Had a break between Christmas and mid February and have been training roughly fortnightly since. So long story short it's about 6 months so far. Progress might slow down a bit now due to business commitments but should have the full set by June. Cheers Chris

Latest progress report. Application in with RAAus for Certificate in 3 Axis HP and Radio. 2 Dual Nav's done over the last two days although I had some trouble with getting perspective of the route from 5500 and 6500 feet and confusing landmarks. On the Eyre Pensinsula these are usually silos and there's lots of them. Landings becoming consistent (although I seem to land better on dirt rather than tarmac). One more dual nav, one solo nav, a few more hours solo and then flight tests and I'll have Cross country and Pax endorsements as well. At 14 odd hours when I first went solo I wouldn't have believed that progress would be so fast afterward. Lot to learn yet though.

Thanks guys. The bug has bitten now that I know I'll be able to do something useful with an aircraft other than circuit bash. Also thinking about getting some time up and studying to get my PPL as well. Might be some time though. That would open up a whole new range of options.

G'day all. Now completed my 20 hours (and 5 solo). Did my flight test on Saturday AM in Port Lincoln while at the Sky Park fly-in and passed. Still got to do the paperwork but absolutely chuffed that I am now a qualified (albeit basic) RA Pilot. Start more solo and navs next Monday. Looking forward to it.

John Marsh at Pro Sky Port Augusta. Not really near to Adelaide (depends on your perspeective) I know but he has a hangar with full facilities including accommodation. Training in a Tecnam Sierra. Info at www.pro-skyportaugusta.com.au

It would be interesting to do an age demographic on this as well.

I soloed yesterday at 14.5 hours. I had been having dificulty with flaring too early so took a bit longer than I probably should have. As it turned out yesterday I started to stick my landings consistently and the CFI said "pull up I'm out of here" (or words to that effect). In any case I probably would have declined any earlier as my personal confidence levels were not right. After he hopped out yesterday I simply did what I had been taught to do and had no butterflies at all despite having a couple of curve balls thrown in by opting to extend downwind to let an RPT in and having the RFDS miss my final call and enter the runway while I was on final (I simpy aborted and went round again). Going back to the original question by Pelorus in my case I won't get my ticket at 20 hours as I still have some dual instruction to do in Forced Landings, Landing variations (Full Flap, No flap, Short field etc.). My guess is it will be 25 hours or so. No matter as I don't want my "ticket to fly" until my CFI is 100% confident I have the skills & knowledge to have it.

Hi All. Just thought I'd give a progress report. Now have 14.9 hours up, passed all the exams and went solo yesterday. Wasn't anywhere near as scary as I thought it was going to be. Just settled in and did the job as my CFI taught me. Unbelievable feeling afterwards. Just to throw a spanner in I had to (I didn't have to but thought I'd be courteous) extend downwind for a long final to let an RPT in and then the RFDS didn't hear my final call and entered the runway for a takeoff so I went round again for them. Now for some more hours, get the ticket and start my Navs. Bring it on. Cheers to all. Chris

Its still there (The Lanc that is). Turn on the HISTORICAL IMAGERY button in the tool bar and go back to December 2003.

Just joined to see what is going on in the Rec Flying world. Just started to do my RAA ticket/s with John Marsh at Pro Sky Port Augusta in SA. Learning in a Tecnam Sierra. Just short of 10 hours up in so far