Wayne T Mathews

Mine was built in '46 with a C65 and metal spars. Dad bought it in the mid '70s when it had a C75, and then in '88, he put the C85 in it I have now. I flight plan for 60kts burning 20ltrs per hr because they're easy numbers to use, and I know I'll have a pleasant surprise at the other end, which is the way I like it. Not a problem Scotty. Just let me know and I'll do whatever I can to help you.

I know how you feel being on "internet rations" David. I'm here at this Motel Susan and I are minding, hoping from one foot to the other everytime Susan needs to take over the computor and do one of her "motel" things.

Thanks Nev. I consider myself lucky to have had the chance to train with a couple of excellent CFIs in Kev Walters and then Ken Flower. In the interests of delivering standardized training in NW NSW, Ken and I will be continueing to work closely together so that we're delivering the same product. So I don't envisage too much of my doing things "my way" any time soon, because we've pretty well got it set up the way we want it. Now all we need is to get more people interested in learning to fly. Do you know anyone interested in learning to fly a J3?

My Dad, who was one hell of an airman, used to say it was important that his passengers kept their eyes open, Rosita. He reckoned he didn't know when to flare for landing until he heard them suck their teeth... He also had a sign made up that he hung in his study. The sign said, "Flying is the second most exciting thing known to man. Landing is the first."

Oh, that. Well yair, thank you. Jill Bailey inspected my FTF and took me for a flight test last Monday which I managed to pass, despite having two bloody sore arms I got from an encounter with a wind-gust driven runaway hangar door a week before. Net result? I am now very proud to be a CFI, as well as an L3, in RA Aus... It was funny at one point. Ken Flower has been my CFI for over a year, and when I told him I didn't think I'd be able to do the flight test because I couldn't start the J3, Ken said, "Why don't you do what normal people do, and use an aircraft with an electric starter? I'll bring the Sierra down and you can use that." Which is what happened. Thank you Ken...

Thank you. But I haven't done anything special. I just gathered some info, studied the info, then made some phone calls and sent some emails... Other people have done the work.

Just 'cause they're not posting here doesn't mean they're not concerned and/or making noise, Turbz.

I'm sorry I can't be there in person today Cassa, but I sure am thinking of you... Chin up, Lady, and look them in the eye... You're one of my heroes...

Good luck Ian... There's a bunch of us barracking today for you and your cause...

Todays the day Guys... If you're in the area and can make it, please go and have your say... The rest of us are waiting with baited breathe... Good luck Don, Andy and David I... I'm not a religious man, but I like to think the late David Hunt is watching too. Let us not forget the effort he put in as well to correct our course...

Aarrgh ... Ahlocks oughta ban ya if you keep doing that to us...

Yair, well, on the subject of "THAT WOMAN"... I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I am aware that Carol and the two Steves have had their differences in the past and some of their encounters have not been pleasant. But... When I first contacted Steve Runciman to see about having Carol recognized, I wanted her to have life membership. Steve R. advised me to apply for a Meritorious Service Award for Carol instead, and went on to tell me why and how to do that. When I heard that if Carol got life membership, she'd never be able to hold office in RA Aus again, I thought, "Buggah that, there's way too many miles left in this lady to be putting her permanently out to pasture." So I did what Steve R. suggested, and he then took the ball and ran with it, supporting the application until it was approved by the board. For that, and what he did to find out where and when the award could be presented to Carol, the man deserves credit, and I will give him an atta-boy for what he did.

I can answer that with confidence... (writen with what is supposed to be a Scottish accent) "I don't know."

As most of you will have read in the last Sport Pilot magazine, Carol is to be recognized (deliberately spelled with a z) at the AGM for her outstanding service to RA Aus. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I won't be there to give her an atta-girl hug. But if someone there could give her one for me, I sure would appreciate it.

Your question is a bit like asking the size of someone's jock strap, Ian. And the answers you get may well be about as truthful. But the people I've been talking to, in the main, have said for a while now that they're carrying $10M. Some, especially insurance salesmen and scaredy cats, have been suggesting lately that we should up our protection and carry $20M.

I heard a rumour that Steve T. is pretty crook with shingles at the moment. So if it's true, he's probably not in the office.

I didn't ask that question Andy. But it does take time, and I can imagine that the girls are flat out down there at the moment, and any one page form may well be being filed in the round file as being invalid. When I sent my form in I numbered each page 1 of 4, 2 of 4 etc., and I signed each one as Ian did. Which Leanne just told me is valid.

I just called again and checked on this too. It'll be fine, Ian. A signature on each page that is intended to identify the voter's preference sheets will not void the sheets. Common sense is prevailing.

Just spoke to Kim in the office and the FAXed proxies ARE being accepted. What Kim asked me to pass on though, is that she has received several faxes over the past week that have only been the first page. Those faxes have NO voting directions on them, so can't be counted. If you have only sent in the first page, please print out the attached form again, fill in the form again with your voting preferences included, and FAX all the pages (just to be sure) again. The Proxy form on page 3 is part of motion 4 and IS NOT valid yet, so please don't use it. You only have until 10:00 AM tomorrow (Fri 21 SEP 2012). Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc

Thank you for posting Rosita, it's very brave of you. I am sorry it happened, but hey, you and David are still here, you're able to talk about it, and that's a good thing, right? As David Isaac has said, it'll be good for you, and your David, if you get back on the horse as soon as you can. A wife who will go up with her husband is way too valuable a person to not be encouraged to have another go. I mean to say: if David had the bad luck to roll the car, would you not get back into his car with him? Of course you would. And it can be proven statistically, aircraft are far safer than cars.

Andy and David are putting in a tremendous effort to put the power and direction back into our, the members, hands. If you agree we need that, fill out your proxy and FAX it in today. If you don't agree we need that, fill out your proxy and FAX it in today. Either way, for it to be counted you'll probably need to, as Andy has said, "Put the proxy down as "The RAAus 2012 AGM Chairman" with Address of RAAus HQ Canberra." And then you're going to have to FAX it to 02 6280 4775, which is the number listed on the proxy forms. And you're going to have to do it before 10:00 AM Fri (21st Sept - tomorrow). If you haven't done it already, please print out the attached proxy form, fill it out according to the directions it contains, and FAX it in TODAY. Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc

If it's a "bear" the guys are poking Shags; A/ what the hell is he doing in that position? And B/ Let's do whatever it takes to get rid of him. If he doesn't respond positively to poking, then he'll have to be shot. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a "bear" running my organisation, thank you...

I know it's out of context Geoff. But I can't he'p being a smartarse at times. It's a character flaw of mine... Freud would have a field day with the tail end of your last sentence, eh?

It may sound fishy, but let's not jump to conclusions. As Motz suggested, he may have wandered off in a daze and be under a bush somewhere needing help.

Thanks for putting this together in one pile for us Andy. After having reread it all, and especially as now you've sort of collated it, it appears to me we may have a case of "Group think" going on. If you haven't heard of it before, "Group think" is a phenomenon I first heard of during "crew resource management" (CRM) training in QANTAS back in the early 90s. It's where a group come together to do something, go off the rails, and then maintain their course with a, "If you're not with us, then you're against us, and we'll crush you," mind set. The Bay of Pigs Cuban crisis disaster was given as a classic example. And it was pointed out on the course that the higher the intelligence of the group, the more susceptible they are to the phenomenon. The fix is to A/ recognise the problem, and B/ dismantle the group's pecking order, explain to them what's just happened to them, then put them back to work under a new management system that monitors their behavior and outcomes closely. It is a delicate balancing act, because the Captain has to be allowed to command. But in my experience, it works well if everyone, especially those in the "Group", are aware of the phenomenon, and their susceptibility to it, AND if they have the tools they need to "Manage upwards". With that in mind, may I suggest we really need to get these resolutions through that Don Ramsay, Andy Saywell, David Isaac and the late David Hunt worked so hard to prepare for us. If you haven’t sent in your proxy, PLEASE, down load the form, fill it in, and then FAX it in… Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc Proxy_form_LJ_September 2012_final_2.doc