Patrick Normoyle

Now this is what I call "the fellowship" of aviators, an honest pilot stating what he did and what he could have done better knowing everything ( possible landing sites), but it sounds like he did EXACTLY what he thought was the best plan for the situation, he weighed up all the known options, made a plan and flew the plan, he AVIATED, NAVIGATED and COMMUNICATED, what is better than this ( only just ) is the positive support and comments from fellow aviators. We hear so often about our fellow flyers making mistakes, doing the wrong thing etc, but rarely do we hear actions ( life saving actions ) like these and supported by peers. Viper, you are a credit to yourself and the aviation community, give your past instructor a call and tell him he/she helped to train a great pilot. And to the many positive commenters above, bloody well one to you, as a nation of knockers that quickly jump on the band wagon, you have all displayed great Kinship here, I hope we see more of it. I would fly with you Viper, bloody well done. Sorry to hear about the aircraft, but as many have and will say again, they can be replaced. Also, thanks for the openness in advising others about your accident, maybe someone else will save themself with your cool headed example.

This is of great concern, this may unsettle an already nervous CASA to make some significant changes to the way things are done. I have seen this before when I was working for Ansett and Qantas, a large management turnover or significant changes in an organisations structure is a real safety concern. The reduction in the knowledge base and lag time needed for new staff to "get up to speed" are significant factore in a safety related industry. CASA will want to know what RAA are doing to mitigate the risk?

Motzartmerv, I don't think so, he didn't even give it a go, there were plenty of options, that aircraft is smooth and could have possible made it to he field, there were no other landing surfaces other than the ocean from where he was, but 600 or so feet, less than 1/2 nm from the field. I suppose, it may have been 50/50 in his mind but it looked like an easy midfield approach.

Dazza, this was not Steve, I was there and there were 2 pax the PIC was a guy named David, unsure of the surname ?

Yep, the aircraft a write off but both pax survived, but that would probably have been the case if he had tried to be a PILOT IN COMAND !

A few years back an SR20 cirrus, departed Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, the engine failed on the turn off crosswind onto track, the aircraft was at about 700 feet with 2 occupants, the pilot in command ( I use the term very loosely here ) didn't try a restart or return to the field even for a downwind landing ( about 7 knots ), he grabbed the oh "Jesus" handle ( not ment to offend any religious folks out there ) and floated down to the soft landing in the ocean. Very average in my opinion, I'm a fighter, I'll fight it all the way to a landing.

I'm a big fan of the close circuit, especially in the Fisher Mk1 or Drifter, when I did my GA training a few years ago now ( 1986 ), my instructor had me fly close circuits with wing reference points and not ground turning points ( they won't be available at all airfields ), as I went onto twins and alike you need the space to stabilise the approach and set yourself up, but the aiming points were always there. I have found this works well for me, but I would agree with some previous comments, a student / low time pilot should be given a clear and consistent approach to every airfield ( using geographical reference points is not a good idea in my book ) but be taught to use the full list of tools available to make a successful landing. I fly at Aldinga in SA, there is an approach to RWY 14 that comes over about 300-500m of vineyard ( round posts connected with wire ), my base leg is high and about 50m from the threshold, I side slip almost all the way down and then stabilise and land. But the other runways are more standard. A pilot should have a wide array of skills avaiable and be able to make an approach to many different types of fields or landing areas in the event of an engine failure. All the above is just my approach, I am not an instructor!

That's a bit harsh, as a current ATC I have a different take on it. We can offer a variety of time saving tools, climb higher to get better winds that we advise them of, direct tracking, high speed climb and descents. There are a lot of ways to get you there that bit quicker or slower. I don't disagree with the staffing issue, we are very short staffed and have been for a good 5 years or more.

Camo, what are you flying in ? You'll love it, I have my own aircraft at Aldinga, I love just looking at the weather forecast and go, " I think I'll go to Truro, or up the Murray river today". The sport is awesome, most of the people are just the same, there is some politics ( as you will see here) but for the most part, if you are doing it the right way, the system will be there to support you. Good luck, safe flying and welcome.

Mal, I might have the answer for the canopy. Ivan will be flying back his new Buccaneer this coming weekend 17/18th, he will have a ground crew as support, he might be able to help if you can get it freighted part of the way. He will be flying out of Byron bay or somewhere similar, do you know him or do you need his number ? He is up in Airlie

John m, I agree, unfortunately, mine is in it for the investment, he neither a pilot nor aircraft owner, but that is the way it goes, one Powerball and ill build my own !

The hanger is NOT MINE, I too pay rent for my aircraft a trailer and some additional space for tools, I pay a little over $6000 per year for everything. Where I was in North QLD, I was paying a few cartons of beer a year, so I was shocked when I had to pay these rates, but this is what we have to pay. The airfield rate is set by the Adelaide Airfield group and then the rental rates are at the mercy of the individual hanger owners. Unfortunately, the price we have to pay for our passion !

The hanger goes for $72 per week ( that includes GST ) and the airfield maintenance levy is $800 or so per year. The hanger is just 1 1/2 years old, concrete floor, lights, power, water, bitumen front and back, grassed area on one side, no moving other aircraft to get to yours, great facilities, 24hour access, and a really nice place to fly. Let me know if you need anymore info. My profile pic is my aircraft in the hanger.

I have some really nice space in a hanger at Aldinga Airfield, would suit an ultralight or small light aircraft. Great spot and really nice folks at the field. The rates are reasonable considering the facilities.

Shags, are you an ATC student at he Learning Acadamy ?

The drifter with the red blue and yellow tail, a few above, has the seat belt undone and some stuff on the rear seat ?

An ICAO code for our aircraft or for the RAA ?

I use the 45 min when VFR below 5000, above that I use a more complex calculation from my GA days, I have 40 liters I have on the back seat for long trips, in total, I have just over 6 hours total, but I always plan on 5 hrs 15 min, the plan is a starting point, the enroute fuel recalculations are the then taken into consideration as is the planned weather and the actual weather. I have several times eaten into my reserves, once for a closed runway due to a stricken vehicle but my alternate was just 10nm away. It is there to be used if the plan has been altered, you just can't plan on using it before you takeoff. I don't believe that for Raa or VFR flights that using your reserve ( partially) is an incident unless you actually run dry, then I would submit a report. Good airmanship is all about keeping yourself safe and others, the regulations are there to enforce our adherence to he rules, not always are we fined for breaches.

Flyerme, I think it is EMP, a Baron out of Adelaide airport doing nav training, they should be out there today Friday at about 11am.

Death too shall come to the ignorant and foolhardy, let's hope he only kills himself.

What parts are you struggling with ?

I like Jumbo Jab 747

Beautiful work enjoy your pride and joy, the journey has only just begun, enjoy the freedom and revel in the pride of flying your own aircraft..

This is a great topic, Doug raises a very valid argument, if you can land safely somewhere, then do so, but don't get mission focused on getting down, follow the precautionary landing checklist, always AVIATE, NAVIGATE AND COMMUNICATE THEN urinate or dedicate. I have done the black coke in and the yellow one back into the bottle, lucky every time that I was in smooth air and well trimmed out to have a free hand, there are so many factors ( some good ones mentioned above) that affect bladder condition, I find a thermocline really gets my eyes watering especially if im approaching full anyway. I was trained by a great ex RAAF instructed at Archerfield, he was in his 60s and we diverted a few times during training for his self proclaimed "pea sized bladder", I thought it was part of the training to get me to re-jig my calculations, get new clearances etc. I usually do 7 or 8 long x country flights per year of 4-6 hours each, mostly I get the fluid intake for human factors and bladder control management calculations correct, but like anything to do with my aircraft or flight, if something changes from the Normal, I have to apply good airmanship, common sense and judgement, make a plan and fly the plan, I'd rather decide early that I need to stop than go another 45 min or more to get to that ALA to use their toilet, but when I get there I rush through the discomfort and botch the landing on a perfectly good airfield because I pushed myself beyond my limits. Good airmanship, preparation and decision making.. My last "pit stop" was in Western Australia, I was coming home from a mates cattle station when the urge came, I made the decision early to use a mining access road, rarely used and although gravel and red dust, a very good surface, a precautionary flight over he top and then set up, watching for he obvious cars and trucks, found a good straight stretch with a truck stop on the side, an oncoming car in the far distance put up a nice trail of dust to help with the wind direction and put my Fisher Mk1 down and taxied into the truck stop. As I was zipping up, a police car drove in to see if I was ok, when I told them I had a pee stop, they laughed their arses off for a good 10 minutes and then they checked the road ahead an flashed their lights for the ok and I was off..

Richard, you are another typical example of how fantastic folks are in WA, I spent 4 years in Newman and was amazed at the fantastic attitude and can do approach, I built he airstrip and hanges at the Capricorn Roadhouse. Welcome !