David Isaac

Thanks for the update Motz, Rosco will be sorely missed.

You old buzzard you ... LOL

No you won't ... Or I'll hunt you down ... LOL

Dear God, that doesn't make any sense at all.

Ha ha Marty try 4 oversized rubber bands for the main gear ... LOL Welcome on board Peter.

I had a C172 cough and splutter on me out of Port Macquarie years ago at about 300 agl, way too low for a turn back. Interestingly I had no temptation to turn back, I just looked straight ahead to put her down, but then again there wasn't heavy timber under me at the time. I am not afraid to admit I nearly sh1t myself. She cleared herself but I swear my sphincter was tight all the way to Taree where I landed. In retrospect I should have circuited and landed back at Port and checked her over. At the time I thought it was ice, cause she ran as smooth as silk afterwards a lot smoother than my tachycardia. I think I was about 30 years old at the time ... long long time ago .... I had a couple of 2 Stroke shutdowns at Mittagong in the 80s, but they were in a Frank Bailey Mustang, you just pointed the nose at the ground and flared and stopped in about 40 metres. The bigger faster ones are the scary ones.

At least you could survive that tree crash Don .... Should I ever have the misfortune to put my Auster down in heavy timber I can at least slow her down to below a 25 Knots (indicated) speed at impact if I can see where I am going. God forbid I ever get that practice.

Docjell, I thank you for your brutally honest assessment. Arrogance is each our own nemesis and mortal enemy, usually it comes from overconfidence, a human frailty. There but for the grace of God go any of us. Loved by many, popular to so many, a great contributor and willing to be a friend to any genuine person, our mate was human and frail to the end like all of us. I have to agree totally with your closing line "This awful event, that has traumatised many, should remind all of us that experience, flying hours, and having the 'right stuff' is not necessarily going to guarantee our survival."

Is that a 912 or 582 powered model Doug?

And Franko, We have now lost both Ross and Pud, interestingly standing side by side in your photo; Pud from cancer just a couple of months ago and now Rosco in this tragic accident ... together again ..........

Video is a great poignant tribute to a bloke who loved flying and his fraternity. Thanks for posting.

This is absolutely terrible news. Ross will be greatly missed, accidents are no respecter of persons. To think he survived that fatal C182 crash all those years ago to then be taken out this way is particularly ironic. We are all going to miss you buddy. Rest in Peace.

Looks great

The controller would have been happy you replied. Many don't.

Jesus Ben, The point I was trying to make was that when changing from one aircraft to another or even from one engine to another if you don't read the POH you can get caught out and plenty have as I was and some of them are dead. In my case the engine flamed out on a slipping high speed descent, not a critical stage of flight, but again that digresses from the point I was attempting to make. Again digressing, obviously a boost pump is not needed when changing from one tank to another where both tanks have fuel. I was attempting to make a point about changing from an empty tank with the engine out to a full tank in this particular series of IO engines in the specific circumstances I was in. But don't worry, the bloody simple point I was attempting to make has been well and truly lost by now.

Ben you are nit picking, IO-540; IO-520; IO-550; the principle is the same for fuel tank changeover. The point I was making as I said above if you didn't know the correct procedure because you DIDNT READ THE POH, and you relied on what the old carburetted earlier types did in thinking the IO would relight, you were in for a surprise. It has killed a few in the past.

That was entirely my point; as I said read the POH. What you said is the correct procedure in the POH, but if you were not thorough in reading the POH and the conversion was not thorough and you relied on what a C172 or C182 or C180 would do, you would get caught as I did. I had been doing parachute ops previously in a C180 then converted to the C206 (same motor config as the C210). I am not alone in getting caught in this 'little' omission.

Changing the tanks on an IO-540 after fuel starvation will NOT immediately restart the engine; a common mistake by a few and it cost the lives of all on board a C210 on approach at Port Macquarie many years a go when the engine stopped and a tank change was carried out to no avail. How do I know this ... I did it once on a slipping descent on parachute Ops. The out of balance slipping turn uncovered the fuel intake on the low tank and she went quiet. I just changed tanks expecting her to shortly burst into life ... didn't happen. Several minutes later I realised I was going to have to make an engine out landing. I selected a field and then had the presence of mind to hit the fuel boost pump switches ... the power surge was virtually immediate. A lesson learned ... read the POH more thoroughly next time, and I am very knowledgeable on engines and normally anal about the engine details. It can happen to any of us. The IO -540 will take many minutes to pump fuel from a tank with fuel once selected after an engine stoppage when relying on the mechanical pump, and it is detailed in the POH. The only way for an instant restart is to select the electric fuel boost pumps ON. The delay can be very unsettling especially when you are running out of height.

There have been rumours the money is linked to the new multi $MM Chinese cultural centre development, but how could you possibly know with this mob at Wyong. Just like the scandal around the alleged new Bushels Ridge airport which was never viable due cost, yet touted by Wyong Shire Council as a replacement for WVA. There was a scandal around the amount of money spent by WSC on the acquisition of that land as well ... land owned by persons related to Council members and sold to Council at over value prices ... surprised ??? ... not at all.

As hard as it is to believe, Wyong Council has just spent $1.2MM and reconstructed the Warnervale runway and extended it to 1195 metres. It has a brand new bitumen surface properly marked with the new displaced threshold. Some of us more cynical members are still wondering what the real agenda is, but what cant be ignored is they wouldn't have spent this much money if they intended to close the airport. But what are they going to do with it????? Check it out The Central Coast Aero Club facebook page.

There is obviously a valid reason why Camit do NOT have a hydraulic lifter version. Obviously a little more complex than a nicety. Now think about that for a minute ..... Ask the boys who really know why.

Yep and a $15-20K bill if you get water in the system. Good thing is they will go way past 300,ooo klms if you have proper filtration.

There is definitely an AD issue by RAAus on the rudder top pivot.

Well done Graeme, Sorry I cant give you any specific Sapphire advice. I would however recommend you do a re weigh and then balance her up with whatever you need. The RAAus tech manual tells you how to do this quite simply.

I just got this news today. I am deeply saddened and had no idea the big fella was ill. I was fortunate enough to meet Ian some years back with 'Ol' Riley when I was visiting Perth. I kinda lost close contact with Ian over the last two years or so, perhaps because he wasn't well. Rest in peace ol buddy we will miss you. My sincerest condolences to the Gay and the family. Man o Man is live a fragile existence ... gone too soon ...