Ultralight = 45knts stall
I was about to add the same detail. I think it's around 50knt flapped and 53 clean for the Midget Mustang. Great plane tho. I want one.
But that aside, Octave has the principle idea that is the real problem CASA/Airservices never thought this 'ultralight' thing was going to take off. And now that it has, there has been a pattern of making RAAus the fall guy for what is wrong with Class G airspace and CTAF airfields. Soon we will be gaining a higher weight increase and access to CTA. I suspect that this pattern will continue there. I was talking to a YAK pilot at the great eastern and he was saying there is a threat of CASA either grounding or (more likely) off loading to a self moderating system like our own. This is purely my own thoughts, but I can see CASA taking all recreation based aviation out of there hair but still under their 'power' so to speak. And then with all the bad press pointing squarely at us, having us grounded as a whole. Leaving only airlines and training facilities for airlines still in the air.
I know it sounds very 1984. But this is how politics works. And don't think for a minute that the guys at the top are beyond this kind of dirty pool. Call me crazy, but thats my nostra imput. Don't cry to me when it all comes down. :black_eye:
So our only counter for this movement is to redirect the blame for the 50% increase in accidents to where it belongs. Back at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Get the major reform they need so badly.
We are not sqeeky clean either. We need to weed out the bad eggs and keep vigilant with training and recency and aircraft maintanance. But we can't let the public continue to think that recreational aircraft and pilots are a dangerous hazard that should be grounded the first chance they get.
Apologise...? What for. Media need to shape up.
PS. This has nothing to do with the sad loss of our brother from Tyabb. He was as recreational as we all are and will be missed I'm sure. Please do not read this as an us and them thing. It's not. It's a call for media to get it together, for CASA to act like an 'authority' and not a political party (give us a safe environment) and a call to get aviation back to where it was at it's peak, a growing industry with passion.
OK... stepping down now. Peace out. :thumb_up: