CrayonBox

I just stumbled across another recent story about this pilot. I guess this can happen to anyone though.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2011/08/15/emergency-landing-sees-lucky-escape-plane-/

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8537383

Two men have been taken to hospital after their ultralight plane crashed near the Queensland coast.

The crash is believed to have happened just before 6pm (AEST) on Sunday on a rural property in Marian near Mackay, police said.

The men, aged 20 and 21, were taken to Mackay Base Hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

The 21-year-old passenger was in a serious condition.

It's been a while since I posted an update, so here it is.

You may have seen somewhere around here that i now have a trike... An xt912.

After a few part changes eg battery, and small repairs, and hopefully soon a completed inspection by my cfi and then registration, training will again resume.

It's been over 3 weeks since i last flew when i did a demo flight in my new toy, and as skygazer (hi there) said the other day, i am getting antsee (how do you spell that?). And now the northerlies have started and the destabilised weather of summer is beginning. And the sun rises earlier, so up early to beat the wind to learn landings... But later afternoon flights too!

Hopefully more training within a week or so.

Hi all ..Have I said something wrong to stop the comments?? Mark

And all of a sudden - I now have an aircraft! XT912.

OK more info

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/09/19/microlight-crash-pilot-identified/

THE pilot in yesterday's microlight aircraft crash has been identified.

Local man David Lewis was flying the microlight, when he landed heavily, lost control of the aircraft which then flipped over at Hervey Bay airport.

A Hervey Bay police spokesman confirmed Mr Lewis sustained minor injuries in the crash, while his female passenger was unharmed.

While a number of sources were sure yesterday the abandonded aircraft belonged to Mr Lewis, it could not be confirmed by the police until they spoke with him.

The police spokesman said any possible further investigation into the incident would be undertaken by the relevant aviation authorities.

Did the pilot just leave it there on the side of the runway?

More news today.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/09/19/microlight-crash-mystery-investigations-aircraft/

As I have the CTAF audio recorded the aircraft was microlight 948, which appears to be an RA-Aus registered aircraft and was returning from a flight to Moonpoint Fraser Island.

The incident occurred at 0710. Joined a right base for runway 29.

Conditions: Wind 205 11/15kms. Temp 15.3, DP 14.8, rh 97%. There was fog in the area.

Wind was 90 degree crosswind but not strong.

Not good to hear.

Waiting for more news, not much is known as yet, but you can read about it here.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/09/18/microlight-crash-hervey-bay/

I guess all was well revealed Stewart??

Wow, pretty close alright ,not sure who would be in the wrong cause there's a lot of variables,,,,on the right frequency, altitudes , airspace types, none of which makes any difference to the dead guy ( if it went that way)Your up at Hervey Bay Crayon box, that's where I hail from, did my PPL at YHBA and my RAA cert at YMYB , how many hours before they let you loose on you're own in a trike? And if you do a lap of the island ,remember to go to the muticom not the ctaf ,lots of traffic up and down the east side :-) ask me how I know!!!

Orchid beach is a good spot to ,and a lot of the trike guys go to Pelican banks for stop over,all quite nice if the WX is kind

 

Cheers Met

 

Ps if your at the YHBA aero club tell gyro joe he's a friggin loon,,,from big matty :-)

Here is a recent photo of my demo flight two weeks ago... There will be many Fraser Island flights I am sure.

Here's a recent close mid-air from a guy in the UK - who was wrong?

Ooohhhhhh, I am HGFA.......

Short video by me of a pilot and a mate going for a short scenic in my trike (before I payed for it).

Well we have been back from Victoria now for a couple of days. I now temporarily have less space in my shed which is occupied by a shiny used XT912. I test flew her in the North Eastern Victorian country area over the snow covered mountains. Then my mate and I dragged her home for two days to Queensland. A very successful and safe trip with no incidents (eg. roos, accidents, breakdowns, flat tyres, police, load shifts! etc etc) - good planning I suppose.

Now all I have to do is get it re registered and airborne again.

http://avstop.com/ac/weight_shift_control/Thought I'd add this link, especially if you are weight shift pilot

 

Regards

 

Mark

Only 4 sleeps to go.... And all will soon be revealed...........

Lesson #6.

Wind: Calm. Depart to the South, climb to 1000ft, head for the airport....

Before the flight we had to wait for some fog to burn off, but we were good to go around 730am.

Circuits - getting closer to landing... the runway center line is starting to straighten out. It seems to become straight when my instructor has a turn??

Total time this flight 1hr.

Good luck with your training mate. This would be exciting times for you.lRgds planey

Maybe we could have a coffee somewhere sometime too?

cheers,

Stew.

Lesson 5. Wind Southerly 7kts. Duration 1 hour

Departure South climb to 2000ft. Then glide down to 500ft for some paddock flying.

Departure East to 1000ft track coastal North to the airport.

Join circuit Downwind runway 11 for go around circuits (5 all up). Manage the 5-7kt southerly crosswind (with rotor) for heading and altitude.

Depart circuit to the West for landing at the private hanger.

All up a good day - new skills learned. I was told that 7kts is nothing and the rotor was tame. So lots more to looks forward to.

Today was also the day the instructor unexpectedly asked me, "If the engine gave up now where would you land?" I said over there in the nice paddock. He said "Yes that's good, but what about the grass strip below us?" Ha.. HA...HAAAA!

I must learn to totally "Take control" and follow that white line down the runway! Tell the aircraft that I am in control!

And - we do it all again tomorrow morning.

Stewart.

This is a Human Factor which affects us all in the early stages of our flying. It is (or should be) known to all flying instructors. Yet oddly, some instructors can't help themselves and seem to feel the need to fill all available instructor/student contact time with information flow. I found this with some of my instructors. It was obvious that they were very skilled/experienced pilots but they could not sit quietly while my mind processed all the information required to to keep the aircraft under control. Their incessant chatter only served to impede my flying progress whilst not achieving any advancement in my theory knowledge.IMO, If an instructor does this to you, ask him/her politely to give you some quiet time in the cockpit to concentrate. If you are not game to ask your instructor this and/or think it might not be recieved well, it's time to find another instructor.

While I'm on my soapbox, I'll paraphrase from the guy who did get me in the air: A lot of people hit a point in their flying training where they think "this is not working, I can't do this" and give up. Anyone can learn to fly with persistance and discipline. For some it takes longer than others. There is no shame in this. If you keep at it, you will get there. When you hit that wall, talk to your instructor about it, don't just give up.

 

I've blathered on about this because I wanted to fly all my life but never achieved it until the age of 58. This was because I was put off by a sequence of pretty ordinary instructors. That was long ago and a lot of improvements to instructing have been made since then (like Human Factors).

 

Good luck with your training.

My instructor doesn't chatchatchat. He just occasionally tries to help by explaining whats happening as we fly, it's just that as expected I can not take onboard and process while flying. But it gives me food for thought later when I can relax and think it over.

My experience on Tuesday morning with 10kts was almost one to make me think 'I can't do this' and it's too hard. But my instructor knew I had had enough and we returned to land before it became way too much for me. Small steps! This is and will be quite a journey, and I enjoy a challenge!

"Definitely trikes only!"Why? Are fixed wings not welcome?

Lesson 4: Today I completed 0.25hrs training. YES only 0.25. We didn't do circuits. My CFI forecast last night (he didn't tell me) that there would be wind this morning and that some not so smooth air would be the go. My first experience in light turbulence 10kts gusting to 12kts. So by the time 10mins were up, working the bar for that long meant my brain was fried as my instructor would say. Now I need to chill and think about it - to let it sink in before the next session - next week.

Didn't know of that one, only one in that area that I know is the strip that used to belong to Erol Goodwin on Vanderwolf road. Is it for trikes only?

Hi CB & welcome.I learnt to fly in Maryborough & kept my aircraft there for several years. Great area to fly around, the highlight being Fraser Island.

 

Where is the private strip that you operate from?

 

Cheers

 

.

I fly out of Nikenbah (Chapel Rd) with CFI Mark.

I might keep this thread going with updates on my flight training progress. I have now enjoyed 3 hours of training in a Microlight 582 outback, which has included straight and level, following a creek, flowing a fence at low altitude, fog surfacing, and a run down the local aerodrome runway at 50feet - give or take 100ft

Lesson 3: This afternoon we flew ten circuits at the aerodrome in preparation for landings - pretty routine really, but most enjoyable. I also lined up for finals approach and flew into the private airstrip we operate from. Handover at 100ft.

Looks good for hour/lesson number 4 in the morning! And more circuits I guess. Practice makes perfect, and I would really like to be skill ready for when the spring winds begin, because the aerodrome runway is normally crosswind.

Thanks for all the answers so far. I will look into them.

I have found it difficult to take onboard, understand and retain what I am being told 'while' flight training during the lesson. I would rather learn my theory on the ground, as I am sure is best and we all do.

Also wanted to ask, are there any online Microlight (trike)/ Ultralight / Pilot Certificate practice exams? I found these to look as good as anything... http://www.microlightforum.com/showthread.php?2684-Mock-Exams