Mazda

Great report! It sounds like a fantastic trip. My OH knows your CT4. He said if it is the inverted one it was sent to Laverton to have a number of modifications done. I'm disappointed though - you've flown all the way to Adelaide but still haven't made it to Camden!

Eye test, hearing test (often they just talk to you), breathing (blowing in the tube thing), height, weight, urine test, blood pressure. They have a bit of a chat with you (to see if you are psychologically OK I think!) Some will do a bit of poking and prodding, most won't. You fill out a form to say if you've had any problems (if you say yes to anything you'll be questioned about it I believe). If it is your first medical I think you'll have to do a colour blind test. I think you can now fly if colour blind so I'm not sure if that is still done. The colour test is only ever done once, you don't do it at further medicals.

Plexus is available at AutoBarn, some aviation supply places (including online).

I use Plexus which is fantastic for cleaning and polishing, but I don't think it would get rid of scratches. It's about $30 for a spray can.

The Hunter is indeed another Blue Note aircraft.

I was going to to the same. I have a portable intercom unit with a mono audio input but the output from the iPod was stereo and the sound came through at quite a low volume. So just last weekend I flew with the iPod ear bud earphones under my headset and it worked really well. Obviously it doesn't dim the volume for radio calls so I turned off the iPod when I was approaching the circuit area. You can still hear radio calls through the normal headset. I was solo at the time - of course your pax can't hear it if it is not through the intercom. It's not ideal, but it does work and won't cost you anything in money or extra weight.

Remember that you don't have to start monitoring the frequency at 10 miles - you can monitor as far out as you like. Maybe 20 miles or so. I've flown VFR and IFR with one radio, and a friend of mine operated aircraft at a minimum of 420 knots (7 miles/minute) on approach with one radio. Standard ops were to call 15 miles out (2 minutes) to get runway direction, etc. A second radio can be good but it really isn't required.

Keep in mind though that the airline traffic will be way above you enroute so it will not actually be "traffic" for you. The only time airline aircraft will be traffic for you is when arriving/departing an airfield - when they will be on the CTAF that you are monitoring anyway!! (Unless they put in the wrong frequency of course, which happens, so a good lookout is important.) So monitor two frequencies if you like but it probably won't make much difference.

On the original question, I know what everyone is trying to say, but I personally swear by flight planning software. I've used the Jeppesen FliteMap (buggy), Champagne PC (great, accurate, powerful, but no real terrain picture) and AirNav VFR (very good visual picture, map based, simple). These programs are awesome. You'll know your distance and track with no mental calculation errors. They take into account variation (and will adjust wind if that is put in) and will warn you if you are not hemispherical. They will give you ETA and calcualte fuel (as long as they are set up properly). They'll automatically slot in airwork, most will put in IFR routes if required and will automatically put the ZZZZ details on your plan. Some will do weight and balance calcuations instantly and they will work out PNR and CP. They are a great way of avoiding human errors in basic planning. Of course you need to check it (the Jeppesen one has come up with weird speed errors, the others have been very accurate). The AirNav VFR actually prints the track on current Airservices charts and will put in notes (like tune the CTAF 126.7, or anything you want to put in). You input the route and can print out that route on IFR or VFR charts, eliminating the need to plot lat and long of visual waypoints on ERCs. As far as I'm concerned, using any resource available is a type of CRM! Having said all that, yes, of course it is imperative to know how to draw lines on charts and do your own plans! Same with GPS. Why not use it as a resource?

Easy! From the M5 heading south take the 2nd Campbelltown exit (I think it is Narellan Rd). The exit road splits into 2 lanes, keep in the right one (there's a sign - go towards Camden). The exit curves around to the left and then you are on Narellan Rd. Just as the road slows to a 60 zone and you see car dealers on your right, take the exit on the left (before the underpass). It's a Camden bypass and I can't remember the name of the road (can someone help?) I'm sure there is good signage though. The road heads towards Picton. You'll go over a bridge over the river. There is then a set of traffic lights with people turning right to Camden (and people from Camden trying to merge onto the road you are on). As soon as you can after that set of lights, get into the right lane because the turn off to the Oaks is the next road on the right and it is quite soon after the lights. I think it is called Burrogorang Rd (sorry, I'm not too good with the street names!) It is signposted I'm sure though. The road goes to the Oaks & Oakdale. Just drive along that road, through the first 60 zone (Mount Hunter). When you reach the next 60 zone that is The Oaks township. Pass through the township and as you emerge on the other side the airfield is on the left side of the road. Look out for the dirt driveway with letterbox because if you blink, you'll miss it. You can see the grass strips clearly from the road though, and hangars. It is before the road heads up the hill after the Oaks township. By the way, while you in in the area why not drop into Camden airport? They have Jabirus, a Pulsar, and there are many interesting GA aircraft (several Pitts Specials (S1, S2B, S2C), Stearmans, Tiger Moths, Long Ez, RVs, Harvard, brand new glass cockpit Cessnas, and on weekends there is lots of action with Tiger Moth formations, Pitts aeros, gliding, ballooning (early) etc. To get there from the Oaks ... as you head back down Burragorang Rd on the way home, turn left at the traffic lights once you have passed through Mt Hunter(Cawdor Rd). Drive straight into Camden township and take the turn left at the first roundabout (or the 2nd, it makes no difference) after you have reached the township of Camden (you will have already passed the showground and a pedestrian crossing). There's an old bank on the corner. Drive to the end of this road and turn right. Take the first road on the left (Mitre 10 on the corner) onto Macquarie Grove Rd. Over the bridge and the airport entrance is the first driveway on the left. Clear as mud.

A pilot from Willy told me that there are lots of sharks around there. It makes me wonder why we have to fly at 500 feet off the coast when we could fly direct over land at cruising height. Someone on a solo nav ditched a C152 near there recently when his engine failed (possibly a fuel gravity feed problem?) and he didn't have enough time to try starting it again.

I can assure you that ASICs do work. I haven't been hijacked even once since I've had mine.

I've seen that US one and the AOPA US comments about it. The question is whether ADS-B in its current form does improve safety for small aircraft. Personally I don't think it does. ADS-B out gives no reading in the aircraft to which it is fitted, just for those with ADS-B in - which will most likely be airline aircraft. So how many of us cruise at flight levels enroute?? I sure don't. So there is no collision risk with airline aircraft there, and assuming most GA/RAA pilots would rather spend the thousands on other things (training, engine overhauls, holidays etc) there won't be too many ADS-B ins in small aircraft. I'm sure the 'in' units will be more than $6,000. But even if they are $6,000, I'm sure we don't all have that money sitting around under our mattresses. I sure don't. Then there are fitting costs, maintenance costs etc. Remember too that the airline aircraft have TCAS, so they get an audio resolution advisory if you are carrying a transponder. Of course there are non-transponder aircraft and wouldn't we all kick up a fuss if every aircraft had to have one? Why is everyone so accepting of ADS-B then? OK, that's enroute. Now on approach/circuit. Now the airline aircraft are departing/descending into our airspace and there are plenty of bug smashers flying around. So we need to look out of the window. Remember that ADS-B out gives no information, and the expensive ADS-B in has no sound. So as you get near the airport and you are in the circuit, you have to look down at a screen for traffic!! To me this seems less safe, not an improvement in safety.

Flyer40 look again carefully at that study. I think it caculates the benefits of ADS-B in and out, but only the shows cost of ADS-B out.

True! The more I use AirNav VFR the better it seems to be. It is a nice simple way to plan and for VFR pilots the fact that you view it on the real charts is very helpful (re terrain etc). Another useful feature is that if you plot the waypoints down a VFR lane, it automatically puts that exact route on all the other charts - ERCs, WACs etc, and if you put in an IFR waypoint from an ERC it puts that on the WAC etc. The charts are the real Airservices ones and you can print out your route plotted on the chart on A4 pages - so there is no need to buy charts. It will put time or distance markers on there too. It's all chart based, so if you want to fly to a point on a chart (mountain, homestead, lake etc) just click on it and it can be added to your plan. It prints out a schedule allowing for preflight time, refuelling time, overfly/circuit time etc. Very handy.

Remember that ADS-B is not the same as TCAS. TCAS operates with a Mode C transponder, not an ADS-B 'out' unit. TCAS gives an audio resolution advisory (i.e. it tells the airline pilot to climb, descend, turn etc). ADS-B 'in' has no resoution advisory. TCAS is effective. Yes, it means we need transponders and they cost a few thousand, but the cost is still lower than ADS-B, we can't be tracked, the technology is proven, and it actually tells pilots how to avoid a collision. ADS-B can operate with Mode S squitter if we go for that version, but then we won't be compatible with the US (UAT for low level) or Europe. So if we import a foreign aircraft it will need to be fitted with whatever system we use. UAT has the advantage of giving weather in the cockpit, but apparently we don't have the frequencies available here. The US are still undecided and they may yet all go for one Mode S squitter format rather than a high and low level format. It isn't known yet because they are not mandating ADS-B for 10 years or so. As for the radars, in New Zealand they decided to upgrade the radars and wait to see what happens with ADS-B.

I think you are correct. Remember the "free" fitment is for ADS-B 'out' only, not ADS-B 'in', so we won't be able to see anything on a screen, but we can be seen, and yes we have to pay for the maintenance. Even if a screen is fitted, as I understand due to patent issues there will be no audio resolution advisories, so people have to keep their head in the cockpit instead of looking out. Considering that the risk is greatest in the circuit area, that is not a time to have your head in the cockpit. Does this mean it will be useless for small aircraft? How easily can any specific aircraft be tracked (as per Darren's unit) or false positions input? Then there is the "which ADS-B system" question. VDL-4 like Europe? Dual 1090 ES and UAT like the US? If we choose the wrong one we might end up having to pay a fortune for units that are not mass produced for small aircraft by Garmin or similar. The USA is not mandating ADS-B for something like 10 years, so what is the hurry here? What happens if we choose a type and then have to change to be like the rest of the world in 5 or 10 years? It might be like the old Aussie DME - and will aircraft owners then have to pay to chage the unit to a new system? Eventually ADS-B could be great, but at the moment there are a lot of variables to consider.

The people at Straddie are very friendly so it is a good place to stop, but it is close enough to Caloundra that you may just want to keep going. Coffs is fine. If you want someone local to give you some advice give Rob a call at Professional Flight Training. I haven't flown into South Grafton so have no advice there. If you want to go further affield, Port Macquarie is a good place to stop (I know - it's not actually where you want to go, but it is a nice place!)

Has anyone here actually performed glides with the prop stopped? I had to do it as part of my aerobatic training. The engine was shut down in flight and the nose raised until the prop stopped. It's quite eerie being airborne and looking at a stopped prop. In my limited experience in doing this, the aircraft DID glide well. I'm advised that with engine shut down, the air flow to cause the prop to drive the engine against its compression results in more aerodynamic drag than if the prop had been stopped. I think the side slip is essential to learn. (I'm including all slipping in this term for simplicity). In things like Citabrias I'd prefer to slip than use flap, and remember some types don't have flap at all. In a Pitts I'd use slideslip for both rate of descent and visibility. Another factor is in gusty wind conditions. Using a lot of flap makes landing in gusty crosswinds more difficult. Some aircraft cannot be slipped (check the manual) due to the fuel pick up being uncovered, however if the engine has already failed I'd be using slip if necessary!

Thanks Brent. I queried the prices and was told by Steve that they are correct. He said he has to put on 6 extra staff and accommodation has gone from $100 per night to $500 per night. That may be true, but surely the staff are for the joy flight business? I don't need an FBO service, just a place to land, so I can't see how my arrival (or the arrival of others) would require 6 additional staff. What I would like to know is if the operator is in effect getting private pilots to subsidise the joy flight staff! It is counter-productive. If the charges were at a more normal level, more pilots would fly in, and I don't think the extra pilots would need more staff. What do you think?

Thinking about it, if Sydney or Melbourne Airports charged the equivalent amount per POB, the landing charge for a 747 would be over $16,000. (Just based on $40 pp, without even considering the number of engines).

I absolutely understand what you are talking about, but the latest charges I have from them are verging on greedy. They are charging $40 per engine per landing, plus $20 parking per night. That means one single landing plus parking is $140. That outside parking charge is considerably more than twice what I pay for secure hangarage in Sydney! Secure bike (i.e. 2 seater) parking right at the GP track is cheaper than that, and you can come and go as you please. Somehow I don't see how I'd be taking joy flights away from them. I'm in a two seater and flying down there solo, so the only joy flights I'll be doing will be for me. My OH is driving down and it would have been nice to go for a local flight, but he'll probably be too busy with work anyway. (And there is no way he'd do a joy flight in a Robbie - he doesn't like helicopters!) The previous owner of the airport has done much to promote aviation and he continues to do so. So the big question is what do I do now? Fly down there, do a local flight each day and pay the $300 in landing/parking? Fly down there, leave the aircraft tied down and spend 4 days watching racing and visiting the koala sanctuary? Fly out of somewhere like Tooradin and pay for taxis? Forget the whole flying adventure, go down in the car for free and keep the $300 for my next flying adventure? Or abandon my plans and fly somewhere else instead?

Thanks very much Brent. It sounds like I should drop in, even if I do go on to Phillip Island! Wow, they sure know how to reduce tourism at Phillip Island with a $20 "toll." Imagine if all the cars had to pay that to cross the bridge! I don't mind paying a fee, but being there for about a week it would be nice to do some local flights and those fees could add up.

Thanks very much! I should clarify that I'll actually be in a VH registered aircraft, but it does not have a transponder. Tooradin could be possible but I note that it has the same runway direction as Phillip Island and it says something about limited operations and PPR. It doesn't show the runway length in ERSA. Then of course I have to find my way from there to PI!! That would be typical for the weather to be foul. I'll see what it looks like. I can actually depart as early as the 10th if need be, and have two days to get back on the following Monday/Tuesday. Maybe it will take a week to get there and back! Maybe I'll be watching the race on a TV screen in a hotel at Merimbula, Lakes Entrance or Yarram!

I'm flying town to the MotoGP (weather permitting) soon and would appreciate any local advice. I'm planning to fly coastal Kiama - Ulladulla (Nowra lane) - Moruya - Merimbula - Mallacoota - Lakes Entrance - coastal route past East Sale (I'll be going through mid-week) and I'll probably stay coastal and track around to PI. I'm planning to land at Merimbula and Lakes Entrance. If the weather is not suitable to land at PI, what alternates would you suggest? I was thinking of Tyabb, and if it looks as though I won't make it down I thought I could land at Yarram, or maybe even stay at Lakes Entrance if required. Any suggestions would be appreciated! I'm now planning and thinking of things I'll need to take with me (tie downs, chocks, tow bar, oil, plexus, cloths etc).