flying dog

Errr, > I can also host it for others if you were so inclined. Why? It is a spreadsheet which is loaded onto your computer. If I post it, it is mine. And I shall have to find it too. It was about 5 years ago when I wrote it.

I don't know where it is now, but...... I was getting a few messages of topics being mentioned here a while back and there was talk of a flight planer spreadsheet. I did a quick search but couldn't find it. (But I have been away for a long time etc etc) I wrote one up a LONG time ago. I think I showed it to a guy called Noah, but he was more interested in water navigation. It has most Aus VFR/IFR waypoints known. Most airports. But you can add custom waypoints too. You set the aircraft type, fuel tank size, burn rate, etc. You enter the winds, and it does the rest. It does fuel calculations and times. It gives warning if you use your reserve fuel, and a big warning if you won't make the leg with fuel remaining. It's locked because I put WEEKS of work into it. But it is usable for basic flight planning. I can try to dig it up if someone is interested. It also gives you a printout of destination airport details, but you have to enter the values. Since ........ (What's it called?) Has come out and "every man and their dog" has it, everyone went away form the mechanics of doing flight plans "the old way" and use it instead. As much as it is nice to have things which are "online" and all that stuff, I think it takes a lot away from people actually understanding what is going on and how important it is to make a flight plan. Though I can't say from personal experience: when ever is the weather correct? (Slight sarcasm there.) Oh, and it is BIG! I've had a couple of people test it and found a couple of bugs which I fixed. But it is kind of gathering dust these days.

Though a sore point, maybe it will be so much better when all aircraft have ADSB in them. Then ATC can track the craft so much quicker and easier.

I guess it is academic now. But I hope people will learn for future benefit.

Well, I guess typical military. Go in, "hot and fast, and make a mess of the place." Sorry, but it just seems so mindless. EVERYONE knows there is a SEVERE BUSHFIRE alert. (EXTREME?) they land a helicopter with a HOT search light in the middle of a DRY GRASS FIELD.

Ok, so I'm not going stupid. (Too late. I'm already there.) WHY on earth wouldn't you turn off the lights before landing? I get it that it is usually done. But isn't that why we still have pilots and not computers? COMPUTER Landing: 1 - make sure landing lights on. HUMAN Landing: in dry grass etc etc etc. TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND DON'T START ANOTHER FIRE. Sheesh! Ain't rocket science.

Today (Wednesday 29) I was watching the news. It was going on about the people from Canada coming over and looking at the crash near Braidwood. Somewhere near there I saw/heard an article about a helicopter landing somewhere and having to take off quickly ...... "Because the heat from the lights started another fire" WTF!!?? (Excuse that, but seriously.....) The lights on the helicopter started another fire? I'm not sure if they said: THELIGHTS or THE HEAT FROM THE LIGHTS.....

Sorry folks, but again: I am not getting notifications. The button at the bottom is ticked. I know it is kinda off topic, but I am just stating what is happening.

Slightly "Off topic": I believe I am subscribed to this thread. The "notify me on replies" is ticked. Ok, I get e-mails - which is good - but when I come to the site, I am now not seeing a notification indicator. Thoughts?

Ok, stepping back a second, if it was CFIT, there will be a lot of the CVR to hear. They were flying at 125 kts. So not exactly "just under mac 1". Sure things will (did) go sideways, but not that fast from the start. Yeah, once a wing hits the ground: all over red rover. But WHY (how) did they get into that configuration? That is something which does need following up.

I just read saccani's post. Interesting. Dumb question/s: Granted they were dropping water on the fire, and it would probably been from a low altitude. But not to the point of tree top I would hope. Way back the news report was talking about the last few seconds of flight - alas it was given in metres rather than feet. (Sorry, I'm still a feet person for altitude) I seem to remember they were 1,000 above ground level. As that is/was in metres, that is quite high to run out of margin. (No offence) Has the CVR been played back to anyone yet?

I am not wanting to be too quick to ask, but I heard on the news that it wasn't a simple crash. It nose dived from a pretty high altitude. Not so much CFIT. Just curious to what happened - though I guess everyone is wanting to know.

Probably more for ATC people, but here's a question: This "morning" at 01:30 local time I woke up and heard a plane flying around. It came and went a few times and though it didn't bother me, it raised a question: (I loaded Flightradar24 and looked.) (Should have taken a screen shot of the flight path to show) There is a small UNIDENTIFIED aircraft with no call sign flying left/right (East/West) over the city (Sydney) As far north as the harbour and south to maybe redfern. West as far as glebe and east to maybe edgecliff. 01:30, not all data is correctly logged in brain{ }. Ok, there are no arrivals at that time so there isn't any worry on that side of things, but a: No call sign and b: at 01:30 Anyone have any ideas on what was happening?

Ok, thanks. Not wanting to seem difficult, I shall re-word the question then, as I don't think I asked the right one originally anyway. You "enter" Australia "way out there" but you still have to get through immigration. Until then, what is the term used to describe "where" you are? Because if you don't meet the "requirements" you can be denied entry to Oz. But if you are already "in Oz", it becomes a bit hard for me to understand. Anyone?

Ok, question about when you arrive in a new country: Or, say you are coming into Oz (not a resident) and not yet completed immigration. My question is when are you "in" Australia? I'm guessing after going through immigration. Ok, so what is the area between the plane and the other side of immigration called? Who's rules (country) apply? Some bloke was yabbing on about it and how it is "wrong" that as you are not in Oz, that Oz rules are applied. Who's rules should be applied? Thanks in advance.

RKW, Indulge me: You fly a plane on your own then with ..... 400% extra load and try to ace the landings. Or vice versa: Fly a plane and ace the landings then reduce the loading in the plane by 400% and try to repeat. I'm picking 400% only as a nominal figure. Seems that shouldn't be a problem for you. PCM, Yes, but attitude translates to airspeed and rate of descent. All other things being equal. I am trying to keep an airspeed of 50-60 kts. (Could be 60 -70.....) I pull back on the stick and there is a MASSIVE change to VSI - as stated. Getting the instructor in the plane completely changes the plane's dynamics. COMPLETELY!

What about departures? Where is "Departing crosswind" come into the mix? Sorry, just want to get it right.

Again: FLAME PROOF JACKET AT THE READY. I've kinda mentioned this with my instructor and it is in no way meant to show any ill thoughts on what was said. I am only wanting to LEARN. The other week I did 42 minutes of circuits to "keep my hand in". YWOL, me, J230, first stage flaps, runway 34. Starting at THE southern end of 34, I am off the ground BEFORE the cross runway. Climing at about 800 FPM! I am nearly at circuit height mid field! By runway end at worst. Well, I can stretch it out if I keep the nose down. I did about 7 circuits. Some good, a couple of "multiple landings" (bounces) but nothing serious. The plane wasn't damaged and all is good........ But is it? (No, I don't mean I think it is dangerous, or anything like that.) That's why I am here, now asking/thinking/talking. Doing circuits is testing. Especially if you haven't flown in a while. Trim is not really kept "set" as for take offs it is "FULL FORWARD and back a crack". Now, I accept that performance changes with every flight: Fuel, PAX, "cargo" and so on. So all you can do is practice with what you have at the time..... No prizes for guessing/know that. I learnt to fly in a Gazelle. TOTALLY different plane. TOTALLY! The processes were also different in what I was told and why. I'm not going into that. It is a whole other can of worms - to me. Don't bring it up in replies, as I can't "process it" as applicable. Be it "true" or otherwise. First off I have realised that I need to learn the landing curve of the Jab. But more so I need to get the landing "angle" (and I'll get back to that in a sec) right. *1 Although engine failure landings are needed and all that, the whole "landing a jab" is different to "landing a gazelle". How it was explained to me was that (and there is no offence to any plane meant here... Read it all first) A gazelle is a lower performance plane than a jab. So landing a gazelle is "easier" than a jab. Why? Well, taking it a bit to the the extreme: A gazelle is a brick and a jab is a sheet of ply wood (flat). Where you start your descent in a gazelle: You are landing "in front" of where you are pointing. A jab - how ever - you are landing........ "out there". Pointing forwards, somewhere. *2 So, when I am flying my circuits and hap-hardly getting the base/final altitudes all 'wrong', I need to first off set myself a "rate of descent" I want to use in the jab. Let's say 500 FPM. I was told to "watch the angle between the lane and the runway" - which is a great idea: once you have said angle. I'll try to get back to that later too. *1 So in keeping with my 500FPM approach to the runway - and gee isn't it GREAT we have GPS's! - I'm going to have to set a 500 FPM rate of descent and fly around (when low traffic) the southern end of the runway and find the point at which I am on the glide slope. (Ha! Yeah, good luck) Then start an approach and mentally mark the place when I am 500 AGL. That is the point where I need to be when turning base to final. Hopefully: From there on in, I can locate that place: know I should be at 500 AGL and know what the plane needs to be doing to "make the runway". As you can surmise: This is going to take a few attempts to get right. But I think it is the best way to get things established in my mind the positional awareness of the plane when landing. *2 Performance! So every flight is different! Yikes! What does that mean??!! Well, if you are low houred, it can be frightening when you go off with a "loaded plane" and a mate on a weekend trip...... You are used to flying solo and empty. All the landing stuff you practice won't "work" now. Or will it? Well, I can't say, but rest assured, it should help you. Although the plane is heavier than usual, you have "established" the patterns in your mind of what things should look like when landing. Try to concentrate on the runway, rather than surrounding things. As these change from place to place and therefore won't "work" at every airport. But that's not to say you shouldn't! By all means when you are doing circuits at your local airport, use these things. But then consciously turn and look at the runway. THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD SEE! This way you establish the patterns. You use the land marks to "check yourself" then you look at the runway and set that as what it should look like. Doing this over and over will help imprint in your mind the picture of what you need to see to be "on the ball" for a good landing. So, back to the "away trip with a loaded up plane and a mate". Where does all that fit in? Well, as the way of landing has slightly changed to how I was told/practised, you know where the runway should be as you are coming in to land. If it is high: power. If it is low: well, pull back more on the throttle and/or more flaps. Of course: If you are too high: GO AROUND! But you have the "looks" in your mind and they will help you check your height/distance to the runway. So back to me and my circuits: I've take off, cross wind, down wind. Passed the end of the runway. Power back and start to slow. Turn base, start descent..... and so on. Turn final.... Usually I am way too high. But I haven't established the "correct" (desired) rate of descent and airspeed. See earlier. Anyway: I get down near the runway. I'm coming in steep-ish and at about 60-70 kts. Even the SLIGHTEST adjustment pulling back on the stick the plane goes from -400 FPM to +200 FPM . Now, ok, I am saying "SLIGHTEST" when really I could be more articulate and more the stick less...... But that is where the practise comes in. That is another 7 minutes away! I admit I need to fine tune that a bit more. People have mentioned the TRIM, but seriously: That is making a difficult situation more complicated. For the 7 minutes in the circuit, the "extra" pressure required on the stick is neither here or there. I know that if it is a long flight I would set the trip and so the amount of pressure would be different. But that is PRESSURE and not the DISTANCE the stick needs to be moved. So I am at odds with that way of thinking. I hope someone - somewhere - has found this "rant" helpful.

(FLAME PROOF JACKET AT THE READY) Gee some terms have been "adjusted" since I started flying and I am sure people will start to remember other ones which have also changed. Here is my example. Runway 36. See picture. Sorry it doesn't show ALL the arrows: problems with the program and cropping. Red: UPWIND Orange: CROSSWIND Yellow: DOWNWIND (Base got cropped off) Light Green: FINAL And that's fair enough when arriving. But the other green line (arrow also cropped off - pointing RIGHT) is ........? Departing Cross Wind? Or is it supposed to be LEFT pointing and still called Departing Cross Wind? And the blue line towards the bottom...... Joining Cross Wind? I know nowadays it is "mid field" but I kinda made the runway too small and only for clarity did I put it there. Where is "CROSS WIND"? Originally to me it was: over the numbers at the OTHER END of the runway. Then it became halfway down the runway - midpoint between the numbers. Which kind of makes sense if the darker green arrow is supposed to be LEFT pointing and also halfway between the numbers. I'm not saying I'm stupid. There are enough people already doing that. But I wan to get it clear in my mind what is what and where things are. Again: I don't think the picture is helping - &*^&&*^*^ paint program and cropping. (I'm using Linux and "painta" is not good at cropping then "Crop to selected"..... It crops to what it wants instead.) But to "put it out there" for any other noobs who may be a bit vague on where things are in circuits.

Thanks OME. Got and all good.

Yeah, just a bit too far away. But thanks.

Yeah, well it is for Scouts and they are having a "shin dig" in a couple of weeks. I am sure a BBQ could be organised, but it is not in my area of power. I am but a "lemming" asked to find some. But it is possible it could be done.

Folks, sorry for the short notice, but I have been tasked to help get a couple of old (used) 44 Gal drums. Needed to make a big BBQ by 10 June. I was wondering if anyone at Bankstown would have any "lying around". Prepared to pick up. Anyone please?

So really, the initial report that the prop fell off near Camden is a lie. I summise that the initial problem happened there and the prop fell off over Revesby. I know/accept the pilot may not have seen the actual separation, but it is strange that it was incorrectly reported to when/where it fell off. Though, if the pilot feathered the prop and had the engine shut down, I am a bit interested in HOW it fell off. The air pressue would be the same on all the blades. Granted turning or descending would not help. However, at that point, when it did fall off, wouldnt the pilot have felt the change in the planes dynamics? And so it should have been known where to look.

Ok, quickie. It was pointed out that about 18:00 there are TWO PAN flights inbound. One the REXX and one was ...... Air Ambulance? So, given the REXX flight was unexpected, listening to the file/playback, I couldn't discern that the other flight had problems. They were just a "medical emergency" flight. Granted they need to be helped, but I would have thought that the medical flight would be IFR (or what ever) and it was IN THE SYSTEM, so the people at Sydney would already know of its impending arrival. Yeah, ok. I'm dumb.