DWF

Jumping the gun again! This announcement should not have been made until the new web site actually goes live.

There are four stages of competence: 1. The Unconcious Incompetent - you don't know you can't do it (properly). 2. The Conscious Incompetent - you know you can't do it (properly). 3. The Conscious Competent - you can do it but you have to consciously think about it. 4. The Unconscious Competent - you can do it (properly) without consciously thinking about it. Many members are at stage 1. We need to get them all to at least stage 2. I don't think this needs a trainer with formal qualifications to do this although a well produced training plan/program would be good for standardisation and to ensure all required topics/info are covered. All pilots should be taken to at least stage 2. I believe ALL pilots should be given enough theory and practical training to be able to perform the tasks permitted in CASA CASR Schedule 8 (see CAAP 42ZC-1(2)). As far as I can see almost all of the items in Schedule 8 are NOT covered in the pilot training syllabus. Being competent in Schedule 8 items only does not meet all the L1 competerncy requirements. Members who want to tinker with/maintain their own aircraft need to move from stage 2 to at least stage 3 and have L1 competency. There should be appropriate theory AND practical training and assessment required for an L1 endorsements. My 2 cents worth. DWF

It still does if you have your own Cessna! DWF

Thank you Kaz and members of the Shepparton Aero Club for your hospitality and assistance on Saturday evening and a great pancake breakfast this (Sunday) morning. I can highly recommend the meals and friendly reception at SAC so if you are close or passing drop in. They do a Friday evening meal, a Saturday lunch and the famous Sunday morning breakfast. DWF (and friends)

As you mature (and use up your three score years and ten) you enter your second childhood and the fun starts (continues) all over again. DWF

I don't know how or when it happened but the draft constitution is now available on the Home>>About>>Our Constitution page of the RAAus web site at https://www.raa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RAAus-Draft-Constitution-and-Explanation.pdf I have had a brief look at the Explanation text which seems to be OK by me for the most part but it is a bit too late in the night now to study the draft in detail. The devil is often in the detail so I will persue him soon and then pass further comment. DWF [Currently in sunny Canberra - on my way to YBUD.]

I have done quite a bit of flying around Oz over the years although perhaps not to as out of the way places as referred to by HITC. I have almost always had a good reception at the places I have been. Maybe I am just culturally insensitive. As far as carrying fuel goes my advice would be the same as HITC, carry as much as you can, particularly in remote areas. The extra fuel burn would be insignificant compared with the inconvenience and cost of having to get fuel in rural and remote areas. [it also means you have less luggage to lug into town for overnight stays. ] DWF

It is now just 10 days to the AGM so there are obviously now constitutional changes proposed this time around. Despite the 'anouncements' and Sport Pilot headlines several months ago the advertised draft constitution has not materialised - for the ordinary RAAus member at least. Where is it? What has (or has not) happened? At least we could have been told action on this matter has been postponed/deferred/abandoned! I suppose it is too much to hope we will see the (aleged) draft before the AGM. It is really too late now to read and comment on it before then anyway. DWF

Yes we can! You should know better.

I refueled at Forrest on Monday. Avgas cost me $3.16/litre. Port Pirie was $2.14 and Swan Hill was $1.98. DWF

By and large I do not have a major problem with the way the Board and CEO are handling the association's finances and general direction. Things do not seem to be happening very fast but maybe that is because we are not being told what is happening or even what is being planned, in a very timely manner - if at all. Communication has improved just a little with the CEO's monthly newsletters but there is still a dearth of information in them. What I do have a problem with is the spin they are putting on the figures by telling us that losses and high expenses are really an improvement in income because the are not as bad as last year. But he one that really riles me is the Sport Pilot charade whereby the membership fee (including a hard copy SP) has increased by $90 to $300 unless you elect to take the option to reduce your member benefit by NOT receiving a hard copy SP to get a discount of $90 off the new fee of $300. (Yes, I know it is available on-line but that is beside the point.) It is a membership fee increase by stealth - but it has not escaped the attention of some (most?) members. If it is not a fee increase which is improving the bottom line why is the CEO being very upbeat about the number of members who are subscribing to the hard copy SP? I do not agree that we should retain the Board membership at 13 to allow for the dead wood; we should just get rid of the dead wood! Board members should be selected (not necessarily elected) for their expertise and experience in governance and running a board not because they are the most popular person in a particular geographic area. My preference would be for a Board of say 7 members selected or elected from a field of candidates nominated for their suitability, expertise and experience in running a successful board. The nominees could be form anywhere in Australia and members would vote for their preferred 7 nominees (out of a field of say 14). New Board members should be on probation for a period of say 3 months and if they are unwilling or unable to fully undertake the duties expected of a Board member then they should resign and be replaced. The latest (hard copy - yes, I have paid the full membership fee) edition of SP has just arrived on my desk. The front cover says in bold letters "NEW CONSTITUTION" so I eagerly turn to page 12 only to find a very short paragraph saying it will be available on the web soon. I am sorry to see Jim Tatlock is not renominating for the Board. I think he has done a good job as Treasurer (despite the spin). DWF

Maj, as it happens I have, over the last 12 months or so contacted by phone, email or in person, several Board members including the President and staff, and have not learned much, if anything, of substance regarding the amendments to the constitution or structure of the association. However, I feel you are attempting to shoot the messenger and ignoring the message. DWF

"Having 13 board members gives a large pool to draw from for specific skills" Having 10,000 members provides a much larger pool of skills and ideas if only you were willing to tap it! "Remember we are just all volenteers(sic) after all so don't have time to read and tackle everything on a personal basis" It is highly likely that among 10,000 member there are some who have the time, inclination, knowledge and expertise to assist with specific topics if you give them the opportunity. Do you think that the 13 Board members are the only RAAus members who have appropriate ideas, knowledge and experience? "As far as 'gathering every bodies thoughts' go, we have a very active board only forum which is used on a daily basis ....." It is great that you talk amongst yourselves. Do you seek input from anyone else? "And additionally the board ARE elected to make decisions on your behalf." It appears to me that the Board are making decisions on the Board members' behalf, not on my/our behalf, because, apart from the strategic plan survey some time ago, I have never been consulted by any Board member on any topic so how do you know what the members are thinking? "If you would like to be part of that process then simply put your hand up next time elections roll around, it's that simple." I don't think it is "that simple". I suspect that there are many members who could provide valuable input on particular topics but are not in a position to volunteer for a Board position but would like to have an avenue to contribute nonetheless. If every member "put their hand up" they would have just over a 1:1000 chance of getting a say (which is probably better than most of us have at the moment). With reference to the constitution, I would like to see/have seen the Board issue a Green Paper/NPRM/Discussion document outlining the perceived problems with the current constitution and legal entity and offering alternative solutions and seeking member opinion and suggestions. This should have been done before any draft was prepared. Then a first draft issued for comment followed by a final draft for comment and then presentation at a General Meeting. I fear we will just be presented with a fait accompli in similar fashion to the Ops Manual - with a lot of holes that better consultation could have avoided/plugged. DWF

This one was at YMKT (just south of Darwin) last Sept.

If you are prepared to go a bit further out you can buy a block and build your own (hangar). "Build it and they will come!"

From the RAAus July newsletter: "Constitution Reform The one topic that I have heard more about than any other topic since joining Recreational Aviation Australia has been our constitution. For the last four months the board executive and I have been working hard on preparing a draft for members to consider. Currently the full board is reviewing the draft document and we will share this with members shortly. We will soon upload a copy of our draft constitution onto our website for members to comment. Member's input will be open for sixty days. At the conclusion of this comment period, we will review comments and prepare a second draft document, which will be consulted with members at our forthcoming member’s forum on 11 October 2015 following our AGM. At this forum on 11 October 2015 we will provide members with a timeline and process for adopting a revised constitution. We expect the timing to take some four to six months following the AGM. We are committed to engaging with members and urge you to have input into this process." It is still 65 days to 11 Oct so maybe I am getting in a bit early on their timeline of 60 days for comment but if they are true to their word it will be on the RAAus web site by next Tuesday. I will be interested to see what they have come up with. DWF

Has anybody seen the new draft constitution that was supposed to be released to members in July? DWF

If you really want to get to grips with the theory of flight try "The Mechanics of Flight" by A C Kermode - or the slightly lighter version "Flight Without Formula". DWF

I tried to watch the webcast but only got 5 second snippets every minute or so. It probably takes too long for the electrons to get to WA. Sound and picture quality of the bits I got were good. The tantalising bits of information I got looked like to be about just the things I wanted to know. I will ask if there is any way to get a copy of the meeting webcast ( for those on slow connections). The webcast idea is good - it is a pity it does not work for all.

The move to Oktas was to make it easier for pilots and observers to determine the amount of cloud. It is much easier to divide the sky into 8ths than 10ths. 4 octas is half the sky covered in cloud. 2 octas is 1/4 (half of half), etc. Decode: SKC - sky clear - 0 octas; FEW - few - 1 octa; SCT - scattered - 2-3 octas; BKN - broken - 4-7 octas; OVC - overcast - 8 octas. I don't know why descriptions of the amount of cloud were adopted but the main one to remember is 'Broken' which is 4 to 7 octas, which means you can't (shouldn't) fly above that amount of cloud. Tower controllers have a list of "Visibility assessment points" - locations a know distance away that they use to gain an accurate assessment of the visibility in different directions within their control zone. The same thing can be applied at your home airfield/circuit area. Mt Wossname is say 9nm from the ARP and the Water Tower is 4000m North, etc. Get to know these and you should be able to mentally relate these to other locations. DWF

Maybe they are on holiday???? Or better yet - out flying.

When I learnt in the 60's I was also taught the BUMFH check, and still use it. However I now teach it as the "Pre-landing Checklist". There are quite a few occasions where a Downwind leg is not flow. If you only do it on Downwind there is a chance it will not get done! This applies for fixed gear aircraft as well as RG's. Then there is the PUFF check on Final. (A Final leg is [almost?] always flown.) Pitch - full fine (in case of go-around), Undercarriage - down & locked (all green lights on and visual check where possible), Full (or required) Flap, Cowl Flap open (in case of go-around). In the C177RG I fly there is a mirror by the pitot tube to allow the pilot to visually check the nose gear is down, the pilot can see the left main and the passenger can check the right main. There is also a satisfying "thunk", felt through the rudder pedals, as the nose gear locks down. (Gear down cycle time is 14 seconds which can seem like a very long time sometimes.) So I have NO excuse. DWF

I know it is not using the same rules but ..... I remember when .... back in the late 1960's I went flying (as a passenger - not PIC) with a bloke in his C150 at a 5200' airstrip on a small flat island that was about 1.5 miles long and 5' AMSL, off the coast of PNG (9:31S 147:03E). WE DID 30 "CIRCUITS" IN 30 Mins. We even got above 100' a couple of times. WHY? ..... Because we could. Warning: Do not try this at home! DWF

Have you seen the new CASA information sheet on "The General Competency Rule for Pilots"? I know it is aimed at GA pilots but I suspect it will not take long to trickle down to RAAus. At the very least it will mean more paper work but could get to the rediculous extreme where each pilot will need to be signed out for each individual aircraft they want to fly. AND provide CASA with another Ramp Check box to tick. While the general idea is sound it seems to me to be using legislation to replace common sense. In many cases it may be difficult (impossible?) to find a flying instructor with the necessary experience (on the particular aircraft) who can do the required training and sign-off. DWF

OME Things have indeed changed since your youth (and mine). It must be a while since you have purchased/used any enroute chart produced by Airservices. They stopped publishing a dedicated VFR enroute chart over 10 years ago. The currently available enroute charts for use below 10,000' are the ERC(L) [En Route Chart - Low] series which are primarily in green printing on white paper and show frequencies, lowest safe altitudes, route details and airspace boundaries but very little else - especially for VFR nav. The VTCs and VNCs now provide most of the good info for VFR pilots. One of the aircraft I fly has a placard beside the strobe light switch saying "Turn OFF strobes when flying in cloud". [i never have to turn it off as I never fly in cloud. [/font]] DWF