dsam

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think an iPad knee dock is allowed (mine is on a Velcro strap around my right thigh) - hands free like an item of clothing, life vest, PLB, etc.

Steve G, firstly, I am only a VFR pilot, so an IFR pilot's opinion would be welcome here. Secondly, as you state, an iPad is NOT a TSO'd device, nor should it ever be considered as such. My comments only relate to it being an excellent supplement to "enhance" situational awareness. Old skills and habits with installed TSO'd instrumentation should still apply - especially for IFR (I would think). That being said, I've had consistent and reliable success from my iPad in all circumstances in my Eurofox. Others may need to supplement with externally linked Bluetooth GPS devices with their iPad, due to bad satellite reception within a more shielded cockpit. As for "retaining skills" I suppose I still know how to use a slide rule and log & trig tables, and do long division with pencil and paper - but these days, ...Why! (I'm showing my age here...) Much easier to flight plan electronically - w & b, graphical & current Met, fuel calculations, etc etc, and bring all that into the air with you and then throw in traffic awareness enroute. A quick mental evaluation of the iPad figures shows if the plan calculations are in the right ballpark, otherwise you go back and check what data you entered incorrectly. Pilot responsibility still applies. As an older pilot with old school training, I couldn't be more positive about new devices and the benefits they bring. I'm an old dog that loves the new tricks! Dave

- Freycinet/wineglass bay in Tassie, - 12 Apostles to Wilson's Prom, - Painted Hills & Lake Eyre then across to Birdsville, - Grampian Ranges, - Mt. Beauty those are my highlights.

I'm still overseas after Oshkosh! I have no idea how I can participate in this RA-Aus election since there is no online option. Missed the census too, but then so did most of Australia by the sounds of it!

Dynon showed an updated HDX high-res touch panel (as per the link below). A nicer looking display than my older non-touch version. I liked the re-orientation of the push buttons on an angled bevel at the base - a more ergonomic position in turbulence. Dynon Avionics SkyView HDX | The premier SkyView experience

I was there Monday through Thursday, my first time at the event. HUGE fly-in turnout (10,000 aircraft at a guess - some were turned away for lack of room). Weather early in the week was superb, but a bit overcast & some rain Wednesday and Thursday to impact the airshow program. I did a local flight in a Ford Tri Motor, and my friend did one in the B17. Hundreds of exhibits to see! Too much is never enough

I've often thought some sort of horn would be useful to clear kangaroos & birds from outback strips on a preliminary fly past prior to landing. Has anyone done this? If so, is it effective, or do the kangaroos just lay about without moving?

Watching that video in Japan, does anybody else think that 4:30 + is a very long time to wait for fire retardant to be begin to be sprayed on a stationery aircraft on the main apron?? I would have expected a much quicker response time, particularly if a problem was radioed as soon as a fire started (likely well before this video started). Admittedly I'm not a fireman, but it looks to me like a rather poor effort from the fire services people, from start to finish.

Hi Gustavo, Just to be understood correctly, when Phil said it could be a "dry" joint, he means that an internal solder connection inside the radio was not done properly during manufacture, and is possibly not making a good electrical connection. The humdity in your hangar might add to this problem, but I just wanted to make sure there was no language problem to confuse you when Phil described a "dry" joint. I hope you solve your radio problem. Dave

I had a fabulous long weekend, flying with friends into Canberra for a visit. Melbourne turned on a beautiful "blue-sky" winter day for our return to YMEN. I was only the right-seat "sidekick", but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole excursion. ATC throughout the trip was a pleasure to deal with - many thanks!

As a kid in Calgary Canada during winter, I would watch my mother hang out freshly washed clothes, only to let them quickly become frozen stiff in minus 30 degrees C weather. Surprisingly, by the end of the next day, she would bring them in, virtually dry. Only later did I find out about sublimation in my physics class, explaining how solid water could become a gas without necessarily becoming a liquid. It is more correct to say that cold air cannot carry much water (but still does carry a small amount), otherwise the clothes wouldn't have dried. Interestingly, the outdoor relative humidity at minus 30 (or colder) was around 70%. When this same outside air was drawn indoors and heated to 21 degrees, that existing quantity of water in the air represented a relative humidity plunging well below 15%. Needless to say, we boiled water on the stove to add water to the indoor atmosphere, and alleviate constant nose bleeds. Un-oiled wooden furniture rapidly cracked and split, it was so dry I also had great fun shuffling my feet to build up a terrific static charge and zapped my brothers on the ear lobe when they weren't looking! I learned to run fast too:oh yeah:

Good "rave" Don! I can identify and agree with your way of thinking on this. However, one analogy for others observing a more regressive "privileges" approach is the driver's license. States issue a "license" to drivers. Public funds pay for roadways. States use this connection to assert driving as a "privilege". That's how the judiciary allows random breath tests to drivers on the roads. The judiciary could not permit random breath tests of pedestrians walking the footpath, for example. Nor could I be random breath tested driving on my own private land. Presumably a pilot's "licence" confers the same concept of "privilege" of publicly funded aviation facilities. The RPC would be seen as a subset of that system. I don't have to like that form of thinking, (preferring yours instead), but I think we'd need to convince the High Court of our way of thinking (possibly easier once we are a republic).

I'm going... First visit for me.

Done, including Facebook share.

Interestingly, I believe I read that the iPad Air 2 (cellular) was GLONASS capable.

I've pondered what it might take to knock out all the navigational satellite systems (extremely unlikely though it is). I suspect that a MASSIVE solar storm could generate an EMP that could impact many of the satellites simultaneously (including non-navigational Comms satellites). Such a storm has not happened since satellites were first launched, but likely has happened in earlier human history, I believe. As well, a single atomic blast in space (1960's over Hawaii) generated an EMP that knocked out some early satellites. Consequently, modern satellites have electronics that are "hardened" against this, stemming from that un-expected experience. Ultimately, if a solar storm of that magnitude should occur, the whole world would experience a lot of troubles, not just aviators. Hmmm... potential for a sci-fi movie script??

Presently owned land and facilities recently switched off for VOR/NDB/DME, could be converted into land based telemetry stations for such a system, if there was a will to do so.

True, there is an expense involved, but how many millions of dollars were spent recently in only one failed search in the Indian ocean? The question of "who" should pay also comes to mind... Taxpayers? Airlines/ticket buyers? Commercial aircraft manufacturers? - All of whom could potentially benefit from a fully "live" connectivity system.

Yes, Telstra prepaid SIM is my recommendation too. I also prefer full size iPads, not mini, as I like having more map "real estate" so I don't need to zoom in & out so often to balance detail viewing with surrounding view. Even so, an iPad on a kneeboard always beats juggling & re-folding paper maps, E6B, reading glasses, sunglasses, joystick etc. all in a small cockpit. Note: make sure your sunglasses aren't polarised, or you'll have trouble seeing the iPad screen.

They are keeping a BNN (backup navigation network). Gotta love all the acronyms!

I'm surprised there weren't any forum posts about today's switch off! Obviously nobody cares...?

Since I started this thread mid 2015, I've been happy to stick with OzRunways, and for what it is worth I find the interface more intuitive. Interestingly, I recently spent 20 hours in my cockpit on an outback excursion with a very experienced AvPlan user (also a beta tester for them, and an IFR pilot). At no time did I find that he had better situational awareness using AvPlan, than I had with OzRunways. Each of us could call up specific info whilst enroute without hesitation (eg. Met, aerodrome info, Weight & Balance etc. etc.) Ultimately, we are fortunate in Australia to have two competitive products to choose from, each one keeping the other "honest" with the latest features. I've concluded that one can use whichever interface one finds most intuitive. For me, that's been OzRunways.

The direct track not only includes R279, but a cluster of restricted airspace around Woomera (R222D, R222F, R222E, R246C, R246B) not to mention D271 below 5ooo ft. Isn't it a shame Australia has such vast tracts of airspace "stitched up" for military use.

The "on-topic" parts of this conversation lead me to wonder how soon the flight data recorder, and cockpit voice recorder will become relics of the past. Modern technology (and Moore's law) will soon overtake "local" storage of data, obviating the need for expensive searches for submerged recorders with failing batteries. I can easily imagine a world where packets of this airborne data are regularly broadcast to satellites & ground based receivers in their entirety. When an incident occurs, the relevant data is immediately accessed by authorised investigators.

This is a "long shot" suggestion, but do you use an iPad charger in flight? I had a similar issue that was resolved when I got a higher quality USB iPad charger from Jaycar. Apparently, the cheap ones can generate all sorts of unpredictable RF hash, sometimes affecting specific frequencies. Worth trying, anyway...