turboplanner

Frank, the fact that they didn't see is the Human Factor, and the question you pose about humans being humans, I believe, was the one of the reasons for CASA introducing the subject.

I'd have to say both they and RAA haven't done a very good job explaining the reasons. Perhaps some Case Studies would have helped.

Yes it's amazing how far we've come, although I was reading CASA's incident reports a while back and they seemed to be dominated by Dash 8 traffic matters.

I'm reading Jimmy Doolittle's autobiography (bought it on Amazon - see thread "Books for reading over the xmas break") and was staggered to read the report he wrote in 1941 after a visit to the UK which had been at war since 1939:

"The British wrote off 30 per cent of their planes every six months. Half of the losses were due to crashes, not combat."

Bigglesworth, I know where you are because I was there once, so I understand your language, but you are a little too close for comfort to the razor's edge.

Futura, mate

As long as the Use is restricted in accordance with the Codicil and the existing Planning provisions to safe Airport activities at economic costs, and Dick Smith could get a cup of coffee, I wouldn't imagine there would be too many objections, although I can't say whether Volksy would be interested in buying a piece of it.

However, if the idea is to make it an "Airpark" with 185 residences etc., or an "Aviation precinct" which includes factories down each side of the runways, then the proponent could be facing a few problems.

If what you say is true Futura, that's great, but you would appreciate that the aviators would like to see a cast iron guarantee that will occur. Once that's done, the smell will cease, and the support will follow.

Yes Bilby, and in speedway tachos also, and even then when you came in after a race and pit crew wanted to know rpm at the end of the straight, some of us gave them a blank look.

Volksy, you may be right and you may have to relocate. I understand how these things wear you down; still haven't finished with a Vic Gov issue affecting our property after 8 years.

I would agree with you that objecting to development once the Council decision is acted on and the land sold gets harder and harder.

Where I was coming from is that Use is a planning matter, and it appears from the posts that the current Use is Airport Use only.

Any departure from that is a Planning matter.

According to Soilmaster there would have to be a default on the Codicil to allow residential/industrial development.

If an intent to change the Use has been made public, then I would think the Codicil could be enforced, and the sale stopped, since the Use could not legally be changed.

I wonder if the Codicil spells out what happens to the land if the Council defaults on the intent?

As you say, the owner could build a fence around it or raise charges to a prohibitive level, but then he isn't getting any interest on his money, and arguably by his actions, both physical and financial is preventing the only permissible use from occurring.

You're pretty well on the money Brett, the Bob Tait book has questions in it.

In your case it will probably take you a couple of hours study and you'll probably get 95%+!

You need to do it in the next few weeks anyway, how about doing it now and letting the reluctants know your experience?

Sorry to hear what happened last night Volksy.

However, from what I read of Soilmaster's post, the decision may have been unlawful unless the Planning use is going to be airport use only.

While I'm not suggesting anything corrupt has occurred here, it is common in Australia for developers to encourage Councillors to do things which are against the interest of the people, and it's common for Council Officers to hide facts from Councillors.

The good guys rarely win if they just rely on their elected Councillors who are just members of the community themselves.

However, its certainly not all over yet.

In Victoria we have VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal) and any member of the public can object to a Planning decision within 60 days of the Council decision.

I'm sure there will be a NSW equivalent so you need to get cracking and find it.

The emotion needs to be taken right out of the matter at this point - from here on the decision will be overturned by hard facts alone. The developer can be as beligerent as he wants - it counts for nothing during a hearing.

I would very strongly recommend that you hire a Planning Consultant to write the objection and run it. Cost depends on how much rsearch needs to be done, but in Vic might be from $1,000 to $4000.

If a decision is handed down that the Use cannot change from Airport Use, then the developer will quickly lose interest.

At this early stage you need to find out who the behind-the- scenes players are, and the four Councillors who voted to sell the airport need to be put under scrutiny. It's often possible to extract secrets by asking questions in open Council - even better if a good Councillor asks them.

In Victoria, VCAT usually gives greater weight to Council Officers, so if the officers were against this decision they will make good witnesses.

In a local planning group here, we've had about a 60% success rate against inappropriate decisions, sometimes against multi million dollar nationals.

Finally, anarchy prevails when good men do nothing, so you need ALL local aviators helping, even if it's a donation.

Good luck guys

Do an amendment to flight plan against a stop watch.. puts a bit of pressure on.

Three accidents already eh?

The farmer was my grandfather who drove in front of the train at Kalangadoo, SA injuring his daughters, my mother anbd my aunt; it was my brother who actually saw the train but opted to drive the tractor over the crossing anyway, catching the harrows which were then hit by the train, and reading the news reports from time to time, it's usually a local on a country line where there is a known daily train.

He could have been looking up at an ultralight, but I think he just didn't have the brain in gear and didn't look to the left and the right plus identify what was in his vision.

Or it could have been bull ants; Last time I camped at Roma one bit me with such force that I'd have preferred a train!

For those who take this seriously...

Some pilots learn the checks, and do them by ritual, but don't stop to indentify what they actually saw - this is a human factor which can lead to a fatality, not just a laugh.

Two downwind checks, Fuel quantity and Oil pressure will tell you whether you are in good shape for a go round or touch and go, or whether you need to make a commitment to land regardless of less dangerous factors.

AHLocks, remember that Biggles was just a make believe character in stories intended for children and Captain W.E. Johns wasn't even a captain.

Bigglesworth, I don't think you were at Mt Baw Baw because if you were you would have seen the green paddocks of Gippsland which is within gliding distance.

yes, have heard of three others who winged it and passed without nay study - makes you wonder what all the whinging was about.

However, I wouldn't recommend that because there are still plenty of questions in the barrel which aren't jyst about commonsense.

We should try to get someone who is engaged in Rec Aviation on this Board.

We better get off my shortcomings, wondered why I had trouble getting Instructors.

I have some information on the Human Factors exam.

STUDY MATERIAL

Suggest you contact Ian on the Clear Prop section of this site - good opportunity to underwrite the great service he provides for us. He tells me he doesn't have stocks of books yet, but will get them in if there's a demand.

EXAM

I contacted RAA and this is the latest information:

(a) Talk to your CFI and do the exam at your flying school (it is a written exam only)

(b) If you are an RAA pilot, where you don't have a local flying school or geographically its not feasible to go to a flying school, RAA are working on an online version of the Human Factors course; the completion date is getting close, but no fixed date yet (remember, you've got 2 years to do it)

When the online version is up and running RAA will notify all members.

(Sorry, haven't checked out GA process for PPL)

Well said Nev

I've got another human factors problem. Like someone posted recently, I put the checklists on the dunny door to learn them and now can't stop myself farting when I get to "Brakes".

The excellent point here is that if an experienced pilot can be caught out what hope has a freshly licenced top gun got without some very careful case studies.

"What happens if u fail it?"

They take some of your brain cells out through the nose.

I bought a 2008 VFG by Aviation Theory Centre at Moorabbin Airport, should be available direct from Aviation Theory Centre.

I've certainly seen practice exam questions around, think ATC sell them. I understand the comment above but there are enough questions that you can't predict the real ones and at least they give you an idea of what to expect in the exam.

A very good way to plough through BAK fast is to join an evening study group; someone always asks the questions you were too scared to ask.

Talk to your Instructor/RAA now, but I think the sequence is Membership and Student Pilot Application then up the ladder from there.

And to think it all started around 1989!

So will there be bravery awards?

Sorry Facthunter, that's what I should have said, the key is to actually do the things required to get the aircraft through to the next phase.

I'd still make the challenge to get someone to ask you whether the oil was in the green, or similar, at a random time so you can check yourself.

Bit sloppy with the numbers there Biggles...

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported 30 Ultralight accidents with 6 fatalities for 2005.

It would take a long time to get to 36900 unless the Chinese have taken up recreational aviation!