NT5224

I don’t own a smart phone. Wouldn’t want one -and anyway no mobile coverage in our district. Alan

Hi folks I have pretty much read through much of this thread in one sitting. First, deepest sympathies to the families of those affected by the Heck field incident. It was another tragic incident, and like many other tragic incidents before, I hope we will all come to understand why it happened in the fullness of time. I was aware of this incident when it first occurred and although I did not read the thread, it did cross my mind why that particular flight had gone ahead when we were all being urged to lockdown. While One-Tracks comment on the Baux scale might have been mildly insensitive, there was absolutely no malice in it, and I for one found it very valuable. I have since gone online to read about it further. It’s worth a glance, particularly with so many of us over fifty and practicing an activity where fire is an inherent risk. I’m sure the families of those affected will be getting the very best medical advice already and possibly already come across the Baux scale if they have been seeking to gather information on burns treatment. It’s heartbraking each time we lose a brother/ sister aviator to another accident and we can only wish that the surviving crew member makes a rapid and full recovery. My question is, given the amount of forensic examination we put into understanding why accidents occur ( and that as somebody earlier wrote) “no new ways have been found to crash a plane since the 1930’s”, why do these accidents keep happening? Surely we need to start focusing ensuring that flightcrew are adapting practices to avoid making these known mistakes. Are we as a community doing enough in that respect and how can we improve? It’s all very well wailing about what went wrong after each individual incident, but if we can’t find a way to change practice within the community, then what’s the point? Cheers Alan

So in the throws of the COVID crisis I had to get something done at CASA. I dispatched a wedge of supporting documentation last week expecting the fact that Canberra is shut down to delay the process indefinitely. I didn’t even get the usual email received receipt. So I thought I’d just give them a call to see if they even received my package or if there was even anybody at the office. I’d heard they’d all been working from home. My expectations were not high. So my call was just now transferred through to a delightful person working from home who immediately informs me the date and time that my documentation had been received and that it had already been processed and physically mailed back to me. In 2 days over the Easter Long weekend, with everybody working from home! It’s quite incredible. She then went on to confer with other departments on my behalf to answer some other unrelated questions, and came back to me with clear answers, despite the fact they are all working from home. Again, I’m impressed! Alan

Thanks for asking! The Lycoming has been awesome. I’m gonna post pics and change my profile pic on here -but my wife won’t let me until she’s finished the nose art

Well RAA have just sent round tips for placing aircraft in storage...I’m VH registered now but I’m guessing the intended message is clear. Either way I don’t see this going beyond a couple of months, so I for one will happily put my bird to roost. And the monitor the situation carefully This is not the time to be looking for ways of bending the rules or flying ‘black ops missions’ Alan

Is Myles B. still instructing? If so, highly recommended. Great bloke, great taildragger Pilot.

Hi Thruster88 Im in a similar situation to you. My block is a bit larger than yours and I could fly wholly within my boundaries, but Ive decided not to fly at present unless there is a genuine reason to do so. ( Going shopping or a medical emergency etc...). Im following government advice for now. My current view is that if everybody follows their own interpretation of what is best for the country, then a coordinated response becomes impossible. Some of us may view purely recreational flying as 'essential', but then our neighbours might decide that whatever they want to do should also be categorized 'essential', and then everybody is doing whatever they want. Personally I dont think now is the time for us to be testing how far we can push the letter of the law and what we can get away with. We need to come together as a community. As aviators and aircraft owners we enjoy extraordinary priviledges and I would prefer to lead by example. However, having said the above, there actually is a bizarre reason why I might have to fly. The Territory government has drawn an internal 14 day quarantine boundary through my property between my home and my front gate (my access to a sealed road). If they are silly enough to insist on enforcing it, then the only way I can get in and out of home without passing through the quarantine area would be by air. But I hope it won't come to that! Alan

So Im theoretically locked down... Here in the Territory, our government have defined a number of 'designated areas' subject to movement (border) restrictions. Crossing the boundary of a designated area, you now have to quarantine 14 days. The theory is sound, we need to help protect our vulnerable local communities, so shutting down large parts of the country to random travelers makes sense. We've now got police and military road blocks established on many major routes into designated areas. But the practice is rather sketchy. I've just had the boundary of a designated area drawn straight across my property. If I drive down to my front gate, on return I've now got to quarantine myself 14 days . On the upside, at least the airstrip is on the same side of the boundary as my house, so if somebody seriously wanted to enforce this, I could just fly in and out of home. What bizarre times we're all living through? Best to all Alan

Hi folks! Have found the different perspectives voiced on this thread most illuminating. Its important we have these debates to decide upon our collective actions and policy responses very carefully. But back to the OP about Covid impacts on flying. I had cause to chat with my aviation insurance bloke yesterday and he told me "Alan, the worlds gone nuts! Its bedlam, my phone hasn't stopped ringing!" So asked what was up? He told me he had blokes calling him to tell him their aircraft ware parked across the border and they couldn't get to them, some charter guys were having problems with the 2m spacing regs and were trying to rip out seats and toss them out of the hatch, others were having their charter routes or scenic flights closed and everybody wanted to know whether insurance would cover lost business owing to 'downtime'. Just yesterday RAAus members received a message from the two Michaels highlighting deliberate vagueness in CASA instructions about flying at present, but erring on the side of caution and suggesting we stay grounded. Me, I have my own home strip and could restrict flight to within the boundaries of my own property. But you know what? Unless a worthwhile reason for me to fly comes up, Im going to stay grounded for now. I think thats probably in the best interests of the community. Some here may feel the entitlement to keep flying through this crisis. Its an individual decision. I've made mine. Our aircraft will still be there when this is over or we genuinely need them sooner. best of luck to all Alan

Hi folks Just a quickie! Im thinking about storing 44 gallon drums of Avgas at my home strip. In theory I can buy new drums directly from a supplier (Shell), but anecdotally they will only sell a minimum of four together (apparently to keep Avgas out of the hands of racing enthusiasts). An alternative will be to fill up some pre-used drums at the local bowser. I know a bloke who runs a high end vehicle service centre/workshop. He gets his oil by the drum and so constantly has a turnover of virtually new single use-oil drums. So I can get near new drums for free and potentially just fill them at the Avgas bowser. The question is whether the drums need to be meticulously cleaned before filling with Avgas? If it was an older petrol or diesel engine in a road vehicle, I'd have no hesitation in having a spot of clean oil mixed in the fuel -might even make them run a bit smoother. But what about a Lycoming burning Avgas? Of course I will flush the drums with a few litres of Avgas before filling, but aren't certain I'd get everything. Whats the worst a bit of clean oil could do if mixed into my Avgas? Cheers Alan

Back to the absence of Sport Pilot. Yup I miss it too -and of course the enthusiasm and dedication of Mark Smith. I had a particular fondness for Brian's work ever since he published that article about his doggo in the footwell, and appreciated his humour and quirky style. But in the few months Mark had the magazine production qualities were really excellent. Maybe Brian would take it back on? The other aviation publication i subscribe to is Australian Flying, which covers much of the same content as Sport Pilot, but with slightly higher production standards. While Sport Pilot could be considered the mouthpiece of RAAus, Australian Flying views RAAus within the wider spectrum of Light and General Aviation. Sometimes I find their perspectives on RAAus and its ambitions refreshing. Australian Flying....Worth a read. Alan

Hi folks Im just wandering whether its acceptable to insure a VH registered aircraft if you only hold an RPL? My bird has just switched from RAA registration to CASA rego, and was previously insured with me just holding an RAA Pilot certificate. Do insurers only recognise PPLs for VH reg aircraft? I aim to remain with my current insurer, but something he said made me wonder about this... Alan

Onetrack I wasn’t at the scene. I’m not a witness and these things are often exaggerated. Personally I like the version of events given by Aldo far better than what I was told, and hope it is right. Let’s just hope for the best. Alan

Hi Aldo Not disputing your account, but the information I have suggests the pilots injuries may be more serious and he is hospitalised. The picture of the wreck I saw was of a bad crash, wings off and whole fuselage badly compressed and twisted by vertical impact. I have heard more detailed information which out of respect for those involved will remain private for now until confirmed by media or official reports. The emergency services attended the scene.

My wings hold about 100 litres each. As a rule I never take off with less than half tanks (about 100 litres total). A great thing about the Rebel is instead of a fancy but complex fuel guage you get a simple section of transparent tubing on the inside of each wing tank, so you're actually seeing the level of juice present in the wings. I suppose in theory a bubble or block could form in the tubes to give a misleading reading, but I much prefer the simplicty of a direct reading. its like looking at the fuel sloshing around inside that plastic tank strapped on the back of a Drifter! Ive never understood the mentality of folks who fly aircraft (or drive cars) down to the last quarter of the tank. Quite apart from increasing the likelihood of running short of fuel, you increase the risk of accumulated dirt or rust particles from the bottom of the tank entering your fuel system and of condensation forming in the tank. This latter is a big issue up here in the north. I can appreciate flight schools and training facilities may want to fly light for economic or safety reasons, but like Mr BirdDog says, if you can't afford to top up your tanks, maybe you shouldnt be flying. Alan

G'Day Onetrack I wouldnt want to spread unsubstantiated rumours about air incidents. I experienced in one myself a couple of years ago, so would not post with out being fairly certain. I wouldnt just repeat heresay from non-aviators. I first heard about this incident from a senior flying instructor, saw a photo taken by another flight instructor who circled overhead the wreck and have just confirmed on the phone with a third independent source -another senior flying instructor. There is a wrecked Cessna about a mile short of the runway at Batchelor. Apparently it went in nose first (stall?) and the pic I saw showed a pretty bad wreck. Its a miracle it didnt burn. The pilot apparently sustained injuries and is in hospital.... Its the Sky Diving club Cessna. No idea why this story has not made the media which is why I asked in my first post. Perhaps there are circumstances we are not aware of? (Notifying the pilots family or something?) Lets just hope the pilot makes a full recovery.... there may be lessons to be learned, but they can come later. If this incident is reported by ATSB would be interested to see it. Alan

I heard (second hand) that a Cessna went down on Saturday at my former airfield, Batchelor NT. Thankfully no fatalities... I saw a photo of a crashed aircraft in the scrub. It looked quite a bad wreck. I was told it was the skydiving aircraft that operates there weekends. Pilot very luckily survived and is hospitalized. It was apparently returning from a drop so thankfully nobody else on board. The accident happened on approach... No news in the media yet. If this accident is confirmed I hope the pilot is well and will recover fully.... If this report is true it will be good to learn more about what happened. Alan

I remember traveling up that arctic coastline to Northcapp when I was a young bloke. Id forgotten all about it until I saw your map! Hadn't thought about it in years. Incredible place. It was midwinter, bitterly cold but the Northern Lights were on spectacular show. I recall the women of the far north also left a strong impression on me -as did the price of alcohol. Alan

Hi SplitS Thanks for your response. Out of curiosity, what aircraft do you do the BFR in? A VH registered aircraft that can also be registered with RAA such as a Jabiru or a Foxbat? Or on a larger, more stable aircraft that your RPL permits you to fly such as a C172, a PA 32 or a M20? Alan

Hey folks Another question from me. I think Ive seen this discussed previously but -Id like to raise the issue again for any fresh perspectives. For those holding pilots certificates under both RAAus (RAA cert) and CASA (RPL, PPL), does it matter which organisation you conduct BFRs with? Or do you need to do a BFR twice , once in each category of aircraft? I think I read RAA accept a CASA BFR. Seems reasonable. But how does that work? Does the instructor who does the check ride send in the paperwork to RAA on your behalf? Or only to CASA? And what about checking out on a RAA aircraft for a BFR for your RPL or PPL? Anybody done a BFR in a C172 to remain current in RAA? I appreciate in the longer term we might see a convergence in training and administrative streams but whats happening now? Anybody already navigating these murky waters who can explain what happens in practice? Cheers Alan

G'day Dean Welcome to the forum and thanks for that great story of progress. My wife went through her flight training last year aged 50, so I know its different from going through as a spring chook. But I think the maturity can make you a better aviator. One aspect of your story particularly interests me. You put in a strip and built a hangar at your block. I have been doing the same sorts of things for the last couple of years and am just starting work on my hangar. Could you tell me about your? Dimensions, How you built it and maybe share some pics? It might be best if you pm me unless you're happy to share publicly Cheers Alan

Hello Danny! I totally get this, it’s not hard to understand. LSA is a form of international standard, agreed worldwide. RAA can’t change any aspect of that standard - including MTOW. Back in the day when RAA was restricted to 560kg, the introduction of LSA meant aircraft produced to that standard and certified LSA could be a bit heavier than non LSA RAA register aircraft. So having aircraft registered to different MTOW under RAA is nothing new

BirdDog Yeah the loss of your home would be a a valid reason to back up logs online. But doesn't a LAME hold your maintenance logs? Or do you do all maintenance yourself? A related point, which was completely new to me. My LAME told me that its illegal to fly your aircraft with your maintenance log on board. One day I flew across to his airfield carrying it with me and he gave me a scolding. It makes sense when you think about it! So you have to keep aircraft and log separate. I think the new RAA maintenance logs are much better. AUF had just rebranded as RAA in 2005 and so I think my maintenance log is basically a rebranded AUF one. It looks the kind of thing you'd have for a Wheeler Scout! Alan

Im with you, BirdDog. I use a traditional hard cover pilots log in combination with self designed flight logs sheets which i keep in a folder in the aircraft. I wouldn't mind backing up my pilots log in electronic form, but at present Ive just photographed it page by page (still on first log book) as a backup. Im dubious about switching to a solely electronic log book. Log books have such significance in the aviation community. Ive seen my Dad's old log books from the 1940's, and they basically look identical to what my wife and I use today. Logs are a real institution. Some of the old hands on this site will have multiple log books that tell the whole story of their aviation career. Some of the best logs I have seen have little photographs of aircraft types as well as other quirky things entered in them. I always thought that a pilots log was an official document like a passport, which limited what you could legally enter in it, but apparently not. I love paper logs! I can understand why commercial pilots flying high hours might favour electronic logs for convenience, but I still enjoy making entries in my log by hand... My personal gripe is my aircraft maintenance log, which for some inexplicable reason was established in a tawdry RAA log booklet (circa 2005). Not only does it look cheap and nasty for RAA, but since we've re-registered VH its become particularly unsightly for GA. However, as my aircraft is heavily modified, I couldn't contemplate the hassle of trying to change or renew my maintenance logbooks. I would advise anybody bringing a new aircraft onto the RAA register to get a proper log book from the outset. Cheers Alan

EXACTLY! I see one of the main blokes who brokered the deal quite regularly when I head into Darwin. Immediately after the deal went public and attracted criticism, the gang of fat cat public servants involved all went to ground. Old mate I see around town retired on big payout with a fat cat pension and now spends his days towing an humongous top spec motor cruiser behind his brand new top spec 4WD visiting the best fishing spots. Conspicuous consumption? Other people involved in the deal melted away only to re-emerge in lucrative positions lobbying on behalf of the Chinese corporation behind the deal. The $500 million from the sale of such a strategic national asset has now apparently been absorbed into general government accounts (i.e. our $6 billion public debt) so except for old mates fancy boat, Australia has absolutely no benefit to show for the deal... What a national disaster! Anyway, back on topic. The failure of the London-Darwin 2019 AirRace, intended to showcase alternative energy powered aircraft, was a failure for some very simple reasons, mostly basic competency on the part of bureaucrats. Its really tragic as it would have been a much better investment than most of the stuff we throw money away on. Alan