NT5224

Can this be possible? I thought everybody knew Arnhem Land was the selected focus for space industry development and Australia’s interstellar aspirations (something to do with equatorial launch latitudes). We may all be going to the moon in a Queensland coal fueled rocket, but our journey will commence in a beaten up Toyota on a red dirt road.

Actually, gotta say that the bloke who handled my application was fantastic! Really helpful and supportive. No complaints about the Territory Governments handling of our appo. It just takes time paitience and resolve but thats understandable to get through their process and diligence. I think here in the Territory its mandatory approval for clearing applications if the purpose is to establish a landing strip. But thats only on pastoral blocks covered by the Pastoral Land Act (presumably a health and safety thing). But our land is freehold, so in theory our application could have been refused, but our justification was pretty much the same as a pastoral lease, emergency evacuation, access in wet weather etc... The pastoral block next door to us have a strip, but thats 30 Km away as the crow flies, and about 60km along property tracks in my Land Rover, so not really an emergency option, particularly in the wet. Alan

Yup, you need a real engine for bush flying!

An exciting day for Mrs NT5224 and I on wednesday. After about a year going through the bureacratic mill and endless correspondence, I finally got the green light for my home airstrip. Some in the sourthern states my be scratching their heads wondering why official approvals would be required in the Top End. Quite right, strictly speaking they aren't. We don't have local government approvals (we don't have a local government!). So we didnt need approvals for developing an airstrip. We needed approval for the for 'clearing land in a wilderness area for the purpose of establishing an airstrip', which comes to much the same thing. Anyway, after my wrangling with the department, site inspections etc... approval is now signed, sealed and delivered. My strip will be 800 m long, and cleared 60 metres wide. I will also be clearing emergency landing areas upwind to cover the contingency of EFOTA. I will clear another half hectare off the main strip for hangar, tie down and fueling facilities and maybe a small cabin or accommodation unit. Its about a 2km drive through the bush from the strip to our house and infrastructure , but because of the very fractured nature of the escarpment country where we live, I couldn't make it any closer to the house. I plan to commence construction the site at the end of the wet season. I'll let people know how we proceed getting set up. It might be helpful to others navigating through a similar process... As I said, an exciting day... Cheers Alan

Glad that others have found and read the report. It’s obviously an important document. I noted as Frank does that the review seems to be paving the way to a proposal for board remuneration. Two years ago I voted (by proxy -I was in the Middle East), against the current corporate structure. I felt strongly that the changes worked against the interests of the rank and file membership and recreational aviation, but was happy to accept the will of the majority and throw support behind the new arrangement. Reading the independent consultants report is illuminating. People are people, and every decision-making group has personalities who clash. That’s to be expected (Im on a board myself and so is my wife). But what the report says is that these issues are not being managed and are hindering the performance of the board. It’s not pointing the finger at individuals but commenting on the performance of the board and it’s processes as a whole. A recommendation has been made that this same underperforming board is remunerated. Who recalls the arguments made two years ago that moving to the new board structure would save the organisation money? The report states some board members don’t pull their weight and read board papers or contribute. To my mind those are wasted positions. I gotta admit the current board have made a number of positive changes and got some early runs. However the findings of this consultant report paints a rather different picture to that which is communicated between RAA and it’s membership. It’s worth a read. But finally, kudos to the board for publishing the report, warts and all. It was good corporate practice to do so. Let’s make sure it’s widely read. Cheers Alan

So I've just been reading the independent consultants review of the RAA board performance . It makes fascinating reading. Can anybody explain what is meant by a 'fractured dynamic'? I'm not familiar with the term. Its certainly not appeared in any of the monthly RAA circulars to date... 'It was also clear that there is currently a fractured dynamic on the board which is hindering the board in being able to focus on the performance of its key functions'. Hmmm.....Comments? Alan

'Radials have a bad name in Oz, mainly due to neglect, a well maintained radial is no worse than any other recip. If you do 200 hours a month and only log 50 then little wonder engines don't run to TBO. There was a time when you could hear a radial on a working aircraft most days, can't remember the last time I heard a radial'. Last time I heard a radial was just before mine unexpectedly and permanently seized at 2000ft. No fun. I agree with the above comment about radials and neglect, but remember they're a very different machine to an inline. Pre startup oil management is hugely important owing to the alignment of the cylinders and requires more complex pre-flight sequences. My conclusion is : if your an operator with good maintenance support or an enthusiast with plenty of time for tinkering then a radial would be a much more acceptable proposition. if you are more interested in flying than tinkering and require high levels of reliability without investing lots of time in maintenance, then a radial isn't ideal. I myself have migrated to a Lycoming. Back to the original post, if was an Ag flyer, putting in high hours with regular successive take offs and landings from bad strips (and especially if I was self-maintaining) id have a few concerns. if nothing else, its getting harder to find LAMEs and Aero technicians with radial experience these days Alan

Like others have commented above, I was bemused by the revised site name ‘aircraft pilots’, and feel that the original name was perhaps a better description of what it is all about. But its great that Ian has sought to improve the site -and seeking our input on the best way forward. I’ll be happy with the site regardless of what it’s called. Alan

Hi folks. Just wondering if any ‘insiders’ on here can offer insight into how long the process to get an MTOW increase to 750 kg will likely take? Now I know many will roll their eyes and say ‘they’ve been trying for years’, and I understand the pocess needs to go out to wider industry consultation: But I’ve got a very specific decision to make about aircraft registration and so would appreciate any informed feedback. Will we likely see the first RAA registrations at 750kg in six months, in one year, or three years? Appreciate your thoughts Alan

Hi Just looking to sign up for a CASA safety presentation. If Im an RAA certified pilot do I have an Aviation Ref number? Cheers Alan

Absolutely, would love to give feedback. The engine has been ordered through Murphy Aircraft in Canada, but due to various logistical complications delivery is taking longer than expected. Isnt that always the way? Actually the Lycoming (320 -or even 360) is the standard engine for the Rebel and most fly with them. My Rotec Rebel was a distinct oddity, and Im beginning to understand why! Im very excited about the prospect of flying with genuine confidence in my engine.... Alan

Nev, I'm sure her instructor did tell her. I certainly did: Its one of the overriding memories of my own first solo, many moons ago. My own instructor had warned me, but nothing really prepares you for the difference when you've only ever flown a light plane with 2 pax. It just takes a little while to adjust and get used to both situations.

For my part, I don't see clearing Mulga (or anything) as a long term solution. Our rural industries and communities depend long term upon healthy country (that's something our blackfella neighbours have taught us!). We need to protect and conserve our natural environment within the context of our sustainable production. Somebody struggling from drought starts pushing Mulga to save 5000 head. That scrub might not appear particularly useful (other as emergency fodder), but I would be surprised if it doesn't play a role in capturing and holding water and directing it into the groundwater systems and rivers downstream -and of course stabilising top soils. Push the scrub, then you lose your soil and the systems' stuffed. And there's your next drought exacerbated: its a vicious cycle. Even in good years you'll get grasses back, but the scrub will take years to re-establish. These droughts are felt most acutely on cleared lands that have been flogged and ecosystems degraded. As I wrote before, I also believe that many producers are operating on an economic knife-edge (high debt and highly variable income). Poor financial decision-making and prices driven ever downwards by profit-seeking agricultural commodity brokers will also exacerbate vulnerability to the effects of drought. If margins weren't so tight, maybe more producers could agist, or bring in fodder during bad years. Those 90+ % of Australians squeezed into the urbanised south eastern states really depend on a tiny proportion of the population who remain active in land management and food production across the inland. The situation s becoming precarious. We need people who know and understand the land, which is one of our greatest national resources. We need the insights of our blackfella neighbours and their rich culture, but also need the knowledge graziers, growers and farmers who have worked the land for generations. Around where I live, youngsters tend not to return to the land after higher education, prefer city life and careers, and life free of generational debt, high risk and isolation. I can imagine that 'urban flight' and people leaving the bush is another terrible consequence these episodic droughts down south. Alan

Hi folks Interesting discussion here. I have to agree that understanding weather and land productivity cycles are key to successful production. However, the point has been made that prices at the farm gate have been driven increasingly lower in markets monopolised by one or two major players. I reckon this latest 'drought' down south is as much an economic creation as a natural phenomena. The same trendy urbanistas wringing their hands and wailing at the treatment of emaciated stock have come to expect milk from our dairies at unsustainable prices. Here in the north we are to some extent insulated from the current problems down south, not only because we get regular rainfall, but because we for the most part export to markets where pricing is more competitive. I believe that, if we want to protect the sustainability of our agriculture, food production and secure our rural industries (which are among this nations' greatest productive resources), we should forget about charity, handouts, and clips of skinny sheep on You Tube. We need to expect to pay fair prices at the farm gate, and care less about the profits of the shareholders in big corporates. We need people working on the land, understanding it, and knowing how to conserve it. Oh, and in my mind there is little doubt that weather patterns are changing and becoming less predictable. Here in the Top End we understand climatic variation: Wet Season and Dry Season! But in the last ten years this picture has become increasingly mixed. For example just Saturday (end of July) we had a heavy rain shower. What's that about? So Im not sure to what extent the old knowledges or rules apply. Speaking to an indigenous mate of mine this morning he was telling me that some species of bird that's migration to the Top End traditionally signals the onset of the wet has just turned up. He was scratching his head and saying it was really odd, arriving three months early. We are heading into uncharted territory. I'm just glad Im not a beef grower with a big mortgage in inland NSW. My sympathies to them and their families. Alan

I’m so proud of my wife Yesterday I watched her solo for the first time, without any trepidation, knowing her to be as competent, self assured and business-like about her flying as she is in everything else. She came back frustrated that her landing had not been her best: The extra float from the lightened aircraft. She was disappointed when her instructor wouldn’t let her go up again and prove how polished her flying could be. And the thing is, she’s not passionate about flying the way I am. It’s just we have an aircraft, and it makes sense she knows how to operate it. So it just boils down to her perservence and the experience and patience of her instructor. She’s no spring chook either, just eighteen months younger than I. Good for her. I’m sooo proud! Alan

So my issue of Sport Pilot reached us via our PO Box at Adelaide River. Much as I enjoyed Brian’s tenure with the mag, Mark and his wife seem to have done a great job with it. So good the editor and deputy editor remain aviators themselves ( I assume that was a selection criteria for the contract?) Well done Mark. Flying dog articles always welcome Alan

Hi Folks Im not normally one to critique RAA, and prefer to give the benefit of the doubt to the blokes doing the hard job of steering our organisation when there are 10,000 of us all wanting different things. However, I have just renewed RAA membership and received the new plain orange card with the inaccurately postioned sticker with my name and member number. Does anybody else have one yet? What do you think? I appreciate the cost savings to members the permenant card might have, with pilot information stored online, but couldn't we have had something that looked a little more interesting, perhaps like an official pilots certificate and less like a cheesy 1990s video rental store memebership card? In my view the previous cards (although there was room for improvement) were far superior. Does a permanent card necessarily mean it has to look cheap and cheesy? Very unimpressed. RAA you could have done much much better than this. Very disappointing. Alan

That happened to me once. I had flown across the Dividing Range at about 9000 ft to stay above some cloud, and had been running at high rpm for an extended period. I descended normally at one of those airfields on the other side (can't remember which, 'Gondawonda' or something similar) and found my throttle had stuck open (not on full revs, but something high enough to make a braked deceleration difficult). Touched the aircraft down normally (albeit it a little faster than i would have liked), and just killed it with the Mags. Pushing myself clear of the runway, I gave the throttle spring a good working and oiling and never had the problem again. I suppose I could have killed it on base or long final but wanted to keep my options open as long as possible, just in case. Alan

Personally I support this initiative and hope it materialises soon enough for me to get my Rebel certified RAA again ( at 760kg ) once my Lycoming 0320 is installed. Otherwise I’ll have to go VH experimental. If regulation and maintenance requirements for aircraft under 600kg will remain unchanged and new restrictions and regs only effect the new G category, I can’t see why folks are complaining. Of course nobody wants to see membership and aircraft reg fees rise across the organisation, and it wouldn’t be fair to do so. So as a potential G category owner, I would expect to pay higher reg fees than my neighbour with his rag and tube machine. Who knows? A ‘high end’ G category may end up subsidising other parts of the organisation and so bring fees down for existing members. I would happily absorb a higher membership/reg cost if it gave me the freedom to safely fly my aircraft the way I want to, within its design parameters. Alan

Just to clarify, we have been fortunate to source a near-new 0320 at a very reasonable price, already configured for a Rebel. So finding one isn’t the issue, just whether it’s the right decision. And the consensus here seems to support my own view that the 0320 is strong,reliable and proven motor Thanks for all the wise counsel, and opinions much appreciated Alan

My recollection is that it was somewhere not far from 400kg. With two on board (combined weight 150kg) we were limited in how much fuel we could legally carry under RAA. Luckily most of my cross country flights were solo.

The Rotec was 115 hp and struggled. 160 hp will be much more suitable to the Rebels size and weight - and enhance its STOL which is really important to us. Also here in The Territory there are a lot more 172s flying than ultralights, and so support and supply should be simpler.

Many on here will know that a couple of months ago the Rotec engine on my Murphy Rebel unexpectedly seized in flight over Tiger country and forced me down in a swamp. Im now in the process of getting airworthy again and seek opinions on whether a Lycoming 320 might be a better substitute for reliable bush flying. I realise this will probably push my Rebel out of RAA to VH rego, but ive been flying it well below design MTOW as RAA. Ive got a trustworthy and helpful LAME for the install. Any considerations im missing here? Cheers Alan

Facthunter, I will of course update on the engine failure when I have news. I’m sure all will appreciate since there is an insurance process underway I can’t say too much until that is settled. Yep, the Rebel has been pretty much the perfect airframe for our bush flying needs. Alan

Hiya Bought the Rebel in Jan 2016, so have had it a couple of years now. Excellent aircraft, although always been wary of the temperamental non-standard motor. I’m not sure why it was never taken down off aviation advertiser after it was sold to me. This aircraft is necessarily grounded and going through inspection. I’m hoping it will be rejoining the fleet shortly, with a more suitable engine for serious bush flying. Cheers Alan