NT5224

Crash occurred Sunday arvo close to Humpty Doo some distance from the circuit. Police and emergency services reached crash site. Not sure of outcome, but stuff is being reported in news. Hope all ended well... Alan

EmKayTee airfield MKT

News reporting an ultralight down close to MKT near Darwin.

Hi John Fascinating pictures and description of a part of the country I've never seen. Excellent! Much appreciated. Alan

Hi Folks! Before brekkie on Sunday we popped across to the block next door to ours... It seems crazy but after ten years living and flying here we've never dropped into Fenton -despite overflying it constantly. During the war Fenton was first a B17 then a B24 base. It was target of several Japanese air raids. Despite smokey conditions across the Top End and Operation 'Arnhem Thunder' war games (squadrons of F 35s buzzing overhead!) we put bacon and eggs on hold. We push out the bird, preflight and set off. Its just a few minutes flight/hop from our house to Fenton. I do three low passes across the strip to scatter mobs of cattle and kangeroos and check which sections look Ok for landing. I don't need the whole length not being a Liberator at full MTOW! I could almost land across the runway width! We park up and have a walk about checking out all the old dispersal bays. Its a lovely spot, utterly deserted now but there were heritage photos of John Wayne and Cary Grant performing to a packed audience in an outdoor theatre. Dont know what impresses me more, the idea of so many people out there in the wilderness or the fact that John Wayne and Cary Grant once visited next door to our place! Short flight home through smokey conditions and then those eggs and bacon and lashings of tea... Great start to the day! Early departureHopping over to FentonScattering the stock Heritage sign B24 tail section? Hopping across the ridge back homeArrived back -our home strip Alan

Good and smokey in the Top End with everybody now burning. Yesterday I flew home from Darwin through smoke so thick that at times its hard to see the ground...luckily the smoke is trapped by an inversion at about 3500. Clear skies above. Probably shouldn't have flown but I was suffering from get-there-itus, because I was scheduled to do some burning around my own property! I passed a fire front overhead at about 3000 and felt a distinct kick upwards.. Gotta admire the courage of those mad bastards who fly fire fighting missions just above the flames! Alan

Wow that's really strong money for aircraft that have been punished in the training circuit. I guess they have been maintained (because SOAR obviously did everything by the book), but still... Perhaps people think they're getting a better bargain at an auction, but is that really true? Alan

Folks I suspect an obvious fix. Today my wife took our brand new Yaesu 550 to the airstrip with me to test it. When I was taxing our aircraft I could hear her perfectly, but she said she could only hear crackling interference and loud static , not me. She’s not a total idiot with tech (a licensed pilot herself) but just couldn’t get it to receive. Given the frequency was correct (I could hear her transmit clearly), I’m wondering if she pushed Squelch by accident or something. Only other thing I can think of is trying ANL ( ambient noise reduction). Anything obvious We’re missing here? Anyway of testing the VHF receiver here on the ground without running my aircraft radio? cheers Alan

Hi folks! Out of interest are there any legal implications to the sale of aircraft where the seller does not allow inspection for airworthiness as part of the sale? Will logs/ maintenance releases be available for inspection by buyers? Or is the situation exactly the same as buying an old used car unseen, and the expectation it will probably drop its guts on the freeway on your drive home? Cheers Alan

OME, absolutely. As a rule my dad doesn't clutter himself with material possessions, but he loves that Mosquito model. I hoped it would serve as a link to his memories as a 20 year old boy in the mid forties. My dad has been a life long and active pacifist (at great personal cost), he has some good memories of the last year of the war. He was young, enjoyed comraderie, teamwork, problem-solving and developed a life long admiration for German engineering. His recollections are tinged with sadness too, but he mainly remembers the good. Even though he went on to an extraordinary life of achievement, his face has always lit up everytime he sees a DH Mosquito on TV or at an airshow. I guess those were special times for him. And now, that wooden model brings him more joy than I could have ever imagined... Alan

Four years back I gave my old Dad a hand carved wooden model of a mosquito on his 90th birthday. I picked it up from a outfitters store in Darwin which imports them from Malaysia. Dad served on Mossies (among other types) and was absolutely rapt to receive that model. It sits on his mantelpiece and he plays with it and cleans it everyday. He pointed out some minor inaccuracies in the model and wanted to write to the manufacturers to correct the design. Its his main talking piece now and whenever I speak with him he tells me about the mossie model and that leads into service reminiscences. He loves that model, and yet the gift was purchased almost accidentally Alan

Koreelah, I agree but as Thruster said my whole property is thick woodlands. I've already cut about 15 of the highest trees at each end with a chainsaw (intentionally leaving the stumps in). Just beyond those trees the land rises in a steep escarpment. Its like flying on or off an aircraft carrier. Lots of fun. I'll clear the trees back to the escarpment, but the strip is plenty long, even with them there. Alan

At last. After three frustrating weeks grounded by a tropical low that had the clouds streaming across my airstrip there was a literal 10 minute break in the clouds. I just happened to be preparing to slash the airstrip so I dragged the bird out of the hangar and got in a few respectable circuits before the clouds began creeping back over. My wife drove over when she heard me throttle the Lycoming...And snapped my last circuit. Here's landing and takeoff Alan VID-20210215-WA0020.mp4 VID-20210215-WA0019.mp4 VID-20210215-WA0019.mp4

Interesting clip. Two observations from the benefit of my arm chair. First I was interested to see a tricycle undercarriage nose over like that in the rough. Second, I dunno the aircraft type or its approach speed but I felt (with the benefit of hindsight!) that the pilot was carrying a bit of extra speed into his approach. Flaps dropped to late to slow him down much and if he hadn't nosed in, the aircraft would have gone into the trees... But the pilot saved himself and any passenger and that aircraft will likely fly again -so all things considered great flying! Easy to be an armchair critic -but this same thing happened to me in 2017... Alan

Here's where mines at... still got to enclose the back... all materials and delivery for structure came in under $7000..

Thanks for responses! No flying this weekend due to weather ( and lack of MR), but following suggestions here I will now keep MR and POH documentation stored in aircraft. Seems like the obvious thing! Alan

Sorry Yenn, I’m VH reg. Just confirming what I already suspected... I stupidly forgot to bring my flight bag with everything in it heading home to my property this weekend. The weather has been very overcast for three weeks due to monsoon and haven’t been able to fly. Hoped a break in the weather might come this weekend, but now no documents. POH can be downloaded electronically, it’s my licence and MR which are the issues Alan

Ok kinda a dumb question here. I've stupidly forgotten my flight bag with licence, POH, maintenance release, logbook etc... Can I still legally fly circuits from my own strip over my own land? I'll have ERSA and other electronic documents in my EFB (which is with me). Alan

Great clip but gotta say I thought his turn onto final rather steep with engine out. Still,did the trick I guess... Alan

I subscribe. But was surprised to receive an email informing me that my annual subscription had just automatically been renewed...And I had been debited for it. While understanding the OPs point, I don't wholly agree. Flight Safety has an overarching theme of encouraging better airmanship, but has a variety of content covering diverse topics much like any aviation magazine. If it was just aviation safety directives, I wouldn't be buying it! I'm guessing if flight schools and charter companies have a copy lying around the tea room or the hangar it might have broader reach in tbe aviation community... Alan

Hi folks. In my personal experience kangaroo repellers don't work. I've tried a couple (on vehicles not my aircraft!) However, my take on why they don't work is as follows. Kangaroos are dumb. I absolutely love them, but they are among the dumbest of Gods creatures! When Im out walking the sound of my footsteps through the bush will likely scatter a a big mob when they hear me approaching. However, I can fire a shotgun close to the same mob and they will stand frozen, transfixed by the sound or in some cases even hop forward to investigate. So the question is not whether roos are hearing the sound emitted (whistle, horn, approaching vehicle or whatever), but how they respond to that sound, and whether it is (from a human perspective) a rational response? Without a much deeper understanding of roo psychology, it is impossible to assume just because a roo hears a particular sound it will respond to it the way a human would. This is why my own roo control mechanism is the best. Like all good shepherding dogs, The Boy has learned to intimately understand and predict roo behaviour, and does exactly whats required to shepherd them to safety off the strip. Funnily enough, the roos have also learned about the dog (its the same individuals that come back to the airstrip everyday), and so, like sheep, are not unduly concerned at being shepherded. To them its pretty much part of their daily routine. Everyones happy. With respect to fencing the strip, it would cost me approximately $4000 to put a three wire fence round the perimetre. Trouble is, a three wire fence might be useful in sheep country, but wont stop roos as they hop over or push through between the wires. And the occasional buffalo around the property wouldn't even know the fence was there. It would walk straight through, dragging the pickets out behind it. Then Im hit with repair costs. A steel cyclone mesh fence might keep most of the critters out, but as a private individual I can't afford that. Another consideration is I actually quite like having roos grazing the grass strip, other than when its actually being used for flight operations. I don't want to restrict their access permanently. Having a good shepherd dog as airstrip guardian is the way to go. Purchase price $2500 and all up about $1000 per year maintenance costs. The airstrip is cleared of critters whenever you want it, and the he keeps an eye on the homestead and hangar too. And.... I get my face licked at 6.00am every morning. Result. 🤣 Alan

Nup Assuming my wife is at home, I radio ahead. My strip is about a kilometre through thick forest from the house but when the boy is dispatched and Im circling overhead it takes him about three minutes to get there and another two minutes to clear the length of the strip... ( say time it takes me to fly one circuit). He won't approach an aircraft until the engine shuts down. He knows his job... Of course if he's flying with us its more of an issue... Perhaps we should explore the parachute concept...? 🤣 Alan

Where I live we have a mob of 30- 50 roos that graze my strip morning and evening when I generally fly. I have therefore developed a highly effective method of clearing the airfield prior to landing or take-off. Its 100% effective, and this effectiveness does not diminish. It is also humane, as no animals are hurt or unduly frightened by my control method. Here it is: Alan

Hey folks A good question from OP. Even though I now only fly GA I am firmly of the opinion that BFRs are valuable. My personal experience of BFs in RAA and GA has basically been good. Instructors have been helpful and the process has been beneficial. Particularly somebody like myself, who operates remotely from their own strip rather than In a club environment, spending a couple of hours with an instructor is useful to pull up on any emerging bad habits. But in the past I have added some additional endorsements to my ticket as a way of achieving BFRs. I believe that there is great value in continuously learning and broadening our knowledge as aviators. We should never stop learning, and so, until somebody comes up with a better way I'm happy to fly BFRs (GA or RAA) Alan