Stoney

Hi Marty,

I'm happy to take you for a fly if Murray Bridge is on your itinerary.

Send me a message if it suits.

Cheers, Gary.

It's not a comma - its a rare example of an inverted apostrophe. Worth millions, I hear...

I think that Fly Tornado is getting soft and mushy. I think I like him that way.

Thanks for the reminder Gaz.

I have spent the last hour revising this important topic.

The rules we use for safe flying really are written in blood. It would be disrespectful not to take heed.

Joining the circuit. You should call a minute or so before joining the circuit so that those listening will be able to respond if there is a possibility of collision, i.e. inbound aircraft calls joining downwind 34 and you are on crosswind 34 about to turn downwind, NOT if you are taxiing to the runup bay.

I once had an aircraft call "joining mid-field cross wind" while I and another aircraft were doing circuits. I was just airborne, and in my mental map had the calling aircraft directly above me and a little over half a circuit in front. On turning downwind (and calling such, with no reply) I completed some checks and was looking for the traffic to follow on downwind when I suddenly saw an aircraft coming from my left on a direct collision course. The plane was starting to bank left to join mid downwind and the other pilot would not have been able to see me under his upturned wing. I took immediate and abrupt evasive action and the collision was avoided. This was the plane that called "joining" over a minute earlier and was a student pilot with instructor on board.

A "joining" call at the time of joining, or a response to my "turning downwind" call or the other pilot looking up the downwind leg could have avoided the near tragedy. I now always visually check to the left when joining downwind, something that was not taught in ab-initio training.

Took my shitsu up and she loved it

Congratulations Rich.

I have really enjoyed watching your warts and all lessons.

More instructors should have Bruce's attitude. I think he does a terrific job.

Thanks for your feedback guys.....interesting discussion . Surprised by the amount of negative comments regarding this course. Has anyone here actually done it or taught it? With driving a car you, you can do an advanced drivers course to really improve the skills you learn from just driving around, as well as skills you don't learn from just driving around. I was hoping the advanced pilot course would be something similar.So how does one add to the basic skills learned during the pilot certificate course other than fly around the training area doing more steep turns, touch and go's etc. Aerobatics course? I love learning and want to continue to develop my skills and confidence in flying.

Yes, in an ideal world, we should have learned these things during ab-initio, and maybe there are some instructors who do use it as revenue raising, and maybe a piece of paper doesn't make you a better pilot. Neither does being a big mouth keyboard warrior with nothing useful to contribute but your own overinflated egotistical opinion.

RJW - there are many reasons I am glad to have done it. For the sake of 4 or 5 hours with an instructor, I received many times more than that in real world experience. It was like giving the instructor the green light to open up all the things he thought he should be teaching but either weren't in the syllabus or not gone into in such depth. Many things that were taught were covered it so much more detail, the expected tolerances were tighter and I was fully engaged in each lesson. I came away from each and every lesson with a healthy sweat from the sheer mental focus. Some things taught were a complete contradiction to what I had been taught as part of my GA PPL training because the instructor had to teach it and observe me achieve a 'minimum' standard to qualify. However, his comments were that these things were not appropriate in 'real life'. It made perfect sense to me and I did have the opportunity to put this into a real world scenario not so long after, he was absolutely correct, my PPL training was not appropriate. Fine in theory, but not the real world.

It was also an opportunity to fly 3 different types of aircraft, so that I was constantly thinking and really flying the aircraft, not lazily going through the motions in an aircraft I could fly in my sleep. We also went to local farm airstrips that were never included in PPL or RAA training, probably because they were not officially certified but this type of airstrip constitutes a fair proportion of the places I now fly to in the real world.

I think also that during ab-initio, I flew the way I was taught, but didn't really have a solid, almost instinctive understanding of why. Given more experience, the APA training builds on this, and I understood the reasons for different actions better because it was built of a firm foundation.

OK, so I now have three extra letters printed on my certificate, it doesn't mean much to anyone. No one else even knows unless I tell them, and I only say something if they ask. It doesn't make me an outstanding pilot or better than a pilot who hasn't done it. There are many better pilots than me around, a great many on this forum, and probably even some of the twits with nothing nice to say, but the point is, I am a better pilot than I was before I did the training. That is all that counts.

I learned so much, that I will do some more of it at my next BFR. I will do some extra hours with a different instructor and ask them to show me the things that they don't teach students, but they would want their kids to know.

RJW There is so much more I learned, and I am happy to talk with you further if you send me a personal message.

[ATTACH=full]45295[/ATTACH]At Port Lincoln SA the arrows are at the end of the runway and only indicate that there is a RH circuit on a particular runway.

 

The RH circuit indicators are at BOTH ends of the runway.

 

This is not how it is described in the book and seems to be a non-standard use of the markers.

 

There are no markers near the windsock!

 

The ones for the gravel runways are a bit difficult to see.

 

 

 

DWF

Has anyone seen this ground signal in use at any airport in Australia? I haven't, and I have been to a fair few of them.

Nice to see you on this forum Bulldog.

We caught up a few weeks ago at YMBD.

When you are ready, you can let the good people on here know your story.

They will be supportive. Glad you are venturing into the cyber world.

Cheers, Gary

Fabiru - a locally produced light aircraft with a reliable engine

I can see both sides of the discussion.

All the lambs I have ever eaten have been vegans.

I was reading another thread where there was confusion over the latest rules and also separate exemptions to the rules. If our resident legal eagles get confused, what hope is there for the rest of us.

I have done a little research into over water and life jacket rules (for my own information) as there was a lot of misinformation being passed around during a recent conversation with a group of pilots. Here is my summary extract that I believe apply to RAAus 600kg MTOW aircraft.

Over Water Flight Rules

CAR258 states - Must not fly out of glide range of land

BUT AIP ENR 1.1 62 (1) & (3) overrides this by saying "No distance limit for private flights"

THEN CAO 95.55 7.1 © (RAAus 60kg MTOW) states not out of glide range, or if out of glide range but less than 25NM if wearing life jacket and have radio and ELT

Life Jacket Rules

AIP ENR 1.1 62.4 states - each occupant must wear a life jacket except if exempted by CAO 20.11

BUT CAO 20.11 5.1 1(a) states "equipped" with 1 life jacket per person if further than glide range from land

THEN CAO 20.11 5.1.7 advises they do not need to be worn unless below 2,000' and out of glide range.

What a ridiculous system that expects us to read multiple sections of three different documents and then filter out the extraneous information.

Then there are the further exemptions for crossing Bass Strait etc

Are there any more relevant rules or have I been lucky enough to find them all?

Usually its only quite close in to major cities that have approach services (think BN, SY, CS, ML etc) that have a primary radar so I cant speak for them, but if I see a 1200 paint (or any transponder paint for that matter) that is about to bust a RA (for me this can either be R639 west of Amberley or R737 west of Townsville), I will be making broadcasts to the aircraft to try and alert them. Its pretty rare but it does happen and it doesnt matter if they are receiving flight following or not, its still a requirement for me to try and stop it happening if we see the radar paint. If I cant contact the aircraft and it continues towards the RA, thats when I have to be calling up AMB or TL and informing them about the lighty thats about to mix it with the fighter jets and thats not much fun!As for the comments about listening on area, its always appreciated on our end when we can contact and confirm the vfr paints have the traffic, because it can be uncomfortable when no one responds and they are heading straight at another aircraft. We also give traffic info on other vfr paints in the area if you are getting close to them and are listening out, which usually just results in confirmation that everyone is already aware of each other, but its nice to know for sure!

Firstly when flying towards Tailem Bend (which is often used for radio beacon navigation exercises). Melbourne Centre advised an IFR training flight of my position and noted "unknown intentions". I always feel better when I know the intentions of aircraft in my vicinity, so I called Centre and advised my position and intentions, and that I had the other aircraft in sight. I think all involved are then happier and more comfortable that we all have situational awareness, and even though VFR, I am on the correct channel and actively monitoring.

A few days ago, I was flying from Sherlock to Brooklands Airpark (YBAK) which is just inside the edge of the Langhorne Creek parachuting zone. I had heard the drop plane giving intentions, but did not respond as I did not intend to fly through the area, but only I knew that. Melbourne Centre then called something like "VFR aircraft, flying at 2,500', 6 miles SE of Tailem Bend. You are about to enter a parachute drop zone." I called Centre and confirmed my position and advised that I was aware of the drop zone and would remain clear and stay East of the river. Both ATC and the drop plane acknowledged, and we all got on with what we were doing.

We have radios for communication for good reason. Area frequency, is not usually that congested that we can't make a quick call where there is potential conflict, even if only to put other peoples mind at ease.

I also never met Ross in person, and that will always be my loss.

I have always had the utmost respect for his friendliness, enthusiasm, encouragement and passion, which always shone through in his posts on this forum.

He willingly gave us all the benefit of his vast experience and dedication to our sport.

He was an inspiration to me too.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

I will think of him later today when I am suspended between Heaven and Earth.

I will miss you, Maj.

Gary

Does anyone know who (apart from the AFP) is authorised to ask to see your ASIC card?

What would be the extent of their authority?

Can they detain you?

Can they physically restrain you if you don't comply?

If a person has an ASIC card, does that authorise them to inspect others? Geoff13 mentioned that a woman with the fuel truck and an ASIC card asked to see his.

I think things would get quite ugly if some Council worker laid hands on me while I was going about my own business.

Or your ex wife's new boyfriend.

That wasnt acute story.

Ok, the question stands:How many Germans does it take to change a light bulb?

I had a serious head injury from a prop strike . . . . . .I was helping a friend replace his nosewheel, and we had the front of the aircraft jacked up on blocks . . . .

How was the prop? Much damage?

We don't have reception on the farm for the modern type mobile phones.

My old fashioned mobile phone works just fine ....................except if I need to go anyway further than the length of the string.

We don't have reception on the farm for the modern type mobile phones.

My old fashioned mobile phone works just fine ....................except if I need to go anyway further than the length of the string.

Thanks Robbo, we are not going to Geelong this time, but will keep it in mind for the future.

I have just been looking on the internet for Tiger Moth World.

Looks great! thanks for the info.

Thanks for the information everyone. The more information I get, the more excited I get.

I'm starting to think I will have to make further trips to further explore all the options, three days just won't be enough.

K-man - thanks for the tip about entry point to Tyabb. It looks a better option to my initial draft plan.

OZJohn and billwoodmason - thanks for the info on these airstrips, I would have overlooked them. I may contact you for more info after I have spoken with the other members of the group.

Kaz - I think we may be kindred spirits.

I get as much enjoyment from planning a trip as doing it. I love to research the area, the history and the people who went before.

Thank you so much for this information. I can see I will have a lot of late nights now.

Also, thanks for including the link for the CASA Melbourne Basin VFR booklet, I knew I had seen it before and spent half an hour on the CASA website looking for it before giving up.

It has a lot of great information in it.

I am really looking forward to this trip, especially as my Son will be coming along with me.

He is the one who bought me a TIF and is the whole reason for me flying at all.

Who could have known what a wonderful door opened for me that day.