metalman

It depends mostly on whether you're flying somewhere or selling the aircraft, ;-)

But it doesn't, 2 stoke or jab pilots might become competent in engine failures but if your behind other engines you can practice all you like ,it will be completely different when the prop is sitting dead still in the windscreen, maybe we should be asking all how many total engine stoppages they've had, a partial failure is different ,you can still reduce the descent rate ,but a total seizure is where it very serious, there is no chance for a go around, same as gliding analogies, really pointless for a draggy ultralight, practicing turn backs can get you feeling quite clever but when the fan actually stops if you get it wrong ,,,,,,and pilots have been getting it wrong for over a hundred years, and dying ( and killing pasengers) trying to "save " the aircraft,,,,when a guy with 23000 hours, along with our CFI ( as well as many FI's around the world )with thousands of hours instructing, along with a 100+ years of dead pilots show that turning back is VERY difficult I prefer to go with a plan that has been shown to work, the stakes are high enough as it is without putting the odds in favour of failing, Matty

Very hard to factor in a loss of skill due to stress, and that's what will kill you, having a decision height already chosen alleviates risk, I know I can make the runway from the 1000agl point at either end of down wind, unless it's blowing a gale ( which I won't be flying in anyway) I know I'll make it back in, with so many variables going out and testing different heights means doing it with all the variables of wind, DH, and whatever else you can think of,,,,,that's a lot of testing to come up with several decision heights only to discover when the engine quits that your skills drop by 25% and ,,,,bugger,,,,the trees are coming up fast,,,,,,,or choosing a height that has a big margin for error and variables!!!I know what I'd rather , Matty

Went for a lap with a mate in his RV last week, his pre take off included no turn back below 1000agl,,,,,,,I personally have the same decision height,,,,,and his 23000 hours flying everything but the box they came in makes me feel good about having the same attitude. I'm not sure of the figure but I've heard it said that you'll lose a percentage of your skill in an emergency ,,,,very hard to factor that into the degrees, feet and angle equations,,,,,simple is better. My first instructor taught turn backs at 500agl,,,,,,,I count him as a f**kwit in my aviation journey,,,,my next instructor taught 30 degrees either side of the nose on climb and no thought of turning back till the downwind turn( he is a much better instructor ), it's possible to make it below that but the stakes are high if you get it " just a little wrong" Matty

That's pretty standard for a circuit, I'd be surprised if anyone is teaching different, what is worrying is you may not have been taught to do STEEP turns, depending on the type you can end up in a spiral if your not propery trained, going by some of your posts lately I'd suggest you get with an instructor before you get into trouble, ask them to show you the relation between turning and increasing stall speed and you will see how much margin you actually have . Matty

How does that diagram show the separation of commercial and private GA traffic,,,,it simply shows the CTA steps that any endorsed pilot would know well, perhaps a bit of time with an instructor would help you to understand what your looking at Matty

Not much can be done I reckon, hopefully he'll get on top of the plane before he gets hurt, it does sound like he has issues flying a good circuit which really has bugger all to do with the type, Matty

I'm astounded that there's so many pilots happy to share the airspace with unregulated uav's, there have already been incursions into moorrabin and jandacott airspace , I guess we'll have to wait till one brings down an aircraft and then we'll get a complete over reaction from CASA,,,,,and Motz ,you sneaky bugger,,trying to profit from such a thing,

Here's a link to the airport procedures for anyone interested in dropping in http://ycem.com.au/airport-procedures.html

Amazing! I'm going to start a thread , I'll call it 'avocado", and we'll see how long before it becomes a "bash Tony Abbott " thread

Might have to try and get there next year, looks like a top weekend Matty

Just to ad, if you see me or the Skywolf please say g'day

I've got a few mates from that part of the world, all problems aside ,they all have great stories of SA in the post war years, Great post mate Matty

Hi all, there's a fly in /drive in BBQ lunch at Coldstream airport on the 7 June to officially open our new sealed runway , everyone's welcome just call Yarra valley flight training to get a brief on the local procedures , Cheers Matty http://ycem.com.au/yarra-valley-flight-training/85-flying-school/203-runway.html

Biggles and plastic models, first time I actually touched a light aircraft was VH PMA for a TIF,

I've been a contractor on and off most of my life, if it's over it's over ,it may suck ,but fighting in the courts might make a person unwanted for future companies, it's not nice but it's how it is , my suggestion is just lick your wounds and move on, long term it's smarter Matty

Mmm Jeff Skiles,,,,it must be tough to be known as " Captain Sully and the other guy" , :-) History is full of great pilots , but for me having older pilots that I'm comfortable enough with to ask really dumb questions makes them great. A couple of times, We were going through a tough time with teenage sons and I was not feeling real good ,I went to the CFI at our field and mentioned I was grounding myself for a while till things changed, the guy sent me some text and asked me in person every chance how things were going, as it was I only stopped flying for a month . Second time was just on Sunday, someone asked for a prop start( I think maybe the master was left on, but not sure) ,I've started a DH82a plenty but never a flat 4 , after I got it going I asked for his opinion on the way I managed it( he has heaps of hand propping time ) ,it was good to get a general "yep ,very safe" ,but with some pointers thrown in. Every pilot needs a fella around like this, one who's not afraid to tell you off if needed ,but also give good advice, That to me is a real pilot, I've been lucky to have a few along the way aswell Matty

If I did it again I'd go with a container and then fill it as much as possible, I got some stuff from Vans with a guy bringing in machinery and he put it out there to fill it up, was the easiest one I've done , and yeh, the tyre dec is a ridiculous drama, I ended up getting one but only after I promised to name ( rename ! He'll get used to being call Horatio one day ) one of my sons after the yank tormentor

Not sure of the details but when I bought my RV6 kit in I used a customs agent, there's a heap of fees involved and they dealt with it all and gave me a single $ figure to pay, the timber might be an issue unless you have documents from the supplier stating the relevant standard, there was a standard the timber crate my RV had to comply with and Vans had the docs with the rest of the paperwork, Matty

Yeh looking a bit crap, damn ,been such a nice week too

A contact for the people running it would be good if anyone knows? Matty

Sure will, Good to catch up , Matty

Damn! That's a shame,

At least mark can say he didn't make things worse, for that we're all grateful I guess! Matty

Hey all ,does anyone know if the airfield at Drouin has happened, I was looking at a draft proposal and wondered if it got some momentum Matty