bushpilot

Here is an Excel spreadsheet that we used to assess the true cost of operating our first school J160. We have applied the same approach to costing our 3 subsequent Jab's - with different capital costs (purchase prices) and different consumables - and it works out very close to the actual costs. J160 Cost base 0410.xls J160 Cost base 0410.xls J160 Cost base 0410.xls

I agree.. So that's 83% of the membership that have no right to complain if they get part way through the year feeling that they are not being properly represented..

Yet another amazing story from the anals of British aviation history...

A bit belated - but well done Don; the groundswell of support for you was obvious in the lead up to the election... Premised, I think, on not only your background, but the feeling that you do listen.. Please keep listening..

Hi Bas, We are looking at getting an iPad primarily to run your app. Would a 16GB one would be big enough? Also, I assume we will need the 3G for the GPS component, but does it have to be 'onboard' or could I use my iphone as a personal hotspot? I prefer to avoid having another 3G plan - and I have 6GB in my iPhone plan. Thanks. Chris

Answers to Qs: 1. Will take some more pics as soon as I have a chance 2. Option 1 panel, with Garmin Aera 500 and Transponder (We have full EFIS etc in the 2 J230s as we use them for NAVEXES and private hire. The 170 and 160 do most of the local ab initio work)

Agree with this.. Check the sealing of the connections of the inlet pipes to the heads and especially the seal out of the bottom plenum..

Yes, we removed each nut one at a time, adding the new nut after each removal; then torqued one side and checked on the other side. Had to remove all induction and exhaust pipes to get at them.

We are putting 2 instructors through at present - and have another 2 lined up to do.. We are in Bathurst, NSW (2.5 hours drive from Sydney), so depends where you are..

I have GA & RAA 3 axis, RAA 2-axis and HGFA 2-axis. Rather than try and minimise hours to 2-axis, work on a minimum of 10 hours. Getting experience in different conditions is a must..

Well our school's new Jabiru 170D is finally in the hangar - after a wait of several months for the 'D' series to be certified.. 4 of us made the trip to Bundy this week to collect her. We took the J160 up and left it with Jabiru for its 1000 hour top overhaul. (It has done brilliant service, with no issues at all in its 992 hours and 3,472 landings.) We also took up one of our J230s for company. Picked up the 170 on Thursday and a quick (5.5 hours) trip back to Bathurst, with no fuel stops. Averaged 102 knots and 15 litres per hour, with some bursts at full throttle. Photo (attached) shows the main changes - a 230-sized front cowling (4 cyl motor set well forward to assist CofG, and no big ventral fin (the best feature of the D model). Not so obvious is the much fatter tail fin - assists with directional stability. It is brilliant to fly; doesn't drop the tail when fully loaded and landing is so much easier that the 160; just round out, pull the throttle back to idle and it just settles; no heavy thunks onto the strip, even with inexperienced pilots. On Friday we put 3 low hours students in it for circuits, with a stiff x-wind - and they all loved it.

Keep the updates coming, Ozzie.. Love the colourful way u tell the stories...

A big improvement on the first issue of the new look... and they listened to our feedback. All very encouraging..

Co-owner RAA Flight Training Facility (and soon to add GA training). Concurrently company director of 2 companies - based in China and Taiwan. Adds up to many working hours each week! (But a great antidote to boredom..:big_grin:)

I like the name - just dont like the cartoony look of the new masthead...

I'm repeating here a comment I dropped into another related thread ( I should point out that I am not personally promoting any particular candidate): I have a simple view on candidates: It comes down to their preparednees to listen to the membership base; if they dont want to listen and comment on what they hear, then we have a very limited insight to their true position on a range of issue - and they shouldn't be asking for support in their aspirations to be a member representative; this is what a Board member is meant to be. Given the current status of communications mechanisms available to the RAAus member community - the only real forum for listening to the opinions of the greater membership is this Recreational Flying Forum. Thus it follows, by my judgment, that the candidates deserved of our support are those that are regular participants in this Forum. So look at their time on this Forum and their posted messages count as a good starting point. Then read their views and opinions on the issues that matter to you - and make your decision.

Oil is also good... Warm it a bit first.

We had the same problem... But we put a steel saddle on the back of the wrench extension and after welding it we let it cool at normal air temperature - not accelerated cooling in water. This did the trick..

Agree with that... But they definitely fixed the interior with their Cessna 162 "Skycatcher".. http://www.cessna.com/single-engine/skycatcher/skycatcher-interior.html

I can vouch for this device: Just spent today doing the 12 point nuts on one of our 230s, and this made it so much easier.. Great for removing the old nuts and installing the new type - and also for torquing to the required 30ft/lbs, as there is no offset between the socket end and the torque-wrench attachment end, thus no offset calculations required.

The "Cessna like" appearance thing is also usefull in convincing first time and nervous passengers that they are climbing into a 'substantial' aircraft.. Don't ask me why - but we see it all the time in our hangar with 3 Jabs, a Zenith, a Savannah (part-time), a RANs and Cessna 172 - visitors see the Jabs as being similar to the 172, just a bit smaller - and feel comfortable about that..

Any alternative component not specifically approved by Jabiru should be avoided in certified aircraft used for training.. Also use of non-approved parts could affect your insurance policy; check with your insurer first..

There is a real opportunity here for someone who has the time and energy to put together an on-line directory of all accommodation places and restaurants / cafes that are within walking distance of an airstrip, or have their own strip, or offer their own shuttle service. I for one would pay for access to such a directory. 2 years ago I attempted to research this information; I emailed all the B&B and Farmstay Associations in Australian and some of the portal websites - but no-one could or wanted to help provide anything useful. So maybe it would come down to contacting local councils, or local aero-clubs, or local Visitors Info Centres, or even selected businesses, in every region of every State to get the local information. Would be a big task, but the results would be useful to many of us, I'm sure...

A sensible observation... In the meantime our thoughts are with the families...

I agree with Motz.: Advantages. Cheaper Less regulation More fun Big selection of aircraft Friendly people And add - 'Cheaper' also means that owning your own aircraft is actually attainable Easier to keep your licence in the long term = less stringent medical