icebob

If you would like to go to you tube and look at "flight deck operations on HMAS Melbourne", a couple of cartoon figures to cover the some say guilty(not me boss it was radar). My claim to fame on this trip is at 4 minutes on the video, a navigator who had curried egg just before takeoff for a 5 hour flight. Of note centreline, and the clearance line to the right(green side:augie:) is where crossing this line the wing tips hit the island not a good look:crazy:. Also note the yellow circle, it is the fry line for the radar, a similar one is used at Sydney airport with a 300 meter boundry fence to keep people safe????? Bob.

HI FT, Thanks for the information, a sad case but all too common, it is never good allowing the most experianced operators leave the service without some sort of redundancy planning. not having a "real" war to hammer home this point then the"powers to be" drift into "patch it and move on and say a lot about nothing". Hi boing k, Yes a great time, i had the honour to be the last authorised to power run the last Seafury and in the pilots book it said about not exceeding 11.5 inchs of boost, did that one day jumped the wooden chocks and had 400kgs of cement lashed to the tail just get dragged along like it was nothing, and a max power takeoff was eye watereing, carrier deck landings were real underwear changing events and at night more so. Bob. PS. Good on you Solomon for giving it a go, please do not give up, the struggle makes you a better person and dreams are never easy to bring to life. Bob.

Hi Solomon, What flyvulcan said is spot on but add fittness to that as well. The standard fittness requirement for military persons do not apply to ADFA that is 20% more as this establishment is training officers and officers have to better than the men under thier command.The other is accuracy in all your work, your training practical work will need to be spot on all the time every time no matter it be flying or human services management or situation management or a speech at a mess dinner. I got there if you like through the back door as a LAME then applied for a "Special Duties" officer with the Army, then after four years then transfered to the Navy when the Navy actually had fixed wing aircraft,training never ever stopped no matter what rank you are. The basic flight time requirement after graduation was 20 hours per week, , ok on a shore establishment but hell on a ship where you could only keep the hours up flying helo's, dunk for submarines,mail run, chaplins run, dunk for subs, dunk for subs, dunk for subs,mail run, chaplins run and so on. All in all a very good life, my service time was before flyvulcan as my flying was in the Auster/DC3/Seafury/venom/vampire/wessex times. I did a substantial time in the forces and do not regret any of it. Bob.

Have a great holiday mate, oh what about details of the new airstrip at the new house:augie: Bob.

I think he did very well, the last sentance of the report said it all. How many of us would of done so well as a "trainee"? Bob.

Good on you, I now fly a lot with my 10 yo grandson(he beats the wife into the spare seat), he has autism but he loves flying with Poppy, he calls it "the angles backyard". Bob.

Ozzie, My wife said or "fill it up with shopping" Bob.

Hi Fiona, My wife informs me it was Lawsons auctions. Bob.

Hi Fiona, I had the same issue a number of years ago, Contacted an auction house( the rooms were up near the bridge somewhere but cannot remember the name) and delivered them there on a Saturday morning and 4 weeks later the stuff went up for auction, the company took a fee of $150 plus 15% of sales. Still made a fair bit of money on them without sorting or selling myself. Bob.

Hi, Just a comment about the "old" flights across the Atlantic. When I started flying in the 1960's an old pilot there was one of those Empire airways pilots, he used to say the first 2000 miles it was the cold that kept you shivering and kept you awake, after that he would drink coffee until it comes out your ears, the reason try to sleep with a full blader. Do not know if that was his humor but there has been the odd time of full bladers for me and it indeed takes all your attention. Bob.

Hi, Well is cost is an issue have a look at the Dave Clark helmet, it is like what you see US Navy flight deck crews wear, it is priced at about $330US. There is a kit for "infilling" the gaps but the cloth and/or leather head inset is still retained. or have a look at www.thefind.com it is a store in the USA that will ship to Australia most prices are around the $400US, hope that helps. Bob.

Hi, try www.flighthelmets.com.au

Hi guys, that sounds great Ian. Just a thought for you, I do volunteer work with a Australian wide charity and the technical skills required for a member is spread over 3 years, each year one set of modules of the total skills required is the target for that year, in book for that needs a sign off or via DVD. We pay $10 a year to get a loan of the DVD to enhance the skills book work. Could that also happen here and pilots old and new could hire them from say the local flight training school for say 50cents a week and that small fee goes back to the group to help offset costs. Do you know you can apply for grants through Commonwelth Sport and Recreation I think from memory it is either $10000 or $20000 per year. Bob.

Hi all, No money paying for the daughter's wedding:crazy: Bob.

See guys and gals how you like this one -wow! http://pal-v.com Bob.

Glad you enjoyed this one Ian. Happy Easter to all.

As doug said check the starter bushings, if those are ok then check all your starter electrics and battery condition too. Mine did that but on a gray head, the very first start of the day and ok after that. At that time it was a faulty voltage regulator, got one from that chap in Brisbane and never had any problems after that. Maybe i tightened up something loose or somthing like that. Bob.

Hi Guys, Have a look on YouTube under Wandering foxbat, some very good quality film:score 010:. Bob.

A married couple was in a terrible accident where the Man's face was severely burned. The doctor told the Husband that they couldn't graft any skin from his body Because he was too skinny. So the wife offered to donate Some of her own skin. However, the only skin on her body That the doctor felt was suitable would have to come From her buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about where the skin came from, and they requested that the doctor also honour their secret. After All, this was a very delicate matter. After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the man's new face. He looked more handsome than he ever had before! All his Friends and relatives just went on and on about his youthful Beauty! One day, he was alone with his wife, and he was overcome with emotion at her sacrifice. He said, 'Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. How can I possibly repay you?' 'My darling,' she replied, 'I get all the thanks I need every time I see your mother kiss you on the cheek.'

This is some great flying. Bob. http://player.vimeo.com/video/31481531?autoplay=1

Motz, Can I just say with pride, yes pride i have an association with a hero, YOU, sure you may not see it that way but look at the facts, the accidents disturbs your sleep and you are keen to contact the family too, it shows how so much you care. You took control of a life threatening situation and although the final concussion was not good, there were no extra casulties thanks to your direction and control, I call that being a hero. Within a community there are always heros lurking, it may be anyone totally unexpected within that group, when the chips are down these people come to the fore. So Motz what did you do, came to the fore and put your self at risk and used anything and everything available to try to come to a good conclusion, I think that is the description of a hero. Bob.

What a shock, you can only do what you can do at the time, no less no more, it may sound hard but that's it, there is no good in saying "if only ", there just wasn't, it may sound hard and harsh but that is how life is anyway, as was offered by others Motz, call any time. You really should talk to someone it is a critical incident and if you contact the fire fighters they have someone trained in critical incident debriefs that would be local to you, it's free and that person can debrief your whole team and in fact all that were there on the day. In my previous life i did critical incident debriefs every week so know that they help. Bob.

Bert feared his wife Peg wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid.Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. 'Here's what you do,' said the Doctor, 'stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.' That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was In the den. He says to himself, 'I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens.' Then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' No response. So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, 'Peg, what's for dinner?' Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his Wife and asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again he gets no response. So, he walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. 'Honey, what's for dinner?' Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her. 'Peg, what's for dinner?' (I just love this) 'For God’s sake, Bert, for the FIFTH time, its Chicken:roflmao:

Hi Alan, That was an "F1" model the lowest powered, the oldest, and the ones close to fatigue limits, at least the wings didn't fall off, lucky you, bulletproofness(if that is a word) of youth. "Courting" a lady in a venom was not good (tried it), ha, ha, tried it too in an A30:oops:.

Hi Alan, Not a problem that were a "nice" aircraft, you get attached to some types or makes and this was one, to fly a bit like stepping from a moden car into an old Austin A30 or Ford Prefect, solid, no frills and a little chunky but with a big bite hidden in the back. There are some good videos on you tube of the Venom/vampire. I think you got the better deal flying in the meteor, it had a better safety record and the ejection seat at that time would of been the early mark 44's and only work at 120 knts and above 2500 feet, very reassuring on a carrier I can tell you. The metior was 90kts and 1000 feet, I know which i would pick. Bob.