Relfy

I'll throw my two cents worth in here. Sometimes our elected representatives have to make decisions on our behalf, in line with our expectations when we vote for them, to address issues that have considerable outside factors influencing what it is they are deciding on. This will appear on the outside to be them making decisions without consulting members. Now the balancing act they (board membes and elected reps) must play involves members, CASA, ATSB and the relevant state coroners, to mention a few. Having been involved in investigations with all the above, I can tell you that if an org like the RAA is lacking, then decisions will be taken out of their hands and forced upon us. There are a lot of issues behind PLB's stemming from the massive cost to tax payers when aircraft go missing stemming from search & rescue issues. I could fill pages of this forum with reasons why I believe that the RAA has got this spot on and perhaps there are, as mentioned here by others, other agendas at play.

Top work Thomo, did you full stop anywhere and how did you find the jab over the distance?

A few pics I took at Bundy.

The main engines on the shuttle are an incredible piece of human engineering and achievement. Here are some interesting facts about the engines. Rocketdyne’s Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) operates at greater temperature extremes than any mechanical system in common use today. The fuel, liquid hydrogen, is –423°F, the second coldest liquid on Earth, and when burned with liquid oxygen, the temperature in the engine’s combustion chamber reaches +6000°F – that’s higher than the boiling point of iron. The maximum equivalent horsepower developed by the three SSMEs is just over 37 million horsepower. The energy released by three of Rocketdyne’s SSMEs is equivalent to the output of 13 Hoover Dams. Although not much larger than an automobile engine, the SSME high-pressure fuel turbopump generates 100 hp for each pound of its weight, while an automobile engine generates about 0.5 hp for each pound of its weight. Even though Rocketdyne’s SSME weighs one-seventh as much as a locomotive engine, its high-pressure fuel pump alone delivers as much horsepower as 28 locomotives, while its high-pressure oxidizer pump delivers the equivalent horsepower for 11 more. If water instead of fuel were pumped by the three Rocketdyne SSMEs, an average family-sized swimming pool could be drained in 25 seconds. The SSME high-pressure fuel turbopump main shaft rotates at 37,000 rpm compared to about 3,000 rpm for an automobile engine operating at 60 mph. Discharge pressure of an SSME high-pressure fuel turbopump could send a column of liquid hydrogen 36 miles in the air.

Not wrong Bla, chewing your own arm off comes to mind. The blow up doll idea has merit but wouldn't she become 'over-inflated' at higher altitudes? I think there was a Mythbusters episode devoted to such an idea...

Maj, she'd want to be filthy rich...but even I wouldn't let you go there.

"When do we take off Maj?"

Good work mate. It's always great to read about others flying when you're stuck working. :thumb_up:

Great pic TFC, very nice indeed! :thumb_up: Nice shots too Brett, that's some amazing coastline there!

Here is a pic of a Renegade I took from a Jab in Bundy before the airshow.

The most disapointing part of this thread is that Brett asked a question which was coverd and then we've moved on to hypotheticals involving a pilot who fly totally blind and unaware of his/her surroundings (of which I don't know too many at all!), still with the inference that Brett may get lost and have his workmates go searching for him and his mum stuck on a deserted island somewhere off WA after being taken by the 50 year storm that pops up regardless of all BOM predicitions. It has really just zapped the fun out his whole experience. There are 'what ifs' in every part of our life but i personally have confidence in 99.99% of RAA certified pilots abilities to venure 25nm away from their port of call, Brett included. My CFI pushed me out of the nest and said go fly, and don't come back, don't go past 25nm and remember you always have your radio etc, and keep your back door open. Have a great flight Brett:thumb_up: and enjoy it, who knows your mum may even start training and start a thread or two?

Excellent pics ewan. How do find the judging of the flare height? Do your lights give enough illumination of the runway surface?

As Watto said Brett, you have your cert and you've trained to that standard and are able to fly and land at other airstrips within your legally mandated (ops manual) radius. Have a great flight! :thumb_up: You also have more XC country hrs than the previous standard for ataining that cert also, as many members here attained the same qual under. Even in my basic training I was doing touch and goes at all the surrounding airstrips to my home strip with engine failures, cross wind landings etc thrown in. It was invaluable training and set me up for ops outside of my home base.

Sure can, just can't add another 25nm from that point to another airport. How much longer have you got to knock over your nav endo now Brett?

Awesome work Tomo. What was your triangle? Mine (first solo nav) was Kingaoy - Chinchilla - Dalby Kingaroy. Don't you just love the navs!

Awesome mate, the next time I'm going through Kingaroy I'll jump over the mountain to old Dalby town for a visit in the 170.

Thats it Yenn. I've got some great shots on the SLR with a 250m lens where you can see the ASI needle on the front panel! It's great flying here on the coast Tomo but there's something about flying in the bush that is really appealing! Have you got that Jab endorsement yet mate?

I was sitting here at the holiday house at Toogoom north of Hervey Bay building a fence a couple of days ago, looking at al the boats go past on their respective missions to the winter Whiting grounds, when someone flew over in a CSW (I think it was, Rotax powered all the same) and absolutely destroyed my enthusiasm for renovations. The weather had been absolutely perfect and I simply couldn't see another day go past without going for a fly, so on the phone to my CFI who has just started another school in Bundy, time slot was booked and I was even told of a new J230 that was available to fly. Beauty! I had figured that I was going to get checked off in the J120 up there and then go for a buzz down the coast to make the most of the peeeerfect weather but on arriving, and following the aviation performance enhancer (coffee in the clubhouse with other like minded aviation aflicted souls) Pete and I walked out to the J230 sitting there, like a beacon whispering "go on, you know you want to..." To cut a long story short and keeping in mind this sites G rating, after pre-flight etc in we hopped and after the run ups and commentry on the excitement in the air with the set-up for the airshow, we taxiied out to 14 and followed a bi-plane to the coast. Now, I figured the 230 would have a bit more punch than the 170, but that is an understatement! In no time, after a few squiggles along the centreline (read wake up right foot, this plane is torquing to you!) we were established in a nice climb at 80 knots and made for the coast. The weather was perfect and after a few stalls for practice and familiarisation, we met up wth the biplane (can't remember what it is, someone here will advise no doubt) and I took a couple of shots whilst my instructor got us into formation. Down the beach we went to Woodgate and back getting used 230. Following this, we hit the circuit and after a few touch & go's I was away. The energy needed to b bled off to slow the 230 down was something that took a bit of getting used to, but landings are a dream in this model and it made me look good! With only I on board, I think I was at 1000' by the first taxi-way entry exit! What an incredible performer the 230 is one up. Out to the coast and south I went. I saw a dugong off Woodgate beach and a school of stingrays at the mouth of Burrum Heads. As you can see in the pics below, the weather was perfect. Vis was incredible... I could even see the victorians on the horizon praying for good weather. Overflying the campers on the beach and the kids who waved each time I went past, was awesome. This is one fantastic part of the country. I flew past Toogoom and checked out a few strips in the vicinity including the Island currently for sale across the water from Toogoom, complete with it's own strip. (Pic below). Alas, my plans for a RAA/Recreational Flying Forum friendly retreat fell through on tuesday night thanks to Gold Lotto. Ho hum, sorry team. One thing that I did have to concentrate on and also took a bit of getting used to was the complexity of the panel in this plane. There was more glass here than the Chrysler Building. It was set up as a GA registered night VFR model but later put back to RAA rego to get it into work. Says a lot for the success of RAA! After getting used to it though, it was fantastic having so much information available in a simple uncluttered format. I can't wait to do some nav work in this thing. It was time to head back so I set a course IFB (I follow beach) back to Mon Repo and across to Bundy. Coming through the haze of the small grass fire off the end of 32 and then past the construction equipment at the end of the strip was strange but after greasing it on and taxiing back and parking in the wrong spot...airshow parking changes... I disembarked and must have looked like a wierdo to the volunteer advising me of my parking options. I think I heard him comment to another volunteer "did you see that bloke with the silly looking smile on his face?" I guess this isn't really technically a trip report, but I thought I'd share a very memorable aviation experience I had and say thankyou to the pilot who saved me from wasting these perfect days watching others enjoy them. :thumb_up: See you all at Bundy on Saturday for the show!!!

Good work big fella on attaining your cert. The navs are awesome fun. Keep us posted!

Awesome report Kelvin. :thumb_up:

Or rather Pete, the question should be, why don't Savannah pilots like landing on sealed strips? Every trip report indicates they are having way too much fun landing where ever they want and pitching tents etc! :thumb_up:

Top work Tomo, are you flying the 120 over there? Relfy

and just think, if I win the lotto jackpot tonight I can put a deposit on a Technam...

Good work Brett, sounds like you had a great trip!

Sounds good JP. I have some friends who have a little shack at Pizzies (i think it's called) just near the end of the estate on the Burrum River. Very nice indeed. Sounds like a great place for a fly in! ;)