Happyflyer

I have a mini ipad 4 with a sim using AvPlan. I'm very happy with the hardware and software. The sim is on a Telstra prepaid plan which costs $50 for twelve months for 5 gig. I only turn on the data if I need to enroute. Most times I can update and plan using wifi. I find it very easy to use AvPlan enroute and to make changes as required. It is also very easy to input plans to Naips. I suspect that we get attached to the system we use first. I have used OZrunways and found it a little cumbersome but that's probably because I am not as familiar with it as I could be. My mini Ipad lives on my leg in the plane and I consider it safely stowed there for landing and takeoff. For the person who posted earlier and has to swipe the map manually to stay on the page, I think you will find both systems have a moving map mode where the aircraft stays in the middle. AvPlan certainly has. Both systems and hardware are brilliant and great planning tools. Display brightness greatly affects battery life. I find closing the cover when not needed saves a lot of power. A cheap backup battery or cigarette lighter socket with USB insert keeps it going far longer that I can. I would say that you should be doing most of your learning about your system when not flying. When flying, keep your head out of the plane as much as possible and use the features of the system you are familiar with. I did lots of planning at the desk, used the user manual to clear things up and the best tool for learning was comparing notes with fellow pilots. It's amazing that almost every body could contribute some neat feature that others had not yet picked up on.

Aust PPL in VH reg'd aircraft, no problems other than a lot of paperwork. This bloke did it. Queensland teen the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world

Mr Skidmore was trying to change CASA and making some good progress I believe. I'm more inclined to think the major road block was the public service within CASA rather than the board. Mr Skidmore could help general aviation a lot if he could give a detailed, warts and all, account of his brief encounter with CASA. To go so soon without explanation would be an opportunity wasted. However, if he wants more government work (like Sir Angus Houston) he will probably choose to say nothing that will embarrass his political masters. I hope he rejoins AOPA and continues the fight from the outside.

No, it went ars* up.

Confirmed. Resignation of Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety, Mr Mark Skidmore AM | Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Rumour from another site that Mark Skidmore has resigned from CASA. Big news if true and could have implications for RAAus. Has anyone else heard this?

As stated above. The 'L' represents upwind and crosswind.

The dirt road has the advantage of a good surface and not likely to have a fence across it or livestock about. Disadvantages are a few. Low wing ac especially may hit posts or bushes. Powerlines may be harder to see than in a field. Easier to land into wind in a paddock. You may be further from obstacles in a field. Generally the further away from civilisation I am the better the dirt roads look because powerlines and traffic are less likely.

When I had a problem with my Bose they fixed the cable and I ended up with new ear cushions and mike cover also. You get what you pay for.

Someone has hung upside down for 60 hrs with a quick break every hour. I don't think it says this guy will do it non stop. He could fly for an hour at a time, twice a day, and probably do it in eight days. Also his feet will only be about a metre above his head in the Pitts. Good luck to him. Makes about as much sense as any endurance record.

Hopefully some Alice locals will see this thread and be able to help.

Alice is Class D airspace. Bond Springs may have something and is outside class D. Bond Springs Airfield | Alice Springs Aero Club

As far as I know the GA BAK no longer officially exists. It is now the RPL exam for GA students. As Roundsounds has stated, there are no further exams or test flights to do for a RPC holder to convert to a RPL, just a BFR in a GA plane (with the possible exception of a level 4/6 English test). Of course it is open to anyone to volunteer to do any exam they may want to test knowledge. I would think a combined GA/RAAus school is the best place to convert if convenient. Some GA schools still have a superiority complex.

Lovely to see a positive post. The sun must shine a lot in Quirindi, as opposed the doom and gloom elsewhere. Vote for your board member of choice, and then get out and enjoy some great RAAus flying.

Yep, got the magazine today.

Read my post again mate. Who says I don't follow the rules? There is no requirement to have a transponder in class G. There is not yet a requirement to have a mode S transponder in class G. There are hundreds of aircraft happily and legally operating this way. What I don't like is the publicly available access to information through mode S. If I had mode S, and someone wanted to know when I was out they only have to know the registration number of my aircraft and, set it for an alert on one of the monitoring sites and every time I fly they get to know. You don't have to file a plan, just have a radar scan your mode S transponder and out goes your info. Would you be happy for someone to be able to do that to your car or a family members' car. The information should be de-identified to the public.

The members elected the board, the board hired the CEO and the elected board members decided on a course of action that was put to the vote and won the backing of the majority of those who bothered to vote. Seems fair enough to me. Lets go flying!

Happy for you. I like a bit of privacy without big brother seeing my every move. To each his own.

Mode S is not mandatory for VFR aircraft, although all new aircraft with a transponder must have mode S. Any change in transponder also requires fitment of a mode S transponder. Once you have a transponder you are required by law to have it on. So, if you don't fly IFR and don't want every man and his dog to know your every move (via flightradar24 and similar apps), don't have a mode S transponder.

Perhaps he meant this: 12 Apostles Helicopters

One good thing in the new tech manual is that underwing rego numbers are no longer required.

Some have honesty boxes. Some go on recorded radio calls and sent to registered owners (only works for VH registered aircraft). Some have collectors. A prior phone call will usually sort it out. I pay when required but as most council strips have received government funding I think my taxes have done their bit a lot of the time.

Many questions asked on this forum are easily answered by quick reference to the ops manual and CAO 95.55 etc. Unfortunately the way the documents are written and presented does not make for easy reading or understanding.

In January this year OPS sent a draft copy of the ops manual with amendments to CFIs for comment and revision. I think this is a good thing. Why a link was not provided for all members to read it, I don't know. What I have noticed is that even though we are legally obliged to operate in accordance with the ops manual I would say nine in ten RAAus pilots have never read it (it will never be a best seller). I have not heard that anyone saw a draft copy of the new tech manual.

Isn't photo shop wonderful. Here is the original. Or is this the altered one?