Bubbleboy

Shags....look in to it properly first. Even with a fresh CPL you will find it hard to get work. When I was looking they wanted at least 400-500 hours before they would employ you for insurance purposes. So its all great financing the first 150-200 hours then you still need more hours before you can get work. Then you are competing with 18 year olds with rich Daddy's who paid for their training and are basically flying for free to get their hours up. Its a bitch I tell you! I cant afford to fly for basically nothing but I can still fly for fun now! Scotty :thumb_up:

! Love it! :thumb_up:

Hi Phil.......questions are how we all learn. I will offer you the same courtesy as the many other builders who have taken the time to answer my million questions :thrown out:You have a couple of options as far as the plans are concerned. There is a guy in the UK by the name of Jim Wills. If you build one of these in the UK you must use his plans. Basically he provides you with a set of the original 1933 plans as well as a number of supplements of his own. If you use Jim's set you can increase the MTOW to 1200 pound which is 544kg, exactly the limit to register this RAA. The plans are very good and detailed. Daunting when you first look at them but dissect them in to sections and you will soon work them out. Also there are numerous build forums where folk are more than happy to help you all around the world. If you want a snap of a particular part of the plans let me know and I will see what I can do. I have made contact with another chap in QLD building one. He is further along than I am. I am using the 3 piece wing. Depending on how tall or big you are and what engine you plan to use, there are a couple of fuselage lengths you can use. I love the idea of building. I went to Natfly over Easter and although there was plenty of plastic plane porn there, I cant go past the old style rag and wood/tube aircraft. Come on board and we can do this together! Scotty :thumb_up:

Not that there is anything wrong with

Love ya work Don! :thumb_up: Scotty

Im flying a Corvair powered Pietenpol Air Camper....from my garage In the building phase... Scotty

Geoff....my humble apologies for taking the lime light from you and your most important thread. What was I thinking. In future I will put my head in the sand and not bother to try to find out facts, as you are trying to do. I saw first hand what you were talking about in your first post but wont bother putting my account of it for fear of stealing your spotlight. I shall go back to the garage and continue building....... Scotty :confused:

Does anyone know what the emergency that was declared by an incoming pilot early afternoon Saturday? I was listening on the radio and a pilot called in declaring an emergency and asking unicom to clear the strip. Everything went quiet for a while and nothing more heard. Was very bizarre. Scotty

After just returning from Natfly for 3 days, something really struck me from looking around the massive crowds there. I reckon the average age at that airfield was 162! Is this a trend in RAA? Ok...maybe I exaggerated the average age a little but it was very noticeable. I think its great that we will be able to enjoy flying well in to our later years and is this what is drawing these flashy, expensive "Ultralights" we are seeing now instead of the cheaper rag and tube styles? I guess the kids have left the nest, the mortgage is paid off and you have a little more money to flash around. Im 38 and have just started to build a plane from plans. I have gone this way as I dont have $20 000 up front to buy a kit or $100 000 for a Jabiru. Am I on to anything here or am I having a Daryl Kerrigan moment and just "Dreamin"? Scotty

Yes I found this old fella suffering heat exhaustion contemplating blowing up his airbed on Friday arvo......I believe hes hunting down a supply of hot air in this pic.....:kboom:

Arrived home after an 8 hour drive back to Tamworth. My 10 year old Son and I had a ball. I went to Narromine about 3 years ago and I believe the facilities at Temora were better. I guess the museum was a big draw card too. We camped at the airport in the camp grounds. For the first year at Temora, I could see a lot of organisation had gone into the event. There was plenty of food stalls and a lot of detail had gone into providing entertainment. Yes...there are a few things that could be implemented next year but overall it was fabulous. I will be back next year for sure. I would like to add a couple of things to a wish list for future events. A wireless web connection would be fantastic! Not for free but you could buy a 24 hour voucher or how ever most motels do it these days. Would like to see a more regular cleaning regime of the toilets and showers in the camp ground as these were a little overworked at times. Last but not least can the Council empty the bins at any other more civilised time than 6am in the morning? Scotty

Where we fly models at Somerton, http://www.tarmac.org.au was never an airstrip. Its the old horse track. In saying that we have been there for over a year and have been visited by ultralights who have landed on our strip.

10KMS in to town...long walk. Scotty

Hhhmm...Dexter, you may have a point. I have a PPL so maybe thats why :hittinghead: I need to read up on that. Im not sure of the requirements and if an RAA ticket is enough. Would need radio for sure. We just radio from the ground at my mates air strip and get a clearance. Nothing hard about it. Scotty :Flush:

There are a lot of farm strips all around Tamworth. I have flown in and out of Tamworth Airport. No real problems. A mate has a private strip to the west of the airport which he goes between to get fuel. Keepit is a fair distance to Tamworth town. Scotty

Spruce has arrived and the build has begun.......

Hi Heon...I am using a Chevrolet Corvair engine. Check out my website at Scottys Pietenpol Air Camper Build Contact details are on there. Scotty :thumb_up:

Hi all....I am building a Pietenpol Air Camper and know how hard it has been to locate Spruce here in Australia. I made a discovery of a chap by the name of Tom Filipcevic who lives in Newcastle, NSW. Tom is very involved with the restorations of Tiger Moths at Luskintyre Airfield which is located a short distance from Maitland Airfield. I met with Tom on Sunday to have a look at what he has and was very impressed by his helpful nature and what he had to offer. I have spoken with 2 other builders in Australia who are building Air Campers from the Spruce that Tom has. Tom is happy for you to give him a call on 02 49696464. He has a cabinet maker friend who has all the equipment to cut the Spruce to what ever size you require. Before anyone asks I have no financial interest at all and have discussed this with Ian to make sure I am not "stepping on any ones toes". I know how hard it is to obtain Spruce here so this will hopefully make life a little easier for the budding builder. Scotty

Hey Barefoot...sounds like an EX-Girlfriend of mine...lol Nev...it is coming along nicely although in the very early stages. I am awaiting my order of Spruce to arrive from the USA. Am drawing up the wing rib template. Just making a list of what I will need so I can budget. I want to do everything the right way so may take a little longer as funds become available. Thanks for your advice on the instruments, I appreciate it! Scotty :thumb_up:

Nev...I typed ASI for some stupid reason. I was referring to the Altimeter! I appreciate the feedback. Learning a lot here! Scotty

Thank you for that. I figured it would have to be something like that. Just looking, the sensitive gauges are double the cost but I feel worth the extra money. A potentially sticky dodgy ALT reading wouldnt be good! Thanks mate :thumb_up: Scotty

Hi all....am looking at instruments for the Pietenpol. Can someone please fill me in on the difference between a sensitive and a non sensitive altimeter? Scotty i_dunno

Hi Bruce...yes I recall splitting headaches in the early lessons. Most was wondering how my instructor could sit there calmly when I was convinced I had no control! I obviously did but the stress! Scotty :hittinghead:

I work in the Correctional system keeping these Mutts alive. Dont hate me for that, I need to earn a dollar to feed my family. Helicopters are more of a concern like the one that helped a Mutt escape from Silverwater Gaol a few years ago. I worked in a country Gaol and the boss use to get a little edgy when a low flyer came over but realistically anyone who wants to be involved in dropping contraband into these Mutts wouldnt have the brains to learn to fly. Scotty

Yes...driving down from Tamworth on the Thursday and returning on Sunday. New location is very exciting. Scotty