JG3

Did another flight out there yesterday morning to check on progress. Still only three turbines complete and three towers with nacelle on top but no blades. Lots of first stage towers up cause that can be done by mobile crane. Lots of 2nd,3rd, 4th tower sections and nacelles all laid out ready to go up. Seems to be a lack of blades at this time, but two blades have just arrived, still on the transporters. That Coopers Gap project is just north of the Bunya Mts. Worth a flight if you're interested in big construction projects. On the way home noticed that the Tarong coal-fired power station was belching a lot of smoke, it's usually cleaner than that.... (That's smoke from the smokestack, not the steam from the cooling towers) They've done a lot of effort to reduce particulate pollution but doesn't seem to be working today....

Be aware that the main spar does not extend all the way to the tip on the Savannah. The last 600mm is an extension made from light sheet in a form that is strong enough for it's purpose there, but on impact it can deform without carrying the load directly to the main spar. This is an excellent design feature that can absorb just such a impact as described without overloading the main spar.

Weather was perfect for my traditional New Years morning 'Greet the Sun' flight. This time over Somerset Dam, SE Qld. Take-off at first light and climb to meet the sun at 5000ft. Sure is a better way to start the new year than with an aching head under the pillow.....

The early 'wet' finally cleared from SE Qld, so a chance for a flight at last.... Went out to check on the construction of the Coopers Gap Wind Farm out near the Bunya Mountains. It's a major construction project, with hoards of equipment and utes everywhere. They have permits at present to set up 123 turbines, but hope to get permission to double that in the future. The first three turbines are complete, and they're working their way up the line. You can see dozens of bases and first stage towers in the distance, and lots of tower sections waiting for the big crane. Assembling that giant crane. Now that's a giant crane! Must need a lot of skill and and a calm day to lift and fit those enormous aerodynamic blades..... No spare blades seen on site at this time, but I hope to see that process on future flights. They're still preparing foundations. It needs a strong foundation to hold up an enormous turbine in any wind conditions. They dig out a circular pit and then set that central cage and heaps of reinforcing all round. Then cover it with concrete, then backfill and pack it down hard. They have their own concrete batching plant on site. Flying gives such a great chance to view the process. More to come as the project progresses......

<but I think about 50 hours a year for GA private pilots and 20 per year for RA. > From my observations over 25 years I would put those hours at 50 or more hours a year for RA, and 20 or less hours for GA......

Use a flashing LED and then don't need a resistor. Really catches attention better as well.

Recently I flew out to view the new solar/gas power plant west of Dalby, Qld. /monthly_2018_11/1107968892_Gasplant010(Medium)(Custom).JPG.94e78000821ce735190b413f6a1c6369.JPG" data-ratio="57.41"> The solar array in the background and backup gas generators foreground. Note how the gas plant is configured with six units, so that they can be fired up separately to match the load requirement, a very efficient arrangement. Also note how clean and tidy the the whole setup is. /monthly_2018_11/403370652_Gasplant005(Medium)(Custom).JPG.406e891c35879f2565032174a72c9b30.JPG" data-ratio="66.67"> Another view of the solar array, and more ground prepared for expansion. /monthly_2018_11/697404679_Tarong(Custom).JPG.afed16eb568a02809190846805b4c821.JPG" data-ratio="66.67"> Nearby is this old coal fired plant. Quite a mess.... /monthly_2018_11/135566743_TarongMine(Custom).JPG.ab1d8ac7e82d8739b47fb67b08291516.JPG" data-ratio="66.67"> And this is the coal mine that feeds that plant. An even bigger mess.... The coal-fired plant is much larger capacity than the solar/gas plant, but seems to me that we sure do need more of those clean, efficient type of power plants. Flying sure does give a very real view of what goes on down there.....

The following is an account of an incident that happened to me near Ceduna several years ago, that I had published before. Then yesterday I found the same situation, that the rear latch of the door hadn't engaged properly. I was already 15 minutes out from the strip, and well remembered the incident below, but didn't want to turn back, big mistake! I figured that if I slowed to 50 and was prepared for the forces involved, I could close the door properly. Once again, I was firmly pulling on the door, but as soon as the main latch disengaged, the door snatched outward and then reversed and slammed in with the front edge inside the door post. Could easily have ripped the door off completely.... Then a hell of a struggle to get it closed properly..... I should have learned from that first experience, but hopefully others will pay attention and not make the same mistake....... Recently I had a violent experience while opening a door in flight. I had installed a three-way latch system that was very secure, but when I closed the door one time I must have been leaning on the door a little bit, such that the rear latch didn't engage properly and ended up on the outside of the door post, leaving a 20mm gap at the rear of the door. I didn't notice this until well into a x-country flight and thought it would be easy to close. I knew there would be an outward pull on the door, so held the operating handle in my left hand while pulling inward firmly on the fillet at the rear of the window. Then carefully eased open the main latch, planning to pull the rear closed and re-latch. As soon as the front latch released, the door snatched open violently, swinging up about 45 degrees, then reversed and slammed shut so violently that the flange at the front edge of the door ended up inside the door post rather than outside. The inner frame of the door was broken in several places, but didn't break away. I continued on to the next airstrip, now with the rear of the door sticking out 80mm, and a bleeding arm from some skin that had been lost in the incident. It all happened in an instant, but I did a horror vision of the door ripped off a 701 that Hans was flying. The door flew back and impacted the horiz stab, breaking a mounting bracket and leaving the stab askew...... A very close call..... This incident has demonstrated that opening a door can instantly change from benign to violent...... Totally unpredictable! Flying with a door removed is no problem, but DON"T UNLATCH A DOOR WHILE IN FLIGHT!!

There's some very serious tiger country between Glenn Innis and Grafton. Heavy timber on steep rugged mountain slopes. The Gwydir Highway is very busy, and often covered by tree canopy. The Old Glen Innis to Grafton road is the way to go. It was the main road in the days of the bullock teams, so had to have grazing paddocks to feed the animals along the way. Those paddocks are still clear so there are landable options just about all the way, just follow the Mann and Boyd Rivers most of the way. There's even a clearing that appears to have been an airstrip near the junction of the Boyd and Nymboida Rivers. Starting from Glenn Innis, 20nm east along the Gwydir Highway you will see a steep valley to the south with green paddocks in the distance. Follow these valleys all the way down. Waypoints labelled on the VNC are Newton Boyd - Broadmeadows - Dalmorton - and Buccarumbi. Starting at South Grafton go direct to Buccarumbi then follow the reverse track up hill.

It's all back paddock to someone. They manage their cattle and sheep down there, and call it home. I always take note of water points and the vehicle tracks that lead toward a homestead. Those locals are the most capable to access the country. I have instructions to the recipients of my SPOT messager to first try to contact those station owners if I message that I'm down and stranded and need assistance. And I carry cash to be able to pay for that assistance......

Here's the story of my flight to Birdsville this year. Birdsville Again JG

Yeh, Peter Gillespie, the new Savannah agent has taken on the tie-down project. He has them in stock now. 0408 376 540

Any word yet on the cause of the engine stoppage??

This one now flying often at Kilcoy, Qld. Running well with Camit engine.

Thanks for your encouraging comments. One caution that I did find for trailering aircraft around, is that most airfields are locked nowadays. And not always easy to find entry. Muwillumbah was open and is an excellent airfield, but on that SA trip I was locked out of Glen Innis, Peterborough, Leigh Creek and Streaky Bay. Padlocks on the gates and no mobile number to call to get access. The phone numbers in ERSA are usually for the Council office, so not active on weekends, and even when answered, the receptionist doesn't know who to contact. Took about an hour on hold for the receptionist at Pt Augusta to hand me over to a maintenance fella who then promptly came out to let me in, then I had to call him out again to get out again..... At Leigh Creek I had to be there at 0700 when he could let me in, but then I couldn't get out again until the next morning...... Streaky Bay is 9km from town and no one out there, so didn't feel like going thro the procedure to call the office and wait for someone ...... You'd think the least they all could do would be to post a mobile number on the gate for more prompt service.... And maybe use a code padlock so they could just pass on the code instead of having to leave whatever they might be doing and come out.... But I guess they haven't considered that because so few of us are trailering and needing access that way..... So in future need to plan ahead and make arrangements before arrival, but that takes much of the freedom out of the trip.....

Here's some photos from the flights that I did yesterday. Into the Tweed Volcano Crater JG

Gday All, Here's the story of my recent flights in South Australia. https://trailbiketosouthaustralia.blogspot.com/ JG

That doesn't look legal, but this one was. Pretty amazing that they let them fly that......

SPOT and EPIRB each use different satellite systems. I carry both, good insurance. SPOT has the option of levels of urgency. I have "All is well", "Stranded and need assistance but not injured", "Injured need assistance ASP", directed by text and email to friends who could organize suitable assistance. Wouldn't always need to a helicopter..... Then SPOT also has the option of calling the cavalry just as the EPIRB does, in which case I would would trigger both devices. Good insurance.

Also should mention that the iPad may need to be put into 'restore' mode before can access the ID and Password page. To do that hold down both the 'Home' and 'Sleep/Wake' buttons until the Apple icon shows then hold for another 10 seconds. May have to try a couple of times.

Today I was trying to fly over the range through dodgy weather. OZrunways and BOM radar was essential for watching the moving weather. Then the iPad had a fit and insisted that it needed to be re-authorized and I would need my Apple ID password to do that. No other way around it..... I didn't have the password with me and couldn't remember it..... So rather than push on into difficult conditions I elected to head back for home..... So now the password is written in the back of the iPad case.....

I don't know what all the fuss is about on this. I've used the outer tanks for years on many long trips, and never found the need for level gauges or sight tubes. Fuel burn is pretty consistent so time will indicate consumption. Always use the outer tanks first of course. Start a timer and from experience expect the fuel light to come on about 3.5hrs depending on how hard pushing it, then switch tanks.... But good move to replace that piddly little light with a flashing LED. Off the shelf from Jaycar and mounts easily in a 10mm rubber grommet. Really gets your attention.

I've deliberately flown right behind them to test that. Wasn't blowing really hard, just brisk wind conditions, but only a small ripple of turbulence..... Very visible, and unlike wires or towers easy to judge distance, so can't imagine flying into one.....

Is this the guy who originally imported the Genesis???