Riley

Because of the variants (strip configuration, winds, aircraft type, driver experience, etc etc) your closing statement says it all. A piece of string is how long? Supremely evaluated Dafydd!

He's a mean lookin little sucker eh whot? But I reckon we'll have buy him a steam iron before they let him into the high echelons of Canberra's elite society circles.

Dangerous analogy there Maj as I can take a photograph (from the street 'cause old Jim is a bit of a funny sort) of a dis-used type 37 Bugatti that's been sitting in a open carport about 6 miles from my place here in Perth for the past thirty years. Sans bonnet, sans radiator, sans car cover and sans any hope of getting back on the road under it's present stewardship. I doubt however, that this makes my chances of finding a good cheap GA55 airframe any better. Didn't take any photos of the badly bent L/Wing as the fellow wasn't awfully proud of what he had allowed happen to his machine as a result of test flying off a rough & windy paddock. An elderly acquaintance here in the West will be putting his quite 'speccy' GA55 (with a freshly rebuilt Aeropower donc) on the market early next year for ca $25K but I know the cost of acquisition of both plus the p/plant conversion in making one out of two would be prohibitive. As aforementioned, it's not like I was needing something to do but dreaming doesn't cost much and demands no physical output so I dream on. cheers

Thanks for the very informative and interesting post Maj. Drove a couple of hundred miles today and got to inspect the object of my most recent brain fart. The project 'potential' was 93% in my imagination (unless someone has a GA55 fuselage surplus and cheap). Perhaps for the best as I need another project like I need a third nostril! Back to tinkering with the Gemini and/or the Sapphire. Keep well cheers

Very clever Nev.

Wanting to smarten myself up on the current state of the GA55 series Lightwing. Read somewhere that there were 17 factory built (VH regoed?) and am wondering how many more were kit/home built and what the break down was re: VH vs AUF. How many still flying? Were they all VW powered? What other power plants were retro-fitted (I'm aware of the Rotec one). Needless to say, there is yet another brainfade project lurking in the fuzzy confines of my imagination. In the interim, is there an effective address as to how I get into your LightWing page? cheers Riley

Put a jerry can of fuel in the cargo dept of the Thruster and come over to Bindoon (Home of the dedicated Bushfly) and we'll get 'Gary God' to go up with you in 3658 for a few laps of T & G's. Having mastered the T-500, I doubt now that a LightWing could serve you up any serious grief. Besides, being such tough little buggers, they sneer at bouncy arrivals. cheers Riley

Fair enough. So.... do any of you sagacious forumites have any suggestions? I wanna talk Lightwing!

Hey Doug Have been attempting to dial into your page on the Lightwing social forum but can't scare it up. Once I get into the Lightwing forum, there doesn't appear to be any 'click here' box to join the social group so I'm wondering if it may have accidently got dropped in one of the questionable 'improved format upgrades' of the web page. Any ideas? cheers Riley

Was last there in 2009 and don't know what's changed (if anything) in the interim but I recall it was definately financially beneficial to join the EAA for a year and thus gain access to the diminished weekly entry fee for not only the member, but another two nominated "hangers-0n". Having camped on-site for a fortnight, there were a host of other areas where EAA membership attracted substantial savings. And, as others have said, a 12 month automatic subscription to the magazine makes it worth it. Co-incidently have just rcvd confirmation of camper-trailer bookings at Camp Scholler for Air Venture 2014. See y'all at the international visitor's tent. cheers Riley

Interesting was Jim's comment that the Seafire was stolen from the RCAF and hidden in a barn for many years. Like most techos at the time, I used to nick the odd roll of tape or a gallon or two of 80/87 avgas but a whole aircraft??? - now that's a real classy 'souveniering' job! Tks for posting RGMWA, very interesting video.

On the recommendation of a sign writer I used blackboard paint. 12 years later there is no fading, cracking or deterioration of any sort. In fact, I still have the part can of un-used paint that I'd give away but I'm not sure what sequence of numbers are left in it. cheers

A-Kev, I totally agree/support your postulations - we have met the enemy and it is within! So what's the solution, keep pissing and moaning and flogging the staff with a cricket bat with a rusty nail in it or devote extra resources (more staff? - effective systems? - diligent supervision? - whatever?) towards making a positive change? Whilst not directly casting aspersions on the admin staff at Fyshwick it is patently obvious that they are unable to cope. What will it take before the Board stops waffling and instigates a format that will (a) effectively clear up the backlog of mostly petty hiccups and (b) adopts a recording system that isn't fraught with lost data? It is hugely ignominious that RAA, holding the commission from Casa to administrate recreational aviation, must now have a dibby-dab from Casa (no offence intended towards the individual) vetting our each and every move - " is that placard printed in the correct font and is it visible from under the rear passenger's seat'? We really are victims of our own historial lack of interest in what our compulsory membership /registration fees should be providing us with. Whatever the case, our 'status quo' isn't cutting it and if not soon corrected, we may all be looking at joining the local bowling club for personal enjoyment rather than spending significant resources in attempting to fly an RAA-registered aircraft. Ah, I live in hope (but I ain't betting any more cash on it!).

If it's any consolation AK, you have company in your misery. I have a parallel to your situation in that my completed re-rego papers/details and cheque were sent to RAA on the very day they were received in the mail (five weeks ago). This is for an aircraft that was kept on the ground (tho fully registered) for three months awaiting CASA-inspired RAA scrutiny for dotting of 'i's & crossing of 't's before processing the transfer of ownership into my name when I bought it last Nov. Eventually they advised that I had to provide photos of the MTOW placard which I duly forwarded and, upon which the new valid certificate of ownership was ultimately issued. This took place in mid Feb of this year (and heaping insult on injury, I might add that I received no extension of annual registration to offset the three months grounding). Nevermind, at least I could go flying. Now, with my rego expiring tomorrow and nothing yet received, today I made a telephone enquiry of RAA and was advised that they had been sitting on it because they had no record of the "Warning, passengers fly at their own risk... blah, blah," placard. Like you, I find it hard to believe that what was kosher and passed muster seven months ago (well after CASA held their feet to the fire), now doesn't meet their requirements. My ex wife and her bloody mother didn't shift the goal posts that often! Over the past couple of years I've learned not to expect too much from RAA Fyshwick however, in view of their ever-changing and haphazard requirements, I would have thought that an email sometime in the preceeding 5 weeks advising that my details didn't now meet with their revised requirements would have been appropriate. I also say that, were there any other option, I would jump ship immediately as I've had a bellyfull of their "we're here to help you, have some more laxative" manner of dealing with a captive audience. Being in my mid-seventies, I don't have enough flying time left to have it eroded by someone's petty inconsistencies. So, a 200km rtn drive to Bindoon tomorrow to re-photo the placarding - I'm so damn mad I could spit!

Gentlemen, methinks we have more than sufficient crap on our platter at the moment rather than to further muddy the waters by devoting energies to this minor cock-up.

Despite that I've cussed them repeatedly over the past couple of years, I have to admit that if it weren't for the AUF/RAA, I would never have got back in the air.

OK Sue, I've known of a few relationships where there was/is some confusion as to who should wear the pants but in your post, I'm left wondering who is going to wear the skirt at Ausfly? Hope you all have a good fly-in. cheers

'Nuff said' cheers

Allow me (as a non-tech, average, every day recreational pilot) to modify my post to include "unecessary to me". I come to this site to keep abreast of what's taking place in the recreational sphere and to interact with fellow aviation enthusiasts. About 18 of the stated new or revised facilities offered in your new format are (viewed from my position) totally irrelevant and non-applicable to my past use of the forums. So, sorry Mr B your continuing efforts are appreciated but I remain un-impressed with the latest. 'Nuff said. Cheers

I hate unnecessary change! Being in my mid seventies I don't want, need, nor am I the least bit interested in all the bells and whistles commensurate with 'change for the sake of change'. Could not all these new format upgrades been initiated without making things confusing for the 'non-geek' portion of Rec Flying members? Sadly I can forsee my forums participation diminishing.

Tony It seems you aren't aware so I'm unhappy to advise that the inimitable Mr Hayes passed away about three years back. A great loss to Australian recreational aviation.

On review I see that it definately is a rope so I stand corrected and withdraw my non-applicable comments (except for the one that they still need protection from themselves).

Using a spinning chain on that alloy nose cone would surely restrict them to about 2 attempts per spinner. Hell, in the days when there were still roughnecks on the drill floor (it's all automated now) we used to make up drill pipe connections like that. Those fellows should be protected against themselves! The mind boggles.

I believe you can pretty much put any prop you want on a Gazelle and take pictures and go surreptitiously flying but (unless it's 19 rego-ed) don't plan to be included in any RAA paperwork , insurance claim, CASA ramp check, etc etc, unless it's wearing a two blade Allsize wooden club. The fact that the Bolly 3 blade Optima is a much superior propellor in all respects is of little interest to the helpful people at CASA . Maj Millar is barracking for RAA to 'front' CASA with the ridiculous 'traditional' propellor situation that we're locked into so if you're in his bailiwick make sure you and your mates cast your votes in his direction in the Sept elections.

If you're just looking at a simple straight tear and not needing to attempt a patch, why not use sail repair tape? It's secure & effective, available in various colours, cheap and easy, and it won't let go! For the sake of rag & tube aviation posterity, the Smithsonian Institute should record the triumvirate of Duct tape, WD40, and Sail Repair Tape! cheers