Riley

Hey Flyerme, can you PM me on a different matter? For some reason I've been blocked from sending you a message. Tks 'n rgds.

Gentlemen You have to bear in mind that we are viewing/commenting on an situation that occured in Quebec. French Canadians have had the traditional ability and licence to do just whatever they feel like doing without having to either explain and/or justify their actions. Vive les Quebecois? However, having lived in the area, I reckon I'd vote with the pilot - better a stretch of un-occupied freeway than an adjacent paddock of questionable integrity. cheers Riley

Now, we both know that Golburn is not ACT so I won't have her graceful poise and impecable good manners attributed in any way to 'Can'tberra' (although I will acknowledge that your stewardship certainly caused her no harm). Not flying often enough however: 60 degree turns; s/slipping over the fence; tight glide approaches etc at 0630 yesterday was absolute magic. (I think she likes me) cheers

Not a very apt or meaningful statement SG. I suggest you google 'Ford Pinto Memo' to familiarize yourself regarding the saga of woe that Ford had with re-occuring fatalities directly attributed to burning fuel resulting from inadequate tank design. Subsequent to the investigations following the recalls, it was generally accepted that Ford eventually bought their way out of the controversy. But many people were incinerated during the interim. OK - On posting, I see that other 'venerable' forumites remembered the Pinto's issues.

WHY oh why would anybody abandon such a machine (unless because of insurmountable estate executor problems, having to hide it from an ex-wife or bankruptcy administrator)? More details please F.T. 'cause the wife is away O'seas for another fortnight (I'll teach her all about leaving me at home on my own!).

Very enjoyable viewing but then, I'm a sucker for footage of Champs no matter how they're being used. Not wishing to come across as a nit-picker (and little Lainey obviously savoured every minute of her experience), but I thought it a bit odd that Dad took her up for her first flight with 'doors-off'. I believe I'd have done that on her second sortie. Anyway, guess he knows his daughter better than anyone else so the 'off-the-ground' familiarity may well have already been established. Great video! Thanks Neil.

On 6 Nov they told me they couldn't process the transfer-of-ownership papers on my new aircraft because the computor was down so I'm loathe to believe them this time. I reckon this is another 'snow job' - they're actually operating on a different website and are keeping it under the historical 'cone of silence' so that no questions have to be answered!

An old fool (like me) muses.... 'Wayne T....? Mark C....? T....? C....? Mark T....? Mark Twayne....? 'Mark Twain!' and immediately I conjure up a vision of good old fashioned, down home, common sense guidance/governance being in the offing. OK, it's late in the day, the tool box is closed and the Engel's been opened but the scenario still has bags of promise. I reckon that any RAA member who cares will (must) stand behind these two brave bods whilst they join with the other RAA Dept Mgrs to get us back on the road. Best wishes and Godspeed to you both (but condolences offered for the compulsory relocation to the ACT. Thanks guys.

Hopefully a 'Clayton's Solution' will prove to have more content than the "Hobson's Choice" ( ) we had last time around.

Hallelujah! (and congratulations Wayne T). I reckon this appointment is the first accomplishment by the Executive in many months that I can look at with confidence and I view it as positive indication that RAA (and us, we, the members) are on the way back. Whilst realizing that you'll be ass-deep in alligators for the immediate future, I do hope that the new job doesn't preclude you from continuing with your most enjoyable participation in these forums. I look forward to working with you and wish you all the very best. cheers Riley

Could you provide some elaboration regarding which specific Thruster was involved and also the flying history of the failed components (would like to know if it was one of the UK Vision 600's or one of the few local T-300's that were retro-fitted with Jab 2200 engines)? Not intending to bring the propellor into disrepute but would also be interested to learn the prop type, size, nr of blades etc etc. Were the problems your mate faced a 'carbon copy' of the initial similar failure?. We all can learn from this. tks n rgds

Gentlemen Here-in the photos of the floats. Very useable with no damage but would want sealing around the joint between upper & lower sections. Am happy to pack & liaise with selected transport agent at buyers cost. I guess Howe has first refusal. Cheers Riley

I have a pair of 3.3m GRP floats with mountings & spreader bars in good nick that came off a single-seat T85 Thruster that I'll never use. Will dig out and post some photos and you can PM me if interested. cheers Flash Correction!! I just checked the photos and the spreader bars were imagined. There are only the individual longitudinal rectangular alloy float mounting bars and spacers.

Despite that my new (old) aircraft was registered throughout this unbelievable stuff-up, it was grounded on the basis of verbal instruction from RAA Fyshwick (viz: because they could not answer who would be liable in the event of the 'orphan' being involved in aworst-possible-situation, -myself? -the previous owner? -the pilot?) I lost the use of it for 13 1/2 weeks thru 'non transfer of ownership'. Didn't like it one bit but I lived with it. Yippee ... the new ownership card arrived last week and guess what - no reflection or adjustment made for the grounded period! On querying this with RAA Admin staff I was advised that, "yes, annual re-registrations were all commenced from the time the particular aircraft file was vetted by the Casa approved inspector however, because your aircraft was in valid registration whilst awaiting the audit, there would be no credit allowed for the down time even tho it was at RAA's instruction!" Nothing like getting a fair go and satisfaction from an association that you are forced to be a member of, eh whot? Needless to say, I may just have to take this to a higher authority. It beggars belief (but then, coming from RAA what hasn't over the past few years?)

Good one Meths. The WA U/L Flyers Club 'gifted' a Pterradactyl to a young RAA pilot certificate holder a year or so back to assist him in his desire to gain aviation experience/logbook time. Haven't had any feedback as to how/where he went with it but they (the terror-dacks-full) are still amongst us! cheers

Further to posts # 6 and 10... I'd reckon that most of the Antipodean fun flying fraternity couldn't give a rat's ass about the US-based GLPA (or David & Nev's HTPA either) and, like 'M-Squared' I'm buggered if I can see why who-holds-hands-with-whom even rates a mention. T & D, come on down under. You're pilots therefore you're welcome (but I ain't gonna fly no pink balloons!) cheers

I pulled $40K from a nest egg that was netting me ca$40/week in order to fund the purchase of my new (old) aircraft. It's been on the ground now for 13 weeks which works out to about $540 bucks actual loss plus $41 worth of pre-paid and un-useable annual registration that I'm not expecting to get credit for........AND IT CONTINUES!!!! The ineffective members of the Board probably reckon I'm on a roll because I'm not paying hangar rent and I didn't borrow the money at commercial rates so what have I got to be unhappy about? Screw me once = stupid me! Screw me twice = stupid you! Karma will catch up one day.

I'm with rgmwa. If you aren't 100% comfortable with everything you can think of before the flight that might try to bite you in the bum, then go back and satisfy your doubts before you start. Having but one ass to put on the line - it just makes sense not to waste it. Your very wise questioning as a 'newbie' will certainly go a long way towards ensuring you'll get to be a 'know-it-all-old-fart' like the rest of us (even if we don't) and the odds are pretty good that you'll keep happily flying. Have fun.

I've been washing lots of dishes of late but not doing too much contracepting... so d'ya reckon they'd give me a discount?

........"as a former, and prospective candidate"........ I like that statement Col. Very pleased to hear that you plan to continue to work towards getting things turned around at Board level. Sincere regards and best wishes from the West. Riley

Cripes Maj, I back-packed around Europe for a whole summer with less kit than that....! Just kidding, but I'd be interested to learn the cost of your comforts in terms of dimensions & weight of the full plastic box, addit water, etc etc. cheers Riley

HP/LP endorsements aside, methinks it's the Darwinian theory of gene pool reduction of 'dumb ass' category. Any qualified pilot (GA - RA) who climbs into an unfamiliar machine without first either a check flight or both querying and having made himself aware of it's operating characteristics is obviously beyond protection by any statutes or regulations. No matter what's embossed on a bit of plastic card, it isn't gonna govern either how capable one is in managing a flying machine at 79kts/hr or how incapable in the same machine at 80kts. "Please Sir, it's bollocks"

On that note Andy, a fellow over here put his Sapphire tits-up in a rmote location a couple of years back and was trapped head-down inside but eventually got enough leverage to spring the canopy sufficiently to activate & launch his PLB. It had only hit the ground just out of reach when he woke up that he hadn't extended the antenna. He then spent the next twenty minutes amid the volatile fuel-charged atmosphere wondering if he was gonna be located while the same time doing enough heavy callisthenics to get his knees around his ears and ultimately kick the canopy into pieces to get out. Shortly thereafter the local coppers rolled up having been alerted by Melbourne. I learned a simple lesson from someone else's misfortune in that saga. My old Mum would agree that both the PLB and a web cutter on a lanyard is as essential in a light aircraft as putting on clean jocks before you went anywhere (bless her heart, she reckoned that, no matter what happened, if you were wearing clean jocks you were prepared for the situation??) cheers

Here-in the current content of my 'home-brew' survival pack which is fixed under the pass seat in the Lightwing. Measures 200 x 450 x 100 and weighs in at 4.5 kg. In the hopes that I never have to use it, I'm happy to spend the rest of my life complaining about the carrying capacity trade-off of about 6 litres of fuel. I also acknowledge that my inventory is an over-kill however, the one way to ensure that you'll never need something is to put it in your rucksack and carry it for the rest of your bleeding life. (a fire starter vs cig lighter will be a modification to my kit once more good ideas come in). Good topic. cheers - first aid kit - 2 litres water - polyester blanket - reflective space blanket - Swiss army knife - 20m X 5mm parachute cord - rain poncho - collapsible water bag - cigarette lighter - 3m snare wire - parrafin candles X 2 - mini torch w/ spare cells - basic mechanical tool kit - RAAF 5-day ration pack w/cookpot

Kaz, I'm disgusted even before the meeting but where can I walk to? By mere dint of my RAAus Pilot Certificate and my RAA registered aircraft, I'm locked in whether I'm happy or not! I'm doubly frustrated in that myself and 9000 or 13000 (who knows???) other recreational flyers are being held to ransom by this onerous system. I do share your optimism that it will get sorted in time and I go on record to state that we are non-deserving fools should we ever allow it to happen again. Keep smiling (but keep the pressure on!) cheers Riley