Riley

Beware NjN. I paid royally for a prepurchase inspection on a flying & registered experimental in Florida done by a AIME referred by my Aeronca friend in the local area of purchase. Excerpts from report: "almost like new", " I would buy this myself", etc, etc, No photos- my bad, but I had a jillion from the vendor. Based on the glowing report I consumated the purchase and also contracted the same guy to dis-assemble and pack the aircraft into a container (having given specific instructions on some essential basics). Outcome - container arrived with A/C having 'slipped its moorings and sculling about inside' (fortunately a smooth crossing and no serious damage), no dis-assembly notes, no photos or identification of matching components and almost 18 months of serious shopwork to get the machine to where I was confident to test fly it. Not that I'm ever likely to import another aircraft from anywhere but, were it to happen, I reckon the best money anyone could spend would be to travel to the sales location and inspect the machine personally (perhaps in company with a qualified aviation person). Unfortunately not all aviation personell are as straight-up and honest as the rest of us. Good luck with your searching.

I've been around that aircraft for over ten years. You won't get a better deal on one in that condition. cheers Riley

Hey George. I reckon getting out of GA and upgrading to a WeedHopper ultralight must certainly impress your fiance. Welcome to the 'good end of town' and congratulations and best wishes on both ventures. cheers

Haven't forgotten you Mick. The geezer holding my fabric tester is still visiting with ailing parents over east. Will get unto it as soon as he returns. cheers

SSCBD Ur post #18 seems a very logical approach towards resolving the ever-growing (but non-existant to most of we old AUF flyer/owners) delemna re the push for more... more... more... by our higher-paid help at Fyshwick. Whilst not excited about putting a LAME on the payroll once a year, I am in total agreement with your suggested classifications of categories 1 & 2 and in reality, cats 3 & 4 would never enter into my sphere of aviation activities. Your closing sentence is unfortunately, so very true and too often witnessed.

A 'G' meter had been installed in the aircraft a few short weeks before the crash.

Evektor Sportstar

Both of the deceased were personal friends to me and without digging into the Coroner's report, engine failure wasn't the cause of that double fatality in the Julimar Forest. It was assessed that the aircraft broke up at altitude as a result of accumulated undue airframe stress. As you pointed out, in that instance, the dice had been rolled once too often by two experienced pilots.

'AWC-less' Silver Centenary. It's of interest that this aircraft which was on unrestored static display in the little town of Beverly for many years has been restored to flying condition by, I believe, Ford's grandson and is hangared and been flown from SABC/SAA's Serpentine Airfield near Perth.

The beauty of the Thrusters (as ugly as they are) is that every structural component is out in the open (or can be very easily exposed) for visual or dye pentrant inspection. With the photos of the suss welding on the stern post indicating less than acceptable practices, a sharp rap with a hammer in that area would have surely given warning of internal corrosion problems? Not pointing the bone at anyone involved but although being a bit picky at the outset might take longer, it's preferable to hollering 'Oh Shite" on your way to meet mother earth after an in-flight component failure. Very pleased you got out of it with minimal grief Craig.

If SHE knows, I'll be she wouldn't be blatherscathing (in code or not)! Bex, such an oversight for you.

Likewise, my chance for a flip across half of Canada in the backseat of a T33 Shooting Star whilst on annual leave as a lowley LAC in the RCAF was thwarted by not holding a 'chit' proving my having done the altitude pressure testing. Offer of back seat on Friday aft @ 15:00 for jet trainer leaving at 07:00 next morning - safety section at the base shut down at 15:00. Have spent the remainder of my days being pissed off at someone. Riley

Used to be a time we retained fighter aircraft as gate guards and posterity. This ignominious end has them guarding the gates of hell. Bureacracy again making us look like fools. Sad.

Conversely, a problem caused by lack of forethought and blinkered vison has been exacerbated. Aust Post and RAA appear to operate on about the same degree of inefficiency. Riley

Yes, totally infantile to suggest that documented agreements, fairness, "let's scrap the whole thing and do it again legally and correctly" should be brought into a subject that accords such little importance as elections to a Board of Directors. Kasper, you are a scalliwag! In God we trust????

Re your second sentence, I should be reticent (ashamed?) in admitting that I reached that state a year or so back. I haven't rcvd my 'free' magazine containing ballot papers yet but I'm totally unconcerned by the fact that I obviously couldn't get them back in time even if I were wanting to participate in the election. The two Mikeys and their curious management (?) style have destroyed my passion as to where RAA takes us in the future. When it gets too ripe to swallow, sadly I shall quit aviation and go back to vintage cars. Riley

Welcome aboard Paul. Living in Killarney, I'd guess you'd probably have both a set of lotus floats and snow skiis for the Challenger? I grew up & went to school in Sudbury so I've eaten the famous Fish & Chips off the jetty in Killarney many years ago. Wandered down to NZ & Australia after I got out of the military 50 years ago & when I found out they didn't have soul-destroying winters down under, made Western Australia my base point ever since. Cabin heat in the Challenger or just three Skidoo suits on at the same time? cheers Riley

Really ? ? ?

Unless you are acquiring the Streak Shadow at a give-away purchase price in the UK (like, next to nothing) I'd suggest you investigate what a 27 year old similar ultralight w/ 700 hrs would cost you in OZ dollars on your Perth doorstep. No problems with training in the S.S. here once you've found an instructor, as you would be declared the 1st owner/builder once it's brought on the RAA register. Though I didn't need or plan to flight-train in it, I brought a kit-built biplane from USA into Perth a couple of years back (me being the 4th owner) and had no problems w/ import and RAA registration however, Aust Quarantine have very inflexible (but manageable) regulations re cleanliness and packing for import. Poncing around with export/import agents, container shipping, local transport both ends, clearing fees, etc, etc, ad-infinitum, cost me about (A)$9 grand. If you proceed, I'd suggest you first contact Tech Mgr, Recreational Aviation Aust to get the precise & up-to-date requirements for all aspects of your plans, then get comparative figures from at least two agents who would work on your behalf (then add about 3 grand). As previously said, methinks you'd have to have an extremely specific love for that very aircraft in order to justify the end result. PM me if you need any further discouragement. cheers Riley

Because CASA is CASA "and we can!"

If memory serves me correctly, the drag resultant from 'stern fwd' is of lesser concern than the vortices created by the square stern following (but it's been a long time). Someone will correct me if I'm out in left field. cheers Riley

That 'Otter' with the tinnie sure looks like a Beaver (Beavers have flat tails - Otter tails are rat-like, that's how you tell the difference).

I totally concur with your evaluation of the Asst Tech Mgr's willingness to stick with and sort out a problem. I (who seems to be in constant conflict with Canberra) have had nothing but exemplary service and assistance from Jared thru a couple of contentious issues. Credit given where credit is due. Riley

If it happened to be photoed in OZ, can't you just see CASA crapping themselves in attempts to identify the pilot/cyclist?

At the RAA Q & A evening at Bindoon airfield attended by the RAA CEO and Gen Mgr (Mssrs Linke & Monk) a couple of weeks ago we were advised that CTA access has been the main push by RAA to CASA and it was hoped that it would be ratified by year-end. We were also told by the higher paid help that the weight increase application would sit on RAA's back burner until the CTA access was resolved. Based on the CTA treadmill to date, if you're a lottery ticket believer, don't buy a weight increase ticket till well into next year.