onetrack

Now on the other hand, if someone were to point out to the Government how a complete overhaul of CASA would save them hundreds of millions of dollars, the overhaul will start tomorrow.

The Turnbull Govt is looking at a dreadful shortfall in taxation receipts, due to the commodities bust, the local car industry dying on its feet, and increasing unemployment due to some major job losses, right at this present moment.

They are looking to save a dollar on every single item of Govt expenditure, like we haven't seen for decades.

 

It's surprising sometimes, what an email to your local member, or to the minister for aviation, can achieve. Particularly one which points out where big savings can be made, by whittling the useless dead wood from CASA.

 

 

Bring it on! Nothing could be finer than CASA getting a good double dose of the salts that it dishes out to every pilot/aircraft owner/aircraft operator, that it sets itself upon, with its overbearing righteousness.

 

 

Yes, the find and the whole deal is a little curious. A bloke who is a blogger - and who claims to be carrying out a private investigation into the MH370 loss - goes to Mozambique - and within days of landing there, just happens to find an aviation component, that COULD have come from a B777, floating around, just offshore. You're right, it doesn't look like its been in the water for a week - let alone nearly 2 yrs.

 

Unfortunately, being the old cynic that I am - I smell a great big, SELF-PROMOTING SCAM.

 

 

The media is reporting that an aircraft component with the words "no step" on it, has been discovered on a sandbank in the Mozambique Channel, which runs between Mozambique and Madagascar.

 

Aviation experts have tentatively identified it from photos, as quite likely being part of the horizontal stab from a B777.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/debris-from-missing-mh370-found-7478351

 

As there's only one B777 currently missing in the Southern Hemisphere, then it appears this find, if proven to be a B777 horizontal stab section, will perhaps add a little more info to the MH370 puzzle.

 

One interesting aside to the story, is that Martin Dolan has been quoted as saying, that if the search for MH370 concludes in July as planned, without MH370 being found - then the inescapable conclusion is that the aircraft was glided from its last-reported, engine-flame-out position - and that could only have been done on purpose, by a very much alive pilot, carrying out a specific, very-remote-ditching, plan.

 

 

I'd quite happily rattle a tin to collect up a few hundred thousand dollars, to finance sending every Nigerian into space on a one-way rocket. What a bunch of oxygen thieves they are, as a nation.

 

Read a cyclist blokes blog once, relating his travels from the top of Africa to the bottom, on his bike.

 

He summarised by saying that the entire experience left him with the overwhelming opinion, that every single black African was out to continously scam every single white person that they encountered.

 

Admittedly, nearly all Africans suffer from constant grinding poverty - but the fact remains that in Africa, every black leader they elect, only rules to scam every other person in the nation and rob the country blind.

 

 

Here's a Cessna 310Q, former rego VH-FYZ, owned by Goldfields Air Services, that crash-landed in the Great Victoria Desert in 1993.

 

The flight was originally planned between the Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara in the Great Victoria Desert, to Warburton. The crash site is in the Gibson Desert.

 

https://thelandy.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dsc_4469.jpg

 

The crash cause was fuel starvation because the pilot didn't fully understand the complex fuel valving and pumping system setup between the main and auxiliary tanks.

 

Pilot and all pax survived the crash landing, but all with back injuries. The engines and other useful accessories were stripped out of the wreck by GAS, and the frame was abandoned.

 

The wreck is accessible from the Connie Sue Highway, if you feel like driving the 680kms of this 4WD-only, "Highway", between Warburton and Rawlinna.

 

Here's the ATSB report ...

 

https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4432781/ASOR199300002.PDF

 

 

The missus and I bought a nice 2012 Camry Atara about 18 mths ago from a deceased estate. It had only done 13,000 kms. Talking at length to the owners son, who was the estate executor, revealed the Camry owner had been a WW2 air veteran.

 

This old bloke had enlisted in July 1942 - then after having finished his flying course, he was assigned to Britain.

 

He then survived more than 40 missions over Europe, as a tail-gunner in a Halifax! - completely unscathed!

 

I found a photo online, of his S.A. flying training course group from 1942 - and a full 30% of the blokes on his course never made it.

 

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P04612.002

 

He returned from the War, became an accountant in a country town in W.A., and then later in life became a rural real estate agent in the SW of W.A.

 

He bought the Camry new when he was 88! - but he got a bit crook with age after about 12 mths, and the car got used very little for the next 18 mths - and he died just a couple of months short of his 92nd birthday.

 

He was typical of his generation - they stood up to be counted, laid their lives on the line, then often just lived quietly and anonymously for the rest of their lives.

 

I can find very little mention of this bloke anywhere, and it's pretty typical of a lot of them. We hear about the blokes who got lots of gongs, but many WW2 blokes who also deserved awards, got very little - but they never sought any, either.

 

 

I find it hard to understand why people continue to throw funds (well, mostly OTHER peoples funds) at the flying car concept. To put it mildly, the concept will never get off the ground (pun intended).

 

The simple fact remains that the gulf between aviation and motoring is just too great to create a cross-over. On the road, you have to put up with every imbecile that can't even keep to lanes, or keep a vehicle upright on straight roads, in broad daylight.

 

You park your Aeromobil, and some idiot is bound to back into it, or bounce off it, just turning around near to it. Then they drive off without a care in the world - leaving you to figure out the damage, how it will affect the flying ability, and who's going to pay for it.

 

What happens when you get a "parking bingle" in a wing of this thing? You're grounded until it can be certified to fly again - at great cost. What happens when you strike road debris, that bounces up into the fuselage or wing?

 

I regularly see road debris that gives me the horrors. Pieces of steel, bolts, gluts from trucks, star pickets, and God only knows how much lightweight rubbish like plastic bags, cardboard, ply, and even pieces of furniture.

 

All of this road debris has the potential to immediately create enough damage to a flying car to render it dangerous to fly. This doesn't even begin to mention the animals that frequent roads, that create regular body damage to vehicles.

 

Cars are cars, and aircraft are aircraft - and the strict requirements of aviation ensure that the chances of building a cross-over that can cope with regular road and traffic conditions, and still be able to fly after incurring normal road damage, is next to nil.

 

 

I'm not so sure about the genuine-ness of the OP's pic. Crocs don't like being too far away from water, and they feel very vulnerable when well away from it.

 

I would hazard an educated guess, that even an aggressive croc would prefer to make a dash for the nearby water, rather than attack the chopper.

 

One also has to question - what is the photographer in? - another chopper? The photo seems to indicate it was taken at, or near to, ground level.

 

Re the size of the croc alongside the HJ47 'Cruiser - I took a "croc tour" of the Corroboree Billabong last August - and we sighted two crocs that were 6.5 and 6.7 metres. Both were on open ground, about 10M from the water, chewing on a dead buff.

 

The girth of their guts was astonishing. I would never have believed crocs got to that size, without actually sighting these pair with my own eyes! I've got some pics somewhere, I think they're on the Missus's camera, I'll see if I can find them.

 

 

Andrew, I use A. M Bolts & Nuts in Bassendean. They carry German Bremick fasteners, a lot of American brands of fasteners, nuts and washers, and they have a wide range of stuff. I've never yet seen them supply a Chinese fastener.

 

I use a quite a few high tensile American (Imperial) Grade 5 and Grade 8 fasteners (metric equivalent = 8.8 and 10.9), and they always have a wide range of high tensile fasteners available.

 

They stock a very handy product in the form of hardened washers by Brighton Best of California. These are pretty necessary to use with high tensile fasteners, otherwise a regular mild steel washer flattens or bells out, under heavy tensile loads.

 

You will actually also be surprised at what Masters carry by way of fasteners. However, they sell a lot of them in small quantities, and charge exceptionally well for those small quantities.

 

But - they do have neat little bulk boxes of HT fasteners, supplied by Champion, and they're only $20 a box. For that amount, you get a very good selection of fasteners and nuts all in a neat plastic, lidded and compartmented box.

 

I've actually bought more than one box! :cheezy grin:For that kind of $$$'s, you can't go wrong. The HT metric box contains 236 nuts and bolts over a range of lengths, and diameters from about 4mm to 10mm.

 

They also have these boxes with flanged automotive HT fasteners, in both metric and imperial, as well as washers and other varieties of hardware as well. Masters pretty useless website doesn't show everything they carry.

 

https://www.masters.com.au/product/900044036/champion-metric-bolt-and-nut-assortment-236pk

 

Cheers ....

 

 

I'll wager the hosties are saying, "No camera!! No picture, please!!"

 

And whatever you do - don't mention the Korean War - or South Korea!

 

What's with the big, long green wedge, covering the globe in the background? Is that the trajectory/range of the latest NK missile??

 

 

I wonder why the massive urgency in the shipment? One would have thought sea shipping would have been the go. Must be because of an imminent failure or end-of-life for the component.

 

I was wandering through Hoffmans in Bassendean quite a few years, with John Hoffman guiding me. He showed us his blokes working on reconditioning a turbine rotor from the Muja power station in Collie.

 

This rotor was humungous! It must have been 18-20M long and about 4M in diameter. At that time (this was over 25 yrs ago), the rotor alone was worth $3M to replace. No doubt Hoffmans were cleaning up nicely on the recondition.

 

 

Facthunter, you forgot to add - "Regularly and carefully cleaned".

 

 

Thanks, fellas. I must admit I do get my adulation-fix when I march down St Georges Tce every 25th April, and see the large numbers of appreciative people. Makes you realise not everyone has forgotten. It only took the Govt 37 years to give me all my medals - but at least I got them while I was still alive, unlike many others!

 

I have a mate in Nannup who has just bought a Rotax-powered Jab. I haven't even sighted it yet. Quite a while ago, in another life, I had a farmer client with a nice little Piper Dakota with a very nice 235HP up front that I used to utilise for quick trips for urgent business tasks! Another previous business partner had a PA-28 - which he crash-landed on the Kalgoorlie-Coolgardie Rd when the engine suffered from fuel starvation via a faulty fuel tank crossover valve. He did pretty well until he hit a big road sign on roll-out and the sign took a wing off! Neither he nor his young girl pax were hurt.

 

I was never able to finance myself into aircraft when I was involved in the family business, there always seemed to be lots of other demands on the money. Then a bastard bank destroyed everything we ever achieved, and I've never recovered from that. Luckily another Vet woke me up to what DVA could do for me, and the DVA experience was rewarding and eye-opening. Despite what some angry people claim, Australia does look after its Vets - better than America does - and DVA have been very good to me.

 

It did help to ensure that everything I did when dealing with DVA, was to the exact letter in the "Bible" (the Veterans Entitlement Act, 1986). A fine lady advocate in the form of an ex-RAAF officer was the icing on the cake, and I'm forever in her debt.

 

UltraFlash, thanks for the invite, I haven't been to Bindoon for a couple or three years, I will try to check out the scene. I tend to travel more East and South of Perth, rather than North.

 

 

With the new viewing area alongside Tonkin Hwy, this could be an impressive sight. Just viewing takeoffs and landings whilst driving along the new section of Tonkin Hwy, can produce some impressive sights now, as compared to the old hwy.

 

I've actually sighted a couple of rare TOGA events when a heavy came in pretty unstable, with the wind howling and gusting down off the Darling Scarp. I guess it'd take more than a gusty Easterly to upset an AV225 on short final!

 

I wonder what the large shipment is, that needs an Antonov delivery?

 

 

I'd really like to see how she got all the interior suds off! Opened both doors and hosed it out?? You could do that with old Series 2 Landrovers - but with todays vehicles, any moisture in the interior soon sees major electronic faults rapidly appear!

 

I've seen a late model Range Rover with low kms get written off, because floodwaters got into the interior and just covered the footwells!

 

 

What an incredible bloke, and to survive to 94 after what he went through in life is nothing short of astonishing.

 

It won't be long before we're saying our farewells to the last of the WW2 veterans. About 5-7 years ago, we saw a rapid reduction in numbers of the WW2 Vets marching or turning up on Anzac Day.

 

They broke the mould after many of these blokes were cast. I doubt whether we'll see their likes again.

 

What is amazing is how many blokes were just accountants or farmers or public servants, and they just fronted up, learnt to fly, diced with death daily, to fight and bomb Germans and Japs - then at the end of WW2, they just chucked it all in, and went back quietly to their everyday jobs for the rest of the lives. Some never sat at the controls of an aircraft ever again.

 

Not only did they dice with death by fighting and bombing, they also had to put up with rapid advances in aircraft design that meant they were often flying equipment that still had design faults and assembly errors in it.

 

RIP, Eric Brown - an outstanding and long life well-lived, with commendable service to your fellow man.

 

 

Sorry, Kaz, no aircraft and no flying for me - I'm a Vietnam Veteran with war-related disabilities that prevent any flying.

 

I'm surprised to hear that there are not many from W.A., RA in W.A. has plenty of participants, I thought. They must be all out flying, not sitting at computers!

 

 

What's the availability of avgas and Premium at places like Warburton, Giles and Carnegie, please? Bulk or drums?

Warburton - Avgas is available in bulk. PN required. Phone 08 8954 0016. A swipe card is advisable, for both Mobil & BP. Shell usually take normal CC's.

 

http://www.skyfuel.com.au/auswidecarnet.asp

 

Don't hang around Warburton, it's the most depressing and disgusting township you will ever encounter. Third world slums look like the leafy Western Suburbs, when compared to Warburton. I kid you not, I have seen a lot in nearly 70 years, but I wasn't prepared for what I encountered in Laverton. The few whites there live behind 3.3M chain mesh security fences, and the Police have to be rostered off every few months, to keep their sanity.

 

Don't take photos with locals in sight in them. This is SOP all through Aboriginal Lands.

 

http://www.aviatecenter.com/airport_pdf.php?runwayId=934

 

Avgas storage at Warakurna (Giles) is 15000 litres in underground storage. You need to contact and liase with staff at Warakurna Roadhouse to access the avgas.

 

Be aware that Warakurna operates on NT time, despite being well inside the W.A. border.

 

Warakurna is a good place with first class facilities. Giles weather station is a couple of kms from Warakurna Roadhouse.

 

http://www.ngaanyatjarraku.wa.gov.au/index.php/our-region/community-information/warakurna

 

http://www.warakurnaroadhouse.com.au/

 

Carnegie Station avgas availability is by arrangement only, and only in drums when it is available. Call the station on 08 9981 2991 to liase and check airstrip/weather conditions.

 

In the Outback, the weather can change rapidly and turn a dry airstrip to mud within 10 mins.

 

http://www.carnegiestation.com.au/

 

Cheers ....

 

 

Yep, ag contractors are notorious for spreading weeds and seeds. Knew a farmer who had a big patch of double-gees, and he was intent on eliminating them from his farm and stopping them from spreading.

 

He had tin cans nailed to the gate posts at every gate into the paddocks - and if you drove into and out of the paddock, you had to stop and pick your tyres clean, and place the double-gees in the cans, before you left the paddock.

 

It was good thinking on one angle - but the problems are, that double-gee seeds have been proven to be able to germinate after being buried for more than 50 yrs - and the tyre-picking doesn't stop the weed seeds being transported into the paddock via strong winds.

 

It's a shame that all the airless tyre ideas have no high-speed ability. However, Hankooks iFlex might be starting to come close, it's been tested at 81mph.

 

 

A set of Tweels could be the answer??

 

 

What are we talking about specifically, when you say "bindies"? Local slang varies enormously, and plant seeds with spikes abound throughout Australia.

 

Here on the Left Coast, "bindies", also known as "jo-jo", is a nasty little weed that puts out horrendous numbers of little seeds, all with a tiny sharp spike on them. They hurt when lodged in bare feet, but they don't affect tyres.

 

In the W.A. wheatbelt, in the red dirt country, "Double Gees" (known as 3-cornered Jack in other states - botanical name, Emex australis) is a curse and in serious quantities, and will damage thin tyres.

 

In the rest of W.A., Calthrop (also known as Goathead in other states - botanical name, Tribulus terrestris) is the greatest curse ever, with a spikey seed that breaks up into multiple sections, that spread everywhere. They are a curse to thin tyres.

 

I note that Calthrop is also referred to as Bindii in numerous internet references. Calthrop used to be confined to the Goldfields and interior of W.A. - but it is now widespread throughout W.A.

 

When I was a kid, (over 60 yrs ago now) we could buy "Dunlop Thornproof tyres" for our bikes. The tread and carcass was heavily reinforced to prevent thorn punctures, and they were very effective, although costly.

 

Not sure what would be available by way of heavier-duty aircraft tyres today - but I would be concerned about using "run-flat" products in RA aircraft tyres, due to the fact that it makes changing tyres a very messy business, the liquid can make the tyre unbalanced at takeoff speeds, and the product is probably not certified for aviation use.

 

I've had some good success in controlling areas of Calthrop infestation by attaching sizeable pieces of thick styrofoam (from packaging) to the feet and walking over the affected area. It wasn't a large area, of course. Good job to keep the kids occupied!

 

Follow-up involved intense scrutiny of the area watching for fresh green plants, and then spraying them with Roundup before they could set seed (which is only a couple of weeks after sprouting!).

 

Cheers ....

 

 

Landing in trees or factories or houses isn't a thing I would want to contemplate. Golf courses yes. I know of a few of those that went well so perhaps they should be welcomed.

Just a little off-topic for this post - but - always remember that golf courses are not the equivalent of runways - and that they're full of things called bunkers, water traps, and a multitude of other obstructions, all designed to make the hitting of little white balls into holes in the ground, as difficult and diabolical as possible.As such, smooth-looking golf courses can be a total trap, unless you can specifically sight a fairway, and line up with it. When the fan up front is stationary, the sink rate is horrendous, and the silence is fearful, it can be additionally highly stressful trying to figure out if that big patch of clear-looking green is dead-smooth, or is just a jumble of un-level hazards.

Perhaps the only saving grace with a golf course is that it's rare to have power lines criss-crossing them - and therein lies the greatest source of disaster in any emergency landing gone wrong.

 

If you can manage to miss power lines and guy wires supporting poles, you're halfway there.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_course#/media/File:Golf_field.svg

 

Cheers ...

 

 

I could well imagine that even someone with good basic PPL skills would be struggling in any heavy to get her down in one piece - let alone a complete novice.

 

I don't think there has ever been an instance where a heavy has been landed successfully by an unskilled pax.

 

I do recall a story where an older lady was flying with her Hubby in a four seater (can't recall what type it was now, too many stuffed memory cells!) - and Hubby collapsed and died at the controls.

 

ATC tried to talk her down with some extensive instruction, but she stuffed it all up, and crashed the aircraft, and killed herself as well.

 

 

W.A. Police have reported the following laser attack incident that defies belief ......

 

"Around 2:35am on Tuesday 17 February 2016, a Royal Flying Doctor flight was approaching the Wyalkatchem Airfield from a South West direction when the aircraft was struck by a laser light on two occasions.

 

 

 

The pilot took evasive action and landed safely.

 

 

 

The incident was reported to police and an investigation was commenced by Wyalkatchem Police.

 

 

 

As a result of their inquiries a 52 year old Wyalkatchem man will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

 

 

 

He is expected to be charged with one count of Cause Fear with Laser or Light to People in Conveyance."

 

52 years old?? What rock has this brain-dead individual been living under?? And in a place like Wyalkatchem, where there's about 30 houses in total to search??

 

And even then, the cops merely issue just a summons for court attendance?? He should have been chucked in the slammer, and left there until his case comes up.

 

Let's just trust he's involved in a major accident in the future - and the same RFDS crew arrive to pick him up - and they then proceed to kick the crap out of his most painful, injured body part - and then they fly off, and leave him there!!

 

This response would rate with resounding approval, nationwide!

 

I trust the local media are waiting at the courthouse and plaster pictures of him all over the country.

 

Cheers ....