skydog

Jetsetkiwi, My choice of aircraft for training is more influenced by the cost and bang for buck and the desired outcome. Cirrus is an exceptional plane , fast and thirsty therefore expensive to hire especially with an instructor on board., the 172 would be very adequate for the first 20 hours or maybe 40. 172 flys slower but it is hours that you want to gather is it not? Best to find a plane with some "glass" instruments as this will aid your transition into twins and commercial flying. To get cheap flying and hours in the log book most people in your mindset get their commercial and instructors license to instruct budding PPl`s . Sounds sensible doesnt it. You can start flying in Recreational aircraft such as ultralights which is 25% cheaper again than GA planes. All hours count to CPL and it is said if you can fly and land a Jabiru well you will be a better than average pilot. All the best

Hi there, Yeah I like flying to go somewhere too , see something like an airshow or land feature or mountain also like to , catch up with other pilots and see other aircraft, tell and listen to flying stories. Like to sleep under the wing of my "bird" as the yankees say and live the pilot dream.

I have many poor experiences with the microair. SEEMS LIKE QUALITY IS BEING SACRIFICED FOR SPACE. Never had a problem with Garmins of any model except when you forget to turn the bugger on!!!

G`Day and allow me the honour of welcoming you to this site. I must be online at the right time as you are the 3rd new avid flyer I have welcomed tonight. Doesnt make you any less important though hagman. Regarding the drifter there are a lot of people who say and quite rightly too I agree is "if you can fly a drifter well, you can fly almost anything" Well something like that statement anyway. I hope you enjoy the flying and my tips are. Dont drink any alcohol the night before, drugs, medicines whatever or have a cold. Be very clear headed for your instruction, because you will just waste money having to repeat the lesson and that costs money! If this sounds like it is coming from experience well,,,, it just might be..

I was doing 85 to 90 minutes each way and it got to be a time killer and drag after a while not to mention petrol. At least you have time to mentally practise your procedures, circuits , calls etc. Have now found a hanger just 45 minutes away, Yeehah!

Welcome to the website and perhaps the best Recreational site in the world. It is certainly very popular and diverse. What do you fly now?

I think you will find CASA is addressing this issue. They have again stated recently in AIP and the touring seminars etc that english must be to a standard that is clear and understandable. I assume this means that for international trainee pilots the training organisation must ensure their english is "clear and understandable". If they are RA or GA or com pilots here on vacation or immigrants then I spose the flying organisations Chief instructor is the person who makes that decision. As A kiwi, thank God there are not too many call signs like vuktah kwubek, sux sux sivun tin otherwise all you Ozzie buggers will be running into me!

Welcome jetset kiwi, I thought Kiwis couldnt fly?? Hold on, they must be able because I`m a Kiwi too. Get familiar with the site and fire in those questions on the appropriate forum and you will get answers and more. What aircraft are you wanting to fly? What is your short & long term flying goal? What has been your flying dreams. Kia Ora

welcome Ronny Welcome Ronny, You will find trike pilots in this site so get familiar with how it works and the aircraft forums on trikes and I am sure you will find plenty of threads to make comment about. Must get very cold in a trike in Sweden during winter!!!!! must be summer coming soon though? Cheers

Brumby review I read a flight review about the Brumby in one of the regular australian magazines about 9 months ago I think. Maybe flying or pacific flyer, try a google on their websites for past articles or just google Brumby flight review. I have seen them at airshows and they look like a good solid plane built for training and decked out with glass for training with a commercial license in mind. Iguess thats optional cause that aint cheap. The reviewer was impressed and the price and build quality was about the same as some plastic imports but this is solid metal with local support. Engine either Rotax 912 or Jab 3300 or probably better I think the continental 200D. www.brumbyaircraft.com.au Ph 02 63411635 email [email protected] The undercarriage specially the nose looks a lot more solid than a JAB or similar being a trainer so would take more than the usual odd rough landing. As a no fuss no nonsense reliable (200D) sounding plane going by the review it deserves a fly if you are in the market . No I dont have one or know the company.

imports You will be surprised about the amount of imports that end up not being quite what they were advertised to be. I think its better to be able to eyeball & check something out yourself. I know of 3 imported planes that cost a lot more to be rectified than buying locally.

it definitely worked

Ozzie I wasnt aware of Knowles predicament but not surprised put it that way. I liked the Otters too, and the Spanish CASA see attachment. I havnt jumped for many years but it sure aint what it used to be from what I see at Tooradin, they are a more responsible lot it seems. Did you see Claudes LABERTOUCHE Skydivers website, its really good. Labertouche Drop Zone History

I was wondering when I was wondering when you would chime in Ozzie! Maj` Bruce went 'in' about 18 months ago maybe less flying choppers in PNG. Lucky to survive. He is now flying again but in a piper rigged for paraplegic operation. Bruce would fly again even if he had no arms or legs he would find a way somehow! I heard about that Canberra incident from Tappy, although a couple of years before my time it was a big story around the campfire, he may have got 'done' for that but I dont know for sure but he has had many run ins with CASA over the years and a grounding or three. More Victorian Jumpers turned pilots Richard McCooey, George Creecy, Andrew Harris, Rob Bates, Natalie Faine, Ray Foster did some hours before he died in Norway.Bob Courtenay, Rob Paynem Sam Smalley. There is a lot more but cant remember them

Old Jumpers never die Old Jumpers never die, they start flying planes. Yes Major, lots of old and young Jumpers out there flying now.There`s a scourge of them. I heard Swinburne was flying when hes not fixing tin roofs. Down this way in Victoria Duckworth took up flying jumpers and is now flying choppers up Nth somewhere I believe. Rod Cullen, Russell Lee,[ who died flying into weather at Mt Hotham a couple of years ago.] BRUCE TOWERS IS ALWAYS FLYING EVEN NOW HE IS IN A WHEELCHAIR. Andy Mulholland jumps and flys jumpers at Tooradin in the 206. Scott Knowles, Holt, Bugsy, too many to write down. Thanks for your interest and I will be returning to that LABERTOUCHE SKYDIVERS Website very often I reckon.

camera jumps Talking about breaking your neck with cameras on your head during opening shock of the parachute. I never jumped anything heavier than an old super 8 movie camera on my head which was fun and the Olympus OM1 I used was the smallest & lightest in its day. The first video cameras I jumped were huge, you had to take a huge battery & recorder pack with you inside your jumpsuit. This is nothing compared to the legendary Bruce Towers, God bless him who did lots of jumps with a full blown motion picture quality, 35 mm Bailleux film camera on the side of his head which weighed a ton in those days. He had to hold his head on opening so it didnt fall off (his head that is) Simply amazing stuff.

Colour That Savannah sure has nice colours!!

message to jumpers Yes Claude has done a great job. There are a few old jumpers now flying and on some on this site like Ozzie and it would be good if we could spread the message a little further mindful of the fact this is a recreational flying site, however having said that skydiving is rather recreational and always was for me the ultimate way to fly. I am getting some photos together for the site but 99% are on slide so is going to be a 'XXXXty wet day' task. This is a rare photo of [me with the camera on my head]some time in the early eighties. Copy of over labertouche029.bmp Copy of over labertouche029.bmp Copy of over labertouche029.bmp

Thanks I was looking at Arkaroola not Arkoola, is it the same place? not sure now

consensus As usual this website invites and gets lots of posts about interesting threads like this and it is good that all can read & understand the total issues involved in a relatively simple innocent comment like the fuel cost at NRM. Fuel does go up at Easter and maybe it is hard WORK pumping gas at a time when we are all on holiday enjoying a bit of aviation company. I know what I would rather be doing on my long weekend. Good old consensus, or conformity , the ultimate freedom, this RF site and contributors do it so well.

Arkoola in the ERSA I see the strip is in the ERSA but the frequency to call them is given as 126.4 not 126.7 and prior permission required. What exactly is the runway surface like guys?

a couple of shots A couple of shots to start with.

Nice shot vorticity. Jeez, I can see this is going to be one hot competition. Gonna hafta dig deep.

Just our luck Just our luck for us Mexicans, they will probably hold one in Echuca or similar and the weather will be great there but us Melbournites south of the divide will be socked in!!! I predict a huge turnout at Bort with lots of us having fly in itis. SD

abandoned my attempt I was trying to get up (and back) today from Pt Cook but cloud down to 1200` at Kilmore gap. Since the gap is 1200` and I could not see Mt Macedon at all!!!!! I decided not to try besides NAIPS reporting winds on ground about 23kts gusting to 30. Severe turb warning below 5000` sort of sealed it for me unfortunately. Biggest issue is getting back as the real crap weather is coming although lovely weather right now in Melbourne city itself , nice sunny breaks thru the BKN & SCT. Enjoy the weekend.