snakenjac

Why does almost every story become and argument for one reason or another? Pathetic!

Texas?

Daly Waters

Sounds like a great plan, a bit long in my view but that's ok - just plan to be in the Top End in the dry season, when it's a bit cooler with far less humidity and comfortable for flying.

Do you trust Google, Twitter, Instagram etc etc - they all have greater access than the virus app!

Off the Internet (if you can trust it) "Ignition can occur at surface temperatures as low as 300 °C, if the vegetation is in contact with the surface for 10 minutes or longer. At surface temperatures of 400 °C, ignition can occur in 3 minutes, and at surface temperatures of 500 °C, ignition can occur in a few seconds." Damn good lights!

facthunter - can you please elaborate on your comment regarding Tony Abbott!

Thanks mate, much appreciated.

Keep up the discussion fellas, there's plenty here to digest and it is exactly what I needed to assess things.

Thanks for that advice, no surplus cash here but any rough idea what amount of cash I would need to have? The 80hp is what I had in mind originally.

Thanks for that, I was originally thinking 4 stroke reliability but the 2 strokes now days seem to be faultless.

Does anyone know how big a job it is to convert a Drifter from a 2 stroke to a Rotax 912?

It would be nice to only use Mogas as recommended, however when doing long distance touring it becomes impossible as Avgas in most cases is all that will be available. If planning ahead, it may be possible to have Mogas arranged for arrival at fuel stops, however if an alternate is forced on us, see if the Mogas provider will do it a second time ........ unlikely. From what I read, it is simply a matter of pumping Avgas when it is all that is available, and doing early oil changes.

Yes Scott - Bob is a good bloke and will help out where and when he can. We had our arrow in one of his hangers for years.

Gudday Puk Evans Head has WWII heritage - I have flown over it enroute Yamba from the north many times but only visited the airfield up close by vehicle some 12 years ago. It is very spacious to the extent that you will not find it difficult to park more than 100 metres from a carpark / taxi pickup spot. Unable to help with hangarage but there used to be tie down points off large anchored cable from memory. Snake

Good on ya Kaz I don't hide anything, and yes I admit that many of Pauline's policies do appeal to me. The point you seem to have missed, is that we are (or should be) in this sport / hobby of ours, good old fashioned, love it for how it was blokes, that just go about enjoying life in a very relaxed form. Comments like you made are very damaging to our lifestyle and sport. You might think that it is only a small group that view these posts, but I think you would be surprised, just who, in sometimes influential positions within our over governed country, read and take in little whinges, to see what mileage they can get from a little harmless picture's comments from people who are in the industry, so to speak. We, or some of us, are too easy to open up, on a keyboard in a back room of their house, and spruke just how much of a goody goody they are, and that they would never think of doing such a thing. Mate, we need to get back to the good old days, where we could walk amongst out much loved and polished winged toys, have a beer or a number of beers, if that is what is found to be what is enjoyable at the time, have the wife pick us up, and yarn to her all the way home what a fantastic day we have had. I am now about to turn 65 and have retired, and am looking to purchase an LSA, most likely next year, that will take my wife and myself on clear days to interesting places with great easy going friends that expect nothing more than a fun time. This country is nothing like it used to be, because we have allowed our relaxed lifestyle of the past to be eroded by do gooders destined to make a name for themselves. Hope to meet you one day over a beer, leaning on the wing (with a clean jumper on) of my next purchase. Regards Snake

Isn't it? Who doesn't have a beer or similar when the flying is finished for the day - and how naughty to be standing beside an aircraft! You obviously don't agree with her politics.

Yeah mate the hanger is WWII, last time I was there the story of the strip was displayed on the walls of the hanger. Some bad training accidents there at the time!

Juggling workload is learnt and is all part of time spent with an instructor, that's what they are for and they won't let you go alone till competent in all aspects of handling an aircraft, whatever it may be. Initial workload won't include mixture adjustment including flowmeters (that's for navex's) and carby heat requirement is usually at altitudes where icing is likely, which as a general rule isn't at altitudes experienced in the training area but yes maybe when doing cross countrys, but once again, the arrow is fuel injected and that is not a problem. The Piper Arrow doesn't have cowls so eliminating those things from the list, things should be quite manageable.

It would be an economic decision I would imagine. If you have the cash I would suggest you learn in something more than a toy. I learnt in the late 60's in a Victa Airtourer that had constant speed prop and was fairly slippery in the circuit for a trainer (super 150h.p.) and found it ideal. After getting the old restricted licence I had a break of 26 years before continuing flying where with a couple of mates we bought a Piper Arrow. Whilst it is recognised as a commercial trainer we found it a fantastic aircraft to go on to PPL. After that it was an excellent 130kt tourer. If you have the dough I would recommend an aircraft with a CSU and retractable. Some might disagree but that's my opinion and it worked for us.