frank marriott

Just wondering if you have personally experienced this Geoff? It's just the only reference to difficulties in discussing anything with the manufacturer are here - can only take a company as you find them and that's been my experience, surely me (and the other 15 owners I personally know) are not all exceptions.

nil injuries

Personal knowledge re credibility but I won't go into details Nev. everyone has their own opinion and I wouldn't try to influence them.

Would be predictable outcome with Ungerface still there

Before anyone slits their wrists and gives up all hope, just consider free legal opinion received from unqualified people via the Internet is usually worth what you paid for it.

Certificate IV in training : Really, "a key safety item" , I accept that is your view, but there are different opinions about that. I completed 80% of one before I couldn't stand any more BS (and that was being paid for by the employer & in work time)

Re Piper Proficiency Program Whilst I agree with such a program, I don't see how RAA could realistically do anything similar due to the extreme range of aircraft types/performance involved. Certainly something run on specific types would an advantage, but I consider this would have to be arranged by individual "groups" privately and not by the overall organisation i.e. A suitably "qualified" person doing a presentation on a particular type (and I exclude self proclaimed experts here). Whilst not involving flying proficiency (this should be covered in flying training) , but maintenance proficiency can be addressed by manufacturer maintenance courses where available (obviously harder for a non-Australian product unless the distributor gets involved) A hands on course provided by a manufacturer/distributor would be far superior to the TWO L1 courses I have done (1 face to face sponsored by RAA &CASA and the other online waste of time ) Having said that I note that maintenance does not seem to be a major contributor to the accident rate we are experiencing.

"Imagine the squawking if GA went to a user pay system" Keith Although not available in RAA, but substantial costs in GA add up in air Nav charges when you file IFR and thus use the system. I would not be surprised if a charge is introduced in the future for submitting a SAR time (or flight following) - would suit those who support the "user pay" mentality.

Depends on what you want to do/see. I would substitute Birdsville for Bedourie (not a lot there). Birdsville has bowser fuel and food (actually dearer then Coober Pedy when I last went through - tourist price) and be prepared for a ASIC card inspection at Birdsville if you choose that way - I must have missed it, but terrorist activity must be high?

Not in my experience - a J230 compares favourably with basic trainers eg warriors/c172s - 160hp v 120hp - not what I would refer to as high performance aircraft. Certainly a difference between the performance of the Thruster/Drifter styles but not HIGH performance IMO. I guess it boils down to what is being compared to what. To me a high performance single is something that cruises + 150kts.

Last time I looked the LP / HP class difference had been removed from the ops manual. Sounds like an argument about a class that no longer exists by definition.

??????? I don't follow the reasoning behind this statement. How does any flight I do, short or long, fast or slow, have any relationship to RAA fees? If you take LSAs for an example I would suggest that they cost less to RAA to administer. Compliance etc is between the owner and the manufacturer, no involvemant of the tech staff - either complying or not. When I fly into CTA I do so on my CASA issued licence (with CASA AFR & CASA medical) authorised by CAO 95.55 - again nothing to do with the RAA OPS manual or other members fees. I have seen similar statements made before but they just do not hold water.

" If you are not a member of RAA and you are not flying an RAA registered aircraft then technically you are nothing to do with RAA. " Exactly - it is then a matter between yourself and CASA. Good luck with that, particularly if a complaint is received.

The tracking function now available on OzRunways is a great addition (when in radio coverage) Apart from the couple of minutes delay it does give warning of (OzRunways only) traffic in an area to which you are heading. GPS position altitude and speed displayed on your map. Plus the ability for a 3rd person carrying your SAR to check your actual position (without another app). I don't understand the "unidentified" and stupid call signs some are using, defeats the purpose really. I guess it an Internet thing by those who are frightened to be identified? I have no knowledge of avplan - for all I know it may be there also.

I believe a large part of the problem lies in culture/attitude/airmanship/professionalism. This doesn't apply to me type attitude is too prevalent. Just sit back and listen to comments made at fly-ins and it makes me shake my head at times. Low flying, beat-ups, close flying (defacto formation), unstading W&B, fuel calculation, understanding weather, current documentation, flight planning. One could debate how much of this is/is not being covered in much of the training for a licence - as opposed to what is in the syllabus. People can carry on about HF courses as much as they like but you can't teach commonsense in a structured course. Load of rubbish IMO, giving lip service to "appear" to be addressing a perceived problem, the correct attitude needs to be instilled from day one. Some of the questions asked in the HF course I attended (all pilots) makes me wonder how some of their mothers taught them to drink milk. Recreational flying is a sport, a great sport, but it still needs to be approached with a professional attitude to be done safely - there will always be incidents, that's life, but many can be avoided - more regulations and courses will not change that, sufficient regulations already exist.

Interesting how some still jump on the make Jabiru. There has been 14 RAA crashes, 9 fatalities, in 2015 (that I know of alone) none of which has been related to an unservicability in Jabiru, bit like a cracked record. Facts would suggest attention should be directed to this area, but I am quite confident this will not change, at least here anyway.

A couple of my friends have completed their RPL with Ayr Flying Services. Uses a C172 for GA and a J170 for RAA.

So true.

This L1 saga is crazy. I have already got two L1 certificates issued by RAA (one on line thing) and now going on about another course. All this to maintain your own ONLY aircraft. Surely SB/ADs issued by the manufacturer are more relevant then another proposed course everytime someone gets another bright idea. Surely L2s operating/believing/pretending they are LAMEs (obviously excluding LAME qualified L2s) and selling their time as "professional" services is more of a worry. Knowledge of your aircraft is to be encouraged (e.g. I'm doing a manufacturer's run maintenance course later this year) but all this basic on line rubbish is just time wasting IMO.

It is still sitting on the bench waiting for you, since Easter. Have you forgotten?

Don't forget Phil's tent!

Yenn yes the transponder doesn't care what you have on your altimeter. I tried to cover the reason and got "creative" & "optimist " so I'm no longer interested so long as they don't fly in my area - attitude? I make allowances on X country trips and take the radio calls as a rough indication of position only when I hear a RAA callsign - sad but true - reflects on all of us unfortunately. (I did notice a typo of 1012 instead of 1013 but apparently others know better)

Ref photo size from iPad. Is there a setting somewhere to set the size of a photo print from an iPad to an air printer? I have an air printer for an iPad which works fine for everything I want to do other then prints all photos as 6x4 inch photos. I have been unable to find a setting to adjust. (Other then pasting to a "pages" doc and then printing that)

Class Rating: SEA = Single MEA = Multi Design Feature: MEAC = Centerline Thrust

Optimistic ??