Mick

I wish I could buy a Staggerwing for the price of a Tiger Moth!!!

A guy I know has a PPL & RAAus pilot cert, but with not alot of experience, most of which was in a Stinson 108 Voyeger which is a 4 seat, fairly stable tail dragger. He has recently bought a RAAus registerd Sonerai. The following is cut & paste from his facebook page....... Wednesday - "Finally got to take my new plane out for some high speed taxi runs. One word comes to mind SHIT! Like holding onto a crocs tail while fighting him. Looks like a couple of deep breathes and lots of practice before I even try to take off." Thursday - "Flight dramas up date today. Take off was with non even after what feels like 50 fast taxis runs up and down the runway. Flight to Boonah from Caboolture was beautiful. Cruise at 125 knots is just cool. Landing circuit at Boonah in 45 minutes, all under control, speeds looking good. Wind showing a very light tailwind base on runway 22. Turn onto finals looking for runway, still good. Check instruments and airspeed, look-up, where is the runway gone! Plane is out of balance a...nd now flying sideways, look over right shoulder to find runway. Correct plane flight path, noticing the houses on the hill below me look really close, shoot. Look for the runway again, not there, looking over my Left shoulder now and thinking this isn't looking good. Okay correct this, now looking over my right shoulder again to find the runway again. Okay make this chaos look like I know what I am doing and in control of this situation. I will do a side slip, must look cool I think to myself, yeah. Ground is so close and my eye by now must be as big as bowling balls with sweat flooding down my face. Now straighten the plane up so it is pointed down the runway for landing, I said straight, straight now would be good, SHIT, not straight enough, FLARE we are about to touch, to late we touched, bounced, still not straight, bigger bounce, holly shit, power on, get out of here. Plane points the nose sky ward, still not straight and creeping of the runway centre line the blood big trees on the edge of the runway look flaming close and HUGE. Looking to the front of the plane, and all I see is blue sky, nose too hight. Shit again check airspeed, still okay. Back under control again at last, thinking maybe that tailwind was more than I was thinking for this little plane. Next time I used the other runway approach into the wind. Lets say it was so much easier to get on the runway. Still not like a pro, but down and safe. Got to the hangers and was greeted by others with looks of complete fear on their faces. I just opened the canopy and said I soloed on my second landing. The reply was more like five landings and shaking heads. I was okay with it all, its about what I was expecting." Friday - "Should I be worried now? Doing my practice approaches and making hard work of landing my little plane, still feeling okay. Stopped for a chat with a neighbour at the fence while sitting in the plane. The local flight instructor walks over to join in with the conversation. Asked a couple of questions, then said, do I want to do some training with him. I said, no all is good thank you very much. He said, its for free, I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't know what he was thinking, I've not scared myself yet. It must look pretty bad from the side lines. Anyway, two safe arrivals today. Not sure if you can call them a landing yet. I'm getting better though, trust me, Lol." After that post a few friends ( some pilots & some not ) expressed concerns about this guy's safety & suggested he take up the Instructors offer of help, but this was his reply today - "Guys really it is all okay. It's not that the plane is out of control. It's just different and more responsive than what I am use to. Not that much different to the Jabs, I just have to get use to the approach speed and lack of forward vision to see the runway. This can only be done with time and bum in seat. The instructor and his plane would offer no being it, as I would still have the same issues to over come in the Sonerai. All is okay, if I felt it was a danger I would be getting help. Thank you for your concerned thoughts, and comments. I really just wrote these comments as a bit of fun, not to cry wolf. " I am really concerned for this guy & know he is the stubborn type who will not listen to people trying to help him. If he was writing this for a bit of fun why would an Instructor offer unrequested help? I know me talking to him will not be heard and probably only get his back up, but what else can be done?

My horrible mean & nasty wife is making me go to Flying Legends this year I am just trying to decide what other shows to attend while we are in the UK. I would really like to see the Avro Vulcan fly.

Great video Scott. I think you have presented a good summary of the weekend for those who could not make it.

Mad if you don't Matt. You might even be in the running for furthest distance flown. Following are some pics taken late Saturday arvo, shame the light was not a bit better. Remember my model is of Matt's race plane, the Extra pictured is the ride / display plane.

Oops! Forgot to say he had flown all the way from Adelaide

It was really pleasing to talk to lots of aviators that were visiting Old Station for the first time as well as many regulars. Our prize for the furthest distance flown went to a solo flyer in a RV. I also know of one couple that flew commercially from W.A. to be part of the fun. The part we play is only small, but we are proud to be even a small part of the great team that put on such a fantastic event.

We actually logged the arrival of just over 150 aircraft . It was my wife doing the meet & greet of arriving aircraft. Thanks to all who attended, what a great weekend.

Further update......... I made the big flight of 22.3 nm from Gladstone in the Skylark this morning in beautiful air. Plenty of interesting aircraft here already including Trojan, Texan, Yak 52, L39 Albatross, Bird Dog and of course Matt Hall's Extra 300L. There is a gaggle of Lightwings, a pair of Petrels and a bunch of Savannahs. As far as GA goes there is the expected Cessnas, a Lake Buccaneer, a Bonanza & a Commanche. Great dinner tonight, followed by an interesting talk by Matt Hall. I got to meet Matt personally and got my 30% scale model of his race plane signed. Hopefully get some pics tomorrow with Matt, myself, his Extra & my model. The weather is looking good so it is shaping up to be a great weekend.

Thanks for posting. Snafu is my favourite warbird anywhere. I am going to Flying Legends at Duxford this year and I am devastated that Snafu is not there anymore.

This thread has been a bit quiet so I thought I would put this up. 4.6 metre wingspan Decathlon. Not mine, but I did get to have a fly of it a couple of weeks ago.

Thought I would post this for those who might not have seen it already -

Thought I would post this for those who might not have seen it already -

Hi Maj, Any chance I could get one off you at Old Station? Mick

Just bumping this thread to remind everyone this great event is now less than a week away. I was out at Old Station yesterday, preparations are coming along well. We are expecting a big crowd. The sit down dinner Friday night is sold out, if you are planning on getting there Friday there will be other food available. I will be there from Wednesday onwards. See you there!!!

I have already committed to something else in Bundy that weekend which will require me to take the car. I am trying to work out how I can pre-position the aeroplane Bundy so I can jump in it late Saturday arvo and fly up to Thangool for the evening social activities. Then depart early Sunday to get back to Bundy. This will be as close as I can get to being in two places at once.

It is looking alot like I will be going to Legends this year

You didn't have to go that far just to see Matt Hall, you could just come to Old Station next weekend.

That bridge sounds alot more stable than a Cirrus!!!!!!

Deadstick, did this coincide with your L2 / membership renewal?

No rough running, just did not feel secure when checked on a daily inspection. About $40 from memory.

I have had to replace a plug cap on my 912, they just screw on to the end of the lead, simple & easy. The hard part is what they cost!!!!

No reason for CASA to be there. This is a Fly-in ( not an airshow ) with some displays, on a private strip. CASA have not been there since the airshow was dropped. The application for permit to fly a model never even went to CASA, we were unable to come up with a position to have the model display that would meet CASA's requirements. See You there!!!

Please note this is the thread from 2012 and the dates above are for that year. Old Station 2014 is Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th of May. See the thread in the events forum for up to date info.

Just bumping this thread to remind everyone it's only 3 weeks to go. Don't forget Friday night dinner with Matt Hall as speaker is by pre-booking only.