johnm

things Thing 1 - parking - panel beaters enjoy any method of parking - each and any method are beneficial to their business Thing 2 - daylight saving - no comment Thing 3 - 10 years behind ? - that's the way our society is - in 10 years time it will be where you want it to be - can't you wait till then ?. USA must look at Australia and giggle - its a position relative to everything else Thing 4 - Smart State - I'd say rational Australians would not think their state is any smarter than the rest. The term 'smart state' is a pollie howling into the wind Thing 5 - outsiders coming to Queensland ? - everyones welcome and no one should be told to go home - that's a tribal comment - thank god we still don't have wooden clubs with nails out the tip Thing 5 - Orchid Beach - went there the other day. I agree - support them. Its difficult to get a surface condition from anyone - liability I guess - best way I found was to ask "Can you drive a car on it ?' - they said yes so I drew my own conclusion. The strip has an undulating soft sand surface JM __________________

Ahoy I think we changed at 350 hours (air switch) - the first 120 hours by others I reckon 3 - 400 hours If you want to stop on a sixpence, maybe a bit less JM

brake pads old brake pads relined - $ 25 each - not used as yet - waiting for other set to wear down JM

radio and one other thing .............. if you have a radio that goes - and then it does n't - you still have a radio its not that you have n't got one - it just does n't go if the radio fails, you might get desparate and put the boot into it while you are flying or even a sharp frontal chop with the edge of your hand, empty beer bottle, ratchet - whatever comes to hand or is rolling on the cabin floor - theres always the chance it might get it going jm

to ga or not to ga yep - good post foto flyer if you go for a career change you should write some physcology text books or something from your post and what has been said before i reckon a determining factor is the quality of the instruction you recieve - this could either be in GA or RA if you can gaurantee good quality instruction in RA than thats going to be the cheaper option and its probably where the most relaxed human beings are I have always reckoned that in GA & RA - there are good and bad instructors, each type are a learning experience in themselves, instructors know heaps more about the theory of flight - cause that's their job, instructors are more current at flying - because we the massess supply them with the hours to be up there flying So if its quality you seek - you do the choosing and don't get an instructor latched on to you that you don't like - find another - GA or RA - the choice is yours

Air show Highlights: Mig - big gas burner - excellent showed off that plane well, Pitts daredevil - excellent showed off that plane well, P51 display - excellent showed off that plane well, Ag pilot oblivious to X wind in either direction on tarmac - excellent showed off that plane well, DC3 tail up and going full tit - excellent showed off that plane well, vintage planes, static displays and machines for sale, volunteer assistance, coffee and food Downlights: Seeing a formation of planes fly over and dissappear to the 7 mile horizon then fly over again 4 minutes later - it would have been far better to see some of that and each plane fly a circuit, aircraft holding on ground - either to taxi or park - for no apparent reason, big truck ripping up the tarmac and that blood cool SW wind Summary: good - could be improved in some areas with more focus on crowd entertainment

Cpl study - yuk Been there done that - 3 lifetimes ago - yuk My advice - go and do school based training - if commitments, time and money allow If you flunk one of the exams - you can still be reassured that you have good notes and prep to tackle it again - with confidence jm

ATO - yuk agreed if you have a business where you earn money - and your time is money - and your plane saves you time (thats what business class is in the pointy end of the big birds) then I believe that is a good basis - as good as you are ever going to get - for tax compliance then ................... thats a business expense if you are in that position ................ then flying can be much more affordable JM

finance I'd be interested to see if you get any finance using the plane as the collateral My experience was you had to use another asset as the collateral - say the house - I'm sure most financiers see a plane as twisted aluminium on a hillside As one bank manager said to me - 'if it floats, flys or farts' we are not inetersted in financing it If you are lucky enough to be able to claim a portion of the plane (running expenses (and depreciation if you want)) as a business expense - then this eases the finanancial burden a lot good luck with the finance

Wagga Motel Hey ! couldn't we send a plane out to Wagga - say a rich dude like a plumber or a dentist - and splash a bit of money about - try and repair the damage those tight arsed Commanches and Yaks imposed on Wagga ?! JM

frequencies I'm with you skeptic Kingaroy Q used to be another frequency - now they have joined the masses and are now 126.70 Irrespective of BAK - I think I know what this means - I'd suggest that having a 'common' frequency at the majority of airports, stops errors ?? Likewise in the same vane I can't understand the large amount of area frequencies when you go for a longer than usual fly ? - I tend to think that most people stay tuned to 126.70 when flying - as an area frequency ?? JM

brake pads I noticed that when digging out a row of 'bulla' potatoes - thats the light orange variety - there was a bright purple fungi like growth on the back of the leaf Im taking this sample to Canberra - internal affairs - If I find the answer I'll let you know JM

brake pads - how thick ? The photo of the brake pad was from a Bravo - P2004 - guessing P92 is the same I have found a 'brake bonding' shop in Gympie (if Gympie has one - you others living in bigger ant hills will definetly have these shops) - can get them done for $ 20 - $ 30 each pad Question is - how thick is the pad surface - can anyone confirm the thickness - when done I'll let you all know the result and this shops contact details JM

Yep - beauty is in the eye of the beholder - look at Volvo drivers and the pile of metal they drive ! Beauty is only skin deep - this can be applied to Volvo cars True beauty comes from within - interestingly lots of female Volvo dirvers appear to meet this criteria JM

autoprop 2002 photo should be attached - tecnam bravo advert autoprop 2002 dont know any thing about it though

brake pads Judging from whats been said on this thread and others - the brake pads are purpose made ? - fair enough - can't begrudge anyone making some money on consumables - and in fairness to the local distributors - I bet they are told how much they are worth in no uncertain terms (our great Capitalistic society) Attached are some photos and rough measurements - by a ruler - no micrometers. The body is 22 wide and the pad is 20 wide - if it helps anyone I'll enquire about relining - and let you know JM

brake pads Yep - they're expensive little suckers I paid $ 91 plus GST plus freight - each - 4 total So if the relining option is found - please advise - I can get the old set relined and made ready - or even sell them and go on holiday with the proceeds thanks JM

With the greatest of respect .................................. One of the forums in Cockpit talk is called 'First Class Lounge' What's that all about ? It seems a restricted area - bloody snobs - they're either out purchasing each other on top of a hill or behind the doors of prententious exclusitivity :hittinghead: Why don't they be like the other snobs and at least put the forum at the top of the page JM

find Lou To a degree I agree with the posts But, lets not be too hard on Lou, her written words are probably the public perception of flying anyway (pk screws on the tarmac, oil globules under the fueslage, steam and smoke from the engine bay, wing panels rattling, imminent death seconds away, pilot reading handbook as the plane airpockets and tail spins to earth) If there is any truth in her statement that emails and phone calls were not returned by RAA, then that does not help this public perception - but then I don't know if we can afford or employ a public relations contact at HQ ? I reckon let's find Lou and take her for a fly - see if she can match her words with the experience we give her - whoever does the 'fly', make sure they do a good job Wait a minute - I'm forgetting - anyone qualified to take Lou will do a good job - as they achieved and demonstared the required proficiency

The following is purely in the interest of Tecnam chatter: Went to Blenheim NZ - Omaka strip - the other day and flew a Tecnam Sierra twice - always wanted to. I have 200 hours on a Bravo so wanted to see the difference. Not much difference really - the main one being the wing is low and the prop is high - this seems to keep the nose wheel firmly on the ground - whereas the Bravo the wing is high and the prop is low - so the nose comes up fast The Omaka aeroclub had a collapsed nosewheel so they beefed it up - photos attached - but they show 2 plates each side with 3 horizontal 12 ? dia steel members - it is robust construction - the factory made nose wheel assembly on the Tecnams seems a bit light. Mind you, every forum seems to talk about nose wheel assemblies (even the mighty Jabiru) so its a common thing - maybe even a bit of pilot paranoia Anyway all said and done - I still think a Tecnam is a good plane and worth the 'extra' you have to spend to fly one From memory the flying rate was $ 120 - $ 150 NZ for the Sierra - in comparison they had some Piper Tomahawks - they where $ 180 / hour This particular Sierra was solid with power on, but when reducing power there was this marvellous murmuring and grating coming from the front end - this unkown noise was obvious to the instructor that was with me also - I pass no comment but its a reminder that the Rotax / reduction gearbox has a minimum idle rpm to avoid any wear - approx 1500 ? minimum idle - I once have had the minimum idle adjusted to 2000 - but that was to high - the plane did not want to land While preflighting the Tecnam I heard a shout saying 'can you give us a push' - went there and pushed out a P40 Kittyhawk ? - this one is based at Masterton - Hood aerodrome. I think that day he took 7 passengers for a half hour ride - $ 1300 each ride. I can now say I have pushed a P40 (but have not flown one yet)

merry xmas tecnam owners. hope I am not dwelling on it but .............. this is the tag that was 'cut' by an exhaust spring - probably about 65% of tag remained and 35% had gone - a spot of stainless steel weld and gound flush - costed $ 10 so its back to the salt mines for another 2 weeks - installed 'Locktite 717' as recommended (don't forget the bloody red mastic) the intent of starting this post was for you 'exhaust spring pilots' to check this wear - have a look if you have not looked yet interestingly it only occured on one tag (pilot side front piston - tag closest prop) - all the others OK. Even the tag at the opposite end of the spring was OK. Trusting Locktite 717 is the answer (oh and I have n't forgetten the bloody red mastic)

I've got my aircrfat costs on MYOB - this might help some purchasers - cost forthe previous 12 months - say $ 21,000. Fianance 41% Insurance 18%. Fuel 14%. Other (hanger rent, repairs, license, levies etc) 27 % Plane costs $ 130 k and say a tad over 100 flight hours per year So in theory fuel is the cheap bit - a private plane probably burns more cost (in relation to fuel) just sitting there - if its financed and insured I think I am referring to planes in excess of say $ 40 k to $ 60 k value - having said that - those private planes (> $ 40 - $ 60k) would probably not exist if they were not financed and insured ? __________________ john m

ps..they are not petty crimes either...they include drink driving, and posession of narcotics...to name a few... Oh my god ....... by the definition above ........... I'm a criminal

C180 PHOTO 'ere tis - I hope

CESSNA 180 - MOTOR MISSING On that theme that any plane could loose a motor - the following appears on page 202 of 'The Topdressors' - NZ ag pilots So the story goes ........ 1958 - C 180's were then good workhorses (there were problems with the propellor hubs) Mr Ecberg just had the engineer check an engine vibration and the engineer said 'fly it' Pilot flew it away to work - after some time motor then left plane - cut half of one wing strut and slashed tyre - you might see bent leg from landing - in grainny picture Pilot said plane went into a vertical snap roll - he cracked his helmet on inside of cabin - with full flap he landed it ! So the story goes ........ pilot was a man of few words, he rang the engineer to inform him the motor was missing - have you checked the plugs ? was the reply - it took some time for the engineer to realise the motor was in fact .... 'missing' Attached Thumbnails