Mikey_A

G'day, I've not long been here myself but have found it very informative. As for the hours, you've only got 6X as many as me. Michael.

G'day mate, I was taught 30kts when at full strength, and that was the scale I used when I estimated 25kts last Monday at Aldinga and the instructor didn't disagree. Michael.

Well seeing Monday was the first day I had flown the Sportstar, I found it very good. I like the power the aircraft has, it has a huge rate of climb. I found it to be very sensitive to all the inputs which is taking a bit of getting used to, especially when flaring on final but overall I think it's a bute aircraft!!!

Well, yesterday was good and bad. Good because I got off the ground again, everything I had learned in the pass came rushing back (well most of it) and it was lovely flying weather above 1000ft. The bad part about it was I woke up yesterday with a bit of a scratchy throat and sore ears. My children have been unwell for the last week and they love to share these things. I ignored the symptoms, took a couple of panadol and headed off to Aldinga. The first lesson at 11:00 was great, we recapped on the basics (Effects of Control, Straight and Level & Climb and Descent) followed up with a touch and go. I was surprised the instructor let me have control from takeoff to landing. The landing was very rough (all 5 I did for the day), I can't get a handle on the flare in the sportstar, the plane is so responsive to your inputs. The second lesson at 15:00 (I think I told you all it was 16:00, sorry), I had a different intructor who also let me have control throughout except for when he was demistrating Stalls. We started off with Medium Level Turns which I don't mind at all but Stalling the aircraft I hate. So after about 6 Stalls, we headed back for some circuits. By this time I was feeling crap. I managed 2 touch and go's before calling it quits. Now I'm in bed with my laptop waiting for the doctors to open! Happy flying. Michael.

In just under 2 hours, I'll be sitting in the cockpit of a Sportstar down at Aldinga starting my first lesson since March 15, 2005. I'm not sure what's in store for me but who cares!!! I've got two lessons today, one at 11:00 and the other at 16:00 which should take my total flying time up to 22.8hrs. I'll be sure to let you know how they went. Cheers Michael.

First Solo December 1st, 2004. My first solo was in the Diamond DA20 when I started going for my GA license at YPPF. The previous seven lessons had been circuits with a couple of EFATO and glide approaches chucked in. It wasn't too much of a surprise as I was told that I should be going solo within the next few lessons and after 0.6 of an hour into a lesson of circuits I got told to taxi to the run up bay and turn the engine off. Then the instructor jumped out and said "good luck & enjoy". So I sat there and stared at the instruments, very nervous, trying to remember everything I had done over and over in the months before. Then it all came back to me. I started the engine, did all my checks, taxied to runway 21L and made my radio call "Parafield tower, this is HXX ready runway 21L for circuits" to which the reply "HXX, Parafield tower line up runway 21L". So with my response I lined up, then it sank in, like others have written, that I was all on my own now. Then the call came "HXX cleared for take off" echoed in my headset. After my reply, I applied full throttle, pointed the nose down the centre line, pulled the nose up at 60kts and almost s**t myself after climbing at twice the rate than I had been used to. I made my turn at 500ft then my turn onto downwind at 1000ft. Made my radio call of my intentions of a full stop landing then proceeded to do my BUMPFIS checks, reduced power, apllied 1 stage of flaps and turned onto base. Applied the next stage of flaps and was turning onto final when I got cleared to land. My approach was one of my better ones and the landing was too. I exited the runway and changed over to the ground frequency where a simple "HXX" is all that required with the tower usually replying the same but this time he added "and congratulations" which I thought was a good touch, made my day anyway. So that was my first solo. :thumb_up:

I know this is an Aviation related site but I would like to declare I'm an avid Adelaide United fan and are deeply upset by their loss to their rivals Melbourne Victory tonight. To keep it relevant to this site, a Qantas 737 just flew over my house after departing YPAD on rwy 23.

Yeah 3 out of the 4 down there have the glass cockpit, gps and electric trims for both elevator and ailerons so yeah, pretty happy with that. Are you doing RA or GA at Parafield?

I'm only new to this RA stuff, but when I had my first Solo in a GA aircraft, after the initial "Oh S**T, I'm on my own" it was the best day of my short flying career! You'll be fine.

Checked out YADG today. I went down to YADG to enlist and ended up having a couple of coffee's and a 2 hour discussion about what we all talk about on here. I tried to get a lesson in today on short notice but to no avail. However I am booked in for two single lessons on the 19th in the Sportstar. I was told that all the hours I've already done towards the GA license will count and after a check ride or two I should be able to continue on my way which should make it about 10-12 hours. I can't wait! So to those who are regulars down at Aldinga, hopefully I'll be seeing you guys around and who knows, by the years end, I might be taking you guys for a fly!!! I'll probably start a new thread in regards to my first Ultralight flying lesson, then one for the first solo, then one for the first Nav Ex and so on and so on, I hope you don't mind. You haven't heard the last from me!!! Michael.

I'm sure I'll enjoy it either way!!!

Decision made. I'm meant to be tidying up before the Grandparents come over but thought I would just quickly mention I've decided on Adelaide Biplanes at Aldinga to do my training. Cost is slightly higher but they seem like a pretty professional outfit. Plus I looked into the Sportstar a bit more and it's very similar to the Diamond DA20 I was previously learning in (I can always do a conversion later!!!). So thank you again to all who put their 2 cents worth in and to Scott and Doug who made those generous offers, maybe I'll be seeing you guys around down at YADG. Cheers Michael.

Thanks Thankyou all for your input, much appreciated. Doug, thanks for the offer, sorry I didn't get back to you, just got back from a small trip home to Whyalla. I'll be making plenty of phone calls on the weekend and getting into the flying in the next couple of weeks. Cheers again. Michael.

I have thought about them as I live down south (Happy Valley) but I'm thinking about the hip pocket. $180/hr for the Sportstar at Aldinga compared to $130/hr in the Jabiru at Murray Bridge. I work with a bloke named Brian who owns a Cessena 172 down there who showed me around and took me for a fly a little while ago. Not a bad place Aldinga. I might take you up on the offer of a fly, I hardly ever say no to getting off the ground.

Hello everyone. Just want to comment on the excellent threads I have been reading on this site. I stumbled on it after searching on google for "Cost of owning own aircraft" and glad I found it! I'm a 28 year old aviation nerd just about to embark on gaining my Recreational Certificate after having to stop my GA training a few years ago for personal reasons. I got to 20.8 hours (2 hours solo) in a Diamond DA-20 at Parafield and I was very reluctant to stop. Now after receiving a subscription to Pacific Flyer magazine as a birthday present, and having a love for the Jabiru aircraft, I've got the bug and I'm taking the leap and going for it again. I'm trying to decide between Murray Bridge Light Aircraft Flying School and RPA at Murray Bridge. Can anyone give me any recommendations? Once again I like this site and shall become a regular visitor to the forums. Cheers Michael.