Glenn Wilson

G,day Glen Cabulture /1770 is a long hop for 60 kters and our club at chillders (isis flying club) is right alongside but out of sight of the bruce hwy an idea might be to contact the club and ask to overnight their. Your support vehicle would not need to be off track and we are a friendly lot here so i think that would work well for you and may also provide local strip location alternates in case of emergencys enroute, just a thought sir, cheers Mick

Not that there is anything wrong with flying open cockpit aircraft in Victoria in June (not much anyway), a group of Microlight/trike and gyro pilots are planning to head to Far North Queensland in June 2018.

Our rough planned route takes in the following places -

Holbrook, Narromine, Tenterfield, Tyagarah, Caboolture, 1770/Agnes Waters, Airlie Beach/Shute Harbour, Blue Water Park, Atherton, Port Douglas, Lyndhurst, Muttaburra, Longreach, Emerald, Carnarvon Gorge, St George, Lightning Ridge, Narromine and back to Holbrook.

We will have vehicle support along the way. What I am keen to hear is your local knowledge about places to fly to, places to land and places to stay generally along the way.

There will be five to eight aircraft and maybe ten to twelve people in the group. We are hoping to mix accommodation up with some camping and some motel/hotel/cabin accommodation.

Any advice and hot tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Not that there is anything wrong with flying open cockpit aircraft in Victoria in June (not much anyway), a group of Microlight/trike and gyro pilots are planning to head to Far North Queensland in June 2018.

Our rough planned route takes in the following places -

Holbrook, Narromine, Tenterfield, Tyagarah, Caboolture, 1770/Agnes Waters, Airlie Beach/Shute Harbour, Blue Water Park, Atherton, Port Douglas, Lyndhurst, Muttaburra, Longreach, Emerald, Carnarvon Gorge, St George, Lightning Ridge, Narromine and back to Holbrook.

We will have vehicle support along the way. What I am keen to hear is your local knowledge about places to fly to, places to land and places to stay generally along the way.

There will be five to eight aircraft and maybe ten to twelve people in the group. We are hoping to mix accommodation up with some camping and some motel/hotel/cabin accommodation.

Any advice and hot tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

It's been discussed before. Check here Rotax hand start?

I was directed to this thread after my recent query about hand starting a 912. No definitive answer here apart from a LAME discredit of the Youtube guy actually hand starting his. Smoke and mirrors? It started and that is good enough for me.

I was told the other week that you can't hand start a 912. The explanation given was that with the reduction gearbox..........

Not had too much experience with them but I know how easily the O300 I used to sit behind used to pop into life with a well timed pull on the prop.

What's the verdict? Am I being fed a porky or does this person's idea hold merit?

ps, this came about while he was turning the prop over without checking ignition and/or master switches.

Engineering standards always improve over time, you can't overestimate how much CAD engineering has allowed designers the opportunity to rework old designs.

I'll be keen to tag along for the Mackay to Cooktown and back down part. I'm based at Marian Airfiled where Steve has two microlights. I'll keep in touch closer to the date. If weather and water is clear on coast could arrange a snorkel dive for some at Mackay.Cheers

 

Mike

Ping me an email and I'll put you on the list of potential starters - or en-route tag-alongs.

The local knowledge and the snorkeling sound perfect :)

Cheers

Glenn

Has anybody asked or seen the MOU? Done a reconciliation between them to ensure factual rather than misinformation (fake news)? CScottHendry started this thread eight years ago. I made considerable enquiry three years ago and it didn't exist. So depending on who one speaks with depends if it exists and what exists within - if there turns out a signed document. The devil's in the detail as always.The circumstances that WM trikes faces around RAAO's is likely to continue as WM represents such a small component of their respective membership bases and an even small cohort of WM only pilots. Trike pilots organisational alignment is most often reflective of the 'other' aircraft they fly rather than trikes. Based on direct feedback at the past few Airshows from hundreds of WM pilots and prospective new pilots following their dreams, this is a little sad and does restrict future membership when the respective organisations need to be actively promoting safe, alternative recreational flying to create awareness beyond the local GA flying school - particularly to the under 30's. Best wishes :-)

RAA MoU ver 10 rev Aug 2015.pdf

RAA MoU ver 10 rev Aug 2015.pdf

RAA MoU ver 10 rev Aug 2015.pdf

Send me

Count me in , remind me when it gets closer

Not p

Not going that bit extra to get to the tip?

What do you think happens in the case of the Sportstar?

I also gave you the example of the GA pilot who wants to fly RA - both aircraft are three axis, single engine, e.g. A Sportstar registered VH vs a Sportstar registered RA.You just have to make your choice and do your training.

If you've been trained as a Doctor in Europe, then migrate to Australia, there is a long process of training before you can become a Doctor in AustraliaSo this is not unreasonable; the new organisation needs to assess you, and ensure that you meet the standards they are required to operate to.

No one is picking on weightshift either; Even if you have a PPL in GA, you still have to go through the RAA training cycle.

 

The more skills you have the faster it happens.

So both the HGFA and the RAAus oversee and regulate the operation of weightshift microlights/trikes. Both organisations have signed a long standing Memorandum of Understanding to standardise the training of WS pilots, the operation of training schools and the registration of WS aircraft. Whether or not both organisations take this MoU seriously is borne out by the results.

It does seem pretty ludicrous (or the result of bloody-minded bureaucracy) that one person trained under one banner cannot fly a WS aircraft registered with the other and vice versa. It's like something out of Fawlty Towers and Yes Minister. And this is DESPITE both organisations using the same insurance company for cover of members and the public!!!

Is this what our membership fees and aircraft registration fees pay for?

I know executives from both organisations read this forum. I would invite both to explain in clear simple terms what they are going to do, and when they are going to do it, to be smart and sensible and resolve this silly, petty and long standing standoff.

HGFA and RAAus - over to you guys (and girls).

Microlight/Trike Trek - Southern NSW to Far North Queensland May-June 2018

Hello Southern state microlight/trike pilots - and anyone else who might like to join in.

How about flying north to Far North Queensland on a four week flying based adventure? A support vehicle will accompany the group to carry fuel, supplies, personal belongings and spares and will be used to transfer the group to and from airfields to accommodation, and to and from tours and attractions along the way.

Support vehicle costs will be shared by the participants. Accommodation will be a mix of some on-airfield camping, cabins, lodge and motel, depending on location, weather and budget.

Apart from stunning scenery, snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, QANTAS Museum and Stockman’s Hall of Fame at Longreach, a beach landing or two, the Daintree, rainforests meeting the ocean, crocodiles and other wildlife will supplement the experience of the best time to be in the air in this part of the country.

Departure Point: Holbrook NSW

Turnaround Point: Cooktown FNQ

Interested? Email [email protected]

This issue may have been done to death in the past but as I am considering returning to sport aviation I am going to put it out there to see what your views are.

A lot of people are pulled or pushed through the air by Rotax engines. And while this is generally about all the popular models available today, it is more specifically about 582s.

The price of a new 582 is around $7000 to $8000 plus or minus a few variables. To overhaul a 582 has been quoted at between $5000 and $5500, plus the cost of removal and reinstallation and freight to and from the overhaul facility. For the sake of a thousand or two dollars, a new engine looks like reasonable value compared to an overhauled one.

The TBO (time between overhaul) is, according to Rotax literature, 300 hours. Some organisations allow a 582 to run ‘on condition’ unless it is being used for training.

This does not add up.

A 300 hour TBO is roughly equivalent to 30,000 klms for a car engine. Hardly even run in. 30,000 klms on a Rotax powered BMW motorcycle is still low kilometres and imagine the outcry if a GS 800 needed an engine overhaul at 30, 40 or 50,000 klms.

How many 582s are running up 500, 600 or even 1000 incident free hours? RAAus and the HGFA should have stats on this.

Why is the TBO still 300 hours when I’m sure there is a verified history of many 582s running perfectly and within limits up to and past 500 hours?

Either the engines are dodgy, or components in them are dodgy, or someone is ripping off someone, or has a virtual monopoly that is allowing them to ‘take advantage’ fiscally of the people whose aircraft are fitted with 582s.

If the engines or engine components are dodgy then that would be reflected in the record of service difficulties or fault reports by the large number of people running 582s. Yes some of these engines fail pre 300 hours but in reality, not very many.

So why then is a $7000+ Rotax 582 engine mandated for TBO at 300 hours?

And why also have the HGFA and RAAus not resolved this financial burden on behalf of their members?

So it is now 2017 and the situation is still far from resolved or in any way a sensible solution in servicing the needs of weightshift pilots. Stasis is infectious. FFS! If two bodies that purport to represent sport (powered) flying can't sort this shambles out then they should all become politicians!

Not impressed at all.

Hello Aviators

Planning to get back in the air in a weightshift microlight.