Ballpoint 246niner

Can't wait to see how it improves the action -well done Mark

Totally agree with everything you say mate, and as we know each other, and worked around the same PE( who is excellent), your argument is completely valid. You must teach because you love teaching and people, not just flying. All the experience in the world is useless unless you can pass it on to your students.

Sorry to say this but 75 hrs TT to begin to instruct in any capacity is a joke. By all means shadow a good CFI or senior at your school and learn more from their experiences but you need breadth and depth to take on this responsibility, having a CFI back in the hangar is no use when on short final low in a wind sheared PFL that YOU have to get out of while calmly coaching the student and fixing at the same time. I watched this happen in the motorcycle industry when Q RIde came in where instructors who had barely got their opens were teaching new riders . 7 years and many too many fatalities later I attended many "think tanks" on how to fix the problem that shouldn't,t have happened in the first place. Yes their were training standards issues but essentially it was the blind leading the blind. Now I know that this may offend some out there but maintaining and developing training standards is at the core of aviation safety. Build two or three hundred hours at least, and I do mean least, and learn where an aircraft can be taken that it never should and then know what you need to do to get it back and then learn the polish to sell this in the vast amount of styles that the students who sit beside you will need but not know that until years later... Then decide or better let those with this experience choose you.

Yep chain of events would've had him breathing heavy- no wonder it fogged up. Probably damaged the ejector seat with the fudge solution as well- bet the $5.4 M was to get rid of the smell:yikes:

Bet the MP never saw that coming:roflmao:

The manual flap idea is still on the money, and give me one any day over electric, particularly in STOL work, apart from being simpler and faster you can get the flaps on exactly when you want them when they're in you hand. I was thinking more about this and apart from the firmer spring, it's more to do with the human mechanical advantage past the centre point that seems to be the culprit. hence my suggestion for a bent fwd lever, but perhaps a fwd grip extension, or building up the front of the lever in some way without causing routing operation problems may help. Anyway it's the last thing I need to operate, and whenever you fly the thing you have a smile on your face and flying heaps of different aircraft each day, that says something in my book. Like Maj in earlier posts, it's hard not to be impressed by the Savannah. Everyone i've had in it from draggers to HP jockeys are pleasantly surprised and impressed. I officially declare Qld summers as a flying downer. Bring on Autumn next week.

I'm starting to get used to mine Mark after 35 hrs - I only have it jump out occassionally now, and tend not to use full flap a lot, but I agree that it could be better. I thought a better notch gate setup for the rear position, a stronger spring perhaps or even an angled handle fwd with a different locking pin system might work. Not being the engineering type I'll leave that to you guys.

Hey Mike, yes VMC was a little hard to find. Dave and I put the Sav down at Tangalooma for 40 mins, observing the addage "better to be down- wishing you were up there", and we waited for better conditions despite the lure of the breakfast being devoured by the more "adventurous non IMC rated pilots! We got there after 9 and enjoyed a 'lighter breakfast and some excellent socialising as usual. The new calendar and breakfast book has been published and was on view to purchase and is a great collection of photos from the last 12 mths. REMINDER: Weather forecasts are just horoscopes with lines and numbers!

Hey mate, from what I see the first thing is sloppiness-Holding accurate heights, staying in balance, LOOKOUT, etc. Then many fail to practice emergency procedures. Precautionaries, EFATO,EFIC,PFL's etc. Once in 2 years they'll get a reminder with a BFR. But Murphy doesn't care about that...! The other areas are adherence to correct radio phraseology and keeping brevity in same, and awareness of subtle changes that have occurred in regs and ops ; for example,in flight above 5000' requirements and general CTA avoidance and what we can ask for/can't ask for and what boundary tolerances we need to observe. The line between a "safe" Pilot certificate standard, and being the best we can be is often a blurred and individually interpreted line, and IMHO if you're not trying to improve in every flight then inevitably you are going backwards, if through nothing else than simple complacency. Be passionate about your flying, and even if it's just for fun be professional in your delivery. the lapels that matter are the ones you wear in your behavoirs -not on your shoulders. Food for thought.......?

The greatest challenge- getting pilots to stick to the disciplines they were taught. You wouldn't build a house then start chipping away at the foundations would you?

A very under utilized manouvre but one that requires practice and finesse to gain the effective result. It does place high loads on the vertical stabiliser and attachment points so this should be taken into account when being utilised and shouldn't be seen as an instant fix to a poorly planned approach in normal cct operations. Get your instructor to demonstrate the various flight phases where crossed controls can be used to your advantage....

Motz, sorry for not contributing earlier, my heartfelt sympathies go oy to everyone at Jasper's, your comments about everyone running to help we're spot on, be proud of what you did and know this was not a fight you could win but the victims and their families will always in their spirits know what you did.Chin up mate! Our thoughts are with you all.

Rumby, drop down to Caboolture any weekend and I'd be glad to intro you to many owners and as Mark said, there are heaps of quality builds underway- mine is the orange one called 'Jaffa" factory built but identical in most ways to the kit. Reg , as mentioned is the definitive source at Aerokits.

Or Me, bout time I got into your strip.....

I'm In! just give me some notice so I can plan school ops. Late Feb bfore Clifton in March would be good?

Hang in there mate, almost there ask Mark G, he Converted in mine this week and is fully motivated to finish this magnificent aircraft. Went to Dunwich brekkie today with another student, everyone loves it.... Honestly the best aircraft I have flown!!

Awesome shots everyone 10/10

Good luck Shags!

sorry it was a warp drive with Nickel coat-!! ....

At a micky hair over 5000 it says 90 IAS, at 5200 it will vascilate 92-94 kts but you know she wants to be pulled through the air a little slower,that big lifty wing starts to become a drag queen. 85-90 seems like a great cruise. I went with the Duc prop which is pitched for a good cruise and that I have, the things get off so short that unless I want to fly out of my half acre then this prop works fine. It also has the "Inconel' leading edge protection which for gravelly strips etc should look after the prop a little better. Cressie and I destroyed a Bolly with Duratuff on 06 before Christmas( bloody instructors!), but it is a pusher after all. Only one of the school planes is left this Saturday in cct, everything else is off to Straddie- should be a cracker if Cyclone Caboolture clears, 140mm at Glass house since 2pm yesterday and the airfield is starting to look like waterfront property! Hope you come over. Cya

Nice work lads, my stomping ground for 20 yrs, flew all those dunes , sometimes verrrry... Low from the blow back to Teewah. I understand Rainbow is much improved at the northern end with a harder surface than it had but still soft sand in grass for most part, it is private though so you need permission. Great photo's tomo and Pete.

LOVE IT!!!!

Thanks Mike, sorry I missed your call, Im around all week if you're at the field, it's on line from next week and I'm going to Straddie on Saturday. Catch you soon- it can almost fly as slow as an aerochute!

Thx Tomo, you could teach me I reckon.anytime mate....