scotsman Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Hi all, Just landed in Oz six months ago and attempting to convert a South African heli PPL to an Aussie one. Any other heli pilots out there (before the fixed wing guys lynch the lone heli pilot )? Cheers J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Welcome J, there are a couple of chopper pilots and ex chopper pilots on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Hi scotsman, Yes there are a few of us, we generally keep our heads down as we're considered a bit whacky by the uninitiated, but what do they know eh ...? I started in hanggliders and trikes in the 1970s, went to fixed wing in the 80s, commercial rotary in the 90s and 00s, now back to fixed wing, building a STOL to try and get into some of the types of places I could visit before ... Welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 Welcome Scotsman. . .anyone who trusts his life to a machine with an inherent built-in self destruct factor is a brave friend Sir. . . . We always cater for the more weird flying types here, so may I extend to you a very warm welcome to the Forum . . . . I have around a coupla hundred hours flying whirlygigs, but never took a test as the training was dicombobulated and spread over four countries, seven different types and twelve years,. . . and then the money ran out. . . .but I vaguely recall what the controls were supposed to do. . . ,. . .but could never really successfully make them do what I wanted the machine to do. . . . . I flew a Robboe R44 a few weeks back with a very rich friend,. . .and that was nice and easy. . . but being a low inertia rotor,. . . I chickened out on the landing transition into the hover, so that he didn't have to tow it back home in a lot of bitz in a trailer. . . . Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Hi scotsman,Yes there are a few of us, we generally keep our heads down as we're considered a bit whacky by the uninitiated, but what do they know eh ...? I started in hanggliders and trikes in the 1970s, went to fixed wing in the 80s, commercial rotary in the 90s and 00s, now back to fixed wing, building a STOL to try and get into some of the types of places I could visit before ... Welcome to the forum. Thanks HITC. I was also building a zodiac Cl/650 so I understand the joys of building too. Had to sell it before emigrating sadly. Which STOL ax are you building? Cheers J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 T Welcome Scotsman. . .anyone who trusts his life to a machine with an inherent built-in self destruct factor is a brave friend Sir. . . .We always cater for the more weird flying types here, so may I extend to you a very warm welcome to the Forum . . . . I have around a coupla hundred hours flying whirlygigs, but never took a test as the training was dicombobulated and spread over four countries, seven different types and twelve years,. . . and then the money ran out. . . .but I vaguely recall what the controls were supposed to do. . . ,. . .but could never really successfully make them do what I wanted the machine to do. . . . . I flew a Robboe R44 a few weeks back with a very rich friend,. . .and that was nice and easy. . . but being a low inertia rotor,. . . I chickened out on the landing transition into the hover, so that he didn't have to tow it back home in a lot of bitz in a trailer. . . . Phil thanks Phil. I also need to find me a rich friend so that he/she can let me fly their 44. 44 seems a lot more stable than the 22 or cabri. Hope you put those hours together for a licence in the near future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Welcome J, there are a couple of chopper pilots and ex chopper pilots on here. Thanks Dazza. Hopefully will bump into a few of them in the next few years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Walker Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Hi J. I am also new the Forum, ex CPL-A & CPL-H, with Instrument & Instructor Ratings. After 18 years of commercial aviation I opted for a ground based completely different career, but now I am in the process of get my PPL-A and have another look at the world from above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsman Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Hi J. I am also new the Forum, ex CPL-A & CPL-H, with Instrument & Instructor Ratings. After 18 years of commercial aviation I opted for a ground based completely different career, but now I am in the process of get my PPL-A and have another look at the world from above. Hi Ken, Good to hear bud. I had a ten year break where I didn't/couldn't afford to fly and requalified my PPL A.....was a good decision to get back into it (until I had a 12 minute flip in a 22 which ended up a much more expense decision). Enjoy not being ground bound again! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotsman Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Finally received my converted licence in the post. Where are the good venues to fly to out of Bankstown for the proverbially 100 dollar burger? Flying a heli but more than happy to go to airfields just want to expand my horizons. Pretty as it might be don't want to spend the rest of my flying life out here flying the harbour scenic beautiful as it is. Cheers J 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Walker Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Hi - Well done on your licence - I received my PPL-A & ASIC in March. Took me 12 months to convince CLARC that my 11,600 hours, albeit 34 years ago, did count towards the the PPL-A requirements. I completed the written exams, did 14 hours or so getting reacquainted, most of which taken up with the procedural and airspace differences, then completed the flight test. In the end I found CLARC extremely obliging, just had to talk to the right person. Although about 50% of my hours are rotary, this time around I am sticking with the fixed-wing only - it has been 54 years since I have paid for any flying so the rates have been a shock to the back pocket. Can't help you with expanding your horizons, unless you get up to sunny Qld. Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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