Greetings from Smithton Tassie

[Lloyd Kay]

Hi, I've just landed on this site.

 

My name is Lloyd Kay, I fly a Foxbat A22 in my Flying School, BELL AVIATION.

 

Started off in GA late 70s, flew C150, C172, C182, PA18 Super Cub & PA28 140 was the last of the GA brigade for me.

 

Moved into Ultralight early 90s, bought a Thruster T500 in which I finished my AUF pilot conversion. then Instructor Rating and progressed on through to CFI approval.

 

Added a Jabiru to the fleet for a few years, then swapped to the Foxbat.

 

Pushing a couple of thousand hours instructing now and enjoying every minute of it.

 

I'm new to this sort of site, but i guess I'll learn how to get around it.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Greetings and Lloyd.

 

Not only will you find lots of useful info here, but also a large group of very friendly and knowledgeable people. It's a great place to ask questions or pose issues for discussion. The idea is that all participants discuss in a friendly manner, despite perhaps having differences of opinion.

 

The membership ranges from people with just an interest in aviation, in its many forms, to CFIs like yourself, in both GA and Recreational Aviation.

 

Enjoy..

 

 

[johndl]

Welcome Lloyd

 

I am learning over at Georgetown with Eugene Reid flying the Jabs. Only have about 20 hours - nearly solo! Would love to drive up to Smithton one weekend and say hello. Cheers John. ps I have posted a couple of videos on this site of circuits at Georgetown.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Welcome Lloyd, you enjoy it here,

 

 

[Terry Triker]

Hello, Lloyd.

 

Just thought I had better acknowledge your post on this site, as a fellow Tassie aviator.

 

We have met, but it was last year. I attended Smithton with the WAC guys, for a bbq & comp day.

 

I took a few photos of your Foxbat, but sadly missed out on being taken for a spin.

 

I opted to drive down from Burnie, as the conditions were not conducive to microlight flying, on the day.

 

I was impressed that the Foxbat and all competitors took it in their stride, given the normal Smithton weather conditions.

 

There are two of us trikers, sharing a hangar at Eddie's strip at Cuprona.

 

We have graced the tarmac at Smithton before, and have flown to Zeehan/Strahan, and ventured as far east as St Helens.

 

As you would appreciate, trikes are somewhat akin to a Thruster, (possibly more so), regarding safe and suitable weather conditions.

 

Hopefully we will get down that way again, and will advise when we do. Of late, we have been restricted to local flights, as the cool, smooth air days are rapidly

 

diminishing. It seems that every time the WAC has a fly-in to some place or other, the weather is marginal for sturdy RA a/c, and GA, and therefore the trike stays in the hangar. Don't tell me.., I'll have to trade it for a Foxbat !

 

Cheers, Terry.

 

 

[Lloyd Kay]

Hi Terry,

 

Good to hear from you. I didn't quite know what to expect when i posted on this site, but it's nice to get a message or two and a welcome from others who have been on the site for a while.

 

Well, the days are getting longer, dont know if that means better or just more time for the not so good weather to torment flyers!

 

As for the Smithton weather, you can't learn to fly if there's no wind, can't work out which runway to use if the sock's just hangin straight down! You may have to fit a cabin heater to your trike, will help in the colder weather i imagine..............

 

Be nice if you make it this way some time, i'm usually at the airport most Sundays, but not every Sunday. Did get in a few flights Sunday just gone, as well as a couple of exam attempts by students, both well above the min requirement of 80%

 

Cheers for now

 

Lloyd.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

...Well, the days are getting longer, dont know if that means better or just more time for the not so good weather to torment flyers!...

Longer days are good for me, as I often try and fly after work during the week and in the middle of Winter it is somewhat limiting between end of work and last light albeit that it is often a magnificent sight to watch the sun set from the air.

 

 

[Lloyd Kay]

Hi David,

 

I did reply to your post, but i reckon i didn't post the reply, new to this sort of thing, must have got lost in the detail!!!!!

 

Thanks for your welcome though David.

 

Looks like you might fly a trike, never flown in one but looks different. Need to be warm i reckon.

 

Came through, actually stayed a couple of nights at Yarrawonga when flying Foxbat home from Redcliffe Qld and was very well looked after by Anne & Peter McLean, great hosts i must say. And help like that when you're away from home is very welcome.

 

Cheers David,

 

Lloyd.

 

 

[Lloyd Kay]

Hi Dazza,

 

Thanks for your note, looking forward to finding my way around the site.

 

Cheers

 

Lloyd

 

 

[Lloyd Kay]

Hi John,

 

I did reply earlier to your post, might have dumped the reply inadvertently, newbie you know.

 

Welcome to drop in, at airport most Sundays, who knows, you just might get a circuit in the Foxy.

 

Cheers

 

Lloyd

 

 

[facthunter]

Contribution based on experience.

 

Lloyd, no doubt you would be well qualified to contribute to the discussions we have here, so don't be bashfull in coming forward.

 

You have to be carefull that you don't click the wrong place when you are posting as you can lose the whole post. Usually happens when I have spent a lot of time on it. Good luck . Nev

 

 

[Terry Triker]

Hi, Lloyd.

 

I am pleased that you replied, as I was just touching base with you. There are quite a few Tasssie flyers around, but I guess not all are on this site.

 

Obviously you would know many, if not most aviators in this state. I have met quite a few, both in RA & GA, and all are terrific guys. They are even tolerant/understanding of ultralighters/trikers (as they should be, as aviators), after all, we all share the same airspace and passion to fly.

 

Yes, I hope to catch up with you one day in the future, by flying in. It is easier for most to remember the person/aircraft combination.

 

You will have to hold the fort, for the Circular Head flying fraternity, now that Billy Vincent is no longer in the skies, someone will have to carry the flag. (perhaps with less notoriety).

 

I appreciate your comments re; the testing local conditions. I recall you commented in that regard before, as do the Georgetown boys.

 

The general consensus is, ''that if you can learn to fly here, you can fly anywhere''.

 

I done my training in northern Victoria, and my instructor said (after I had completed a solo x/c in deteriorating conditions), ''don't complain about the rough return to the airstrip (they had closed the strip due to weather, and I still had to land)...., because this may be exactly what you will get back in Tassie''.

 

He was right.

 

Anyway, I will catch up with you later, and maybe visit ''Mr Storch" again. Some people have it good, taxi out of the shed, through the gate, and up and away.

 

Cheers, Terry.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Hi David,I did reply to your post, but i reckon i didn't post the reply, new to this sort of thing, must have got lost in the detail!!!!!

Don't worry. You'll soon get the hang of it.

 

Looks like you might fly a trike, never flown in one but looks different. Need to be warm i reckon.

Trikes are great fun and an excellent photographic platform. You are right about cold though, so yes there is a need these cold days to dress appropriately. Adding the tall windscreen helps considerably, but you still need to rug up.

 

Came through, actually stayed a couple of nights at Yarrawonga when flying Foxbat home from Redcliffe Qld and was very well looked after by Anne & Peter McLean, great hosts i must say. And help like that when you're away from home is very welcome.

Cheers David,

 

Lloyd.

Yes, it is a great environment. I have done all my training with Peter and now started doing the Formation endorsement.