Stol freindly school in/around Sydney

[Gribble]

Hey all,

 

Im looking to get into the RAA side of things after a long hiatus from flight training in the GA world.

 

Specifically what I would like to do is get trained up in STOL operations as a few years down the track im looking at getting some large property outside sydney for bikes, 4wding, camping shooting etc etc and having a small strip with a little hanger sounds like a very nice addition.

 

Anyway, so in the meantime, what schools around the sydney area operate the Savannah, CH70* etc etc STOL type craft to get lots of experience in (and the pilot and xc certs of course)?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-Gribble-

 

 

[motzartmerv]

G'day Gribble. There aren't any schools in the sydney area that operate a savvy that im aware of.

 

There are school's at the oaks, camden, bankstown, wollongong and my school at jaspers brush.

 

STOL is a requirement in the RAA syllabus for all pilot certification.

 

cheers

 

 

[Gribble]

Ive done the Short and Soft field operations before, I was more after the True STOL stuff that seperate the men from the boys and keep the sheep scared.

 

Best summed up in the STOL ops part of the Training Guide on the RAA website;

 

http://www.auf.asn.au/students/advanced.html#stol

 

"True STOL light aircraft, like the Slepcev Storch or the Zenith CH701 STOL, are excellent work craft and great fun to fly. However, to exploit their STOL ability these aircraft often need to be flown at the 'back end' of the power curve; i.e. very high lift coefficient (and very high angle of attack), low velocity and high power to counter induced drag. Power is increased to fly slower, rather than decreased as in normal flight at the 'front end' of the power curve. STOL aircraft are provided with flap settings and high-lift devices that can provide a big increase in CLmax with a comparatively low increase in drag. They have a propeller that is efficient at low forward speed, a low design wing loading, and feature good stability and control at very low speeds. They can maintain steeper angles of climb and descent.

 

Pilots have to be aware of those control characteristics particularly at slow speeds in turbulence. This is an area only for the trained STOL pilot, attuned to the operating environment and an individual aircraft's foibles. STOL capability may additionally be defined by the runway length needed to take-off and to land over a 15-metre high obstacle or the length of the ground roll. STOL techniques are not applicable to non-STOL aircraft. The photo below indicates a landing area that is definitely only for experienced STOL pilots — with a very good knowledge of the likely rotor and lee downflow conditions — with various wind velocities flying a tough, taildragger, STOL aircraft."

 

 

[Dieselten]

Relatively few factory-built STOL ultralights are available for training, especially ab initio. Usually people train first on a Gazelle, or a Jabiru, or a Lightwing, or a Tecnam, then get some time on something like a Savannah VG or a CH701 after they have got their pilot certificate. I don't know of any RA-Aus organisations that have specific STOL a/c for training. A Gazelle will give you useful experience on a high-drag airframe, then I'd suggest getting a few rides with an instructor in a factory-built Savannah - if you can find one. Once you have your pilot certificate is is simply a "conversion" to a different type of aircraft. If it is your own Savannah, that's different, you can still be trained to fly it. Conversion training in a kit-built STOL aircraft you don't actually own is outside the intent of the regulations.

 

 

[Gribble]

Yeh, i thought that was going to be the case, I think the school at the oaks runs a foxbat, that would be fairly similar sort of thing?

 

 

[Ultralights]

A foxbat is probably the closest you might get to a Savvy type landing and take off performance, but it still wont get right down into the low 30 kt range and as stable as the savvy/701. sadly there are a few schools now equipped with the factory built savannah in Queensland

 

 

[Chrism]

Hi Gribble,

 

The Sydney recreational Flying Club at the Oaks (15 min SW Camden) operate 2 A22 Foxbats and a Lightwing (taildragger).

 

The Foxbats, i am pretty sure would be classed as STOL aircraft. I just joined recently after getting my Pilots Cert. on Jab 160. Even I can easily get airborne with an instructor onboard in under 120 metres of grass. I am no experts, so they may not be as good as a Savy, but after Jabs, I didn't know that kind of take off was possible!

 

They have 4 very experienced instructors and train weekends and every 2 Thursday, and now some Fridays.

 

Check out http://srfc.org.au/web/

 

Regards, Chris

 

 

[Gribble]

Nice, guess ill be taking the trip to the oaks soon.

 

If they are open fridays thats even better because i get a few off here and there. Not tomorrow though because its fishing day and the boat is getting a bit lonely sitting in the backyard.