Guest pookemon Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi All, Finally got around to registering here. I'm located near Ballarat and I'm a bit over 8 hours into my RAA permit (solo'd 2 weeks ago - woohoo!). I'm currently flying Ballarat Aero clubs Gazelle (24-3299) - and loving it. Leaping in with both feet I bought a partially complete Karatoo kit a few weeks ago. No doubt I'll be hanging around the forums a bit, looking for a cheap engine (come on - someones got to have a 912 lying around that they want to get rid of for next to nothing ) and asking the occasional question. Just thought I'd say hi. Scott S.
stanzahero Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi Scott, I go past the Ballarat drome quite a lot and have always looked jelously at the activity there. Welcome the the forum and hope you find all the answers you need here. Well done on the solo! Good luck on the build. Stanzahero.
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Pookemon, Welcome to the site. I'm currently repairing a Karatoo J6 that was damaged in our recent Cyclone Yasi. Generally I have been impressed with the karatoo, and I look foward to flying it when the repairs are done. Normally I fly a Hughes lightwing which is another good aeroplane. I do know of a 912 that may be coming up for sale some time in the future. I'll let you know if it happens. Good luck with your build project, feel free to ask questions. If I don't know the answer I'm sure someone else will jump in, it's that type of forum here. Again, welcome and enjoy........................................................................Maj...
.Evan. Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi Pookemon! I'm in Ballarat too! I'm flying the little Jabiru from Inbound Avation. We've probably heard each other on the radio!
Guest pookemon Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Pookemon, Welcome to the site. I'm currently repairing a Karatoo J6 that was damaged in our recent Cyclone Yasi. Generally I have been impressed with the karatoo, and I look foward to flying it when the repairs are done. Normally I fly a Hughes lightwing which is another good aeroplane. I do know of a 912 that may be coming up for sale some time in the future. I'll let you know if it happens. Good luck with your build project, feel free to ask questions. If I don't know the answer I'm sure someone else will jump in, it's that type of forum here. Again, welcome and enjoy........................................................................Maj... Hi Maj, I'm sure I'll be picking your brain. ;) What type of wing construction does yours have? (And what engine?) I have plans for about 3 different kinds of wings - and have the ribs made of spruce sticks, rather than the ply wood ones - very confusing... Does yours have the folding wing setup? If so any chance of some pickies of the mount(s) - the plans I'm looking at are a little vague on how the wing actually mounts to the fuselage (though I have been studying the "working copy" - which aren't brilliant copies). I haven't unwrapped the spars yet (will do so this weekend) but I'm guessing they're the solid kind. Thanks.
Guest pookemon Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi Pookemon! I'm in Ballarat too!I'm flying the little Jabiru from Inbound Avation. We've probably heard each other on the radio! Hi Evan, I know the Jabiru well - it is generally just behind me on the last landing of the day. :) I'm flying on Monday afternoons at the moment until I get my permit. Any excuse to leave work early.
Guest pookemon Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi Scott,I go past the Ballarat drome quite a lot and have always looked jelously at the activity there. Welcome the the forum and hope you find all the answers you need here. Well done on the solo! Good luck on the build. Stanzahero. Thanks! I've spent most of my life watching "the activity" having always wanted to be a pilot (I'm only 39 - you can't hurry these things). This year my wife told me I should go and do it - and now I'm addicted. (I bet she regrets that decision! I just won't show her the bills for the build)
.Evan. Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 I know the Jabiru well - it is generally just behind me on the last landing of the day. :) I'm flying on Monday afternoons at the moment until I get my permit. Any excuse to leave work early. Cool. I've flown on a couple of the last few Mondays! Tweety was buzzing about. Thanks! I've spent most of my life watching "the activity" having always wanted to be a pilot (I'm only 39 - you can't hurry these things). This year my wife told me I should go and do it - and now I'm addicted. (I bet she regrets that decision! I just won't show her the bills for the build) Ahahaha! Sounds a lot like me! (am 32 y/o) ...Except my Wife didn't tell me to go and do it!
stanzahero Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 (I'm only 39 - you can't hurry these things). This year my wife told me I should go and do it. I started flying a couple of years ago when I was 36 so I know what you mean there, although it was my wife who convinced me to learn while she was learning. It was great because we went over all the theory while on the drive to the airport - about an hour away, and she paid the bills .
Neil_S Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi Scott, Welcome, and good luck with the training. I also fly a Gazelle, and have flown over to Ballarat a few times from Penfield (Sunbury). I saw the Gazelle in the hangar there. Hope you will come over to Penfield in the Karatoo when you have finished building it and got your Nav endorsement :big_grin: Cheers Neil
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 Pookemon, The wings on this one have the solid spars with the cut-out plywood ribs, and of course the inner bay cable bracing. The fact that one wing tip area was completely destroyed back to the spar -attach areas, whilst the remainder of the wing was undamaged, tells me this is a very strong wing indeed. After the hangar that this Karatoo was tied down in was destroyed in Cat 4 cyclone Yasi strength winds, evidence suggests that the aircraft was then picked up and pivoted around on the destroyed wingtip, before being deposited upside down, on one of the flattened hangar walls. Because the cyclone blew for several hours after the above event, there was also damage sustained to the damaged wings' attach points at the fuselage because of it's position on it's back. The fact that the aircraft and wing is even repairable is testiment to the Karatoos strength. The engine in this one is an EA81 Subaru with Rotax gearbox and a welded Chromoly mount. Neither were damaged but the prop was broken. The plywood routed wingribs appear to be very strong..As you can see in the third photo, the aileron and steel aileron hangers were completely undamaged., and the cross cable bracing in the outer bay was broken (1/8 steel cable !) which took all the load and saved the remainder of the wing.. You can really see if things are well designed when they are subjected to this type of damage.............................Maj...
Guest pookemon Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 Wow - you've got alot of work ahead of you Maj Millard. Where do you recommend buying bits and piece from (Eg. Nuts, bolts etc.). I've ordered my wheels and tyres from Skyshop ($$$ and I believe they're just coming from Aircraft Spruce in the US - so I might as well just order from there in future) and I bought two rod ends from the local parts store (Field Air - $65 EACH - I almost died). There's a mob on ebay in Texas that I can get a bulk pack of assorted nuts, bolts and washers from - but surely there's a "decent" Australian supplier? Thanks, Scott S.
Guest pookemon Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 Hi Scott,Welcome, and good luck with the training. I also fly a Gazelle, and have flown over to Ballarat a few times from Penfield (Sunbury). I saw the Gazelle in the hangar there. Hope you will come over to Penfield in the Karatoo when you have finished building it and got your Nav endorsement :big_grin: Cheers Neil Absolutely. I used to live in Sunbury (Ashfield estate) and have a couple of friends that live there - one of whom is very interested in Aviation (though I'll have to sneak in while his wife isn't watching :baldy:).
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 Or sneak in while his wife IS watching ???? Scott, Yes a bit of work ahead, but nothing that can't be fixed really. I work in the aviation maintenance business so I don't have problems with hardware as required. I'll get back to you shortly with more on this subject ok.........................................................Cheers Maj
Guest pookemon Posted October 21, 2011 Posted October 21, 2011 Woot! First area solo the other day (Monday 17th Oct). I've done a total of 16 hours so far - 3 of solo and have a couple more lessons before my exam. I'm doing the GA exams, which have "worried" me - but so far I've gotten one question wrong out of the two exams I've done (gotta have more faith in my knowledge). To Evan - were you flying that day? Saw a Jab up and about... Also had one of the new Air Tractor Water bombers doing some test bombing runs along 23/05 while I was in the circuit (He followed me in on my final landing). Those things are beasts!
Guest Maj Millard Posted October 21, 2011 Posted October 21, 2011 Welome to the forum pookemon....lots on offer here as you will find........................Cheers Maj...
Guest pookemon Posted January 2, 2012 Posted January 2, 2012 Licensed!!! Woohoo! Did my test flight a little over a week ago, and on Thursday I did an Oral exam (just some generally RAA rules etc.) and my paperwork is in. Had my first completely solo (all of my flights before then had had at least one circuit with the CFI) flight on Saturday afternoon. Was good to get up into a clear blue sky and into the cool air (even though it was mega bumpy). Next stop - Pax!
Neil_S Posted January 2, 2012 Posted January 2, 2012 Licensed!!! Woohoo!Did my test flight a little over a week ago, and on Thursday I did an Oral exam (just some generally RAA rules etc.) and my paperwork is in. Had my first completely solo (all of my flights before then had had at least one circuit with the CFI) flight on Saturday afternoon. Was good to get up into a clear blue sky and into the cool air (even though it was mega bumpy). Next stop - Pax! Hi Scott, Congratulations, mate!! Excellent stuff. Gave Saturday afternoon a miss myself due to the hot weather (not much cool air round our way on Saturday!) Expect to see you at Sunbury soon then by the sounds of it Cheers Neil
Guest pookemon Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 Hi Scott,Congratulations, mate!! Excellent stuff. Gave Saturday afternoon a miss myself due to the hot weather (not much cool air round our way on Saturday!) Expect to see you at Sunbury soon then by the sounds of it Cheers Neil You had to get about 4000' up before the air was "cool" (relatively speaking). Had the "aircon" on full (the vents were both open). I'll be getting my Pax, then taking the kids for a few rides, then conversion to the clubs new Sierra - and then Nav's. Hoping to be done with Nav's by about the middle of the year - and hoping to get an hour+ per week on average...
Guest davidh10 Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 Congratulations Pookemon. Yarrawonga would be a good Nav, although probably a bit on the longish end of the scale There's always tea and coffee for visiting pilots.
Guest pookemon Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 Congratulations Pookemon. Yarrawonga would be a good Nav, although probably a bit on the longish end of the scale There's always tea and coffee for visiting pilots. The Sierra cruises at 105kt or so (might be a bit more) - so it's do-able. And my whole reason for taking up flying was to take the kids flying so they could see some of the country. So one day...
Guest davidh10 Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 The Sierra cruises at 105kt or so (might be a bit more) - so it's do-able. And my whole reason for taking up flying was to take the kids flying so they could see some of the country. So one day... That makes it 1.5 hours each way. 2.5 for me at 60Kn.
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