Where is the best state in Aust for flying Trikes?

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

I know this thread is old now but I'm thinking of learning to fly in Tassie and getting my RA license so I can eventually save up for a good trike (I'm only 14!). I've never seen a trike in real-life and the closest I've seen any ultralight is a few thousand ft in the air above my house in Kingston. If I ever did want to experience a trike, I'd probably have to travel to the mainland!

 

The one thing I'm worried about in Tassie is the weather! It's often cold, windy and it's also mountainous. Apparently most accidents happen on Takeoff and landing and nasty Tasmanian weather wouldn't be too helpful. Does anyone have experience flying in Tassie?

 

Tom

 

 

[tassytriker]

G.day Tom

 

Tassy is probably the least favourite place to fly trikes in australia but its where we live so if you are keen enough you will make it happen(safely)as many have!

 

There isn't any instructors in tassy so you will have to venture to the mainland for a licence and any training etc required.

 

If you are ever up in the northern part of our huge :) state and want to have a close up look at a trike let me know and we mite be able to arrange something.

 

Gary

 

 

[503]

Ok then the answer is here,this is the best place in the world to be doing anything at all including flying but I'm not telling,it's ours and I'm keeping it that way,what you don't know won't hurt ya

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

G.day TomTassy is probably the least favourite place to fly trikes in australia but its where we live so if you are keen enough you will make it happen(safely)as many have!

There isn't any instructors in tassy so you will have to venture to the mainland for a licence and any training etc required.

 

If you are ever up in the northern part of our huge :) state and want to have a close up look at a trike let me know and we mite be able to arrange something.

 

Gary

Thanks for your reply, I thought this. Also, Tassie would be limiting as to where you could fly as it has a lot of of what I believe is called "tiger country". If I ever did want to fly trikes and didn't want to move interstate, I probably take a month-long holiday to the mainland and do a full-time course so I could bring a trike back to Tassie :-)

 

Unfortunately, Hobart area has even worse weather than other parts of the state so that's also a bummer.

 

Tom

 

 

[Mark11]

Tom,

 

I'm moving to Tassie as soon as my girls finish high school (6years)

 

I'll be flying in the Huon valley (surges bay)

 

I'll expect you to have your licence by then!

 

See you in the skies

 

Mark

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

Tom,I'm moving to Tassie as soon as my girls finish high school (6years)

I'll be flying in the Huon valley (surges bay)

 

I'll expect you to have your licence by then!

 

See you in the skies

 

Mark

Awesome, I'll probably hear you buzzing around :-)

 

I hope I'll have my license by then! I think money, as well as weather and finding time, will be the main issues :-(

 

Tom

 

 

[Mark11]

You'll get it if you start--- I've been plodding along for over a year now.

 

Time, money and weather are some of the issues, but the real reason I want to take my time is because

 

I'd rather be thorough and make sure I really understand everything as well as developing skill to a high level before setting off on my own!

 

There will be many years to enjoy flying.... Strangely enough, I like the theory and all the other knowledge associated with it

 

Good luck and hope you do get into it.... I waited too long!

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[CrayonBox]

Hervey Bay isn't the best place to fly if we consider the current flooding and rain events, plus the wind during summer.

 

But if you want to talk about the scenery and places to fly to, then it's awesome... Turquoise blue waters, Fraser Island sand-blows, beaches and lakes - just fantastic. Day trips to Rainbow Beach and other nearby airfields are also ideas for the adventurous

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

You'll get it if you start--- I've been plodding along for over a year now.Time, money and weather are some of the issues, but the real reason I want to take my time is because

I'd rather be thorough and make sure I really understand everything as well as developing skill to a high level before setting off on my own!

 

There will be many years to enjoy flying.... Strangely enough, I like the theory and all the other knowledge associated with it

 

Good luck and hope you do get into it.... I waited too long!

 

Regards

 

Mark

I'll be 14 and 9 months around mid-year so hopefully I'll be quick to get a job to fund the lessons.

 

I've been looking around at different flying vehicles and I've decided that something that would be great for Tassie would be a seaplane or specifically, an Amphibious trike. I like the look of the Krucker Cygnet and think it would give you more things to see, as well as more flying time in Tasmania. Of course, you also have the advantage of being able to land on water in the event of an engine-out.

 

If I was rich, I'd probably get an Icon A5 or similar but I think the trikes are so versatile and are probably more fun, at a cheaper price.

 

Tom :-)

 

 

[Mark11]

Tom,

 

You think very similar to me!

 

I also looked at the cygnet - but being American design, I'm not sure it's Australian compliant

 

A5 - yep it looks great - I too will be waiting for a second hand one

 

I like the seamax and also the good old searey. Searey is still the best because you can fly with the canopy open!

 

I also wanted to put floats on my trike.... But my instructor says they all sink!

 

Mark

 

 

[skeptic36]

I also wanted to put floats on my trike.... But my instructor says they all sink!

Mark

Sometimes what the instructor tells you may have been influenced by his/her need to make a dollar i.e if your instructor doesn't do float endorsements he is unlikely to advise you that it is the way to go, therefore potentially sending your future business elsewhere.

Regards Bill

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

I'd be interested to hear which state people think is the best for learning to fly trikes. By this I mean the most instructor's/schools, the most trike-friendly weather, the safest terrain etc.

 

I'm curious because if I want to get a WSC certificate (?) I'd most likely have to travel interstate and I'd like to go somewhere with the above qualities.

 

Tom

 

 

[skeptic36]

I'd be interested to hear which state people think is the best for learning to fly trikes. By this I mean the most instructor's/schools, the most trike-friendly weather, the safest terrain etc.I'm curious because if I want to get a WSC certificate (?) I'd most likely have to travel interstate and I'd like to go somewhere with the above qualities.

 

Tom

Porepunkah in Victorias north east would have to be up there for the most fly able days, the strip is sheltered by Mt Buffalo

Let the instructor worry about the terrain, it is good to gain experience while under the instructors influence.

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

Porepunkah in Victorias north east would have to be up there for the most fly able days, the strip is sheltered by Mt BuffaloLet the instructor worry about the terrain, it is good to gain experience while under the instructors influence.

Regards Bill

So would the local school be the 'Eagle School of Microlighting'?

 

One thing I'm confused about is which license each school trains you for. Some offer RAA, some HGFA. I know people prefer RAA but does the HGFA let you fly Amphibious trikes?

 

Tom

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

I'd be interested to hear which state people think is the best for learning to fly trikes. By this I mean the most instructor's/schools, the most trike-friendly weather, the safest terrain etc.

If you are considering doing an intensive course the answer depends on the time of year (& don't forget that flying in different conditions is an important part of your training). The local terrain shouldn't really be a factor in your decision (no instructor worthy of the profession would take unnecessary risks). Its much more important that your decision is based on assessing whether the quality & style of instruction at various schools is what suits you.

 

One thing I'm confused about is which license each school trains you for. Some offer RAA, some HGFA. I know people prefer RAA but does the HGFA let you fly Amphibious trikes?

Trikes are unique in that they can be administered by one of two aviation organisations in Australia. The syllabus and standard (at least theoretically) is the same for each so it shouldn't matter under which regime you learn at if the school suits you.

 

An RAAus issued pilot certificate can have endorsements for either Waterborne Hull or Waterborne Floats - I don't know if HGFA have got around to adding these to their Operations Manual yet

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

Woops! Accidental post, sorry :-)

 

Tom

 

 

[skeptic36]

So would the local school be the 'Eagle School of Microlighting'?

No the Eagle School CFI passed away recently, they where HGFA. Greg Withers is the CFI of Bright Microflights, he is RAA

 

 

[Tomwantstobeapilot]

No the Eagle School CFI passed away recently, they where HGFA. Greg Withers is the CFI of Bright Microflights, he is RAA

That's very sad! I'm glad you told me though because I didn't notice anything on their website.

 

The Bright Microlights website doesn't have heaps of info but mentions full-time courses so they sound fine.

 

Tom

 

 

[ozzietriker]

After 15 years of Air Force life, 7 postings and living in every capital city in each state. I would say that in my experience, Western Australia has by far the most beautiful landscapes I have ever witnessed from the air whether if it's on the coast or inland, my favourite places in particular are Exmouth (NW Cape), Shark Bay and Bunbury, love the sunset flights here also along the beach. One down side is WA is almost unflyable in a weightshift during the summer months as it's too brutally windy, but if you have a gyrocopter then you're set!

 

By the way i'm not from WA gents so no bias there ;)

 

 

[alf jessup]

Tom,

 

Eagle school is back up and running with Lisa the wife of the CFI who passed away the new CFI.

 

Lisa is a very accomplished microlight instructor and has quite a few thousand hours of instructing under her belt.

 

As Bill has said Porepunkah is flyable most times of the year within the sheltered surrounds of the high country, and to boot it is a magnificent place to fly and learn.

 

Cheers

 

Alf

 

 

[dazza 38]

After 15 years of Air Force life, 7 postings and living in every capital city in each state. I would say that in my experience, Western Australia has by far the most beautiful landscapes I have ever witnessed from the air whether if it's on the coast or inland, my favourite places in particular are Exmouth (NW Cape), Shark Bay and Bunbury, love the sunset flights here also along the beach. One down side is WA is almost unflyable in a weightshift during the summer months as it's too brutally windy, but if you have a gyrocopter then you're set!By the way i'm not from WA gents so no bias there ;)

Jeez seven postings in 15 years is a lot. I was a airframe fitter/aircraft tech that had only one posting after training for nearly nine years. Gotta love the idea of techo's getting posted to a weapons system. I was lucky that I was a techo on F111's and they were only based at Amberley. Bad luck for the trash haul techos on Hercs. They were stuck in Richmond.

PS- Im sure that some peeps liked being posted at Richmond.Just never talked to anybody that did.

 

 

[ozzietriker]

Jeez seven postings in 15 years is a lot. I was a airframe fitter/aircraft tech that had only one posting after training for nearly nine years. Gotta love the idea of techo's getting posted to a weapons system. I was lucky that I was a techo on F111's and they were only based at Amberley. Bad luck for the trash haul techos on Hercs. They were stuck in Richmond.PS- Im sure that some peeps liked being posted at Richmond.Just never talked to anybody that did.

Gday Dazza, yeah that airforce is long gone and AMB was once a great place for location stability. On the other hand i've taken the opportunity to move around along with my trike. Gone is the old weapon streaming system for techos and many old platforms like the F111, B707, Caribou etc.. where techos could once stay there almost forever. Gone is the need to take a 2 year non WS posting like GSI/MSI to go to another WS and there's more flexibility in the posting system for techos to move between different aircraft platforms. Nowadays you can expect a posting to last 3-4 years within a squadron even in Richmond where it was a Hotel California ;)

 

 

[ozzietriker]

Living on the northwest coast of Tasmania working a five day week with the odd R.D.O thrown in last year I managed to get around 18 hrs flying time in my trike.Previous years I have flown 30-40hrs but this year hasn't offered many opportunities.I am still as keen as ever although you wouldn't think it.We do cop a lot more fronts coming through than the mainland,strong seabreezes in summer that persist late into the day.Having mountainous terrain not far behind the coast gives us the katabatic winds(southerly) that we are being plagued with at the moment.I think the rats are getting more use out of my trike at the moment!I would be interested to hear from some of you fellow trikers where you are flying from and what hours you are able to fly annually?

WA has some awesome landscapes to enjoy while flying, here's some examples: