A visitor today

[Guest Fred Bear]

Today at The Oaks whilst I was lining up on RWY 36R with fellow forum member b1rd in Jabiru 3190 I hear a familiar voice over the radio calling inbound. It was Matt and Kaz in their New Zealand Aerospace CT4A. Matt and Kaz came up behind whilst I was on my way to fly overhead our place here. Matt tried desperately to slow his bird down to my Jab 100kts!!! It was one of those times I wish I had my camera. Awesome with ex-airforce colours still flying a safe distance beside us! Was hands off flying this afternoon North bound from The Oaks to St Marys. Not a bump in the sky and by that I mean none at all. If only all days were like this one. It made for interesting vision of Sydneys pollution though sitting there with an inversion layer effect. Landing back at The Oaks was eventful. Put it this way, I got three in for the price of one :confused: Here are some pics of Matt and Kaz's new toy. You made my afternoon mate. I look out the window at the softball fields and think "Gosh, this is fast" I look at your ASI Matt and the indicated 90kts explains it!!! It would want to do something good at 43/l hr. By the way, Dave wants some money for burning his grass with your straight through Continental exhaust! Further, when you guys took off this arvo back to YSCB Emma and I called her "Thunder Down Under". :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Matt]

You beat me to it! :)

 

You couldn't have ordered a better day for flying - no wind, no cloud, crystal blue sky. As Darren said, we had our first trip to The Oaks today with "Charlie". We headed from Canberra to Wollongong for lunch and to catch up with some guys from work then up to The Oaks to see the guys & girls (that'd be Emma & Jess :)).

 

Found this little Jabby just taking off so we followed him for a bit until the training area we were flying through got a bit too busy for all of us.

 

 

Boys and toys, the CT-4 is a little more substantial than the Sportstar...plenty of room for the two of us.

 

 

Rotate at 60kts, liftoff about 70kts, accelerate and climb out at 90kts. The trees around the field give a great sensation of speed.

 

 

 

 

Thanks again to all the friendly folks at The Oaks for another great day...we will be back!

 

PS. A bit of trivial info, flight time (airswitch) from The Oaks to Canberra was 0.6, 125KIAS at 6500' with a ground speed of around 135kts burning 40L/Hr (60LBs/Hr).

 

 

[Guest David C]

Thanks Matt and Darren for posting two great reports .. I have to say " green with envy " :yuk: is a term that springs to mind . Not only did I miss out again in meeting up with you all , but it was a fantastic flying day to boot . Never mind hey , theres always next time as the saying goes .

 

Matt .... Darren has already given me the low day on the days activities , he rang me last night , all excited and still not back down to Earth . I would have been the same . Hopefully we will meet soon , but in the meantime , fly safe and best wishes to Kaz too ..;)

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest Robbo]

Great machine there Matt.

 

I used to do some instructing in a Victa Airtourer years ago. Only had around 100hp hanging on the nose with a fixed pitch prop. Was a nice machine to fly but a bit lacking in power:(. It used to have a huge control stick in the middle between both crew with a "double handled" handle so either could use it.

 

You guys seem to be having too much fun out there at the Oaks:)

 

I havnt been into the Oaks for years. Is there parallel 36/18 runways there now. I seem to only remember a single 36/18 grass runway and a cross strip of some sort.

 

Robbo

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

You guys seem to be having too much fun out there at the Oaks:)

I havnt been into the Oaks for years. Is there parallel 36/18 runways there now. I seem to only remember a single 36/18 grass runway and a cross strip of some sort.

Parallel 36/18 yes and the x strip is still there only for emergencies. 36 L 18 R is closed at the moment to let the grass regenerate. Two dirty white x's on either end to notify pilots.