Tell us about your last flight

[Sam the Swiss]

Tell us more, Sam. Does the dust float on the water surface?

Dust blown off the Sahara is known to add nutrients to ecosystems from the Atlantic Ocean to Central Asia.

It seems to float, looking at the pattern. In the right corner you see a replica of the lake shore line, just as it happens from waves beating the sand back into deeper water. And the fuzzy stuff looks like wind crossed with current.

In the mornings of the last few days before this flight our cars were covered with yellow dust. Conifer pollen season is almost over, but the meteorologists in the news said that it is dust from the Sahara. It happens rarely, but repeatedly in our region, more so in Italy or Spain. Looking down from the plain and having seen this I just have no other explanation for it. And yes, it is an important source of some scarce minerals. Nature has fantastic ways.

[spenaroo]

Went up on Saturday, had a call from the instructor an hour before to warn of conditions

bumpy as anything, plenty of wind. didn't have the nose pointed straight for any part of the circuit, crosswind was about 45* off the direction traveled.

first time back in the air for 2 months and learning departure and joining procedures. controls felt sloppy and had no resistance - and the turbulence meant trying to remember the proper calls while flying the Jabiru had me feeling task saturated. Good to have the instructor there to save my ass, he grabbed the controls momentarily a few times in the flight, once during Base when it dropped a lot of speed very quickly.

 

I lasted 45 minutes in the air before I called it quits.... and loved every second of it, even if it took me all night to get rid of the migraine afterwards

[ClintonB]

I had a short jaunt on Sunday, wind was strong here too. It does test you out, I did this one alone and felt better after the instruction a few weeks earlier.

[andy310r]

I did a short ~1hr IFR flight on Saturday, to persuade the better half that life is smoother at 10,000'.

She doesn't like flying with me much usually cos we're low and getting bumped about.

Pretty amazing how much haze was below the cloud layer... wasn't obvious from the ground until you saw how clear it was above.

 

[andy310r]

...and I couldn't resist the opportunity to do this... touch-and-go at YBBN

 

[Thruster88]

For awhile now I have had a dream of owning an RV, that became reality today. A check flight followed by a solo on a perfect day for flying. Everything I have read and heard about RV's is true, simply awesome. RV6-A 180CS.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Congratualtions, squire... Will you change your handle? ;-)

 

Looks really nice... You'll have to keep us updated on your adventures!

[Flightrite]

Noice. Read everything you can about the training wheel version of the Vans, a new owner needs to be well informed? Best bang for buck the RV's are?

[Thruster88]

Congratualtions, squire... Will you change your handle? ;-)

 

No the Thruster is my first love, l still very much enjoy flying it and will never part with it. The mighty Musketeer is staying as well. My wife is very supportive of my aviation addiction.

[Downunder]

Yesterday, 16/06/20. Pilbara, Western Australia from 9500...

Edited June 17, 2020 by Downunder

[Flightrite]

WA has some stunning geography, the best state scenic wise!?

If you want to see some of the most fractured stunning coastline then fly the Boneparte Archipelago, did that in the 80's, low level, never forget it?

[Sam the Swiss]

On my flight on Friday I asked ATC for a transit over Switzerland's biggest airport, Zürich (275'000 aircraft movements). Normally very dependent on the time of the day and often denied, ATC this time gave the permission right away and added: "you can make a low pass over runway 28, if you like." The situation makes things possible which are otherwise unthinkable (and otherwise normal things impossible). But I couldn't pass on this chance. The picture is not a beauty, but at this moment my license would have been in danger under normal cicumstances .

[Downunder]

A town and strip in Western Australia's northern "wheat belt".

[onetrack]

That's Ballidu, I'd know it anywhere! A typical centre of no excitement in the W.A. Wheatbelt! It's a bit sad the way all these little country towns have died off in the last 40 years.

I own an industrial property in Calingiri, a typical little W.A. Wheatbelt town. It's only 130kms from Perth, yet it has only 200 people, no pub, and nothing ever happens there!

Yet it's the town the Shire of Victoria Plains is located in, they control over 2500 sq kms, with half a dozen towns - but the average town population today in VP Shire, is about 50 people!

[Old Koreelah]

One bit of excitement that isn't likely in Ballidu is a grassfire. Good to see such good hazard reduction.

[Downunder]

Not an aerial shot, but interesting all the same....taken 18/06/20.

[Downunder]

My travelling refuelling setup if anyone is interested.

 

1 x 20L fuel can (actually holds 24L)

1 x 10L fuel can (actually holds 11L)

Folding trolley from Bunnings

Folding Plastic step from ebay.

2 x 750mm bungy cords.

Mr Funnel

Soft cloth to put under fuel can on wing. Stops scratches and can sliding.

Mine is actually fuel/oil absorbant material. Works great as a mat.

Fuel nozzles for pouring manually.

Small battery powered (2 × D size) pump. $9.99 at supercheap...lol. Doesn't get the last 5 litres or so..

Notice the "foldback clip" cable tied on the pump hose to clip to the mr funnel.....Flash ay....

Small cloth to wipe off dirt etc......

Oh yes, almost forgot the stick, 1 x fuel dipping stick!

 

I prefer to use 95 or 98 (RON for our international visitors) ULP. However if I am suspect about the fuel, I "shandy" in 10% or 20% avgas if I can. Just as a bit of insurance. The last thing you want is fuel problems when remote, very remote!

 

To add a bit of perspective to some non Aussie's.

Day 1 I traveled 572 nm.

Day 2, 725nm.........

So 1297nm later, with no backtracking and tracking a fairly linear course, I'm still WELL within MY STATE............

Another 320 nm next week and I'll finally get to the border.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Downunder

[Student Pilot]

On my flight on Friday I asked ATC for a transit over Switzerland's biggest airport, Zürich (275'000 aircraft movements). Normally very dependent on the time of the day and often denied, ATC this time gave the permission right away and added: "you can make a low pass over runway 28, if you like." The situation makes things possible which are otherwise unthinkable (and otherwise normal things impossible). But I couldn't pass on this chance. The picture is not a beauty, but at this moment my license would have been in danger under normal cicumstances .[ATTACH type=full" alt="IMG_0974.jpeg]54066[/ATTACH]

Unbelievable for any Australian to see such interaction between ATC and lighties. In Oz it's stay away we don't want you here at any control zone.

[Sam the Swiss]

 

 

To add a bit of perspective to some non Aussie's.

Day 1 I traveled 572 nm.

Day 2, 725nm.........

So 1297nm later, with no backtracking and tracking a fairly linear course, I'm still WELL within MY STATE............

Another 320 nm next week and I'll finally get to the border.

 

 

That would bring me to Iceland, or Finnland, or Egypt, or even the Sahara starting from my home town...

[Flightrite]

collapsable fuel containers are the go!?

[Downunder]

collapsable fuel containers are the go!?

I find them good for transfering fuel but not for carrying fuel onboard..

[Flightrite]

I find them good for transfering fuel but not for carrying fuel onboard..

I was ref to them as storing M/T onboard, I would never carry fuel onboard in any container, other than in the obvious.

[Downunder]

A quick lunch.......19/06/20

 

[Thruster88]

Where is that, looks very beautiful.

[Flightrite]

YCLQ, Cape Leveque I'd say?