Tell us about your last flight

[SAJ]

8 hours ago, jackc said:

Anyone got a slow enough plane to come with me 🙂

I do Thruster T500, I'd be keen to do a trip like that

[Bennyboy320]

Operating out of Redcliffe yesterday as well as today taking cadets for air experience flights on a perfect Queensland day.☀️

[pmccarthy]

Flight over Pyramid Hill, Victoria, 26 September. The hill is just to the right of the quarry, it looks huge from the ground but nothing much from the air.

 

[kiwiaviator]

Due to lack of hanger space in Newman and the upcoming summer, I flew my J230 to Geraldton last week. Initial altitude was 4500 then a climb to 6500. Very smooth until descent to Geraldton. Overflew Murchison which has a runway longer than the town. The wildflower colours were awesome. 'Miss Meg' performed flawlessly and is safely tucked up in her new hanger.

[Flightrite]

Some great pix there Kiwi:-) The outback sure is a red planet in appearance:-)

[kgwilson]

I had my first flight in nearly 2 weeks today. The forecast was "Clear, winds westerly 20-30kmh". It was calm when I got there at 9:45am EDT which is like 8:45 EST. Had a few jobs to do around the aerodrome so I got the plane fuelled up & got airborne at around 10:40am & headed West. I was a bit surprised at the headwind as once I got to about 2000 and levelled off I was only getting around 85 knots ground speed but it was a smooth as silk so hands off and check out the countryside. I turned South at the Jackadgery bridge on the Mann river & climbed to about 4000 & followed the Mann to the intersection of the Boyd river which is where the old Gen Innes Road winds up the range.

 

It was slightly lumpy but that is always expected when flying in mountainous terrain. Headed up the Boyd for while till the hills were higher than me & turned around & climbed to 5000. I headed towards Nymboida & throttled back to about 2600 & 90 knots ASI. My GPS was now showing 135 knots so I had a good 45 knots up my tail. But by now at 5000 it was like glass. Went back over South Grafton at 5500 still at around 130 knots & was at Yamba in no time mostly completely hands off. I descended to 2000 & went back home at about 105 knots ASI. Dead calm on landing.

 

Had lunch and was walking back to the hangar and the westerly hit. 25 to 30 knots on the ground blowing leaves & dust everywhere & the temperature had risen to 36 deg from mid 20s earlier. Blew like crazy till I drove home.

 

Fantastic flight & today I got the timing dead right.

[facthunter]

When those changes come in you don't want to be  on final approach. Nev

[F10]

Last trip was from Yarram-Leongatha-Yarram, not far, but I’m sure you know haw long the drill is, getting the bird out the hangar, re fuelling, pre flight, daily coffee, catchup with mates…plus the Gazelle is known by many…but will never be known for it’s cruise speed! However, it was a lovely day, Southern Gippsland is a lovely area, and coastline. We have had good rain, so the countryside is a bright emerald green, like flying over Ireland. Smooth air generally. Gosh but wind farms are butt ugly….sorry but they are. Look like some horrible alien invasion fleet planted on the landscape. 
Leangatha is interesting, lots of hangars going up and re-surfacing of the main apron. Crop sprayer training quite busy. Nice big grass parking ares

a. Rain has made the ground quite soft however. Saw a very nice retro looking Pietenpol in Ray’s hangar and a sad sight. One of my favourite aircraft, a C177 Cardinal, looking sorry for itself long grass growing under it, in the parking area. You gotta wonder the circumstances that lead to such a nice machine standing idle. After lunch, I went out to get going and I decided to pull her forward out of these small trenches the tyres had sunk into due soft ground. Otherwise full power to taxi….or full power….no taxi….followed by red face! Flight back was fun and scenic. Shot two circuits at Yarram, so there were my 90 days three landings ticked! Then put her to bed, followed by another coffee and catch up with mates! Drove home with that nice satisfied feeling, the itch well and truly scratched for the next three days anyway!

 

[Flightrite]

Gippy is a nice area to drive around in a plane. Used to enjoy flying along the 90 mile beach, start past LKE then do a U turn at MCO, all at 501’😉

Edited October 8, 2021 by Flightrite

[F10]

Would be a great area to fly a Searay or similar amphib’. 

[Thruster88]

Beautiful day for for guilt free flying now that lock down has ended. First the RV which seemed almost scary fast, having not flown it for a while. Then the Musketeer, more like a favourite pair of shoes, very comfortable. The crops look amazing except the flooded bits but we will take that. Will finish the day with a thruster flight. 

[Thruster88]

A perfect calm end of day flight in the thruster, its turn radius at 30° angle of bank always makes me smile. Hope you all are not sick of seeing thruster pics.

 

[RFguy]

wheat is looking good stuart.

[F10]

Did another “before the weather comes in” trip. Short but fun, the “hundred dollar burger” but in this case, a snag at Latrobe Valley Aero Club. Smooth trip Yarram to LTV, taxied in and parked the Gazelle. Open hangar on east side of apron had a P51D Mustang in it! They pulled it out, parked next to the Gazelle, illustrious company! Started her up, it’s been a while since I’ve heard a two stage supercharged 27 litre V12! I offered to swop….but for some reason they weren’t interested! Flight back was good, but westerly had come up a bit, so about 7 miles north of Yarram, it got a bit lumpy in the lee of the high ground, a few good kicks, slowed right down all the way from 75 to 70 Kts 🤓 so not too bad in the end. The Gazelle actually seems to handle turb a bit better than a Jab 160 I was in once..I think the Gazelle airframe flexes a bit more! Kind of a springy ride…So once more a great day spent having the most fun you can with your clothes on!

[spacesailor]

I think your Gazelle is more suitable to us normal people, than a high tech expensive warbird.

And l like ' blue & gold '. 

spacesailor

[F10]

8 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

I think your Gazelle is more suitable to us normal people, than a high tech expensive warbird.

And l like ' blue & gold '. 

spacesailor

Cheers dude! Personally I love the “Boxing Roo” decals I put on the tail fin!

[onetrack]

F10 - How many minutes of fuel for a Merlin do you reckon you could afford? It's great when the Gubbmint is paying the fuel bill! - but no so great, when it's coming out of your pocket!

[F10]

Yeah! ”Gubbmint”, like that! Reminds me of a T shirt I saw at the Joberg Light Plane Club, it said “He who dies with the most toys wins”! 

Edited October 10, 2021 by F10
Typo

[BrendAn]

On 09/10/2021 at 6:41 PM, Thruster88 said:

A perfect calm end of day flight in the thruster, its turn radius at 30° angle of bank always makes me smile. Hope you all are not sick of seeing thruster pics.

 

The more the better

[F10]

4 hours ago, BrendAn said:

Hope you all are not sick of seeing thruster pics. The more the better

No…but use some other ones!😸 Here are some pics some may find interesting. The classic little Austin Healy “Frogeye” Sprite Mk1 and the Harvard. This Harvard was interesting because as they were approaching retirement, the techs built this aircraft up out of the stock of spares, of which Logistics Command had a lot. Spare mainplanes, centre section, etc, so essentially this was like a brand new Harvard. It was Painted up in a non standard racy colour scheme by the techos. It now flies with the SAAF Museum historic flight. It’s called “Inkwazi”, the African name for an African Fish Eagle, the raptor that the SAAF eagle symbol, or badge, depicts. Pics taken by the base photographer, Patrick Vermaak, who also often took photos for a motoring magazine.

[facthunter]

I thought they were called a Bugeye Sprite. Got AH on the hubcaps and a little Austin motor. 833 cc. Some fitted  the Ford Kent block motors

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, F10 said:

No…but use some other ones!😸 Here are some pics some may find interesting. The classic little Austin Healy “Frogeye” Sprite Mk1 and the Harvard. This Harvard was interesting because as they were approaching retirement, the techs built this aircraft up out of the stock of spares, of which Logistics Command had a lot. Spare mainplanes, centre section, etc, so essentially this was like a brand new Harvard. It was Painted up in a non standard racy colour scheme by the techos. It now flies with the SAAF Museum historic flight. It’s called “Inkwazi”, the African name for an African Fish Eagle, the raptor that the SAAF eagle symbol, or badge, depicts. Pics taken by the base photographer, Patrick Vermaak, who also often took photos for a motoring magazine.

Great photos 

[waraton]

Flight this afternoon needed the straps tight due to some enthusiastic thermals. Lake Popiltah (dry) far west NSW.

[waraton]

Overflying Packsaddle Roadhouse (far west NSW) this morning...it's still as dry as a you know what. 

[NT5224]

On 20/09/2021 at 5:42 AM, Bennyboy320 said:

Operating out of Redcliffe yesterday as well as today taking cadets for air experience flights on a perfect Queensland day.☀️

Sorry dumb question -but what is that aircraft?