A Sad Day

[hiperlight]

For my 70th birthday I was given, inter alia, a bottle of Penfolds RWT Barossa Valley 2003 Shiraz. I quietly drank it tonight (my wife doesn't drink red) and it is next best to mother's milk. Absolutely beautiful! And that part of my brain thatused to bebadly affected by red wine withered and diedyears ago. It must be those anti-oxidants!

 

Anyway, back to the unholy alliance between the AWAL, the RFACA and the SAAA. I wonder if the hierarchies of those respective organisations have considered the pecking order in the gilded cage if and when they achieve their collective goal. There has to be a first, second and third fiddle. Perhaps they will hold a penalty shootout or just a common old bunfight to decide.

 

I think the RAA is better off sitting on the sideline egging them on.

 

Bruce

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I feel sorry for the innocents on all sides that just want to get on with flying whatever they fly. hopefullyit will stayat board level and not become a problem for those on airfields..

 

Some of the things that have annoyed me all my aviating life is that we have to fight for our privliges. If we are not in battle with the pollies and CASA,there isbrawling amongst the fractions. And it has to stop. i don't care who is at fault. It still remains a fact that after all these years it is still a minority dictating to the rest. i have often wondered how much faster we would have progressed if not for things like this.

 

And how much more fullfilling and less disinchanted at having to pay to exert my right to fight for said privliges. I applaude our Boards continual hard work in trying to bring all under one roof , so to speak. But after all these years i belive that it is time to just work on ourselves and move on. We have a great sport made up of fine people, supporting a large growing industry that is in turn supported byeffectiveadministration, that has growing 'political' clout. Lets make the most of what we have, the sun only comes up for so many days in a persons life.

 

The certain near future of spiraling fuel prices may quieten down the loud and offensive. close ranks, let's move on. If we are doing it right we willcontinue with a good lifestylein the aviation future.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Ultralights]

think the RAA is better off sitting on the sideline egging them on.

 

My thought exactly,

 

Even though i have not read my copy of my magazine yet, i havent seen

 

the story first hand, but from what i can gather on here, i think its

 

best we stick to the tried and true that we have, and IS working, and

 

let the Ego's go it alone and go their own way to their inevitable end.

 

from a quick look at their site, it seams they want to replicate

 

the RAA, but instead of working with and around CASA, they want a pick

 

a fight with CASA.

 

and the question that comes to mind, what do their members want or think about it??

 

 

[pylon500]

Yes, sad times indeed.

 

I feel I should point out however, that in this scramble to be 'Boss of all you can', people are talking about the operational differences between GA and UltraLights (yes. I'm no fan of the Recreational tag).

 

No one remembers the other flying themes like the GFA and how it set itself up so many years ago.

 

When I first got involved with Ultralights, it was after being with the GFA for about ten years, and the ultralight club I joined was being run by a GFA CFI and an Instructor.

 

They used similar training systems and ideals to foster 'Safe, Fun flying' without trying to scare students with complex regulations, overbearing hierarchy (you WILL wear white shirts with epaulettes) and belittle those that only want to fly for fun instead of becoming airline pilots.

 

Unfortunately, as GA has allowed itself to be priced out of existence.

 

The fallout has come to join the <strike>MAFA</strike>, <strike>AUF</strike>, RA-Aus, and bring with it this need to start emulating GA all over again not realising it will cause the same problems.

 

When one looks back over the history of ultralights, this continual urge for higher weights has usually been driven by, (a) poor designer/manufacturers that couldn't build performance to a given weight, and (b) old school GA pilots that missed all the gimmicks that came with the top end GA they had just left.

 

I will admit that many years back I thought of using a model RC helicopter gyro system as a way of building a simple auto pilot in an ultralight, but this was more for fun (and a bit of a joke!) than actually trying to improve (?) the performance of an Ultralight! :ah_oh:

 

Now everyone wants Constant Speed Retractable Glass with Auto Pilot and EFIS, but can't understand why it costs over $150k to buy, and why someone else has to work on it for them?

 

What's the use of learning to FLY an Ultralight if you're going to let george do it for you!?

 

I say, lets stay Ultralights, be damned with what the media lable us, and fly for fun and challange. ;)

 

I don't need to be big and heavy to go fast.

 

I don't believe in traveling anywhere in an Ultralight 'to get there', it's the trip itself I want.

 

Arthur.

 

ps, Just goes to show the interest here, I stated writing this an hour ago, and there's been three more posts before I got to upload!!

 

I stand by my post! ;)

 

Arthur. pylon500

 

 

[Ed Herring]

Hi Ben

 

You have summarised in many fewer words that i, the core of how the majority of recreational pilots from all sectors feel about the situation. Thank you!

 

Best Regards

 

Ed

 

 

[Guest danda]

We are determined to achieve self-administration.

 

We are determined to provide administration services cheaper and better than CASA can. We are determined to achieve an excellent safety record.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

We look at the success of “sport aviationâ€Â, such as ultralights, gliders and others. We look at the success of the Experimental amateur built movement. We note the acceptable safety record and ask, “Why not general aviation?â€Â

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Both these statements were taken from the LFA web site and I don't quite understand the furore the way I read both John's and Paul’s article they would have achieved self-administration with the RAA as the RAA insisted that the two be separately staffed and separately funded. It would seem to me that although all recreational aviation comes under one umbrella they have in fact achieved

 

self-administration. It reminds me of a boxer climbing into the ring for his fight and knocking himself out.

 

I have read much of the rantings and i am forced to ask who will provide their coffin on their demise? in there jealous stubbornness it would appear they have rejected the very thing they claim they are committed to achieveing.

 

It is they who are driving the nails into the coffin of self-administration for our GA recreational aviation brothers. Oh such foolishness from grown men.

 

From my observations all the RAAust has to do is do what it does best protect its members and promote recreational aviation and the rest will follow.

 

Don

 

danda

 

 

[Wilfred]

Whether the LFA actually kicks off or not should not really have any great impact on RAA as long as we are allowed to continue as we have done.

 

The real risk is that LFA decides to take over RAA portfolio further down the track.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

In the meantime it would be nice to know what our executive plans to do about the issue.

 

There is a good argument to continue with all issues currently on the burner such as 750kg as this is needed to enable a good percentage of our aircraft especially the newer models to legally carry passengers and full fuel.

 

If MTOW limit was lost to RAA and went to LFA instead it would probably mean a good percentage of members would then find it advantageous to go along as well. Unfortunately our board does little to keep members informed as to the statistics regarding aircraft types and numbers on the register so it is difficult for members to have any idea what sort of impact this would have.

 

 

 

[Guest danda]

I was just reading in the Incidents & Accidents forum of a light aircraft having engine problems and having a successful forced landing on the road.

 

With all this uproar I was thinking that’s one area every aviator could work on, it simply requires education, education, and more education, I say this from experience as I have come unstuck already, however I don’t mean this to be a criticism because in my very short time flying I have met some very skilled Ultralight pilots that are only to willing to assist you wherever they can, I just think the less incidents the fewer problems our mates have and the better it looks to Government who after all make the final discissions.

 

Don

 

PS I like the idea of a MTOW of 750kg I may be able to find a 2 seater that takes three people (me my friend and my stomach) danda

 

 

[Guest Peter T]

From Peter T

 

Perhaps our presidents poor choice of words where he refers to "hyenas" (jun 06 page 5) had something to do with SAAA reaction.One assumes that the hyenas are also those who do not share in the grand vision of our organisation taking on 30 year old c150 rustbuckets which is the average two seat GA PPL mount, and seeing we have ultralights in the 544 kg that make the rump end of GA look sick can I.So I end up as a hyena I guess.

 

The REAL question we should ask is do we need ailing GA. Arguements are there to suggest THEY need us. You see it is really a them and us situation and since GA have NEVER supported US why should we support them without being prolix it is obvious that PPL GA are not going to fade from the earth.So why bother we are not a white knight benevelent association and personally I woulfd like to see the RAA/AUF working for ME not them its what I pay my dues for.

 

 

[Galpin]

Remember, there are other two seat aircraft that would fit into any proposed new category, low end GA "rust-buckets" not withstanding. Aircraft such as Europa, some RVs, to name two.

 

 

[Guest Peter T]

From Peter T

 

If you can afford a europa or an RV you dont need us

 

 

[PaulN]

Peter,

 

I sure hope tone doesn't include the many other high end($) ultralights already on <STRIKE>the</STRIKE> our register .

 

Paul PaulN

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Exactly, I don't think the "tone"of the previous post isentirely appropriate.

 

People need to realise that there is no such thing as a "GA" organisation that represents "GA" aircraft and "GA Pilots."

 

The SAAA deals almost primarily with home builders and recreational aviators; not the entire register.

 

There is actually nobody out there that supports the average joe blow GA pilot who buys a second hand 152 or 172.

 

There is no harm on having these pilots / owners on our register if it makes for a bigger and more successful organisation. In theory, RA-Aus and the SAAA can co-exist.

 

As for GA not wanting RA-Aus; this isn't entirely correct. There are HUNDREDS of pilots out there that would love to operate their traditional aircraft under the RA-Aus regime, particularly because of the medical situation. That being said though, I haven't seen anything to suggest that they would become "ultralight" registered as such, but rather "administered" by RA-Aus.

 

 

[Ed Herring]

Hi Peter

 

I am of the opinion that we all need to be very careful not to fall in to the trap that a few would like us to.

 

Let us not throw stones at each other, but work together for the future of recreational flying.

 

To paint a word picture for you, i have a very good old friend who is a recreational aviator yet has never been in an "Ultralight". It is not because hehas neverwanted to it is simply due to his size! He is not wealthy but he still flys his old Cessnathat he has owned for nearly 40 years, and he considers that he is very much a recreational pilot...!He would be very happy to be in a category administered by a body with the "runs on the board" such as RA-Aus.

 

Iam of the opinion thatwe should focus more on ourselves as pilots in this debate. Together we are recreational pilots from all walks of life and we fly all sorts of aircraft in a great range of categorys.

 

Have you ever noticed how a pilot will always check out any aircraft no matter what type, just because it's there? I am sure you do the same! Sometimes it is in admiration...sometimes we are thinking ( not for me ) but we always have respect for the pilot...! A 747 Captain still considers a Tyro Pilot a Pilot for example....! ( it's ok "Tappy" )

 

In previous posts i have pleaded for all the Aviation Groups to work together for our future... and i am still pleading for common sense to prevail...funny about that!

 

Regards

 

Ed

 

Ed Herring