First Passenger

[ahlocks]

The legendary Wal signed me off with the Pax endo yesterday, so wasting no time I took my first victim (daughter) for a run around Wagga City and then off to the training area to the north.

 

Nice and early before the thermals and taxing out to 05. "You nervous?", I asked miss 18 y/o. "Nope, let's do it" she replied. Run ups done and lined up and while opening the 'taps'. "I'm nervous now!" she says.

 

A text book take off and climb out and away we went. a few little burbles from time to time but otherwise it was smooth and she was thoroughly enjoying the ride and the view.

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short. Don't take 'em up for too long because the seats are now out of the plane and airing after being washed and headset cases make poor spew bags.

 

Where do you get airsick bags from?

 

All in all, it's great to be able to share the experience with the family, but I think I've learned that the first flights have to be kept short!

 

Cheers,

 

Steven B.

 

 

[Mick]

G'Day Steven,

 

Congrats on the Pax endorsement.

 

We have had a similar experience in 24-4010. Makes you glad the upholstery comes out of the Sportstar so easy!!!!

 

In our case the new passenger spent too long looking through the viewfinder of a camera and video. Said young lady had only had a choc muffin and orange juice for breaky, made for a nice brown mess everywhere.

 

We now carry sick bags "borrowed" from Virgin, Qantas etc.

 

Cheers

 

Mick

 

 

[ahlocks]

G'day Mick and thanks.

 

Took 'she who must be obeyed' for her first flight late this afternoon. She thoroughly enjoyed it. I kept the flight short this time though!

 

It really is great sharing the experience. I can't emphasise it enough. It's like the magic of my first time flying all over again. They see stuff that I didn't/don't because I'm too busy flying the plane. Talking about the flight(s) afterwards is special in itself.

 

I'll have to get one of them to take some photos. Some bloke has made a large dam in the shape of a love heart to the north of town. Things you would never know unless you are a couple of thousand feet up...

 

You're right about the Sportstar seats. They came out quickly. A quick clean up and a bit of fabric freshener 'just in case' and problem is solved. We now have some zip lock bags (to put IN the headset case) if it ever happens again. Mind you, miss 18 y/o has been bragging about "chucking up" in the plane to her mates ever since. She's lined up for another go, but as she's out on the 'turps' tonight, I don't think it will happen this weekend.

 

Still haven't found a new home for 4010?

 

Spoilt b@stard.... two planes...

 

Cheers,

 

Steven B.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Nice one Steven and well done mate ;) I am waiting for a while before I take my little miss up. She's only 2.5 :confused:

 

Where do you get airsick bags from?

Work for the airlines mate I have a few at home if you want them PM me your address and I can send you some. Don't work at the airport any longer but I have Thai, Singapore, Malaysian, Virgin and Jetstar chuck bags

 

 

[Mick]

G'day Mick and thanks.

Still haven't found a new home for 4010?

 

Spoilt b@stard.... two planes...

 

Cheers,

 

Steven B.

Steven,

 

No have decided to keep 4010, she will go on line to earn her keep.;)

 

Two planes............. make that BROKE b*stard .

 

Good to hear the "Minister for Finance" enjoyed it.

 

I agree about the thrill of sharing flying. I still get a kick out of taking people up, be it first time or not.

 

Cheers

 

Mick

 

 

[blueshed]

Hi Steven

 

the local chicken shop have just the bags, preferably without the chicken in them, sure they would give you a few!

 

Are there many RAA aircraft at Wagga, learnt to fly @ Tumut and did my CPL at Western NSW Airlines, when Dick Henry owned it! Does this still exist?

 

Is there only one training organisation there?

 

Daren, they are never to young to take for a fly! I mean it's just another excuse to get airbourne! Have a little girl 3.5 and boy 10 months, they love it, and usually go to sleep!

 

Cheers Guy

 

 

[ahlocks]

Are there many RAA aircraft at Wagga, learnt to fly @ Tumut and did my CPL at Western NSW Airlines, when Dick Henry owned it! Does this still exist?

Is there only one training organisation there?

 

Cheers Guy

G'day Guy,

 

I think a lot of Wagga people travel to Holbrook, Narrandera, Tumut or Temora for training and flying. But there is a growing fleet of Jab's at Wagga airport.

 

Fred Bourke has a rapidly developing school and is churning out a few freshly minted aviators. Fred had sold his existing Jab and was without an aircraft back in May when I enquired about training. Fred has been associated with the ultralight movement for some time and he is quite a character.

 

There is one other operation instructing with a Jab there, but I haven't had any contact with them.

 

As you probably know, Dick Henry passed away some time ago and I can't recall if Western NSW Airlines still existed at the time. The main GA and GA training operation now is Wagga Air Centre owned by Chris Cabot.

 

I enquired with Chris about learning to fly RAA and he refered me to Wally and Airwings. Wal would fly the Tecnam over and supervise one of his new instuctors deliver training to myself, my son and occasionally my father. The biggest problem was going to be what we were going to fly when we finished training as there is only a few privately owned Jabirus here. So we got the Sportstar (and a large second mortgage) to solve our problem. We were going to cross hire the Sportstar to Chris to develop RAA training, but had concerns about whether the aircraft would get knocked around too quickly or not be available when we wanted it, so we gave up on that idea.

 

In essence, there's not a lot of RAA activity in Wagga that I'm aware of, but the neighboring towns have a nicely developed community.

 

Cheers,

 

Steven B.

 

 

[flie43]

Passengers

 

Years ago with my fresh PPL under my belt I threw the family in for a trip from WGT to Hopetoun in the Mallee on a 40+ degree february day. Daughter was 2 weeks old at the time and how she slept in the bumpy ride from hell I dont know.

 

Have had a few interesting chuckers since then- a mate threw up in his boot so as not to mess up the plane, another lass through up inside her shirt top and the best was a guy that opened the window to chuck and it ended up on the front dash and everywhere else.

 

The trick is if they go quite you know they are struggling. This is always on hot summer days isn't it. Oh for winter flying and tail winds

 

Flie

 

 

[Guest David C]

Sick Sacks ......Isn't that what the door pockets are for in the Jabiru !!

 

Dave C

 

 

[Matt]

Lucky

 

Must admit to being lucky in this area, in over 500 hours of flying I've never had a passenger (new or frequent) get airsick...I'd like to claim this is due to my piloting skills ;) but it's probably down to luck more than anything.

 

 

[ahlocks]

Hi Mat,

 

I reckon it was a combination of a her being a little bit nervous, thermal activity starting for the day and I'm obviously not the smoothest flyer yet.

 

We were only at 2500 feet so I probably should have climbed a bit higher to get above the burbles. Looking on the bright side, once the deed was done she was all bright eyed and bushy tailed again - apart from not enjoying the pong!

 

Flie,

 

I trained through winter so summer fying is all new to me. How high to you have to go to get clear of the thermal bumps on a hot summer afternoon?

 

Cheers,

 

Steven B.

 

 

[flie43]

Thermals

 

Gidday Steven,

 

generally they are getting weaker by about 5000, but can certainly still be bumpy alot higher depending on the day. Have spent hours and days over the major fires spotting and air attack with CFA and DSE, that can be like being in a washing machine and to their credit , I have not had one of their crew sick as yet even with their head down in a lap top or in maps. Gutsy

 

 

[ahlocks]

I spent a week down Wangaratta during the fires last December. My crew were doing night work so I didn't see any aerial ops. Dunno how the hell they could fly with all the smoke haze. Not to mention the cumulogranite in the area!

 

I've actually got a whole load of new respect for those crazy buggas! I had never really had an idea of the turbulance they have to contend with and still deliver on target and safely.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

You will find that the air will smooth out as soon as you get level of those scattered cu's.

 

As you mentioned Wang, i had the hottest day i have ever experienced there. It was during the skydive nationals over the 89/90 Xmas period. the temp made it to 46.5 c at the airport. by 10am (41 deg) three c185's only made it into the next paddock, even the Twin Otter had it's usual great performance knocked down a peg or 3, until we made it to cooler air. first time i ever saw engine power limited by T5 temp and not torque. By 1130 everyone was checking out which shop in wang had the best aircon. fires all around albury that year.

 

over time i've seen a few jumpers who had to wash the side of the aircraft or who had the good grace to leave before opening their mouths and one who just unzipped their jumpsuit and just zipped it back up.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest mudjeep]

I've only had one passenger so far. We did a XC from Beverley to Bunbury and back. He wasn't sick but he did fall asleep as we flew up the coast on the return journey. Must be my ultra-smooth flying. :clown:

 

 

[Mazda]

I've never had a sick passengers but worked for a company giving adventure flights and had to deal with plenty of sick passengers there!

 

The best sick bags by far are ... foil lined BBQ chicken bags. The ones we used had "Hot tasty chicken" written on them. Mmmm.