Greetings from Hervey Bay

[snarf007]

Newly minted recreational pilot here.

 

My journey started roughly 18 months ago when I decided to bite the bullet and full-fill a lifelong dream and earn my PPL, but the local GA school has just closed their satellite campus here in Hervey Bay. I contacted the local aero club and they put me onto Russell Middleton of Pro-Sky Maryborough.

 

Having never heard of RAA I was a little sceptical. Russell convinced that starting with an RAA pilot certificate was the way to go and cheaper than GA. There was also no other flying schools in the region. In retrospect ending up with Russell was the best thing that could have happened and I would not be this far in my flying career as a recreational pilot if it was not for Russell. Having a young family and working 50-60hrs a week does not leave a lot of time for flying. Russell was willing to meet me at 6am before work and on weekends, no way a GA school would have worked around my schedule like that (probably would still be flying circuits). Every-time I flew with Russell I learned something new and my first solo was such a non-event. What I thought was Russell making control inputs during my landings was actually just the way the plane feels. I have just completed my cross country endorsement with Russell and it was one of the most fun challenging things that I have ever done.

 

Now I am looking for my next flying challenge........... Tail wheel, floating hull, VP/CS prop, low level, build/buy a plane? I definitely caught the flying bug.

 

Frans

 

 

[Marty_d]

Welcome Frans, sounds like you're doing great!

 

I lived in Hervey Bay for a while when I was a kid. Does that long pier still exist?

 

 

[snarf007]

Welcome Frans, sounds like you're doing great!I lived in Hervey Bay for a while when I was a kid. Does that long pier still exist?

The Urangan pier is still there. Little shorter than what it was in the early 1900s, but still close to 900m long

 

 

[planedriver]

Welcome to the forums Frans. Sounds like you're doing just fine. I had some contact with a Kiwi guy who flew a trike out of Harvey Bay some while back, but haven't heard anything from him for quite a long time. I wonder whether the strip he used has closed because of more commercial flights or maybe he's gone back home. I remember seeing him fly around Frazer Island while I was up there on holiday, and yearned to be up there with him.

 

 

[farri]

Frans! All the best.

[FlyingVizsla]

Welcome Frans! Plenty of action around the Childers airstrip, if you would like to fly in. Meetings 1st Saturday of the month 11am with flying before hand - sometimes a social flight for breakfast or just a scenic. They have a fly-in breakfast about once every 3 months. Usually someone around on week ends, during the week too, Wed morning is a fly-in for smoko at the club hangar. 18/19 March is a fly-in, if you're interested. BJFly has posted info on that somewhere on here.

 

See you 'round.

 

Sue

 

 

[Nightmare]

Hi and welcome Frans!

 

I'm hoping to fly up to Hervey Bay some day soon. I just gained my XC myself.

 

Cheers, Tony.

 

 

[MartyG]

Welcome aboard Fran's, cheers

 

 

[stickshaker]

Welcome. Another HB local here who did training with Russell :)

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Childers Club has changed the meeting date to 11 Feb at 9am with social flying beforehand - if anyone would like to attend. Meeting on 4th Feb 2017 has been cancelled, but there's usually people around.

 

 

[snarf007]

Welcome to the forums Frans. Sounds like you're doing just fine. I had some contact with a Kiwi guy who flew a trike out of Harvey Bay some while back, but haven't heard anything from him for quite a long time. I wonder whether the strip he used has closed because of more commercial flights or maybe he's gone back home. I remember seeing him fly around Frazer Island while I was up there on holiday, and yearned to be up there with him.

Hi Planedriver

 

I live directly under the downwind for runway 11 there is at least one trike that does circuits late afternoon or early mornings.....might be the same guy ;)

 

 

[snarf007]

Welcome Frans! Plenty of action around the Childers airstrip, if you would like to fly in. Meetings 1st Saturday of the month 11am with flying before hand - sometimes a social flight for breakfast or just a scenic. They have a fly-in breakfast about once every 3 months. Usually someone around on week ends, during the week too, Wed morning is a fly-in for smoko at the club hangar. 18/19 March is a fly-in, if you're interested. BJFly has posted info on that somewhere on here.See you 'round.

Sue

 

Childers Club has changed the meeting date to 11 Feb at 9am with social flying beforehand - if anyone would like to attend. Meeting on 4th Feb 2017 has been cancelled, but there's usually people around.

Thank you FlyingVizsla

 

Working this coming weekend, but now that it has changed to the 11th I might just drop in to see what the club looks like.

 

I had a look at BJFly's post and it looks like there are a lot of fun places to fly to in the Wide Bay area.

 

cheers

 

 

[snarf007]

Welcome. Another HB local here who did training with Russell :)

Hi Stickshaker

 

I saw your post about traveling down to South Australia and thought that this guy must have been one of Russell's students..... glad to hear my suspicions were correct.

 

Enjoy your holiday down south.

 

 

[daza]

Welcome to the forums Frans. Sounds like you're doing just fine. I had some contact with a Kiwi guy who flew a trike out of Harvey Bay some while back, but haven't heard anything from him for quite a long time. I wonder whether the strip he used has closed because of more commercial flights or maybe he's gone back home. I remember seeing him fly around Frazer Island while I was up there on holiday, and yearned to be up there with him.

That sounds like Crayonbox, he's hangered at YMYB now, but still active around Hervery Bay, Fraser etc.

 

 

[ave8rr]

Childers Club has changed the meeting date to 11 Feb at 9am with social flying beforehand - if anyone would like to attend. Meeting on 4th Feb 2017 has been cancelled, but there's usually people around.

Hi Sue, with change of date does that mean the quarterly breakfast is now on the 11th Feb? Normally first weekend Feb/May/Aug/Nov.

Cheers Mike

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Hi Sue, with change of date does that mean the quarterly breakfast is now on the 11th Feb? Normally first weekend Feb/May/Aug/Nov.Cheers Mike

Brett organises it, so I suspect it has been skipped in favour of the 18/19 March Bush Fly-In. Nothing organised for February. Suggest asking BJFly in case I missed the invite.

Feb 11 is a BYO breakfast (cooking facilities provided) from 7:30am, with meeting at 9am. Don't worry if you can't bring anything as we usually have lots to spare.