Flyin Competitions/Games

[Blacksheep]

Hi Guys,

 

Is there any flyins that have competitions anymore like flour bombing or spot landing or even drag racing. Ive been watching a guy named Trent Palmer on youtube and he has all kinds of fun in his kitfox. Check out the high sierra flyin to see what I mean.

 

Am I the only one who wants some of that action in Aus? Is there anywhere we can do this or similar bush flying in Aus?

 

This type of stuff.

Cheers

 

 

[M61A1]

I haven't seen anyone here having that sort of fun for some years now. One thing I did notice in that video was how young they were compared to what you see at your average fly-in here.

 

I'd love to see it happen here, but I can't see the fun police allowing that sort stuff. Obviously way to much fun for ordinary folk to be having.

 

 

[Blacksheep]

Yeah I noticed that too. Im sure if we had some more of that then we would see alot more younger and older people join in the fun and even if they didnt we would be enjoying it!

 

I guess it woukd need to take place on a private airstrip and be organised by the owner

 

 

[RossK]

I think you have to avoid "organising" it. I understand if you organise a fly-in you have to comply with CASA's regs.

 

So if you just happened to meet up somewhere on public land that you're allowed to land on and had some fun, well then....

 

I think it needs to be public land to avoid liability for the land owner etc.

 

 

[Blacksheep]

I think you have to avoid "organising" it. I understand if you organise a fly-in you have to comply with CASA's regs.So if you just happened to meet up somewhere on public land that you're allowed to land on and had some fun, well then....

I think it needs to be public land to avoid liability for the land owner etc.

Is there public land we can just land on?

 

 

[Blacksheep]

Never mind I just read CAAP 92-1 seems its ok to land on public land although if following the recommendations we would be limited to 2% slope and clearways etc yada yada yada so none cool back country type stuff like they do in USA .

 

 

[Jaba-who]

It can be on private land. Yes there may be issues with public liability but generally as long as the strip and the facilities ( win socks, approaches etc) are Ok and comply with the CAAPs.

 

But the problem is not when it’s a fly in. The problem is when there is enough happening that CASA deem it to be an air show. Then it’s got to have huge amounts of Organization. Almost to the point that it’s not worth the effort. That’s been the issue at the Old Station Fly In in the past. They actually stopped them for a few years because of the demands from CASA.

 

Our aero club has spot landing comps, right hand seat circuit comps and an air race each year. They’ve never been stifled by the rules ( so far).

 

 

[skippydiesel]

I must be getting old the worn out phrase "I remember when" automatically entered, what passes for my mind. I learnt to fly in central NSW we had many fun weekends on farmers strips with activities like , the aforementioned flower bombing, most accurate landing (over virtual fence & into the box), toilet paper cutting. The local instructor(s) would come along as the impartial judges. There was always a BBQ ,prizes for all including the "wooden spoon" for those that "crashed & burnt". Great way of maintaining basic flying skills and camaraderie (neary a sigh of bureaucracy in any form).

 

 

[frank marriott]

I must be getting old the worn out phrase "I remember when" automatically entered, what passes for my mind. I learnt to fly in central NSW we had many fun weekends on farmers strips with activities like , the aforementioned flower bombing, most accurate landing (over virtual fence & into the box), toilet paper cutting. The local instructor(s) would come along as the impartial judges. There was always a BBQ ,prizes for all including the "wooden spoon" for those that "crashed & burnt". Great way of maintaining basic flying skills and camaraderie (neary a sigh of bureaucracy in any form).

An interesting result ref “current” V “total time” was the results achieved by students over PPLs in the forced & spot landing competitions. I must admit I haven’t seen or heard of this type of activity for many years.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

An interesting result ref “current” V “total time” was the results achieved by students over PPLs in the forced & spot landing competitions. I must admit I haven’t seen or heard of this type of activity for many years.

You need to keep an eye on the NQ aeroclub ( and Atherton Aero club ) websites. We have the spot landing comp in usually August or September at Atherton airport. Usually starts about 10 on the allotted Sunday followed by BBQ lunch and prize giving etc etc.

 

everyone is welcome.

 

Not too far to come up from Townsville.

 

 

[Keith Page]

Yeah I noticed that too. Im sure if we had some more of that then we would see alot more younger and older people join in the fun and even if they didnt we would be enjoying it!I guess it woukd need to take place on a private airstrip and be organised by the owner

You are correct there is no succession planning about the place, there are no young ones encouraged.

KP

 

 

[Jaba-who]

To play devils advocate:

 

We have done a lot of succession planning here in FNQ and done a lot of directed advertising toward new young people ( including our SAAA chapter has an aircraft build project in conjunction with the aerospace course at a local high school.

 

And now for the bad news.

 

We have had almost no long term recruiting as a response. We have a couple of younger guys but they came under their own volition having not seen the advertising stuff.

 

The rest of the membership remain the old guys and paradoxically our newest members are older than the average age of the rest of us.

 

I think it’s a sad but reality situation that aviation is no longer the dream to today’s youth with an otherwise huge list of alternative options.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

That is really interesting. Reading the EAA mag it seems that the Young Eagles and other initiatives in the USA still attract a lot of young people. I wonder why it is different?

 

 

[skippydiesel]

That is really interesting. Reading the EAA mag it seems that the Young Eagles and other initiatives in the USA still attract a lot of young people. I wonder why it is different?

It may just be a that they have many times our population, so a small number of interested youngster equates to many hundreds, the same percentage in AU is a dozen or so.

 

OR

 

It could also be be our Nanny State influencing our young away from perceived risky /difficult / expensive activities

 

 

[Jaba-who]

My own feeling ( having been to Oshkosh and other places in the back blocks of parts of the USA) is that aviation itself is very (I mean really really really) popular.

 

Every town has an airport or airfield. A lot of significant sized towns have multiple airports.

 

I guess part of this is due to population - 330 million people means if even the same % as here were pilots that is a huge number. And numbers count in everything - from having political clout to turning over the $ to make it viable. And when lots of people do it then lots of kids know someone who does it and are thus exposed to it and want to give it a go.

 

Then, without wanting to sound like a -Yank-o-phile, we have a completely different culture here. Undeniably, Aviation is considered an elite activity.

 

In the USA the aspirational outlook to do things and become elite is encouraged and seen as a positive thing. To be a pilot or an elite is admired and sought after.

 

Here the opposite is largely true. Tall poppies are cut off and aspirations of eliteness are seen as a bad thing.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

My own feeling ( having been to Oshkosh and other places in the back blocks of parts of the USA) is that aviation itself is very (I mean really really really) popular.Every town has an airport or airfield. A lot of significant sized towns have multiple airports.

I guess part of this is due to population - 330 million people means if even the same % as here were pilots that is a huge number. And numbers count in everything - from having political clout to turning over the $ to make it viable. And when lots of people do it then lots of kids know someone who does it and are thus exposed to it and want to give it a go.

 

Then, without wanting to sound like a -Yank-o-phile, we have a completely different culture here. Undeniably, Aviation is considered an elite activity.

 

In the USA the aspirational outlook to do things and become elite is encouraged and seen as a positive thing. To be a pilot or an elite is admired and sought after.

 

Here the opposite is largely true. Tall poppies are cut off and aspirations of eliteness are seen as a bad thing.

All true BUT what I dont understand is Au did have a popular GA sector back in the day, particularity with remote agriculture and we still halve the Flying Doctor (an Au icon). Somehow we have done a 180 in our popular view of av

 

 

[Jaba-who]

All true BUT what I dont understand is Au did have a popular GA sector back in the day, particularity with remote agriculture and we still halve the Flying Doctor (an Au icon). Somehow we have done a 180 in our popular view of av

Yep. Very true.

 

I guess it may be the population thing.

 

There’s a critical mass for most things in human endeavours. Above the critical mass it’s self sustaining, below it and it involutes.

 

The USA certainly has very large numbers in aviation.

 

 

[M61A1]

We need Drifter and X-Air pylon racing at the X-Games.

 

I'd have a go at that.

 

 

[Blacksheep]

We need Drifter and X-Air pylon racing at the X-Games.I'd have a go at that.

Bring it!

 

 

[M61A1]

[Cobalt]

Its not that the younger generation aren't interested its that we can't afford it anymore. Also if your on facebook search for a group called "bush flyers down under" run by Tim Howes he knows Trent Palmer and is trying to bring interest to that type of flying in Aus.

 

Also i know of a few clubs around south east Queensland that have a flyin once in a while that includes things like poker runs, spot landings, nav exercises etc but they dont happen too often.

 

 

[Blacksheep]

Thanks just joined.

 

Yes it is expensive. Everyone wants faster and bigger. A kitfox mk3 or avid would be right up on my list of fun cheap flying i think.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Thanks just joined.Yes it is expensive. Everyone wants faster and bigger. A kitfox mk3 or avid would be right up on my list of fun cheap flying i think.

True flying is not cheap but then few other sporting activities are either - I met a bloke, at an informal fly-in, the other day, bought his aircraft (100 hp Continental powered) for $10k several years ago. Beut little low wing plans built (not by him). I know this is the exception, but with persistence, ingenuity and some compromise (Lear Jet & sole ownership fantasies put aside) anyone can get into the air.

 

On the "faster and bigger. A kitfox mk3 or Avid" you might just be surprised at how price competitive some of the less well known brands are - everyone focuses on the heavily promoted brands for which they will ultimately pay a heavy penalty in acquisition, operating and/ or performance cost

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Its not that the younger generation aren't interested its that we can't afford it anymore. Also if your on facebook search for a group called "bush flyers down under" run by Tim Howes he knows Trent Palmer and is trying to bring interest to that type of flying in Aus.Also i know of a few clubs around south east Queensland that have a flyin once in a while that includes things like poker runs, spot landings, nav exercises etc but they dont happen too often.

Not so sure about that.

 

It was never cheap. Remember that even though the costs were lower than today, wages were way lower too.

 

Those got mentioned on another thread and someone quoted a cost for an hour flights under instruction from about 1974. When I went into a few of those “relative cost converter sites” that calculate out the comparative cost in today’s dollars they were essentially the same or higher in 1974 than today. ( varied ways of calculating with a range rather than a specific $ amount.

 

But the cost was equivalent to from about $500 today.

 

Biggest difference today is that people have lots more demands on their money. Everyone now has cars, big tvs, phones and computers and iPads. And life insurance and pays into super. All sorts of things we didn’t have in 1974.

 

 

[facthunter]

Many gamble and pay a lot of interest on Credit cards. Smoke drink beer, buy bottled water and coffee all the time. Flying will use up all your spare? cash. You have to cut out a lot of "normal" things. It was ever thus. It's cheaper now than in the 60's by far. if you compare it to income.. I worked out by the time I had CPL + instructor rating and a few hours I could have 1/2 paid off a house. Nev