Some good news from RAAus

[facthunter]

Hand swinging a prop had one advantage that is helpful. You get to feel a 'Dud" cylinder when you are priming and pulling through the prop. If you know what it should feel like with a jabiru you can determine the serviceability of an engine by the "feel" of the compressions. The "Impulse" on the magneto'(s) (where fitted) makes them alive to the touch and extremely dangerous if you have it in the correct place to fire the impulse because it gives a full size FAT spark at essentially NO revs when it trips the impulse mechanism... Also engines could roar into life up to 10 minutes after shut down from a piece of incandescent carbon. I've personally seen that happen. No one was anywhere near the plane let alone in it..

 

Working on a motor with the battery still connected is deadly also if you are anywhere near the prop arc and of course working on a running motor near the prop (how else can it be) is best avoided if possible. and if done perhaps only with a restraint that prevents you getting close enough to be harmed. if you slip or stumble.. Nev

 

 

[Keith Page]

There's some value in beginning to instill safety in a tyro pilot before they leave the flight hut.They are entering a new environment where there are dangers that have not been pointed out to them. Things like - don't lean on a propeller; always attach an earth strap to the plane before refuelling; watch out for things hanging under the wings (pitot tubes), and stop if your hear "Clear Prop".

Would it be better teaching a culture, procedures, systems....(Safety as the sum of all those) e.g.. this is how we do things around aircraft.

KP

 

 

[storchy neil]

mike why and how did CASA do a hostile take over off RAA I would be very interested in your explanation of said incident neil

 

 

[Roundsounds]

The Jabiru does not have an impulse starter, so it is much safer to turn over by hand to feel the engine compressions.Once a Jabiru had an engine-out forced landing, and I later asked the pilot " what did the engine feel like on turnover that morning?"

He had never heard of this turnover test, and I figured out that he had been taught by instructors who had themselves been GA and used to impulse-start engines which can fire unexpectedly even if turned over slowly when cold.

I always pull through props during my pre-Flight, obviously do the safety stuff first (engine not hot, mags off, throttle closed, mixture ICO, chocks in place). I’ve found a number of issues before they’ve developed too far. A few years ago I was flying a brand new aeroplane fitted with a lycoming O-540 and found a soft compression. Turned out to be a valve seat issue.

 

 

[facthunter]

Pretty important thing to find out . When airlines operated pistons like the DC-3, 4, 6b and Convair 240, engineers used to get near a suss engine before the aircraft fully taxied to the park spot and listen through the exhaust pipe for indications of something wrong keeping pace with the plane.. The pilot would call on company frequency at 30 miles and alert the maintenance people if there were any issues, to reduce delays. People "understood' motors back then . It paid to if you value safety. Engines rarely if ever "fix" themselves.. The "hydraulic Lock" check was done before every engine start, unless the engine had just been shut down say 15 minutes ago. on the Radials.

 

By the way, the Chippie had electric start on the 10 MK2 engines (145 HP). The original was by a cartridge which wasn't used in "civilian". circumstances The electric starter wasn't terribly reliable especially when the engine was quite cold so generally "swung " which with the sharp edged metal prop required some extra care or you could lose part of your fingers if it kicked against you. and you held the blade incorrectly.. NO ONE walked through the prop arc. That was drummed into you constantly.. Nev

 

 

[Love to fly]

The financial situation should be looking good soon. I see that they are going to charge $50 per day for the upcoming fly in. I won't be there. I went to the last one at Narromine and wasn't impressed and at a 30% increase they can do without me.

Hi, are you coming to AusFly at Narromine this year? No $50 charge. Should be fun.

 

 

[Keith Page]

Pretty important thing to find out . When airlines operated pistons like the DC-3, 4, 6b and Convair 240, engineers used to get near a suss engine before the aircraft fully taxied to the park spot and listen through the exhaust pipe for indications of something wrong keeping pace with the plane.. The pilot would call on company frequency at 30 miles and alert the maintenance people if there were any issues, to reduce delays. People "understood' motors back then . It paid to if you value safety. Engines rarely if ever "fix" themselves.. The "hydraulic Lock" check was done before every engine start, unless the engine had just been shut down say 15 minutes ago. on the Radials.By the way, the Chippie had electric start on the 10 MK2 engines (145 HP). The original was by a cartridge which wasn't used in "civilian". circumstances The electric starter wasn't terribly reliable especially when the engine was quite cold so generally "swung " which with the sharp edged metal prop required some extra care or you could lose part of your fingers if it kicked against you. and you held the blade incorrectly.. NO ONE walked through the prop arc. That was drummed into you constantly.. Nev

Yep---------the good old exhaust note would answer a lot of questions.

KP

 

 

[Mike Borgelt]

storchy neil

 

Nobody even noticed. It was done so slowly.

 

A little history.

 

GFA was started in 1949 in response to a DCA (Department of Civil Aviation - a predecessor of CASA) proposal to regulate gliding the same as GA. Up until then there was NO regulation of gliding in Australia (aka "the good old days"). They called a meeting of leading gliding people from every State and laid down the law. With the model of the British Gliding Association in mind (after WW2 the BGA people told the Brit CAA to go away and the BGA would look after themselves the same as they did prior to the war) the gliding people had a meeting during the morning tea break and decided they would tell DCA the same thing. Somewhat surprisingly DCA agreed (not all that unreasonable given the state of gliding at the time. There were a very few people with high performance gliders who had licences anyway and the rest of the rabble were flying primary gliders from winch or auto tow. I have a nice short video of gliding at Caversham in the late 1940s and early 1950s and I personally knew some of those people including the guy in the video test flying the club's new T-31b in the mid 50s - he later took me for my first glider flight in that glider . I was nine years old.

 

However the GFA never managed to keep the same separation that the BGA achieved and gradually various aspects (particularly registration, airworthiness and certification of aircraft - they are VH registered ICAO recognised aircraft) was dictated by DCA.

 

Eventually some of these things were delegated to GFA around 1982 (first of type approvals etc).

 

Early (mid 70s) ultralight activity in Australia was illegally done. Being unwilling to actually stop it (god knows why), the Regulator instituted some rules about operations such as the infamous "not above 300 feet" "not across a major road" etc. The subsequent death toll came to the attention of Parliament and there was the HORSCOTS enquiry. I met this bunch one day at Gawler and I'm sorry to say you would be hard pressed to find a bigger bunch of dills if you randomly took a bunch of people off the street in a low socio-economic area. I guess that's why they are in Parliament.

 

This led to the formation of the AUF which was explicitly modelled on the GFA model of self administration which was held up as an example of acceptably safe operation (amazing how people can be deceived).

 

Now - how to take over.

 

Gradually give the organisation some of the powers of the State including decision making, not just administration of the Regulator's decisions. The people running the organisation like this as they see it increasing their power and revenue through their ability to force people to join the organisation.

 

Keep doing this and promise them they will have even more power in future, we'll introduce Part 149. Note the necessity of something like Part 149 has never been debated.

 

Convince the organisational people they must change the way they do business in order to be ready for part 149 EVEN THOUGH IT ISN'T LAW YET. In their greed for power and money the people will be blindsided but they spend the money and effort to do this.

 

Once Part 149 is written and ready to be implemented present the Manual of Standards which is written by CASA.

 

At this point the organisations, which started out as members organisations for promotion and encouragement of the activity are, suddenly and irrevocably, merely CASA subcontractors with expensive and onerous, explicitly legal, obligations.

 

Now look at the public roads. The government makes the rules for operations on them including licencing of drivers and cars and also enforces the rules with random checks. The exact nature of these checks is open to debate although the usual stupid cry of "safety at any cost" usually prevails, resulting in driving no longer being being any kind of fun and eliminating any judgement. The inflexible rules may also be more dangerous as in being unable to get to your destination before dusk when the roos come out.

 

Note however that you do not have to be a member of a Part 149 approved State driver organisation like RACQ, NRMA, RACV etc in order to operate a car or have a driver's licence.

 

 

[Jim McDowall]

you would be hard pressed to find a bigger bunch of dills if you randomly took a bunch of people off the street in a low socio-economic area. I guess that's why they are in Parliament.

Not that hard - look at the current lot!

 

 

[storchy neil]

mike I cant make any holes in that story yet I thank you wonder how many off the I just want to fly bugger the politics of their organization really care where they are headed neil

 

 

[facthunter]

Not sure "leave me alone, I just want to fly" is anything that will "fly" today. It was always simplistic, full more of hope than likelihood of applying.

 

I think having to comply with "International" rules holds us back. You become a follower with no input capability instead of a leader in the world scheme of things, as we were before McCormack wandered in and saw the whole scene as an abomination and decided the safest Ultralights would be stuck on poles to look at as you enter an aerodrome.. Mixing it with Controlled airspace is a disaster for us. People who fly there with 100s of people behind them are entitled to be assured there's little,( like as NO) likelihood of little planes made of stuff from Bunnings turning up in their windscreen out of the blue.. . Controlled and military airspace should not be expanded in scope unless absolutely justified. Transit rights in specified and simple radio clearance regulated VFR conditions are what we need . and ALL we need.. If you want more Go REAL GA. How can they let stuff into that airspace where the pilots and the planes are not certified. OK Glider and chutists do it but they are notamed when active and the area and times of operation notified.. Nev

 

 

[Jim McDowall]

I think having to comply with "International" rules holds us back.

CASA doesn't comply with international rules when it suits. For example, ICAO Annex 7 deals with registration of aircraft and details the categorization of aircraft. In the rest of the world any aircraft with an engine is an "aeroplane" so powered gliders, self launching sailplanes and touring motor-gliders are "aeroplanes". Yet in Australia where CASA and the GFA have some sort of special relationship which ensures the GFA of the maximum possible membership (income) these aeroplanes are excised from the international definition. Recent changes that accompanied Part 149 consolidated this position.

International rules only really apply to aircraft that fly internationally and across the globe there are plenty of examples where local rules that are not ICAO compliant and guess what - the sun still comes up in the morning.

 

Safety Management Systems are promoted by CASA as a requirement for all aviation but in reality the ICAO requirement only applies to international airlines. Even EASA has realised that SMS have no practical application in private GA and is moving the abolish SMS for private ops.

 

In summary ICAO compliance is only an excuse.

 

 

[Mike Borgelt]

Not sure "leave me alone, I just want to fly" is anything that will "fly" today. It was always simplistic, full more of hope than likelihood of applying.. OK Glider and chutists do it but they are notamed when active and the area and times of operation notified.. Nev

Don't know anything about parachute ops but gliders can get a clearance in Class C or Restricted Areas provided properly equipped which means a transponder. Quite a number of gliders have them. Operations not necessarily NOTAMed and you may be lucky and things are quiet and you'll get the clearance. Examples may be coming back to Gawler on a big day from the north or east.

You are right about the "I just want to fly" mob. You can hide in the trench and not stick your head up but they'll come and find you in the trench anyway. This is why Australian GA and sport and recreational is the shambles it is. Australia just isn't a serious country.

 

ICAO rules aren't compulsory. The only requirement is to notify ICAO of differences. Apart from the airline ops, Australia can do what it likes in GA/sport/recreational as international ops are an insignificant part of them and mostly those aircraft that are are operated more like airline aircraft anyway in the IFR/Flight levels system.

 

 

[turboplanner]

ICAO rules aren't compulsory. The only requirement is to notify ICAO of differences. Apart from the airline ops, Australia can do what it likes in GA/sport/recreational as international ops are an insignificant part of them and mostly those aircraft that are are operated more like airline aircraft anyway in the IFR/Flight levels system.

You're way too late to be bring that up now; our regulations have changed for conformity, we're working to the regulations today, and you're trying to unscramble an egg from the inside.

 

 

[facthunter]

No system will ever "OPERATE " without exemptions. They will exist while ever aviation is committed. I've said complying means following and is a dead hand on progress. But international aircraft operate here and IF we are non compliant we better be doing it good. We should be doing best practice anyhow. Australia was in the forefront of aviation once. and could be again. IF..... Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

Have you seen the Financial Statement for the year.

 

From what I can work out, the employees get nearly 1.5 million dollars, including long service and annual leave.

 

On top of that management get $592578, which is 40% of the above.

 

I am no accountant, but it looks as if someone is doing very well for themselves.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

its a business now, so you have to pay for expertise

 

 

[slb]

I thought it was still listed as a Not For Profit but I could be wrong

 

 

[Thruster88]

Anyone know what the "exciting plans for the future" that will be announced at the AGM might be ?

 

 

[Downunder]

Anyone know what the "exciting plans for the future" that will be announced at the AGM might be ?

Another fee rise?...... Another rego rise?..... Anyway, my bet on whatever it is, benefits the current membership in no way....

I note they have had a $187 000 surplus this year...... which just about exactly matches the membership fee rise this year.......

 

 

[Keith Page]

Have you seen the Financial Statement for the year.From what I can work out, the employees get nearly 1.5 million dollars, including long service and annual leave.

On top of that management get $592578, which is 40% of the above.

 

I am no accountant, but it looks as if someone is doing very well for themselves.

Looks like more expenses need to be itemised so we have a clearer idea of how the funds are spent.

KP

 

 

[kasper]

It’s a company. The accounts are as per disclosure requirements and the board and management are not directly responsible to the shareholders — stop thinking I yourself as a member and you’ll start getting the position you individually hold. 1 of 9,346 votes at a general meeting ... a general meeting where 30 proxies held by management would see anything they want passed and the cynic in me saying they will use the company funds to use legal actions and directions to avoid unpleasant questions or ones they can’t stop if it came to a vote.

 

The financials are again hard reading. Shareholder numbers are now back to where they were when the 2Ms took up control in 2014 and all I can see for it is a 17% increase in membership fees. A removal of a magazine. An organisation that is sized for a lot more people than we have is now JUST wiping its nose and the total cost of this has been several million dollars of direct cost to our association and the - on my opinion - total capitulation to CASA in an attempt to grow the business into GA to capture the members needed to support the empire and systems built using ultralight pilots funds.

 

I’ll leave out the cost to members of having to navigate ever increasing admin and complexity.

 

 

[Yenn]

Ah, but the money was not a profit. It just went into the pockets of the directors or whoever. No names given.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Come on you guys. If you keep saying it to each other you will start believing it.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Come on you guys. If you keep saying it to each other you will start believing it.

Its gotten better, increasing the fees is proof that the new system works