First post although joined nearly a year ago!!

[Farmpilot]

I

[Farmpilot]

Hello everyone and thanks Ian for this excellent site and the Pilot Shop, I have purchased a number of things to support this site and the prices are great also!! I joined 11 months ago when I was just thinking of learning to fly, went to Avalon, bought a used Savannah S from Bright Victoria, my instructor flew it back. I obtained my license to learn in his Evector Sportscraft, built a hanger on my farm, mowed a strip, got my pax endorsement and L1 and now have 60 hours in my log book and about to start X country training. I have read nearly every post in the Savannah section and it is the most helpful resource so THANKS HEAPS to all those who have made such a huge effort to contribute!!

I started late at 49 and will never get to be as good a pilot as a lot of you are but appreciate all your advice that I hope will keep me safe. I have never posted to a forum before but needed to thank you all for all the help you have given me. I will not post much as I am too slow a typer and haven't got the time to spare but will try to post a few photo's of things I have done that may be useful to others.

Cheers,

Dean.

[Admin]

[kgwilson]

Hi Dean,

 

Welcome and remember a good pilot is a safe pilot who makes decisions conservatively, who decides to do something else when conditions are marginal, who doesn't show off to others and who is aware of his limitations. Remember there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots.

[facthunter]

You are over the exhuberence of youth. and wiser. Fly within your and the plane's limits and you will be safe® than lots of so called "good' pilots. and never stop learning. Nev

[danny_galaga]

There are people like me, who take years to get anything done, but can type quickly. And people like you. I know which I'd rather be

 

Well done mate :)

[planedriver]

Well done Dean.

It appears that you are doing exceptionally well , and welcome to the forums.

[NT5224]

G'day Dean

 

Welcome to the forum and thanks for that great story of progress. My wife went through her flight training last year aged 50, so I know its different from going through as a spring chook. But I think the maturity can make you a better aviator. One aspect of your story particularly interests me. You put in a strip and built a hangar at your block. I have been doing the same sorts of things for the last couple of years and am just starting work on my hangar. Could you tell me about your? Dimensions, How you built it and maybe share some pics?

 

It might be best if you pm me unless you're happy to share publicly

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[red750]

Hi Dean, welcome to this group. Just a note, only First Class members can add attachments to a PM, so if you do post pictures, it will have to be in the forums.

[Farmpilot]

Thanks for the warm welcomes everyone! I am happy to post a photo or two Alan but not sure if i need to resize them before i do? I can email them to you if you are happy to pm me your email address. I dont want to slow down the site with a massive upload... Is there a instruction page for computor illiterates??

I built my hanger by extending a machinery shed and enclosing half of it. It has a dirt floor and I put some conveyer belt down wide enough for the wheels to run on. A bit rough but it works.

Its a bit hot over here a the moment to fly much as I'm still a bit nervous when it gets bumpy plus I fly for fun, not to get bounced around. Monday looks a bit cooler so i will see if my instructor is free to start x country training. I love the early mornings when its silky smooth.

[Farmpilot]

Hi Alan, This is a photo of my hangar, (well I hope it comes out that way when I click 'Post reply'!!!) I used 7 x 8m x 300mm Hopleys trusses, I made the front truss out of 75 x 2 SHS and 50x3 SHS, 15015 Zed purlins and 100x3 galv SHS uprights. It is 10m wide (Savannah is 9.2m) 3m high (Savannah 2.6m) at the doors and 8m deep (Savannah 6.7). Only just big enough for the Savannah but its what worked... I made the doors 5m wide and they swing out and hold open with chains welded to star pickets belted into the ground. A bit hard to open in any winds over 15 knots but that is OK as I don't want to fly then anyway.

[red750]

Hi Dean, I have posted most (not all) of the photos in the Guess This Aircraft thread, so here's the lowdown. Preferred format is .jpeg with a file size of less than 1 Mb. I find that the most convenient size is 750 x 422 pixels (16:9 ratio) and my file sizes vary from 50kb to 150kb, depending on the complexity and colours in the image. However, 1024 x 768 (4:3 ratio) is also acceptable with a filesize of around 250 kb. The system will reduce them to a thumbnail for forum posting but will display them full size when double clicked. Keeping the filesize small reduces bandwidth and speeds download.

[Old Koreelah]

... I made the doors 5m wide and they swing out and hold open with chains welded to star pickets belted into the ground. A bit hard to open in any winds over 15 knots but that is OK as I don't want to fly then anyway.

 

Morning Dean, just catching up with your posts, which are very impressive. You seem to have a very positive attitude to this flying thing.

 

Two points: as you've noticed, vertically-swung hangar doors don't like much wind. Even a relatively light breeze can keep many of us without sliding doors from going flying.

We have bifold doors and I once opened one without checking the windsock and was thrown 5 metres.

I suspect more pilots are injured by hangar doors than by aeroplanes.

 

When you find some spare time, you might create your own personal avatar. Perhaps a pic of your plane or something unique to you or your area, even a small map. Just click on the big F above "Farmpilot" and then select "edit". You can then download the image of your choice and zoom it in or out, centre it and then set it in concrete.

[Farmpilot]

Thanks everyone for the advice, encouragement and welcomes.

 

red750 I hope the photo I posted was ok in size and format.

 

Old Koreelah I was a bit lazy in not making sliding doors for my hanger, I made them for my workshop but the opening for that is 15m x 5m high and has to be opened in any weather!! I will create an avatar one day as well. Thanks for the instructions how to do it.