More of a touch-and-go really.

[Guest Murray Scott]

Hi all, as requested by the webmaster I suppose I should sign in despite having just deserted the power-flight scene. I got my "ultralight" licence (no RAA then) in 1996 and have just over 200 hours mostly on Jabirus. After a lifetime's dreaming about aircraft I really appreciate the opportunity presented by the AUF/RAA and Ultralight Aviators at The Oaks (NSW) to fulfil that ambition at age 52. I proved to be a slow student and, as I am reminded by recent over-the-shoulder videos of practice sessions, a rather sloppy pilot (no crashes thank goodness). For the last few years I have been a part owner of a J160 at Warnervale, NSW but living 100km away at Heathcote I found it inconvenient to fly regularly and was forever catching up on airskills. Given the geographic, weather and airspace restrictions on VFR aviation near east coast cities, I found it impractical to substitute flying for any business or social car trip. Inland the potential is better but still thwarted by the need for luggage and transport from an airfield to real destinations.

 

I was interested to receive that email ".. future of Recreational Flying (.com.au)", thinking it might relate to a piece I had written under a similar title which appeared in the March 2008 RAA Magazine. Disappointingly, I am still waiting to find any kindred spirits to engage in that discussion. Briefly, I am concerned that private aviation of any kind, especially recreational, is becoming steadily less viable due to damages litigation, airfield closures, lack of public support and the looming crisis of fuel costs and global warming constraints. A sober look at the problems facing the world convinces me that purely recreational flying in $50,000+ playthings is unsupportable unless we can thereby expolore and demonstrate practical, efficient roles for pilot-yourself aviation in a sustainable future. Many ideas, possibilities and challenges are out there, including flying cars and unravelling the mysteries of bird flight (how do they so exquisitiely control pitch for tailless, strongly cambered wings?). I now want to focus my aviation interest into pursuing such challenges in theory and experiment. Anyone interested in a technical forum on unconventional aerodynamics, structures and designs?

 

Reluctantly abandoning my dream of exploring Australia by air I have just sold my share in the J160, turned in my RAA licence and commenced hang-glider training at Stanwell Park. No pretence of practical transport but a relatively economical, educational and rewarding challenge a short train ride from home.

 

Murray Scott

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Hey Murray,

 

The cost of flying aside, there are lies, damn lies and statistics. The lie is that we are killing the planet with a few hours in our little planes, driving a powerful car or taking that long-haul holiday. However, the statistics tell us that 50% of CO2 emissions are caused by electricity generation, whereas cars only amount to about 7% and all of aviation for 5%.

 

Us australians are the worst in the world for CO2 per capita because we burn mostly coal and are all rich enough to run air conditioners. That we all drive cars and some of us fly small planes makes no noticeable difference. (I'd still like an electric car charged from renewable energy, though!)

 

So if you want to make a difference, don't give up a few hours of fun every month, instead put some grid-connected solar on your roof. A 3kW system should suffice for even the more power hungry household* and supply enough for all your needs. Grid-connected because when you overproduce during the day, it will go to your neighbours - lowering the load on our wonderful stone-age coal burning power plants. They will still power you at night, but that is offset by what they did less during the day.

 

See you up there!

 

Bas.

 

* take your annual kWh usage and divide by 1.5 to get a guide on how big a system you need.

 

 

[Guest Murray Scott]

Carbon constraints.

 

Thanks for the reply Bas. I know the pitch about photovoltaics on the roof, in fact I would have one now (2kW would do for our usage) alongside our solar hot water panels which represent a faster coal-replacement payback. The trouble is that my roof is not optimally aligned and there is intermittent tree shade which I do not propose to remove as it helps eliminate any need for an air conditioner. So I reckon it is better to pay for 100% green power, trim our consumption and let somebody else install the precious subsidised photovoltaics in an optimal setup.

 

As for transport fuel we can always rationalise a little bit extra here and there, like driving the kids to school, picking up a bit of afterthought shopping or taking the car after missing the train to work. Because nearly everyone does this it has become a major factor in traffic congestion, road construction and fuel consumption. Compared to such trips however my 12 litres or so for an hour's circuits is still significant, even If I use a combination of train and walking to get to the airfield. If I drove the 200km round trip regularly enough to maintain currency my annual fuel use would approximately double. It is different if you live in a country town close to the airfield, in which case there is a possibility of flying to reduce car travel.

 

RAA pilots are not the only folks faced with adjusting recreational flying habits to real world constraints. For many the most chafing constraint is to forgo those overseas trips we had dreamed of in retirement. I have done two already and am reconciled to abandoning the many other exotic destinations that beckon in Lonely Planet. Similarly I am afraid the skipful of materials wasted in my home renovation represent more than my sustainable share and I cant justify adding a few hundred kg of carbon fibre, epoxy and aluminium to the account in the form of an aircraft of my own. Materials are the elephant in the room when it comes to carbon constraints. The combined global burden of carbon oxidised to produce steel, aluminium and cement is about as great as household electricity and much harder to eliminate. One standout possibility is to sequester carbon in the form of fibres and graphite blocks in the things we build, but the efficiency of producing those materials from coal is so far very low. Resin feedstock is equally problematic post peak-oil.

 

It is fatuous to wait for example until China reduces emissions when they already use a far greater proportion (15%) of renewable energy than we do and have more justifiable energy needs, quite apart from making the goods we import. I do not think we can avoid the moral principle of considering every action in terms of the consequences of all 6+ billion humans doing likewise. Sure, we should do everything we can to promote zero population growth but that will take time and even for the present population that dreadful moral multiplier severely limits our sustainable lifestyle options.

 

End of sermon, cheers regardless,

 

Murray Scott