Natfly

[Admin]

Hi All

 

What a great Natfly, with the exception of the weather which we all know is something that we respect when it comes to flying, but the weather didn't dampen the spirits of everyone that were able to make it.

 

Recreational aviation is more then getting into a recreational aircraft and going up, it is also about getting together with all others that share the belief that flying a recreational aircraft is one of the most exhilarating activities that a person can do. It is about sharing with others our triumphs in the painstaking hours of building our own aircraft, it is about our great joyous times and flying experiences that we all have had, and it is all about being with friends. Natfly was great, yes it rained but as Lee Ungermann quit rightly says, "It's not about numbers, it's about people making it there and back home again safely and those that tried to make it there made the right decision to turn around if they needed to".

 

A great amount of thanks need to be given to every person that made it possible for all us. The entire RAAus Board, however 2 members need to be singled out - Dave Caban and Carol Richards (both NSW board reps) who along with the rest of the board put in an enormous amount of time and effort to make it such a great event. Lee Ungermann CEO, Mick Poole - Ops Mgr, Stephen Bell - Tech Mgr and every single member of the RAAus office (especially Maxine and Lani) who also worked hard to put this event on for all of us deserve our greatest appreciation - thanks on behalf of everyone here at Recreational Flying.

 

Just because Natfly has ended for another year doesn't mean we have to stop "Sharing The Passion"!

 

So many of you dropped in to the Recreational Flying tent to the point that I recollected years ago on the times of telling people about the resources available to them here at Recreational Flying (.com.au) - it seemed to me then that I was beginning to sound like a stuck record. This year it seemed that almost every time I went to let someone know about Recreational Flying (.com.au) I was met with a "Yes, I know Recreational Flying (.com.au), it is such a great resource and I am a member there." With over 3,500 people here now it is getting hard to find anyone that doesn't come here. The only thing that I was not happy with was that my father and I were so busy in the Recreational Flying tent that I didn't get much of a chance to speak at any length to many of you all and find out what you have been up to and your flying times but I hope to at least hear more from you by way of your posts here in the forums.

 

One of the great things for me at Natfly was to be able to put a face to a username and next year we must definitely have tags with the Rec Fly logo and your username on it so not only myself but all the other site members can also put a name to a face - actually that may prove to be interesting at times - might be more fun then the Never Ending Story here

 

Personally I was disappointed that Ben Longden couldn't make it to Natfly. As many of you know Ben is a film/video guru and works for many of the TV stations filming news etc and we had organised for Ben to come up and film many interviews with aircraft manufacturers/agents and their aircraft. He was then going to create video clips of them to be played in the forums for everyone here but unfortunately Ben was called in to work at the last moment and was unable to make it. A sincere thanks Ben for your willingness to do this on behalf of all forum members and perhaps we may be able to organise something throughout the year to still bring these videos clips on aircraft and their manufacturers/agents to you all, and there is always next year!

 

I Listened and I Listened and I Listened...

 

Natfly also gave me a fantastic opportunity to listen to many of you on any way that the site could be improved - if it could at all. It seems we have the right formula however we could tidy some things up which we will be doing for you - just small things to make you feel more at home. A common comment was that the site has become so huge and using the latest technology has left some not so computer literate people in a daze so I will be looking at ways at streamlining some of it for you as well. It was also interesting to hear many of you say to get rid of the commercial etc elements of aviation like in the news and enhance the more traditional elements of recreational aviation on the site - people come here for recreational aviation and anything else just pollutes the site. I will look very seriously at ways I can do this for you as well.

 

My own idea was that perhaps the baby sitting time is now over and the site has come of age to now offer it to the RAAus (if they want it) so it would then be the Official RAAus forums and be a part of the RAAus site - just a thought and would need a lot more thought and work with many discussions with the RAAus especially in terms of the enormous workload and legal implications required to manage it but I think it may be good for our Association - just a thought as I never regarded the site as "mine" but really one for the recreational aviation industry.

 

Finally, my family and I would like to extend our greatest appreciation to the enormously overwhelming support that was shown for us by so many of you at Natfly. I am sure you all heard it for yourselves whilst in the Rec Flying tent, it was at times very humbling and together with other things that I heard about at Natfly I would like to say that whilst Admin may have left the building, "Ian" is here, together with Slartibartfast, with newly found inspiration in making Recreational Flying (.com.au) your one home on the internet to come together with all other RAAus members all helping each other out in:

 

- Flying Safely

 

- Aircraft Maintenance

 

- Flying Skills and Knowledge

 

- Promotion of flying recreational Aircraft

 

- and friendship

 

THAT is why this site was created, and that is what this site will always stand for.

 

Thanks Slarti and everyone, hope to see you all at Natfly 2010

 

 

[turboplanner]

And thank you Ian.

 

 

[Tomo]

Thanks Ian, even though I couldn't make it down this yr, I do hope I can next and meet up with you...

 

I told two people on the weekend about this site, and had to find some pieces of paper to scribble down the web address and name... so that does reinforce the idea about the business card with this site info on it... something worth the while considering anyway I reckon.

 

cheers,

 

 

[Admin]

If anyone would like a bunch of Recreational Flying (.com.au) pamphlets to have on the table in their club rooms please send me a PM with your address and I will send them straight out!

 

 

[Guest David C]

Thanks Ian ... Yes the weather was foul , but the company and friendly support we all share made up for any little weather glitch that plagued us this year, and yes it does make me a little homesick all that rain:) .. It was lovely to meet your family , you are very lucky . As you know , the other half of the " Chateau Cardboard " appreciation society was not there this year , but good old Uncle Fred was , and he more than makes up for that absence . I've finally dried out my camping gear , packed it away , and not deterred , counting the days down till Natfly 2010 .... All the very best . and once again many thanks ...

 

 

[shafs64]

No thank you.

 

 

[turboplanner]

What's that all about Shafs?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

I think he forgot a comma...(shafs)

 

Good job Ian.. :thumb_up:

 

 

[shafs64]

I think i left a word or two out:laugh: what i was saying was thank you Ian.

 

Shafs

 

 

[turboplanner]

Phew! bet the tentman's heart lifted a few beats.

 

 

[flie43]

Well that was the first natfly for me in the Jab and hopefully will have more time there next year if I get to attend.

 

Left Wang (YWGT) at about 2pm on Friday just after a huge storm cell went through here and tracked for Narromine dodging cells all the way. See attached pic.

 

Got to within 20 miles of NRM when the Unicom said airport closed, find somewhere else for now- hmm gotta believe that as the black sky and ground merged in one. A quick u-turn and we headed for Parkes with several others opting for the same airfield.

 

After a good nights sleep in a motel my brother and I walked back to the airfield at 7 the next morning--the walk was longer than we thought

 

Okay lets DI the Jab and get to NRM for brekky. It was a lovely early morning flight but on landing we were met with a long line of aircraft departing-that was weird we thought. Evidently the morning briefing was get out while you can.

 

Had a great brekky in the Aero Club and a walk around before it started to rain lightly with ominous dark clouds starting to roll in. So after 2 hours at Natfly we departed for home while we could.

 

The trip wasn't yet finished. We refuelled at Parkes and flew to Temora to catch the last of the airshow and were put into a holding pattern to the East while the Spitfire did its stuff and then joined a right downwind to land straight after the Spitfire. What a fantastic flying display and so close and personal. If you haven't been to Temora, make sure it is in your list of things to do.

 

The flying displays were just finished and the rain was trying to start again so the next 1.5 hours was dodging rain showers all the way back to Wang.

 

Thanks for the offer to drop in Captain but Wagga looked bad as well at the time, will get there one day

 

We had a great trip and my brother a non flyer had a ball--another convert.

 

Terry[ATTACH]7690.vB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]7691.vB[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

[brilin_air]

Nice pic of the storm cloud and rain Terry, I think our tent was under that one

 

Brian

 

 

[Guest David C]

Nice pic of the storm cloud and rain Terry, I think our tent was under that one Brian

You must have been pitched next to my tent then ..

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Question for Flie43.

 

In your image of the rain shower - what are those circular structures on the ground in the foreground?

 

Just curious.

 

 

[shafs64]

I think they are crops tony.

 

Paul

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Yep, not Alien crop circles though, but Centre-point irrigators, heaps of them up that way and down here for that matter.

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Yeah thanks.

 

I assumed it was some form of cultivation but a circular paddock seemed a bit 'awkward' and wastefull of ground space.

 

The central irrigation though makes sense of it. Must have a helluva water table down there!

 

 

[flie43]

Yes as the others say, they are crops and this pic was just North of the Murray on track from Wang to Narromine. That puts these crops West of Albury. They have a huge irrigator pivoted in the centre which they rotate around.

 

Terry