winsor68 Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Just had a fly in a VH Gazelle at Mackay airport with an instructor called David...Was fun. Wish they would get an Ra-Aus registered aircraft...would do my training there. It is ironic...when taxiing back in I pointed out to the instructor that the Jabiru that has recently arrived is Ra-Aus registered...He said "Don't know how he gets away with that"...It seems they are of the opinion that Ra-Aus aircraft are not able to be operated out of "their" airstrip. The Gazelle I flew in could be transferred to Ra-Aus and it would still be the same aircraft so I don't know why they seem to think it is a problem...and could be maintained to the same standard and probably better...And could possibly lower the costs form the $200 per hour they are charging and thus attract more students... this Gazelle was not in the best condition...lots of rust showing around the engine, landing gear etc 2500hrs showing on the hobbs meter. I guess when they say the aircraft must be maintained GA they mean to the same standard as the antique Cessnas/Pipers which all look a bit daggy on closer inspection.
winsor68 Posted April 29, 2009 Author Posted April 29, 2009 Oh...and now in my profile where it says aircraft...I guess I can put "Gazelle"...or is that a bit over the top after 1 lesson?
winsor68 Posted April 29, 2009 Author Posted April 29, 2009 Ha! I guess so Turbo...lol...I was not aware that I was being provocative in this thread?
Admin Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Oh...and now in my profile where it says aircraft...I guess I can put "Gazelle"...or is that a bit over the top after 1 lesson? Yes Mate - go ahead and put Gazelle in your profile and welcome to the greatest fun you are going to have for a very long time
turboplanner Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Winsor, there's an old saying: Two men looking out through bars One saw mud The other stars Did you make the contact I recommeded? They have the power to cut through the existing people getting on your pip, and conduct inquiries which require people to front up and go away and do something.
winsor68 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 No Turbo...I guess I am guilty of being an "agitator" and not a "do-er"... I really don't believe that any one will do anything about it...the airport is secure 100% compliant with all the security rules...My point is that (in my- and everyone else's) opinion none of this is even the slightest bit effective...In order for this to change it would take a whole shake up and re-think of the whole airport security situation. I won't point out why everyone thinks this as it is pretty obvious to anybody who cares to look into it...and as you say we don't want to advertise it. If I was to bring it up with anyone it would most certainly come to nothing...the problem is with the whole system. And Dotars (or whatever they call themselves now), and all the other departments involved in this are already aware...even if they don't wish to acknowledge it. I have seen Dotars in an audit walk into an office airside and tear strips of someone because a steak knife is in their draw so they can cut their dinner...even though that office is only accessible to a very small number of people by a code activated door, all of whom have security clearance, and the office contains a hoard of rifles all unlocked and readily accessible for the control of wildlife at the port. I have questioned the airline practice for carriage of firearms...as in those loading the baggage and taking possession of it until it is loaded not holding a firearms license...and said firearms being left unattended on barrows out of sight without even giving a thought to them. And again when firearms as baggage are not collected by the passenger or are wrongly loaded and end up in the wrong port...Again you have unlicensed people carrying firearms wherever they wish...I have seen them sitting unattended in offices for the day...no locks...nothing. Call me cynical but this stuff is not exactly news to Dotars...
turboplanner Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Forget Dotars and forget opening up and making the issues public. You're looking at the depressing side No one is forcing you to be an agitator not a doer. Agitators try to get others to do the work, but the othere are lazy, so mostly nothing happens. If you do what I recommended, and put down on paper actual incidents and actual situations, you might be very surprised how fast something will happen. These people have the power to bypass Dotars and Federal Police, bureaucrats and slackers, and call on them to present themselves under oath. Your case sounds like one where this should be done. You really are in a position to do something positive and stand tall.
winsor68 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 The Gazelle Lovely aircraft...even if it has a funny wheel tacked on the nose...
winsor68 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 Yes...I am no expert but very tatty...no...downright tatty...I don't like to see rust everywhere when you look inside the cowl. I would have thought that a major part of the preflight would have involved checking the aileron hangers...maybe the instructor had done a more in depth inspection before I arrived.
Barefootpilot Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Just from past experiance I'd stay away from that school. There is a better school on the field but I'd keep hunting for an RAA school (maybe head up to Townsville for a coupel of days of training at a time?) Adam.
winsor68 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 Hey Adam...Who and in what is available in Townsville...I was going to go to Emerald as they have a Thruster there...
motzartmerv Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Isn't there a school at bundy??... Anyway, 200 buks an hour for a gazelle is downright robbery.. I guess supply and demand is playing its part there.. But for 200 skins, i'd want the acft to be shining so bright i'd need sunny's to look at it..
Adrian Lewer Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 $200 hour for a GAY zelle ? Dual ? Merv is right its robbery. I was paying $170 Dual for a new J170 ?
Adrian Lewer Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 I will say 1 thing for the GAY zell though, they land better than a J120,160,160 anyday, just love landing them, They just seem to land nicely for some reason ?
winsor68 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 Anyone in a position to come to move to Mackay and set up a school? The existing operators are sitting ducks...I know that with the right attitude you have the potential for a flock of students...I find so much interest in people learning to fly. And people still have money in their pockets here.
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