Just Landed from New York

[NYAussie]

Hi everyone, my name is Allen Staff :thumb_up:and I currently live in upstate New York, USA. I grew up in Melbourne and haven't been home in 22 years! Over here I am a FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic. I learned to fly here in a Cessna 150M and have access to alot of planes to fly, but my latest thrill has been flying a 1946 Ercoupe 415C-D which is a real blast and fits into the lightsport category. It's fun flying with the top down and this one runs comfortably at the bottom of the yellow arc at 120mph all day long, but no rudder pedals tends to make one a bit lazy! One of my friends just bought a Jabiru 230 and that's how I found this site.

 

I'm planning to visit my parents in Kinglake, north of Melbourne, where they are putting up a new house after the bushfires took everything, next april. Can anyone tell me the closest airports to Kinglake, Vic and how to get the best info on flying GA in OZ? Over here I use the AOPA books and data bases.

 

Anyway, great site you have put together. I don't know if anyone needs it but one of my specialties is building Lycoming and small continental engines, I'd be happy to help with any info available that you may need and troubleshooting tips.:thumb_up:

 

 

[GraemeK]

Hi there and welcome!

 

Lilydale (YLIL) is close by Kinglake, in fact our training area extends north as far as Kinglake. We have three Jabs on line, plus a few Warriors etc.

 

Lilydale Airport

 

Sorry to hear about your folks' loss in the fires, the whole thing was pretty devastating over a huge area - the fires even came down as far as the northern boundary of our airfield.

 

Used to spend a fair bit of time in NY State - what part do you live in?

 

Cheers

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Hi Allan, I spent 12 years working as an A&P at San Carlos just South of San Francisco, and throughout Northern California. Yes, sorry to hear about your folks house, they're not alone unfortunatly but at least they are around to rebuild, where others lost the lot. I moved back to my home town in Townsville NQld, but often wish I were back working in the States money wise, if you know what I mean, no big tips here !. Your better off there as the A&P don't mean diddly twit back here to local authorities...I do know the Ercoupe, but don't mess with the Xmas tree OK. ..Cheers

 

 

[NYAussie]

I live in Penn Yan, which is in the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse area in the southern tier of NY. I will definitely visit the Lillydale Airport when I visit. Hopefully I can rent the 172SP or get used to a Jab before I come over, haven't flown one yet, but soon. Thanks for all the great info!

 

NYAussie.

 

 

[NYAussie]

Yep, they are happy to be alive, most of their neighbors didn't make it. Thanks for the A&P info. You've flewn some cool planes.

 

NYAussie

 

 

[skydog]

NY Aussie

 

Theres an ercoupe, I think the only one flying in Australia, down at Tyabb,[YTYA], airfield about 60km south of Melbourne past Frankston. Its not on line though.

 

You have a choice of airfields not too far from Kinglake, Lilydale as mentioned has great club atmosphere and membership with a wide range of aircraft. Coldstream is 15 minutes further drive south ish not a bad place at all some parachuting ops there.

 

Going west over the Hume you could look at Penfield which is north of Sunbury about 12 km which has RA and GA.

 

 

[djpacro]

Howdy NYAussie,

 

This Airservices website will show you the local airfields.

 

CASA has a new Visual Flight Guide here (11.2 MB) - 452 pages, a bit of light reading for you.

 

 

[Yenn]

G'day Allen and welcome.

 

It may be handy to have an engine expert on the forum, although not many of us run Continentals or Lycomings. I may be looking for a Lycoming O320 or 360 next year. With the US dollar low an RV4 kit looks very affordable.

 

I had distant relations in Kinglake, they lost the house and have moved away. Keep warm in that winter weather.

 

 

[Guest Wigg]

Hi Allen

 

Wallan airfield it isn't all that far from Kinglake over the Wittlesea side of the range.

 

Cheers Wigg

 

 

[Admin]

Hi Allen Wallan airfield it isn't all that far from Kinglake over the Wittlesea side of the range.

Cheers Wigg

Note that Wallan is now closed...yes, again developers have taken hold