First Passenger Flight

[shags_j]

Hi All,

 

As per an earlier thread I took my first passenger up on the weekend, my Fiancee. She had a blast and I thought I would post some piccies. Pictures are all around Caboolture, from bribie to glass house mountains and back. BTW she is a photographer which means a massive number of photo's. This is the reduced list.

 

Cheers,

 

J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Awesome photos Shags, looks like you guys had a great flight!

 

 

[shags_j]

Thanks.

 

Should point out (per the other thread) that while she was nervous going into the flight she did really well. If we hit a bit of a turbulent bump she would hold my arm but soon got used to this.

 

My landing was a bit rough (but she doesn't need to know that ;) )

 

Funny but during my passenger endoresement my instructor said to try and keep turns to the left so that your passenger doesn't feel like they are going to fall through the door. I took this on board and did it though I thought he may have been a bit overcautious.

 

Funnily enough we were on runway 30 so right hand circuits. After the flight she said she was a bit scared when we turned right cause she thought she was going to fall through the door!!!

 

 

[Admin]

Good onya mate - they look great and you can't hide that a good time was had by both you

[Simonflyer]

Looks like nice flying up that way.

 

Well done and enjoy the awesome privilege that you now have....

 

:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest drizzt1978]

Its funny, I have taken about ten passengers or so and you can tell how they are going to react during the prefilght and taxi.

 

But as soon as you hear "god flying is great" You know you have a winner on board!!

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

It looks like you both had an awesome time :big_grin:

 

I actually had a dream last night which went through an entire pax flight from startup to shutdown (and I haven't got a PAX endorsement (or a licence at all yet) so I've never done one btw)...I woke up and felt like I should've written down what I said in my dream for the pax briefing!

 

 

[Foto_Flyer]

Hey Shags, well done on the endorsement. I was given the same advice about the turns when I went for my PAX. And yes, if your passenger is a bit nervous, a right hand turn can have them leaning into your lap! Alright if it's your beloved, bit embarrassing otherwise!

 

Great photos, makes it look a lot cooler than the 30+ degrees it was over the weekend! Bet it was a relief to get to altitude! I took a mate up in the other Echo last Monday arvo, went over to Moreton and it was much more pleasant at 3000' than on the ground.

 

Well done on getting your girlfriend to come up with you. My wife is adamant she's staying on the ground so my first passengers were my daughters (1 at a time). They loved it, especially the eldest who is 6. Went straight over to my instructor after the flight and asked when she could learn to fly. (What have I started!!!).

 

So I guess your next step, like me, is the Nav's? Can't wait!!!

 

 

[shags_j]

Ditto, can't wait for the NAVS. My GF has always wanted to go up with me so I'm a bit lucky there.

 

It was actually really quite cool on Sunday morning. There was a lot of cloud cover and we took off at 0750.

 

(BTW are you a prosky student also? Haven't seen any other Echo's out there.)

 

 

[dazza 38]

Well done shags, i and elias smith (also a member of this site)flew to murwillumba, on saturday morning.How bad was the haze, we couldnt see alot, i could see it in your some of your photos, nice photos by the way.

 

 

[shags_j]

Yeah Haze was really bad. BTW my GF took the photo's she is a photographer so far better than I could take.

 

I'll pass on everyones comments to her.

 

Cheers,

 

J

 

 

[Foto_Flyer]

Yep, I'm a Prosky graduate! in fact, we did the HF course on the same day!

 

I did that flight last Monday in 3789. Not a lot different to 3979 except for a slightly different radio and the engine felt a bit "gutsier"!

 

I was out on a motorcycle ride on Sunday and by 10am it was so hot and smokey I thought I was going to pass out. But I can imagine it being quite pleasant up at YCAB earlier in the day.

 

By coincidence, Dazza, the ride was down Murwillumba way, we were heading to Lismore via Nimbin. Saw a couple of guys flying round and wondered how far they could see in the conditions. I think the "haze" was thicker south of Brissy though.

 

 

[shags_j]

Yeah I had the first flight in 3789 after zane rebuilt it. Love that aircraft (I swear it goes a bit faster than the other).

 

EDIT: BTW remember the rule, no flying or driving for at least 8 hours after passing through Nimberm ;)

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Shags, I enjoyed your shots, and congrats on a happy first passenger. Aren't the Tecnams fun to fly. Bit exxy to buy but a real nice flying machine. In photo #9 it looks like your fwd cowl latch could be done up incorrectly, but I know you wern't done preflighting yet. Be very carefull with those latches, and always make sure they are latched properly !!. They are the same type as on the old Pipers, and they would have a cowl pop up occasionally also. I have experienced having the cowl pop up on a Tecnam after a friend of mine performed the preflight, and forgot to correctly latch the right hand side. We made a safe return to the runway but there was some contact with the rear of the prop, and it could have been much worse. Pass the word around.........

 

 

[dazza 38]

I triple check those latches maj, very good point you brought up.

 

 

[dazza 38]

HI photo flyer, it wasnt the best,elias, just past his certificate test last week, he was going to fly the echo, but it had fuel pressure gauge problem.So i took him for a little nav,i disussed this (haze) with a instructor, my plan was to fly to beechmont, and turn back if the weather it was dodgy. It was good experience for him. Anyway we had about 5 km visual. We dodged a rain shower just south of murwillumba airfield. I made a point that i wouldnt go to murwillumba if i havent been their 10 odd times before.Land marks were still easy to see, you could see the surfers high rises from beechmont and mt warning but if someone hadnt flown the route before, i guess it could be a little bit scary i guess. Cheers

 

 

[shags_j]

Thanks Maj. That's just the orderput them on. I always double check those latches. In one of my earlier flights in a cherokee I missed one of them and it freaked me a bit.

 

 

[Foto_Flyer]

He He He, LOL! Yes, Nimbin is an, er, interesting place :bmwrider: You literaly can smell it before you see it. Only stayed long enough to get a drink and a quick look at the Sunday markets. Wasn't game to try any of the home made "tea" and "cookies" though, opted for an unopened bottle of Coke instead!

 

In relation to Maj's comments, I agree, those Echo's are great to fly, very forgiving and those two at Prosky have to be about the best kept examples i've seen. Especially when you consider they are primary trainers, not privately owned. As for the custom paint jobs, WELL DONE!!! (Well, I like em!) Yes the engine cowl clips do require care and attention, but they fit so nicely on these two, that it is painfully obvious if you've done them up wrong. (That plus a thourough pre-flight check!)

 

And, Dazza, yes, the area could be quite scarry considering all the tiger country in the area! Although, it did appear from the ground that there were still the odd field around suitable for an emrgency. Ah, all that to look forward to after Nav's!

 

 

[Cosmick]

39r79r and 37 89r

 

Hi Guys,

 

Usually flying the Aerochute around YCAB but have recently converted to HP 3 axis in 3979 and had 1st Nav YCAB YGYM YWSG YCAB a week ago in 3789 with Zane in the RHS. Another Pilot did a reverse Nav in 3979 and we left 1 minute apart, total of 2.2hrs inc 6 circuits and taxi. Our inbound calls into YCAB 10nm from home were 15 seconds apart. It was amazing.

 

I do agree that 3789 has a bit more get up and go but with a TTIS of under 500hrs compared to over 4000hrs in 3979 you might expect that. I actually think 3789 is softer in Turbulance. They are great aircraft to fly and excellant trainers with their steel spring undercarriage.

 

Congrats on your endorsements so far, no doubt we will run into each other around YCAB.:thumb_up:

 

 

[dazza 38]

High, photo flyer, we had about 5km or more in visability in most places, we could see all the way down numinbah valley to mount warning from beechmont. West of beechmont their are heaps of landing spots.Flying down the valley their are landing spots availiable. The only part of the trip that is a bit of a concern is that you have to below 2500 at chillingham to stay under Cooly radar.Even then to the east their is a private strip, and just after that, it flattens out to sugar cane fields. Murwillumba airfield is only a few minutes flying time from chillingham.Its a good scenic trip when visability is better.Cheers

 

 

[Tomo]

Great work Shag's, and great pic's too!

 

When I take a passenger up for their very first aircraft ever flight (I've done a few now!) I try and pick the best time of day to do it, (can't beat the early morning on a nice day!) And yes keep all the turns shallow at first, and just for their sake I even tell them pretty much what I'm going to do before I do it, just so 'they' don't get worried and think it is 'abnormal'. After a while they are asking you to turn to the right so that they can get a good picture of the ground, doesn't take long before they realize it is ok and they aren't going to fall out. (very evident in the drifter)

 

And when you land and they say they want to buy an aeroplane now... you know they must have enjoyed it! :thumb_up:

 

 

[shags_j]

Yeah I went through everything with Evita including going up to 3,000 ft and demonstrating breifly what the engine will sound like when coming in to land (ie, idle) just so she is aware. She appreciated that immensely.

 

 

[flying dog]

Yes, Pic #32 shows you hit some turbulance.

 

Looking at your better half's face. ;)

 

WRT pic #9.... The latch... I looked. Did I miss something?

 

Yes, it looks like the cover isn't fitted correctly, but this may be simply a mechanical "anomily".

 

Both the latches look closed to me. Someone mind correcting me if I am wrong.

 

 

Oh and P.S.

 

Congrats on the flight. Yes it is nice taking someone up if they enjoyed it as much as you.

 

 

 

[shags_j]

Like I said, hadn't got to that side yet for the latch (don't know why but I always do the pilot side first then the passenger side).

 

 

[flying dog]

Shags,

 

Now worries. I was more asking WAS it open/un-locked? To me it didn't seem to be.