Admin

Oh, and also please note that I am trying to catch up on migrating the old site to this new software and there is so much information, entries, records etc that need to be moved across or rearranged so they come up in the Whats New. Also there are many more new sections of the site that all need to get populated with initial content. Every day I am trying to do: 2 x Articles 2 x Videos 2 x Tutorials Plus clean up things, create/populate new sources of information for everyone and more

The site is trying to be a single repository of all types of information and interesting reading in recreational aviation rather than just a pseudo Facebook group. So with this in mind the challenge is to provide something for everyone whilst trying to satisfy every individuals needs in the way this is presented and accessed. The other important thing is to be able to at the same time let all users know everything that IS available right here for them so they don't miss out. The Whats New Section is all about letting everyone know what is new on the site and give them access to those new entries whilst at the same time giving them the option of going to the new entry OR NOT going to the new entry. I believe I have created a scenario that should please just about everyone. As mentioned several times before users have the option of creating their very own Whats New page, select what types of site components they want displayed and then set that as their own default Whats New Page...if they just want Forum Posts, they can do that, if they want everything except for new entries on Aviation People, they can do that also and if they want anything in between, they can do that, plus they can even have new entries displayed condensed or expanded, they can even do that. To create your own Whats New Page click "My Activity Stream" from the sub menu then "Create New Stream", create your new stream, give it a title and save it. When seeing the results simply click the Tick next to the stream title and the stream will then be your default Whats New...it's very simple. BUT, give a thought to what you may just miss out on tomorrow, or the next day, next week etc

ISBN is the acronym for International Standard Book Number. This 10 or 13-digit number identifies a specific book, an edition of a book, or a book-like product (such as an audiobook). Since 1970 each published book has a unique ISBN. In 2007, assigned ISBNs changed from 10 digits to 13.

They are great suggestions @FlyingVizsla keep them coming so I can create a good specs sheet to a developer that I know has expressed interest in creating it. For books the user just needs to put the ISBN number in and all details will come up

I am receiving emails through my gMail account. Is there anyone else who is using gMail having any issues receiving emails from the site

I have checked your notification settings and they are all good...I have also just enhanced the email logging system so I can see more specific sending information...the only thing left is if there is something wrong with your email with your ISP. Let me know if you receive an email about this reply...thanks

I've got it...a whole new Aviation DVDs and Books section that gives the details of the movie/book etc and some custom fields where users can add reviews, who has a copy to lend out, who has the copy now etc...i will look into it

I was thinking about this at about 3am this morning when I woke up and wondered whether we could create some kind of Book and Video library where users can list what they have and users send their copy to them who then sends it to someone else etc. I thought about for about 30 mins and couldn't work out how it would work...and then I fell back to sleep. Seriously though, I wonder whether it could be done and if so HOW???

I don't know why the family gives me books...they never see me have the free time to sit down and read one...the other one they gave me for Fathers Day was on the history of the Bee Gees, them (pre disco) as well as Pink Floyd and Roger Waters are my favourites but in DVDs I like Aviation and War Movies (preferably Air Force and Navy)

Hi All, I have fired up the NEW Articles Section here on Recreational Flying (.com). I hope to add more and more interesting articles to make your stay more informative and interesting pieces of information to read and everything in Aviation. The NEW Articles Section is contained within the Media Section access from the Media link in the main menu on the side of the site plus you will see the latest article that has been added pop up here and there across the site. The NEW Articles Section also provides the functionality to Promote items of interest to various place across the site AND as some links for extra reading at the bottom of your Notification Emails. At the moment any First Class Member can Promote an item whether it is in the forums or anywhere else on the site so I will give that a try and see if we have let too many cats out of the bag The Promoted items can all be seen in one single place called "Our Picks" which can be accessed in various sub menus around the site like at the top of the Whats New section, you will see "Our Picks" as a sub menu item Anyway, the site is really becoming very comprehensive in everything you may want to see in one very easy and convenient location...Recreational Flying, and don't forget Aviation News from around the world is also coming soon

Correct I have the same issue...the video stretches to the size of the screen but maintains the Width/Height ratio. The only way to fix that is to reduce the width a bit which will reduce the height as well and this could be done by adding blocks in the right side column...I will give that some thought on what blocks I could add there

@red750 are you saying you did NOT have the problem of the video being too large for your screen on the Great Ocean Rd Video???

Have you missed the following updates published on our website last month? Instruments Fatigue rules finalised Following consultation with the aviation community, we have finalised the new fatigue rules under CAO 48.1 Instrument 2019. The new rules came into effect on 2 September 2019. Transition will be in progressive stages achieving full effect for all AOC holders and Part 141 operators from 1 October 2020, giving more time to transition. More information is available on the CASA website. Changes to aircraft ratings A new edition of the Part 61 Prescription of aircraft and ratings (Edition 6) legislative instrument has been published. Read more on the CASA website. New rules for pilots of commercial balloons New rules have been made clarifying the requirements that apply to pilots of commercial balloons. Find out more on the CASA website. Exemptions New exemption recognises differences training, flight training and flight reviews completed overseas We’ve published a new exemption that recognises differences training, flight training and flight reviews completed overseas. More details on the CASA website. Consultations Proposed changes to the dangerous goods rules – amendment to CASR Part 92 We are seeking feedback on changes to Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 92 – Consignment and carriage of dangerous goods by air. We would like your comments on the detailed policy before it is drafted into regulations. Go to the Consultation Hub to provide your feedback by 5 September 2019. New self-study pathway for aircraft maintenance engineers Consultation is now open on our proposal to amend the Part 66 manual of standards to introduce a self-study training and examination pathway that leads to the grant of a Part 66 aircraft engineer licence. Go to the Consultation Hub to find out more and have your say by the 27 September 2019 deadline. 2019 fatigue rules Read a review of public responses to modernising the fatigue rules in the Summary of Consultation – available now on the Consultation Hub. We’ve also published draft CAAP 48-01 v3.0 which provides guidance on meeting the obligations in relation to fatigue management, required under CAO 48.1 Instrument 2019. Consultation has now closed. Find out more on the Consultation Hub. Maximum take-off weight increase for aeroplanes managed by an approved self-administering aviation organisation We are seeking feedback from the aviation community on how an increased maximum take-off limit (from 600 kg up to a maximum of 760 kg) would impact them and aviation safety. Feedback from the consultation will help us to decide next steps, including whether to develop a more detailed policy proposal. The consultation is open until 28 September 2019 on the Consultation Hub. Announcements OnTrack website no longer available Don’t forget to have your say by the 30 September 2019 deadline. We are seeking feedback from pilots and other interested parties to understand current and future pre-planning navigational needs around controlled airspace. Help us shape the future direction of OnTrack by providing your feedback via the Consultation Hub. Guidance material Advisory Circulars We published one amended advisory circular (AC) during August for approved Part 147 training organisations. Projects We closed Project OS 18/08 – Amendments to CAOs 40.7 and 82.7 to align with CAR Part 5 and balloon class definitions in regulation 5.01 of CAR. We closed Project OS 09/13 – fuel and alternate requirements. We approved Project AS 18/05 – Amendments to procedures to air navigation services (PANS) – aerodromes. We have published the summary of consultation on PP 1816US – proposed new remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) registration and RPAS operator accreditation scheme. Subscribe now to get Flight Safety Australia magazine in print CASA’s flagship aviation safety magazine, Flight Safety Australia, is now available as a print subscription. Subscribe by 28 October to get the next available issue (Summer 2019). Order the new quarterly magazine for $39.95 via the CASA online store.

I was given a book the other day for Fathers Day from my daughter: Fire In The Sky - The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War by Michael Molkentin Has anyone read it?

In case you miss it:

Have your say: Weight limit for aeroplanes administered by Approved Self-Administering Aviation Organisations CASA would like your feedback on a proposal to increase the maximum take-off weight limit for aeroplanes able to be administered by Approved Self-Administering Aviation Organisations (ASAOs). We would like your views on how an increased weight limit (from 600 kg up to a maximum of 760 kg) would impact you, the broader aviation community and aviation safety. Find out more by visiting the Consultation Hub and have your say by the 28 September 2019 deadline.

Yes, the Off Topic site is currently being worked on...first it had to be migrated to IPS (now done) and next is to move it to the new Australian server. Clear Prop has already been done and it is performing so FAST now it is incredible so now the work begins in making Whats Up Australia a comprehensive site on everything in Australia for all Australians to post and discuss anything

Acting CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Graeme Crawford comments: Another important milestone in regulatory development has been reached with the finalisation of new fatigue rules for operators and pilots. The rules in Civil Aviation Order 48.1 Instrument 2019 are the result of the output from the review requested by the CASA Board which was conducted by an independent panel of experts. There was extensive consultation utilising the now well proven combination of an industry/CASA technical working group, the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel and public consultation. These fatigue rules align Australia with international standards, address known risks to improve aviation safety and provide flexibility. The new fatigue rules will commence on 2 September 2019, and there will be a staged transition to give air operators adequate time to move across to the requirements. High capacity regular public transport operators are required to provide plans to CASA by 30 November 2019; however, smaller operators have more time to adopt the new rules. By 1 October 2020 all air operators will be expected to be compliant with the new fatigue rules. The new requirements permit operations under a series of prescriptive rules designed for different types of operations. Where operators require additional flexibility, they can apply for a Fatigue Risk Management System that relates to individual routes or their whole operation. CASA will also consider minor variations to the prescriptive rules where fatigue risks are adequately identified, mitigated and monitored. CASA will be providing plenty of support to everyone who needs to make the transition, including a new version of Civil Aviation Advisory Publication 48-01. Consultation on the draft of this publication is now open and I invite everyone with an interest to comment. CASA intends to conduct regular fatigue surveys to assess the effectiveness of the new rules in reducing fatigue risk. We will also continue to monitor fatigue as part of our ongoing safety obligations to oversight air operators. Find out more about the new fatigue rules. Comment on draft Civil Aviation Safety Publication 48-01 v3.0. Regards Graeme Crawford Updates Online training on the improve A new version of CASA’s online learning management system – AviationWorx – is about to be launched. AviationWorx is used by a range of people to undertake mandatory and voluntary training. This includes flight examiners, pilots, engineers, designated aviation medical examiners, ground handlers and refuellers. The system is being updated to make it easier for users to log in, find the courses they’re looking for and manage their training. Anyone who is part way through an AviationWorx online module or training course is encouraged to finish it before the current system is shut down on 28 August 2019. Any unfinished work in modules or courses will be lost after that date due to the migration to the new system. All registered AviationWorx users will be emailed instructions on how to log in to the new system, as well as being given updated guidance material on using the system. Information will also be available on CASA’s website when new system goes live. Current achievements in AviationWorx will be moved across to the new system. Go to AviationWorx. Comment now on dangerous goods proposals Consultation is open on proposed changes to the rules covering dangerous goods. The proposals stem from a review of Part 92 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, which sets the minimum safety requirements for the consignment and carriage of dangerous goods by air. Part 92 covers training, documentation, record keeping and incident reporting, as well as provisions for packaging, marking, labelling, loading and stowage in aircraft. The proposed changes have been examined by a technical working group of the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel. A range of issues are addressed by the proposed amendments, which will improve and update the dangerous goods regulations, including making them easier to understand and comply with. There is a proposed new subpart on the reporting of dangerous goods accidents, incidents and occurrences to give certainty and clarity to operators and to align with International Civil Aviation Organization reporting requirements. Provision is made for aviation infringement notices to be issued for certain offences to allow for more proportionate penalty options. Currently if CASA determines action is appropriate for a breach of the dangerous goods rules a prosecution must be sought. Changes are proposed to the dangerous goods training requirements and there are options for smaller commercial operators to conduct their own case-by-case risk assessments for certain dangerous goods without seeking CASA permission. This removes red tape. Have your say on the proposed dangerous goods changes by 5 September 2019. We’ve got drone safety answers Getting the right answers to questions about drone safety is now a lot easier. CASA’s dedicated drone website – www.droneflyer.gov.au – and the drone pages on the main CASA web site now have a new virtual assistant to answer questions. The assistant appears in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, badged ‘chat with CASA’. It answers general drone questions in real time and in plain English. In the first weeks of operation common questions posed have been about flying drones near airports, the CASA approved app, altitudes, restricted airspace and licences. The virtual assistant learns from each interaction to improve the information and responses. CASA has also refreshed droneflyer.gov.au and CASA web site drone pages, including updated information on the planned national registration and accreditation scheme. The web pages are branded with the theme ‘know your drone’. This theme will be used in future drone information campaigns, with the aim of better engaging with all drone operators. The know your drone brand was developed following extensive market research and testing with current and intending drone users. Go to droneflyer.gov.au. Get our magazine in print now The first new print edition of CASA’s Flight Safety Australia magazine will be out soon. Anyone who ran out of time to subscribe for the Spring 2019 edition can subscribe now for the Summer edition. Each issue of Flight Safety Australia is packed with feature articles and news, historical crash analysis, accident reports, close calls, quizzes and a new, high impact ‘crash comic’. The print edition costs $39.95 a year - less than $10.00 per issue, or under 80 cents a week. Flight Safety Australia content can still be read online for free. Subscribe now for the print edition of Flight Safety Australia. No to Illawarra danger area A proposal to create a danger area in airspace around a planned open cycle gas turbine power plant near the Illawarra Regional Aerodrome has not been supported by CASA. The proposal for an airspace change to mitigate the risks of a plume rise from the power station was carefully examined by CASA’s Office of Airspace Regulation. This included formal consultation with airspace users, operational advice from qualified pilots, a detailed safety analysis using subject matter experts and a hazard identification workshop. It was determined the danger area may reduce the potential risk to aircraft from the impact of the proposed plume rise but the required location of the plume and associated danger area would generate additional risks that could not be mitigated. The location and proximity of the proposed danger area would adversely impact aircraft operations in and around Illawarra Airport, with the resulting risks to aviation unacceptable. In brief Pilots are being surveyed on the resources they need to support pre-flight navigational planning around controlled airspace. The survey asks pilots about their previous use of the tool OnTrack and other resources they use in planning flights. General comments and suggestions can be made about pre-flight planning information and resources. CASA has withdrawn OnTrack as it contained out of date information. Have your say on pre-flight planning support before 30 September 2019. Remember there is a new drone safety app which is a must have for all drone flyers. The OpenSky app will help all drone operators to easily identify where they can safely and lawfully fly across Australia. The old Can I Fly There? app has been retired. Get the new OpenSky app in app stores or online. Flight Safety Australia wants to hear about your close calls—and pays $500 if yours is published. Close calls can be from any sector of aviation, from paragliders to airline transport, including all types of rotary wing aircraft. And close calls are not just about pilots. Contributions are welcome from aircraft maintainers, ground handlers and cabin crew. Share a close call by visiting the Flight Safety Australia website. Learn to expect the unexpected The latest series of AvSafety seminars for pilots has the theme of ‘expect the unexpected’. Topics being covered include preflight planning, aeronautical decision making and checklists. The pilot pre-flight personal minimums tool known as PAVE will be discussed. PAVE stands for: Pilot, Aircraft, Environment and External Pressures. Several case studies will be examined that involve issues including weather, fuel, weight and balance and airspace infringements. The importance of in-flight decision making will be covered, including some of the traps in decision making. A decision-making model will be looked at known as PILOT. This stands for Pool the facts, Identify the problem, Look for solutions, Operate, Take Stock. Participants will discuss a case study involving fuel management from the point of view of in-flight decision making. The section on checklists will cover their history, importance and how to use them. Several safety occurrences will be reviewed where the correct use of a checklist may have stopped the incident or accident occurring. In September 2019 AvSafety seminars will be held at: Aldinga Atherton Cairns Darwin Gold Coast Jacobs Well Katherine Maryborough Rockhampton Redcliffe William Creek. Book a place at a pilot safety seminar now. The human component of engineering A new series of engineering AvSafety seminars is now underway. The theme of the seminars for engineers is ‘the human component’. Three key topics will be covered - engineering errors and the lessons learnt, the human component of engineering and proposed new general aviation maintenance and continued airworthiness regulations. CASA’s experts will use a number of case studies to delve into engineering errors, lessons from mistakes and techniques for avoiding pitfalls. The focus will be on exploring the human component of engineering and the cost factors involved in maintenance errors. Importantly there will also be discussion about the proposed Part 43 general aviation maintenance regulations for private and air work operations. CASA’s aviation safety advisors will welcome discussions and questions, both during and after the presentations. These seminars are a great opportunity to add to professional development, improve safety knowledge and build better teamwork. In September 2019 engineering seminars are being held at: Adelaide Cairns Mackay Parafield Victoria River Downs.

No, whatsup .com and .com.au are taken...this needs to be a site just about Australian topics

That domain is already taken unfortunately

Currently the Off Topic site is named Whats Up Australia (.com.au) which I feel is a bit long. I am about to rebuild that site into something more powerful and sociable so I am wondering whether to just call it Jackaroo (.com.au)...what do you think? The Off Topic site is purely for discussions on anything to do with Australia...politics, news, current events and affairs etc.

Today the site has been moved to a new server and it is in France. Even though our previous server was in Australia it wasn't optimised and needed a lot of work to firstly optimise it and then tweak the site. I believe that to obtain a greater audience and use of the site it had to be more appealing, performance wise, to the rest of the world but without sacrificing the performance to use all here in Australia. So I engaged a guru not only in server management but also a specialist in the site software we use and today he completed the setup of the new server, in France, and fully tweaked the site to get the best performance possible. The performance figures are: Load Times: Country Aust Server New Server Australia 1 sec 1.1 sec USA 2.8 sec 1.3 sec Europe/UK 3.2 sec 1 sec NOTE: WE ARE ALSO USING CLOUD STORAGE OF IMAGES SO THE CACHE NEEDS TO BUILD UP LOCAL COPIES OF THE IMAGES SO THEY MAY BE SLOW LOADING FOR A LITTLE WHILE I also have obtained a new Australian server which will contain Whats Up Australia (the off topic site), Clear Prop (the pilot supplies shop), Jackaroo (my personal domain and RecFly (my testing domain). As these are all specific to just Australia it is best to keep them here in Oz. Whats Up Australia is now also going to get a full makeover, including the move to a fully optimised version of IPS software, and promotion to make it a more social experience and a resource to discuss anything pertinent to Australia. Both Recreational Flying and Whats Up Australia will also have stronger ties to Facebook with 2 separate Facebook groups, 1 for each site, as well Before Whats Up Australia is moved I need to decide whether to keep the name WhatsUpAustralia.com.au or change it to a shorter iconic Australian name of jackaroo.com.au...Note that there is a new TLD coming out of just simply .au so no .com so I am thinking jackaroo.au sounds good...what do you think?

Yes, the site is currently being migrated to a new server and the Search function has to be re-indexed to find all the new posts again...it will take several more hours to go through the entire site, in fact you are now seeing the site on a Server located in France and there is very little impact to us in Australia but a massive performance improvement to potential International users. Our server guy in Greece is working away at it and then will set up the new Australian server for Whats Up Australia and Clear Prop. Load Times: Country Previous Now (or will be) Australia 1 sec 1.1 sec USA 2.8 sec 1.3 sec Europe/UK 3.2 sec 1 sec This should bring a greater International audience to the site plus I am creating a greater link to Facebook and Twitter as well

Yes, the site is currently being migrated to a new server and the Search function has to be re-indexed to find all the new posts again...should only be a little while now, in fact you are now seeing the site on a Server located in France and there is very little impact for us in Australia but a massive performance improvement to potential International users

For those with not so good eye sight (hmmm, and you fly a plane ) I have made the text on the site larger and pure black in colour