SGM

I'm planning (another) trip flying Melbourne to Gold Coast. It works out at about 440 minutes (7 hours 20 minutes) of flight time, no autopilot. I've done before (once up, once back), but as a comparatively low-time pilot I have previously had a passenger and overnight stop halfway. This time I am solo and I am interested to know whether others have done... (trying poll feature)

I think your main options would be Lilydale ($110/month on tiedown, ~$550/month hangar but may not be available), Coldstream (soon to be redeveloped?), or maybe Mansfield (Walsh's).

Maybe don't buy an Angel Flights lottery ticket... that reminds me I wonder how the co-promoters Royce Crown and Margorie Pagani are going.

I have a stupid question... are their generic 912ULS engine mounts? or does each airframe manufacturer have their own?

Hi Friends I watched this https://iview.abc.net.au/video/RF2327V010S00 the other day and noticed (at 2:30) the Cesssna Caravan VH-MFD - which is presumably the most practical way around this part of Australia Has anyone from this forum flown their aircraft into these areas? Any advice on planning etc appreciated.

As an FYI the NOTAM is live for the above drone service : C1115/24 REVIEW C969/24 UA OPS (FIXED-WING BLW 7KG) WILL TAKE PLACE WI 4NM OF PSN 374845.70S 1451346.40E BRG 032 MAG 11.5NM FM MOORABBIN AD (YMMB) OPR CTC 'WING AVIATION PTY LTD' TEL: 1800 022 350 SFC TO 400FT AGL FROM 06 260637 TO 08 310830 TUE-SUN 2230-0830

I had this flyer delivered to my physical letterbox this week. I couldn't help myself and had to ask them some questions ; ) Here are the answers Availability: The "Drone" option in the doordash app is not presently there (I checked)..response is "We are looking to launch in the coming weeks and will formally announce via our website". Weather : "Our drones are capable of safely delivering a package in a strong breeze and even rain. We've done extensive rain testing from winter test flights north of Helsinki, as well as in Alaska, to the summer heat of Texas to evaluate our fleet's ability to operate in such conditions". [Might be interesting to order sushi in 40 knot storm] Range : seems to be about 8km from their shopping centre base (based up a series of addresses the helpful rep looked up for me). I was hoping they would share a national rollout and coverage plan with me - but no luck. Payload: "Each drone can deliver a package weighing a maximum of 1.1kg, however if you decide to place a large order, multiple drones will deliver your goods one after the other" Discount: "As a small token of our thanks for your patience and feedback, please enjoy promo code EASTLANDRN10 for $10 off your first drone order" CASA info here: https://www.casa.gov.au/drones/industry-initiatives/drone-delivery-services#Approveddeliverylocations

My apologies, in the list above I omitted another director of the YourJetLife company that scammed us all.. Shane Woods, a helicopter pilot from Ormeau QLD with MECIR and CPL, He is in "Sales" at Monarc Global https://www.f6s.com/member/shanewoods#about the Royce Crown aviation company. He promotes the first draw https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=743927207518083 He hosts the "draw" https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?extid=CL-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&mibextid=Nif5oz&ref=watch_permalink&v=225545423639721 he promotes the second helicopter lottery (long rambling podcast) https://verticalhelicasts.com/helipodcast/episode-38-shane-woods-australian-border-patrol-pilot-on-how-to-win-a-helicopter/ He has now deleted his Linkedin profile

Here is our friend Marjorie Pagani personally promoting the subsequent lotteries that police believe never even took place... if you are like me you got bombarded with subsequent lotteries. https://www.facebook.com/100088660381449/videos/296561926291261

it just keeps getting weirder...

So the materials by AngelFlight clearly show it was a "joint effort by Monarc Global and Angel Flight" (refer below) Based on public, self-disclosed information, I am recording for posterity the names of the Board members of both of these organisations: Monarc Global https://monarcglobal.com/ Royce Crown - CEO of both Monarc Global and YourJetLife (and the guy fleeing from journalists and under investigation by NSW Police) Monica Zagrodny - Co-Founder of Monarc Global , currently National Product & Supply Leader - Corporate Traveller at Flight Centre Travel Group Alister D. Punton - Advisory Board Member, CEO of Storylines Inc Jonathan Lerner - Advisory Board Member, Directory of Envy Group Benjamin J. Bickford - CEO & Founder BIONIC Corporation Angel Flight https://www.angelflight.org.au/ Margorie Pagani - CEO, Executive Director and Company Secretary Howard Hobbs - Chairman, Director Note : Angel Flight has $11.8m of assets so they are not going broke anytime soon.

As a volunteer for Angel Flight, I wrote to the Angel Flight CEO, as there has been zero correspondence on this to us. A pretty disappointing and blame-shifting reply is below.

ATSB vid released today

Juan Brown (Blancolirio channel)

Very sad. Some context: https://www.anyfoolcanfly.com/

This years insurance renewal bake-off: For our RAAus Evektor Sportar with $60k Hull, $1m additional extra liability for PAX (after the RAAus $250k), $1000 Excess, in Victoria. Last year = $1826* (*we elected to go with a $2500 excess last year) This year via "Bill Owen" (Agile) and the super helpful Sonya Smith = $2350 This year via "Insurance House" (Agile+QBE) and the super helpful Geoff Tonkin = $2193 AvCover: didn't quote as being RAAus they said the price would be the same as "Bill Owen" Conclusion: roughly 20% increase on last year, with about 7% difference between the main RAAus options.

Jabriu J160 per RAAus https://members.raa.asn.au/safety/accident-and-defect-summaries/

On our insurance, we had to nominate the pilot's name, and was slightly more expensive if they have less than 100 hours time... so not that practical to add/subtract renters/borrowers. BTW - I was able to add my daughter to the policy for her ab-initio training, but the insurer had to look at the flying school's track record when calculating the extra premium.

Update: I reached out to Kerry for some mountain flying training on my forthcoming NZ trip.. "Early August 2022 we had severe winds which caused the hangar to collapse destroying the aircraft inside it. The hangar has not been re-built and I am hiring a Maule aircraft, which is based in Alexandra" So it's great she is still in business, albeit with less availability. The website is parked, but her email is relatively easy to find online (if you can't find it - message me).

Truck.

I am reliably informed the cause was fuel selector valve human error - there are four tanks on this one.

Feeling lucky? and/or want to support a great aviation charity? A $15 ticket could win you a 2023 Cirrus G6 SR22 - value is listed at $3.47m as it includes Management fees, Hangarage, Fuel (up to $150K), Chartering capabilities, and full pilot training* for the first 12 months The lottery aims to achieve funds for the purchase of the first small jet (Cirrus Vision Jet), dedicated to the transportation of health professionals and students for placements in rural clinics. The benefit will help to alleviate the problems rural and remote patients are having in attending hospitals, medical services or travel for care across the country. The need having been greatly increased as a result of the COVID pandemic and recent flood events. Angel Flight has helped transport Doctors to communities where there have been no medical services of any kind for months. With your contribution, we hope to make these missions easier, more accessible, and more expansive. Tickets are available nationwide and can be purchased now through yourjetlife.com. Video on Sunrise at the launch https://fb.watch/ipK5eHVHm7/

Looks like they were almost home - but at 1500' and had to act quick.

A photo taken by my father as he cycled along the bike path. It's from Lilydale Airfield - great advertisement for their practice forced landing training!

I flew over French Island yesterday with my daughter... is this the strip? @Mike Gearon is this yours?