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billwoodmason

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Everything posted by billwoodmason

  1. billwoodmason
    Have the results of the last member survey been made public?.
  2. billwoodmason
    G'day Beeza, welcome to the forum. There used to be a Karatoo hangared at Cobden for a number of years - had a Subaru engine with a belt redrive for propulsion. I was lucky enough to fly in it on a couple of occasions and have a play with controls. From memory was easy to fly but seemed heavy on the controls ie (heavy stick load). A sound design with a roomy cabin. Good luck with your build. What are you going to power it with?.
  3. billwoodmason
    Seeing that photo of flyerme in the Wing Ding took me back 30 years or so when a friend of mine was asked to test fly one for an aquantance who built one but could not fly, reluctantly my friend agreed - and on taxiing it he refused to get it off the ground fearing the worst. I don’t think it ever flew- apparently having multiple proplems to overcome. Have you flown yours flyerme? If not - I don’t need to tell you to proceed with caution if you ever try.
  4. billwoodmason
    M & M keep on giving members reasons to look for alternatives - I think we are going to see a lot more of this in the future.
  5. billwoodmason
    You’ve gotta wonder what that means don’t ya? Got me confused.
  6. billwoodmason
    Its good that RAA offer free flying to some through scholarships but other organisations like the EAA hold big fundraisers just to fund these. Their membership fees are separate. I assume from the price increase to members that some if not all of RAA money is coming from members and the increase in scholarships might also account for the increase in members (as per the last Board Communique) Philanthropy towards scholarships to fly is great for those who have enough disposable income to afford it and who choose to do it by donating when renewing their annual subscription for their certificate. Surely members who do not tick the box on the renewal form would be seen as not wanting their funds to go to this or any other cause not directly associated with the cost of maintaining their membership. I assumed that scholarship money came from those who chose to donate.
  7. billwoodmason
    It appears to me that increasingly RAA management have a business model that includes bleeding as much money out of its members as they think they can get away with - I wonder if this will ever plateau. On another note they have announced another survey which I applaud, but curiously I don’t remember there being published a complete account of the results of the previous survey. ( correct me if I’m wrong as I don’t subscribe to Sport Pilot however I do talk to people that do). Perhaps they didn’t get the results they were looking for to support the weight increase etc and so are going to roll the dice again for a more agreeable result.
  8. billwoodmason
    Kasper - your probably right about “memory merge”. To cIarify, I attended the Mangalore flyin a number of times over a period of time, the things I recalled in post 53 were not necessarily at only one flyin, I did say I was told about the runaway incident I didn’t witness it. Sorry for not writing a clearer explanation in post 53. Cheers.
  9. billwoodmason
    I was at Mangalore easter flyin around that time and saw one aerobated - can’t say for certain it was that particular aircraft but I remember being alarmed at how much the tail boom flexed under ‘G’ loading during loops and rolls. I didn’t see the runaway incident but was told about it. Pretty hairy stuff but. The other thing that I remember was having a look over the Legetti Stratos that was on display. The cockpit was tiny - very slim and very little leg room, the pilot flew in a reclining position - looked uncomfortable to me but may have been ok. I reckon the pilot wouldn’t want to be much over 70 kgs. It was a really interesting time for the ultralight movement (in it’s infancy).
  10. billwoodmason
    Condolences to all who knew him. Is there any info on what happened?.
  11. billwoodmason
    I have posted on recflying last year after doing my last BFR about it being more a flight test than a review costing me $140 to do in my own aircraft. That BFR was the most stringent I have ever undergone and at the time wondered if the goal posts were shifting. Make your own conclusions.
  12. billwoodmason
    I see now they have introduced a minimum standard for a BFR, instead of a BFR being an opportunity to freshen up on any aspect of your flying you feel necessary. This will mean BFRs will now cost more to cover their syllabus. Areas that you may have wanted to brush up on will now be overlooked. The merge to GA continues. No discussion entered into!! Members won’t want this.
  13. billwoodmason
    There appears to be a number of lobbyists on here I believe.
  14. billwoodmason
    Keith - I’m all for owner operators L1, L2, L3, L4s maintaining RAA aircraft. GA trained LAME’s generally do not have expertise with Rotax or Jabiru engines etc. and so are a long way off being able to effectively maintain them. I disagree with how the L1 exam has been introduced - I think the Pilots who held the rating should have recieved a dispensation and kept their rating. New pilots with no mechanical experience be made to sit the exam. The GA influence in our managers and tech team is having a disasterous effect on our core beliefs and will chase a lot of people away from RAA. It will be worse if they introduce weight increases as has been mooted. It’s been said by some on here that to make change all you have to do is stand for office. What a load of BS. We had an effective way to be heard with regional reps prior to the new constitution coming into being. The new constitution has ensured that members thoughts never reach the board or RAA employees.
  15. billwoodmason
    The end game may be take maintenance out of the hands of pilots and into the hands of professional maintainers.ie - first introduce a hurdle such as an exam, then when some comply (so as to continue legally maintaining their aircraft) and some drop off, then introduce another hurdle (practical test) so some comply and the majority drop off due to the impracticabilities of travel, time & cost etc. of getting the course done. And then of course there is update/refresher training. So the result will be some keep maintaining their aircraft as before for stuff they are capable of doing but no longer do log book entries (to avoid detection) or bite the bullet and use professional maintainer for everything. Either way a bad result for all concerned.
  16. billwoodmason
    It never ceases to amaze me what Linke wastes our money on!. Why not stick to core values and do the basics well, and concentrate on getting prices for services provided back to reasonable levels - costs to members continue to spiral upwards while money is being spent on feel good nonsense. Where is the hard evidence that the L1 exam is absolutely necessary for example?. All these things are being paid for through fee increases to members, while the bottom line is being ignored. We are paying this bloke for goodness sake - he needs reining in.
  17. billwoodmason
    Does anyone know if it landed safely. It looks as if it would be unstable/unbalanced at slow speed.
  18. billwoodmason
    The L1 test is not free Jetjr, RAA would have covered cost and then some ( just look at registration costs - ever increasing. How much does it cost to keep a record of RAA aircraft?) Re your point about CASA demanding that everyone sit a test, everything is up for debate - why did not RAA defend the system that was in place and demand evidence that change was necessary. If there was 1 or 2 isolated incidents that is not reason enough to inconvenience every L1 in RAA. I’m not convinced there was a demand from CASA. RAA does little or nothing in regard to defending members rights as far as I can see.
  19. billwoodmason
    The RAA requirement to do an exam to be able to carry out L1 duties which previously was a right given to RPC holders in order to be able to maintain their aircraft is nothing more than an a—e kissing exercise by our heirarchy to the regulator. (with a financial benefit for RAA ofcourse). I have held an RPC (with an L1 rating) since the late 1980’s and suddenly I am unable to do maintenance on my own aircraft anymore. What a croc!!. Just more of RAA ( read the two Micks) imposing itself unnecessarily on members to get them used to being compliant to please CASA and look great on their CV’s for life after RAA.
  20. billwoodmason
    Wow - how was the camera attached ?.
  21. billwoodmason
    Roger, you’ve had a fair crack at Jab engines and airframes. I thought we were done canning Jabs following CASA’s restrictions based on some very sus stats. Apparently not from your perspective.
  22. billwoodmason
    Make no mistake - there is a simmering scepticism amongst many of the members I know and from strangers I meet on my travels relating directly to recent past events and the actions/directions of the current chairman and board. Very few of those I know post on this forum, but they are out there silently watching RAA transform into something no one ever thought would come from our very own management. We have been hoodwinked by people headhunted to bring RAA into what CASA want us to be. We have no effective voice anymore to have input into our future all engineered by Monke and Co. He will go down in history as the single biggest destroyer of recreational flying ever.
  23. billwoodmason
    What about a wheels up - no more belly landings.
  24. billwoodmason
    Welcome and happy flying!
  25. billwoodmason
    A guy called Dennis Borchart from South Aust. used to be an agent for Lightning aircraft. He has owned a couple of beautiful examples over the years and would be seen at a lot of fly-ins. I believe he no longer has the agency . He would definately be the "go to" person to speak to, sadly I can't help you with any contact details. I'm sure others on here from SA would be able to help locate him.
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