FlyingVizsla

Merry Christmas everyone! Loved reading the forum over the year. Finished a demanding job on Friday and now have time to catch up and contribute. 2014 is going to be a year of change for us. We have bought a property with room for an airstrip and will be moving in over the next year or so. Sue

I had the local policeman's young daughter on board - she asked what the speed limit was. Sue

Don't forget things like Depreciation (about $50,000+) which are not calculated until the end of the year, and Provisions for things like Long Service Leave. These come off the bottom line at the end of the year. Sue

Isis Flying Club run the Childers Qld Airstrip, which is owned by Council. It is a distance from town. The Council recently enlarged and renewed their lease over land beside the airstrip where they have built (and continue to build) hangars. The Club keeps the lease mowed and tidy and also mow the strip and tie down area. They did minor works - eg Council supplied a new windsock and gates and the club members erected them, spread grass seed and crusher dust. They got a grant to buy a ride on mower and they were cleaning the public toilets at the entrance to the airstrip. Council provides consumables and does the major work - removing saplings, grading the drainage lines for example. Once a year the Club hosts a "Fly-in, Walk-in, Drive-in" event for everyone - car club, visiting aviators, tourists, locals with help from other community groups. It proves the airstrip is a valued community asset which does not require a lot of $$ to maintain. They also have, as members; Council staff, media, community minded people & other non-aviation club people. It pays to spread the love rather than appearing to be a minor, self centred, demanding group. Sue

Nev, I can see where you are coming from. Experienced pilot teaching a relative to fly, with some kind of licence test at the end. We certainly came across students who had learned their flying skills from Dad or older brother off the farm strip (this is back in the 1990's) by flying with them since knee high to a grasshopper. We heard stories that said son had been flying & mustering and Dad said, next load of cattle we sell and you're off to properly get your licence. Son would arrive, cashed up, to do the requisite hours. We would tidy them up, teach them legislation, airmanship, fly into unfamiliar strips and get them tested for the PPL. In those days the requisite hours had to be flown off, regardless of skill level. Now, I guess these lads get their licence quickly as they can demonstrate their knowledge & competency. Not kosher, but it happens. I assume you are not advocating people teach strangers and mates from the pub, or as a business. Sue

8 November - phone call from RAA for payment and they emailed completed 12 month Rego. Now due in Nov next year. My guess is that because we exceeded the 90 day grace period, our aircraft's registration was then cancelled. When we completed all the tasks assigned to us our aircraft was then returned to the register for 12 months (new registration). On the RAA site the graph of average times to process renewals is a little misleading ... no renewal will exceed 90 days (it is cancelled), and I assume not counted. Or was ours counted as one day? We still have the more complex task for the Karasport ahead, but will try asking if they will adopt the plans and data set for similar aircraft already on the register (as per Ozzie's advice above). It too will be a new rego as it was due April. Sue

The ultralight club I was with did an annual lolly drop. Lessons we learned: have a passenger do the dropping as it is too high a work load for the pilot. Be aware of the wind and what this means for the trajectory. Choose wrapped lollies because they can end up anywhere and kids will grab them with a handful of grass, dirt and shove in pockets. No kids on oval - organisers should let little kids out first or they miss out. Have someone on the ground with radio to co-ordinate with organisers - pilot. Be very organised with lolly supply as it is very cramped in the air. For distribution I rigged up a pod & chute and fastener so it would not accidentally fall out. The best one had a circle of wire at the top to keep it open while tipping the bucket or bags of lollies in to it with a neck strap or some other way of holding it up to fill. The chute was about the length of a long sleeve, was hung over board with enough length to direct lollies below the fuse with a strap to pull it up while refilling and landing. Take an experienced passenger - one year they took the publican's wife because she had never been flying (kill two birds with one stone...) she turned the bucket into the wind and it peeled the bucket apart and blew most of the lollies back in. The lolly dropping stopped when it was done by the club cowboy who didn't bother with rules or safety, wouldn't co-operate with those on the ground. Today I would be questioning "lollies" - maybe we should be dropping little boxes of sultanas, packets of nuts, fruit, rice crisps, little toys. Sue

Well, we posted the latest bits they requested on our 19-rego this week. Rego ran out in May, so we hope this is the very last (apart from payment). Next is the far more complex data set & plans (there were none) for 10-rego built more than 20 years ago; that ran out in April.

I have read the Page 29 article Flying Online. Mid way it says "Making it a requirement that all our flight planning be done on an RA-Aus app or website? Submitting our flight plans to NAIPS through RA-Aus itself. That way RA-Aus would know at a glance where we are all going and whether or not we are doing it safely and legally." I can't see the pilots I know doing the computer thing, some because of remoteness, others because of lack of technology or knowledge of it. Then, whose full time job will it be in Head Office to monitor and collate (and chase up the recalcitrant pilots) and reconcile to reported hours flown at renewal time? So far as data mining goes - have a look at p.25. My first reaction was that there surely was more than 90 pilots in SA! Studying it again, I think SA is actually NT, or perhaps SA is SA+NT and the 90 pilots are Overseas or Other. Sue

A few years ago I was bombarded with those "they will sue the pants off you" letters sent to people on the GA register (our names & addresses are public) including "personal" letters from affected aviation people, a couple of those people claimed they never gave permission. In the end AOPA published an article (by Spencer F?) detailing the pros & cons of these schemes. The thing to remember is that if you gift your assets to a family trust or other alternate scheme, you no longer 'own' them. There are a whole new raft of rules & implications. Best to talk to a specialist in the area first. Sue

We did mark to be shared and email. Maybe it is only going to certain aircraft categories? No idea really, but we have only one on the register and two in the expired, waiting for input from us before renewal, pile. I checked our junk mail - nothing. I don't think I am missing much. Sue

I am feeling left out ... we didn't get one. Maybe it is only going to a select few? Sue

Very sorry to hear this news. A fellow aviator and family - thoughts & prayers are with you. Fly free. Sue

ATSB have started the investigation http://www.atsb.com.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-174.aspx Collision with terrain involving Rand Robinson KR-2, VH-CTE, 14 km W Tumut Airport NSW on 5 October 2013 During a private flight from a private airstrip near Tumut NSW to Holbrook NSW, the aircraft collided with terrain. The pilot died in the accident. The ATSB was notified of the accident on Monday, 7 October 2013 and deployed two investigators, with specialisations in engineering and aircraft operations. They arrived at the accident site later that day. A further two investigators, with specialisations in engineering, have been deployed and they expected to arrive at the accident site this morning (Tuesday, 8 October 2013). Over the next few days the team will examine the wreckage and accident site, interview witnesses, and collect maintenance and pilot records. The investigators are seeking witness reports that might assist the investigation. Witnesses are asked to call the ATSB on 1800 020 616. Further updates will be provided as significant information comes to hand. The investigation is continuing. ------------ Hopefully this will give the family & friends some answers. Our thoughts are with them. Sue

VH-CTE

More news, and photo: http://www.news-mail.com.au/news/man-serious-condition-after-plane-plummets-ground/2042599/ Sounds like EFATO. Sue

Have not heard anything, but there is an airstrip on Booyan Rd. Put this into Google Maps -24.72364 152.21689 to pin the intersection of the two strips. Someone we know learnt to fly there. Sue

Pilot was the son of the owners of "Albeni" a cattle grazing property 140km west of Springsure. Mum wrote the book "Pinched or Planted? The Cungelella Cattle Mystery", a good read. They own a C182. The son hired the PA-28 from Victoria for a flight to Charleville. The rest I heard was just speculation, so I'll wait till I hear it from the horses mouth or ATSB. Sue

http://www.aviationtrader.com.au/

Cunnamulla airstrip is about 6km NW of town with PAL lighting. He landed about 9km north. I am guessing, either he didn't have info for Cunnamulla at hand, or he decided it was better to land close to or on a road where a wreck might be obvious. I spent some time in the 1980's at 'cumulla, and again in the 1990's I was in Charleville. Magic place - mulga scrub, vast properties, see forever. Still don't know who it was. Our local paper comes out today, our amateur journo might have ferreted out the info. I got my NVFR in western Qld. Whole different world out there at night. My first nav was from Longreach to Barcaldine and shortly after take off the destination was obvious shining away, with only odd farm house lights. Hit the PAL frequency and the strip would light up in the darkness. The NVFR was to get me home, particularly in winter, when running against headwinds and last light. Sue

Looks like it took a wing off at the root, on a tree. I keep getting calls to ask "was it you?" but so far no one knows who the "Springsure" pilot was, my theory is that the Qld media has got the name confused with something in Vic eg Springvale.

Piper PA-28 VH-CCQ - registered to someone in Victoria. The aircraft was reportedly flying from Melbourne to Charleville and ended up approx 95NM sort of the destination. "9 km north of Cunnamulla, Queensland on 1 October 2013. During the cruise, while maintaining 4,000 ft, the aircraft experienced a total power loss. The pilot conducted a forced landing, at night, into a field. Both occupants received injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged." ATSB report here http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-168.aspx

ABC has a follow up story with pictures - the passenger used a tablet to email family to help locate them. http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/10/02/3860483.htm?site=westqld Still don't know who it is. Everyone here has either a chopper or C182. Sue

Yep, as I am barely 21 & definately Not flying around at night with a 30yr old no matter what he says. I don't know who it is, most probably someone from one of the properties in the area, I can't think of anyone in town that fits the description. The ABC has a story now http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-02/pair-walk-away-from-bush-landing/4993128?section=qld Sue

Heard on the ABC local radio this morning that a plane made an emergency landing after engine stoppage at 8:30pm last night 1st Oct. The pilot, said to be from Springsure (folks, its not me), and passenger are OK. Report in the Australian http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/two-survive-crash-landing-in-qld/story-fn3dxiwe-1226731258462 Nothing on ABC news site yet. Sue