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sfGnome

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Everything posted by sfGnome

  1. sfGnome
    Nev. I didn't mean the question in any negative way. Quite the opposite. I've recently seen an opportunity to do a tailwheel conversion and I've been wondering to myself whether there's any value in it - I mean, are there significant advantages (and disadvantages?) compared to flying a nosewheel a/c, or is it just a different skill and nothing more. Hence, when I saw your comment about tailwheel in the context of stability in rough air (and given that my wife gets very scared if the a/c moves any direction other than forwards), I thought I'd ask whether that was one of the advantages of that style of a/c. If a taildragger will make her more comfortable in the air, then I'll be shelling out the shekels for the training faster than you can blink. :)
  2. sfGnome
    Can I ask a dumb question? Was the reference to tailwheel serious, or just because you like flying them and just threw it in? If you were serious, what difference do they make? (I'd actually like to know all the reasons why some people prefer tailwheel, but that'd be a hijack of the thread so perhaps I'd better start a new one :) )
  3. sfGnome
    Ah, well that might account for why they were so courteous...
  4. sfGnome
    I was watching this video of an RV-12 demonstration flight from vansweb and I noticed a couple of things that seemed strange to me. The first was in a power-on stall (about 7:10 minutes in). The pilot says "There's full power... We'll just hold this attitude and let the speed bleed off... It takes almost full right rudder at this speed...". Why does it take full right rudder to maintain straight flight when it's climbing steeply? I understand the effects of precession and changing thrust, etc, but full rudder? (and yes, you can see in the video that it really is full). I've only ever flown a J-160 which only needs small pressure changes for that type of thing. Is such large pedal input normal for other a/c? The second thing was the stall characteristic. Every stall demonstrated dropped straight off to the right. I'm used to the 160 sort-of mushing down but staying level unless you did something silly. Given that this was essentially an advertising video, it seems odd that they were so unconcerned. Again, is that normal? Is it a low wing thing? The learning continues...
  5. sfGnome
    Wow!!!!!!!!! (Erudite, ain't he?? )
  6. sfGnome
    Have a look at the rudder work while he's running on one wheel & one wing - he's sure not taking it easy in there.
  7. sfGnome
    If my models were anything to go by, it's important that he took the photos before the first flight... Wouldn't it be good if he could make a 1:1 scale model, Can you imagine flying around in that!? How cool would that be?
  8. sfGnome
    A couple of times when I was practising glide approaches, I'd call "...glide approach 20 from 2000..." and my instructor would pipe up "... and Cessna ABC, we have you in sight". It struck me at the time as a very useful bit of information, even if it isn't in the AIP list of standard calls. :)
  9. sfGnome
    Yep. Read it this morning while stuck in a Dr's waiting room. Made the time fly much faster than normal. I like Monty's regular column idea, so you'd better get your skates on and fly somewhere so you can tell us all about it!
  10. sfGnome
    Maca, while I've never been there, I hear a lot of microlights flying out of Somersby on the radio (um.., well, they're not flying on the radio - I hear them on the radio. You know what I mean... ). All that aside, they might be worth a visit, or someone here may be able to tell you more about the folk there.
  11. sfGnome
    I heard an interesting story on Radio National's Science show this week about the Dunning-Kreuger effect. Basically, these blokes have shown that people who are bad at something tend to believe the opposite, whereas people who are good at something are generally dissatisfied with their capability. They had a group sit a bunch of logic tests, and then asked them to say where they thought they'd rank. The best thought they'd be down the scale, while the worst thought they were right up the top. The really scary part was that when they were shown the right answers, the worst revised their estimated ranking even higher. In other words, even when they saw the right answers, they still didn't have a clue that they didn't have a clue! What's the relevance to the thread? The heroes who think they're fantastic (and aren't) aren't likely to believe you because they don't know that they don't know. Sad, but I have a horrible feeling that it's probably true. The other corollary is, of course, that if you think that your flying could do with some polishing, then you're probably flying better than the ones who think they're fine... :)
  12. sfGnome
    The 160 that BlackRod and I fly has just had a panel revamp - out with the Glass and in with the steam driven gauges. That's allowed the top of the dash to be lowered by quite a distance, meaning that shorty here can fly without cushions. Much more comfortable, and I didn't miss the glass at all. To pretend that I'm still on topic, I'd always assumed that all Jabs had 2 flap switches, one either side. I was staggered when I saw a cockpit picture a few weeks back with the one switch in the middle. Forget about ergonomics - what about safety? thumb_down
  13. sfGnome
    I always thought that I spoke clearly on the radio. Then one day I had cause to chat to Brisbane centre, and the first thing he did was ask me to repeat my callsign... I try to speak a bit slower now. I do recall that for the first couple of months most radio calls were indecipherable. Then, as I learned to listen for keywords, it started to make sense. Even now, though, I occasionally hear "3000 ft" and I suddenly think, hang on, I'm at 3000ft. Who the hell was that and where on earth are they?? Partial situational awareness is a scary thing!
  14. sfGnome
    Right. Try again! (and it it isn't there in full size, you can always look at the thumbnail )
  15. sfGnome
    Wow! Just goes to show that you shouldn't plough your land! Seriously, just like Bacchus said, your report has me thinking about how I'd handle the same situation and whether I'm prepared for it *every* time I take off. Sobering stuff. Thank you.
  16. sfGnome
    Hmmm... It was there last night, really it was! I think I know what I did wrong, so I'll sort it out and have another attempt tonight...
  17. sfGnome
    Here's lookin' at you, lookin' at me, lookin' at you... I think that I was the only person there who wasn't paying attention to the activity being filmed, but anything airborne is sooo much more interesting than what was behind me
  18. sfGnome
    Is it just me, or are Darky's Avatars getting scarier and scarier... p.s. Good on you Mick. We told you you'd be ok! :thumb_up:
  19. sfGnome
    Very cool :thumb_up:
  20. sfGnome
    Your basic pilot certificate only permits you to fly within 25nm of the point of departure, and only by yourself (or with an instructor). To take someone else you need the passenger endorsement, and to travel further than the 25nm radius you need your cross country endorsement. For what I think you want to do, you'll need both. The RA-Aus "Learn to Fly Guide" has lots of good info - well worth a read. p.s. I'm talking about a Recreational Pilot's Certificate here, not a Private Pilot's Licence. It's generally more expensive to obtain but allows you to do more. However, the 'more' than you can do (aerobatics, night flying, etc) may not be on your wish list. :)
  21. sfGnome
    Yeah, but that's because we think to much! (and which is also how we managed to get as old as we are )
  22. sfGnome
    Hi Latestarter! Better late than never. Everyone's different, so I can only tell you a few things as I found them. I had lessons most weeks (weather permitting), and it took me about a year from dreaming to having my cross-country and passenger endorsements. Total cost, approx $8000. If you can budget something in that order, you won't run out half way through. :) I reckon if I'd had lessons more than once a week, my brain would have exploded, particularly in the first few months. Then again, if I'd had longer gaps between lessons then it would have just taken too long (we haven't got that much time to play with any more... ). On the odd occasions when I did have a few weeks between lessons, I didn't notice my skills being any the worse for the wait, so I wouldn't be too worried on that front. Like I said though, everyone's different so just get out there and suck it and see! :thumb_up:
  23. sfGnome
    Fantastic stuff! Wish I'd managed it 36 years ago :) Given how much better the little planes go with only one POB, how do you think they'd go with no one in 'em??
  24. sfGnome
    Just tell her that she'll be riding pillion! (Either that, or tell her it's for all those times when she wanted to see the back of you... )
  25. sfGnome
    Hey, just down the road from me (and exactly the same story - I think you'll find it repeated here one or two thousand times... ). As I said to my brother the other day - "All the sweeter for the time I had to wait!"
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