Litespeed

And naturally the turnback was the best Qantas option. Screw the passengers and make it convenient for the small engineer team, that could have been flown in on the next flight. Very much the Joyce way of doing things.

Motorbikes and fast cars, European ones- particularly the red italians. Now have moved to a life aquatic for a simple healthy life...low impact on my health and the planet. Sure beats the big city and covid worries. Intend to sail for several years and just enjoy. Live off the seafood and grow fattish and happy. I intend to eat lots of lobsters, crabs, fish etc. Always loved sea stories and time to make my own. Young and dumb enough to have a go Old and wise enough to be careful.

My pleasure. Now repeat. I can make that a order if needed.?

Keep it upsky franco and enjoy playing the eagle. Us poor buggers are surrounded by turkeys.

Awesome, You lucky lucky barstard. Only water bound for now but the water birds are great

I would expect that been in hospital is a big factor in deaths- so don't go and you might live longer. Lets face it, hospitals are full of sick people.

Wise words, only keep with a group or even a single rider when you are happy at that speed, not just yourself but those around you doing the right thing, ie not stuffing up and bringing you down with them. Many a time, I have enjoyed riding as a group at speed, fanging it or touring, but you must be comfortable with the speed and your fellow riders abilities. We quite often get sucked in by "keepingupitis" and can get into a situations where our egos write cheques our skills cant cash. And that can be a disaster waiting to happen for all. Many a rider has succumbed to the temptation to follow a more experienced and skilled rider (and with currency) on a nice road and try and keep up, I am always vigilant to try and minimise the risk when riding with others esp those newer riders with a fast big hp bike. I must admit to liking been able to just do my thing on a nice road and not worry about someone hurting themselves or me. So either leave them early whilst they get gear on or wait and have a smoko before catching up later. For young turks learning, or older returned riders, I explain, I will go first, they follow after 2 minutes and will wait for them. That way they have no incentive to overdo it, nothing is worse than picking up the pieces when a following rider fails to arrive. Riding in a group is a enjoyable experience but like formation flying is a skill and requires all involved to be at a high skill level , the right mental set and in the "zone", esp if speed increases and things get "sporty". You have to rely on them always picking the right line, being consistent in braking, acceleration, speeds, separation etc and always reading the road ahead correctly as they lead a group. The leader is really a important job like flight leader but the fellow riders must be up to the task to choreograph the pack safely. It only takes one in the pack to miss a line or find the gravel patch/pot hole/ oily bit etc, when braking and the separation into the corner disappears and contact with rider in front brings the group down. When this happens into a corner, the riders are now into the oncoming traffic and you can imagine the rest. And the turkeys in cars can be the factor of death for many like ....https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/22/seven-dead-new-hampshire-crash-us-marines-biker-club For the touring or longer rides its also important too consider not just various rider skill and respective performance but fatigue levels of the riders and their steed- some bikes are great at making 8 hrs of fast touring a pleasure, others induce fatigue early. Your mate might be fine company at hour three, but is dangerous at the same speeds etc come hour 5 of a long ride. The same goes for the bikes themselves, some just do not like long high speed runs- brakes, tires and suspension can get "tired" over the day. I love a nice fast ride when I am in the "zone" but know, unless everyone else is at the same time, performance, maximum fun and safety suffer. With great pleasure comes great risk.

I may have not explained my view properly. And apologize if it seemed I was implying the low flight was not on. I know things are very different in the bush and mustering would be on the extreme end of it. I know it's dangerous hard work and yes done at low level and rarely above 150 ft, the natural flying environment. I did not wish to imply that flying sub 150 ft was his sin. I should have said he was not a suitable type of pilot for the job, as his complete lack of following the basics of flight prep, flight plan , been massively drunk, knowingly taking a passenger in that state etc. Not to mention turning off the locator beacon, would clearly make him someone who does not follow rules, regs or even common sense and felt no responsibility for others safety. He was clearly a danger to himself and others, both passenger and those working below him. No one, even on a muster should suffer such a pilot and allow that. He had bugger the rules attitude and even though obviously had a level of skill to operate a chopper, he demonstrated he was not fit and proper for the job. I can only imply from his actions, he was a thrill seeker who felt he was invincible. What I meant by the "camp must have known", was about the pilot been able to get so pissed the night before and be flying mere hours later when he was still very drunk. That by any definition is not a safe workplace and I don't imagine acceptable to even the most freedom loving musterer. I know many a stockman might feel a bit hung over and jump on a bike or in a 4wd etc but a heavily drunk pilot in a chopper is like Russian roulette and full chambers. I like a cold beer after work and begrudge no one a cold one, or more as along as you behave and are suitable for work next day, but flying and drinking should be always separate. I did not wish to imply the low level ops by their nature where the issue, that is just a essential part of the job that is inherently dangerous. I have great respect and admiration for chopper pilots esp in the harsh farm environment. It's a hard life and I take my hat off to them, same as the rest of the camp workers. My comments above workplace deaths and mining were not about just alcohol and drug testing, which is a necessary thing and generally appropriate but more about the companies see safety as a cost analysis issue. What's cheapest and what's easiest to ignore often wins the day and safety including for the environmental and social effects always become low orders of priority. Not all are the same, just like any other industry some are good and some are terrible. Clear skies and tailwinds.

The pilot was obviously a complete effwitt and should never have been in the air. I don't just mean that day either, a danger to all given his penchant for constant low flying for no reason but thrills and a bugger the rules attitude. 0.14 is pissed and almost 3 times the legal limit for driving and that is after sleep then flying, how drunk was he before taking flight? The old saying was "eight hours from bottle to throttle, and you write your destiny" and many versions of this have proved correct. To not consider alcohol as a primary factor in the crash is negligent of the ATSB. The poor passenger may not of died but surely was injured and scarred by it. It is sad he died for all, he should have lived and copped the full force of the law as punishment and deterence for others that might be so reckless and selfish. I hope that a chain of responsibility exists and is prosecuted, if the behaviour was not done in complete secrecy from the employer or representatives. To expect no one in camp etc knew, seems fanciful. It is a longtime since this and what has been done to ensure all the pilots and their employers, contractors etc are fully educated on their responsibility to ensure a safe workplace and the law, not just aviation rules and regs?. It's not like we have no government agencies that can be involved to assist in compliance and ensure the law is prosecuted when needed. I expect they have been badly lashed with a feather and nothing real will change. Just like in mining, acceptable deaths are built into the bottom line. I hope the passenger has recovered.

Next they will claim the moon is a CIA satellite controlling the weather. Only need to see the tiny bits left when a fast plane hits a solid object. Not much left. There are heaps of conspiracies but that is just fanciful crap.

A 6x4 might do the trick, depends on what speed you want?. If it's for a slowish fun time maybe a 7x4 even, which will drop the revs and trade trade bigger thrust to current drain. You could even go a 7x4.5. The old nicad system can do it but a cheap lipo will last for longer flights and more power headroom. Either way props are cheap, grab a few to find it's happy spot. Happy darting.

I agree but that is more a case of the government spending billions on a millions problem. Yes spin offs, are great, but the philosophy of big bloated budgets leads to expensive for the public advances and profits for overcharging contractors. In modern times, India has shown they can do a great job on a shoestring in the space game. And today's corporate contracts mean Boeing will get the wins more than us.

Simple really...... Just look at the old space programs ..... The Yanks develop a special pen to write in space......cost millions The Russians just use a 10 cent lead pencil. Says it all really

Rubber or plastic screws are fine. Esp for a trainer, they act as a simple fuse and take the impact well. Esp with a foamy, you can do lots of abuse and get back flying in minutes. Much better than a black bag for the balsa debris. Have fun

With Trumpet at the helm we see the a blatant egotistical sociopath who will happily see even millions die and say it was a " great deal". Its the natural consequence of a long history of dysfunctional governance based on exceptionalism. Our great powerful " friend" is mad and completely psychotic in a fight to retain power. He will use anything including he threat of war to win. Beware We live in interesting times.

USA command had bugger all in the fight. That was a case of the Yanks demanding full control for so called help.

Turbo, I call bullshite exuse for us to follow the Yanks into a death cult. Did Japan invade Australia? No Did they intend to? No, that was clear at the time to the powers and Japan only wished to keep us out of the battle. Did the Yanks stop the Japs in PNG? No , we did with our troops. Did the yanks stop the Japanese in the Coral sea to save us? Absolutely not, it was just a extension of the pacific war. The Yanks under the cover of saviours used us to become economic vassals for weapons, war and trade ever since. We where their staging and training ground and any thoughts of our welfare were very much a secondary issue. Our strategic needs in WW2 are a very poor excuse for our waging war on who America does not like. No other "victors" of WW2 have decided they are "owned" by the USA for war in their name. Because The USA belatedly did the right thing in late ww1 and late ww2 - after selling weapons to both sides and financing the enemy- does not make it a good idea 75 years later. In that 75 years we have kowtowed to uncle Sam and followed in every unjust war they have created. In 75 years we have only followed them into murderous rampage against poor ( or make them poor)countries that do not agree with the USA view. Hence comments from the states like- "Bomb them into the stone age". Those with any real understanding of the world of politics and war see this as self evident. No amount of "all the way with LBJ" bullshite can change reality. Are we better off having the USA as a friend- YES. Should we jump into the fight when our psychotic friend gets drunk on power and blood? Hell no, call a man with straight jacket. True friends stop their mates doing stupid stuff and when he starts murdering people a real friend would stop him or if need be put him down. Anyone notice certain people have a very political view of history and follow their political masters- esp when its other people fighting on their behalf. The LNP- war mongers is in the DNA. For 75 years we have seen ANZUS used as a excuse for mass murder adventures.

Onetrack, That is a very one sided view. If a man murders a few in a village and saves the rest, it is a brutal murderous way to get support or prevent dissent. That is a long known tactic all the way before the Romans. But to claim you are giving freedom by murdering every one in the village and raping at will then killing is completely different. That was the American and for some the Australian way- no comparison at all. We can not justify our excessive blood lust and inhumanity because someone else did it before us and to magnify our ways to kill everyone in sight on the assumption "everyone is a combatant" is genocidal and anyone who justifies it can only be classed as psychopathic. Their is no difference between this and the 911 terrorists on the basis" everyone is a combatant" as such any child in the USA would be a legitimate target as they live in America the enemy state. No American could accept this but happily force this regime on everyone else. Psychotic dissonance maybe? American exceptionalism is the most dangerous political thought in history, it is naturally a fallacy but one they will use to kill anyone who opposes them- or they believe might oppose them. From the moment the Puritans arrived, America has been a nation hell bent on murdering anyone they see less than their god, beliefs or not in their interest. If you get in their way- you are subject to deadly sanction. They no longer even declare enemies but kill them via drone. No amount of death by the enemy can justify the actions of the USA and those that have happily followed them including us Aussies. Why has the USA refused all international laws and conventions on weapons control (nukes a limited exception) and war crimes? Simple they know they are war criminals and like any criminal, you don't vote for laws that stop you. Want to go kill a hundred people and get away with it? Join the US military. YOU can not kill millions and justify it because some tin pot dictator killed a thousand.

Anywhere in the cockpit is fine as long as it is well away from your skull- so do not use your head as a mount. If you must- mount to the side facing into the centre of the cockpit. For a single seater if enclosed, find a place well away from your skull. Why? That camera is a hard object and rough air can mean banging your head into structure and a potential nasty incident can occur. Do we know of any incidents? Yes, some have been anecdotally reported and survived to get it down. But if a head hit to the side caused a problem it would be difficult to prove in a crash after the fact. Most of our craft have limited space and flail area even if we don't stop suddenly, keep that in mind if you add a camera and wear a helmet if you must place one of your head. For those that are sceptical- get in your aircraft, place a camera strapped to your skull on cabin door side and now flail around in the seat with belt in normal position. If at a real stretch you can contact the camera on any structure- it fails the flail test and is a potential killer, just from rough air. Now add in a real rough landing or worse. IF you absolutely must, wear a helmet- a very good one. The same issue follows on cabin mounted ones- if you can flail into it- move it somewhere safe. Lots of sporty types have received head injuries wearing hard cams on their heads - a variation of "hold my beer". I will get of my high horse now......

We do not have a monopoly on wrecking the lives of our serving men and women, but sure are world class in destroying them when they come home. Yes, the leaders and generals are isolated and that is a problem but it excuses their shear psychopathic war lust for death. As long as they can get kill numbers on the board, the damage is discarded as collateral damage, even whole countries. Instead of care and support we spend 500 million on tart at the War memorial and grab sponsor dollars from the merchants of death. Glorify war and the "might is right" and bugger the results. Entire populations have suffered for a generation of war and we call that a "win". You can't destroy a country, its public services, health , water, power and education and call that a win for freedom. Today Australia was number 13 in the world on military spending for 2019. Thats weapons and systems we may never see or even be usable. And probably the lowest spending on care for soldiers in the west. And you can bet every dollar they claim they spend, 99 cents goes on paper pushing and 1 cent on making the soldier feel ashamed. Next time we go to war- give the pollies a club each and send them out back, the winner gets life in solitary. That assumes we actually know we are at war somewhere, but these days it is all secret bullshite and "operational matters". We regularly go bomb, shoot and destroy in step with the collation of the killing and never tell the public it even happened. Kill a hundred in a hospital by "mistake" and we blame the dead. My last march was 2008, at the memorial- seeing my son march- never again- just a big pageant calling the young to death and the pollies and arms maker guests seeing dollar signs and power. Next time you see a politician who is pro war or pro spreading the freedom to die by western weapons - they are not your servant. They are mass murderers and war criminals, treat them as such. The Coalition of Killing- Carpet bombing will continue until peace breaks out.

No worries, looks nice and simple. Great been able to fold it down.

OME, I have a bike trailer that has rarely been used. has a wooden box and lid approx 3ft by 4 ft and would suit any large bike. I assume you mean a trailer to go behind a bike. It can be yours dirt cheap if you want a head start. Give me a PM.

No hate the game and those that play to rip off the people. To only blame to he game means his ilk get away with it.

As a country boy who grew up with dust, locusts and boredom, the water holds great adventure. The life aquatic is far better than land and a hell of a lot cheaper. So much easier to go shopping in the sea for protein and does not get fresher. Far less flies, and mozzies are annoying but just move a bit from the mangroves. Some of the wildlife do fight back but battlefield tactics work on mudcrabs. You are as far from people as you choose and if you don't like them or the view, just move somewhere nicer. It is far better than been a grey nomad in a van. For the price of a years rent a nice boat can be had. The price of a tiny nasty apartment buys a luxury boat with lots of goodies and million dollar views. Age is not really a big deal, just buy what suits you and a electric windlass does wonders to lift a anchor. My current backyard is Port Stephens and the tourists are all stuck in their homes long ago. The sound I hear at night is not cars doing burnouts or domestics but the dolphins around the boat. Priceless and great for mental health. I have fought a serious case of crabs though, everytime I lift a net, it's full of fresh food.