Orf

There is nothing like the trip you made to lighten ones heart. Well done. Two things that come to mind that can improve such ventures. Fly in the morning and enjoy your stopping point in the afternoon. Less thermals and less fatigue. Flying 9 hours in one day is not a good idea. Fatigue is one of those things that get forgotten until an emergency happens and then you realise your thinking is not as sharp as it should be. Too late, you have now used up two points (emergency, fatigue) and if anything else goes wrong, such as weather, it is usually fatal.

Tied downs need special attention to get the best results. If possible have the wing tie down ropes at about 45 degree angle so that the aircrft is not pulling the anchor out of the ground, it is pulling partially sideways. Also have it about 45 degrees to the wing cord so that they are anchored against side winds. By having a 45 degree angle tension on the ground point it is less likely to be pulled out of the ground. There are specifications for concrete tie downs so that they will stay put. Have the tail tie down in line with the fuselage about 1-2 meters behind the aircraft. That will allow the tail to lift off the ground without putting too much strain on the tie down point. I use straps for tie down because they are easily adjusted and they have some give in them (see my previous comment). There should be no tension on the tie downs nor should there be any slack. Slack will allow the aircraft to lift and suddenly come to a halt when the strap goes into tension. That increases the load on the ground anchor point. Also, chocks will not help in a high wind. The aircraft will lift and move and could possible jump the chock.

Suggest you get a loop sewn into the ends of those straps and put the ground end through that loop before anchoring to the ground. That way if there is any slipage it will not let go.

I certainly remember my prayer wheel because I still have it. It is growing old but is in good condition. It came into my possession in 1954 and was used extensively over the next twelve years to navigate all round Australia and overseas as well. Luckily, it was not used again because I had a break from flying. When I took it up again in 2012 the iPad was all the rage and in particular, AvPlan. I was not sorry to leave that darling contraption at home buried safely in the bottom of a drawer where it could stay warm and cozy. Now I create flight plans to anywhere in Australia in a few minutes without the need for said prayer wheel.

If someone really wants to save money while learning to fly, try this: 1. Study aviation theory for two or three months before looking at an aircraft. 2. Ask aviators at your local airfield to explain any parts of the theory you do not understand. 3. Leave home and go to a place that has good weather at that time of the year. With no day to day family affairs to worry about, reduces tension and increases learning. 4. Take up lodgings for as long as it takes. 5. Be available to fly twice a day. 6. Study the theory in between flight and at night. 7. Be prepared for some hard work. 8. Return home a qualified pilot.

It seems that some pilots do not understand how to read glass cockpit indications. I have two Dynon Skyview displays and set them up with one showing flight instruments and navigation data and the other engine instruments. Let's deal with the engine one first. Each gauge has colour (green, amber, red) A quick glance can tell you if all gauges are in the green. No need to read that actual numbers, they are in the acceptable limit. RPM and Manifold pressure are of interest numberwise when changing the throttle position. Therefore these dials can be made larger that the rest and grouped together at the top left corner of the display - the first think that the eye usually looks at. There are two ways to adjust the throttle setting, watch the numbers change or move the throttle and wait and see what the resulting RPM is. The first method means eyes in the cockpit, the second means eyes can be out of the cockpit. Therefore always use the second method. The same applies to flying the aircraft. I want to make a 30 degree banked turn. Apply aileron until you think the aircraft has 30 degrees, now take a quick glance in the cockpit and adjust if necessary. Eyes are out side the cockpit most of the time. The flight instruments initially take a while to get use to and need reading the numbers. Once set, let's say in the cruise all you should be looking for is changes in speed not the actual speed itself. Any change would be because the nose has been lifted or dropped and throttle movement is not necessary. The altitude gauge should show a rate of climb or descent and take note of this rather tha the exact height. Likewise, the heading you have set may change if your wings are not level. Most glass instruments have bugs that can be set, and usually will be set at the top of the compass rose. If the bug moves, move it back again. Once again you can watch it change as you manoeuvre or you can guess the amount of change and the correct the result if not spot on. From what is stated above there is a way to fly with your eye outside the cockpit and looking at changes to glass instruments rather than harping on the actual numbers. Give it a try and happy flying.

I once tried to break the speed record from Melbourne to Sydney. One had to fly over Essendon at 1000ft and over arrive Mascot at 1000ft. I was flying a Avon Sabre and climbed into a jet stream above 40,000ft. I managed to do it in 45 minutes 35 seconds, just 21 seconds outside the record. As far as flying slow, I was once flying over the great lake in Tasmania and my track to Devonport was 338 degrees. My heading to make that track was 270, yes 68 degrees of drift. My IAS was 130 kt and the wind speed was up round 80 +kt.

There is a self-sealing bag available at some aircraft parts shops that can be used for men who need to go. They are also good for passengers that can't hold their breakfast. These bags are flat and stow easily before use. Once used they can be dropped on the floor, they don't leak. I highly recommend them and have used them for many years.

I guess I am lucky because I don't need an iPad in the cockpit for navigation. I use AvPlan and transfer the flight plan to my Dynon SkyView display via Wi-Fi before I take off. Everything I need is now in my instrument set and available to the autopilot etc. In the event of a failure, I still have the iPad with me.

If an F35 wants to target you he will fly at 20,000ft and let a missile do all the hard work.

If the order comes out - no more flying - run the engine once a month and even go for a taxi. Use your imagination and pretend you are flying.

I once was refueled from a 44 gallon drum where the refueler put the pump right to the bottom of the drum. The result was over a litre of water being pumped into my tank. On doing a fuel check straight after the refuel, it became obvious that I had water in the tank. I drained out about 20 L of fuel/water and demanded a top-up at no expense.

There is a golden rule for bad weather landings. "Try once and if you know how to fix a miss approach try again. If unsuccessful try the alternate."

My check list says to select the tank with the most fuel for take-off. A rule you break at your own risk.

I consider flying with only one navigation source, foolhardy. Failure is always a possibility and it has happened to me twice due to over heating. When I ordered my aircraft I intended to fly it from both the left and right seats. Consequently, I installed two Dynon Skyview displays, one each side. The intended use of my aircraft, a Pipistrel Virus SW, was to travel all over Australia, which I have done. I use AvPlan on an iPad, most plans take less that one minute to complete. The iPad is capable of transferring the plan to the two Skyview displays via Wi-Fi, thus giving me three copies of my flight plan.