old man emu

QED - Quid erat demonstradum.

There is a plaque at the aerodrome and I have applied for one from Heritage NSW. And these letters are the ammunition that the Mayor himself has asked for to fire at the other Councilors during the budget meetings. Right now our task is to let Council know that if it spends money on facilities at Toora - meaning, first off, an amenities block with Loos and (separate) showers - that people will be attracted to the Shire where they will spend money on accommodation, refreshments and tourism. Those three things are what the Council wants to build up. All the historical stuff is important cultural history of Toora, but that's the province of the Museum and the Council can't put community money into that. What they want is a reason to include increased money for maintenance in next year's budget. So what we are asking for is for pilots to tell the Council that would come and use the aerodrome as an entry portal into the local tourist areas, as long as the aerodrome runway was kept well mown and free of weeds that produce tyre damaging thorny seeds. You should also mention that an essential facility at a country aerodrome is an accessible toilet becasue afte a longish flight passengers and crew need to de-fuel. Please write a letter in the usual business format. Address it to: The Mayor, Gilgandra Shire Council, Gilgandra 2827. Please include your name and contact details (postal or email) Then you can send to letter to me at this address: [email protected] I will collect all the letters and include them with our submission. Thanks, OME

It is like a traditional Christmas pudding - you have to consume a lot to be rewarded with the silver sixpences. I agree that its main purpose was to inform Ag pilots, but what was said applied equally well to the operation of all aircraft. What I got from it was the need to be aware of risk taking on the edge of the envelope. I especially liked the statement "Risk has no memory." As for flying, I thought they provided a great explanation of the turning forces acting on an aeroplane. After hearing that, one wonders how the Wright Brothers, without the knowledge gained in the succeeding century, ever managed to make it to the 1910s.

They might have been aiming this instruction at Ag pilots, but I found it very good for a puddle-jumper pilot. What better way to learn than to be given the experience of the blokes who have been there, done that and bought the T-shirt. And how great s it to be told about "Normalization of Deviance".

If a post-WWII picture of a now-historic plane wasn't taken with Marshall's hangar in the background, the plane was never in Australia

I've had two letters sent to me so far, but I need to flood the Mayor's office with supportive letters. We all bemoan the negative reactions of Local Government to aerodromes under their control. Here is a Council which "off the record" has told us that if we can show a great deal of support from the aviation community, they will include upgrades to the infrastructure (i.e. build a toilet block, at least) in the coming year's works budget. So please, fill up my email in-box with letters of support and I'll fill the Mayor's office. Email your letter to: [email protected]

I was taking a shot at Skippy, not the product. Of late he's that plane of his has been giving him nightmares.

The Angel Flight Art Union is fair dinkum. The NSW Permit No is GOCAU/2487 Go ask NSW Fair trading to confirm if you are not too paranoid to contact a Government agency.

Put anymore crap in the plane and it won't get off the ground!

Arthur Butler Aviation Museum Inc is begging for your help. The vision of Arthur Butler Aviation Museum Inc is, in part, to preserve the aerodrome at Tooraweenah that served as Butler Air Transport Ltd's transfer hub. The best way to do that is to ensure that it is maintained in the best possible level of serviceability and has the facilities needed by its users. The aerodrome is owned by the local Council, which is financially reluctant to add facilities such as toilet amenities and hangarage unless the investment is warranted through usage. They are doing the right thing by not charging landing fees. The only way Council will know of the need for these things and the use they will get is if the community tells them so. The Museum will be taking a petition to the people of Tooraweenah to get local support. What would be of immense help is support from the aviation community. You can provide this help by sending a letter or email to the Secretary outlining how having the aerodrome in serviceable condition and access to the village for refreshment and toilet facilities would entice you into a stop-over whilst en route between the northern and southern States, or a day trip from NSW centres, or a short stay to experience the Warrumbungle Mountains and the rest of the "Real Country" ("Real Country" is the title of the tourism promotion of the three Shires bordering Tooraweenah.) Please note that until aircraft movements increase substantially, Avgas will not be available, and Mogas only by pre-arrangement. It won't cost you a cent to write, but you effort will be worth thousands to the Museum. You can send your email to [email protected] Please include your name. The Museum's Privacy Policy is attached here. Thanks in anticipation for your help. Old Man Emu Privacy Policy.docx

UPDATE: I spoke to the organiser. The prize aircraft was constructed AFTER the 7th February end date, so the problem won't affect the prize aircraft.

It seems that the Continental engine in the Cirrus S22 which is the prize in the Art Union likes to throw props. An SB is coming. The plane that is the prize here should have the SB deal with before handover.

Got an email today from CASA Flying Operations Team estimating a reply within 20 working days. That's 10th March. That's 51 days.

How can you advertise an event when CASA makes it doubtful if you will get approval? Here is an extract from their document Interim Air Display Administration and Procedure Manual CASA-03-0039 I submitted an application on 18 January 2023 for an event to be held on 20 May 2023, that's 121 calendar days prior to the event. That's definitely more than 45 calendar days before the event. But CASA will endeavour to issue an air display approval ... 10 days before the date of the event. How the hell can you expect organizers to take care of advertising and confirming all the ancillary things that support the event if you don't know until the eleventh hour if approval will be given. How do the people who are going to attend plan their travel? As the Display Organizer, I have to give the go-ahead for the event. My biggest fear is that the weather will not be favourable. I have made the contingency plan to call a postponement on the Thursday 2 days before the event if the forecast is unfavourable. But that is a postponement, not a cancellation. If CASA denies the application only 10 days before the event everyone's plans go out the window. Did I mention before that for reading through a few pages and looking at some diagrams, CASA wants $160 per hour for what it says will take 10 hours - $1600 just to look at the application, and no refund if they say NO. You might consider this: Applications for ... flypasts must be made 21 calendar days prior to the planned event. It is common for aero clubs and flying friends to arrange a flypast at the funeral of an honoured colleague. Just remember to tell the family to hold off on the funeral for at least 32 days after the death so you can get the required permission. And don't forget the $160/hr assessment fee.

Seems that the most important ingredient is a liberal helping of Experience. Over the years we've discussed a multitude of situations and the only thing that I can conclude from all those discussions is that there is no absolute. Flying is never as variable poor as the old y= mx + b equation for a straight line from x = a to x = b.

Sounds like we are talking about two different situations - muddy surface or short distance. Or do the same techniques apply to both?

From 1836 The Priors of Prague by William Johnson Neale: "there are more ways of drawing a cat out of a well than by the bucket!" Well! more ways may be found than one, To kill a Witch that Will not drown."

Non sum unus de cognicenti, but I did find that LAG is an acronym for "lowest adjacent grade". But don't try to find an answer by Googling. You'll only come up with stuff about slope on footpaths beside buildings. For CASA's opinion on "petrol" types of fuels look up AWB28-003 Issue 1, dated 2007

That implies that in some circumstances, the method I described does work. What factors would you consider for a better way in this or other circumstances?

Couple of things. The grass is short. CASR Part 139 says grass length up to 150 mm is OK to call a grass runway serviceable. The Coefficient of Friction for short grass is 0.35, which is about half the CofF for a bitumen topped runway. Do they still teach the technique of lowering about 10 degrees of flap, hold the brakes while going throttle to the wall, release brakes and rotate and climb over the obstacles at best angle of climb speed. Once clear of obstacles, climb away as usual. A very accurate weight and balance calculation would be important because some aircraft misbehave when flown very light. That's probably correct. A "wings off" job and onto a trailer. Could be a chance to inspect the spar attachment points and get the insurance company to pay for the time to do that little job.

Just to let you know, a contributor to this forum, living in England has posted this information on a forum there, and tickets are being sold. A $15 per ticket it's not a big ask, and we know that Angel Flight is an essential service for people in regional areas. Admittedly your chances of winning are not high, but since the number of tickets in an Art Union is finite, you have more chance of getting yourself a plane through the Art Union than through Lotto win. Just admit that when you pay your money you know you have Buckley's of winning, so call it a donation.

I don't think that you are very wrong in your thinking. Fiddling with the display on pumps has been going on since the replacement of the manual pump with at least the computing pump in 1935. It is amazing that the State government bodies responsible for weights and measures in commerce don't get about the place testing pump meters. So here comes the conspiracy theory: If a servo charges for more fuel than it actually purchases from the supplier, it collects more money. From the money paid for the difference (Litres on the meter - litres actually delivered), the servo pays 10% to the Federal government as GST, and keeps 90% for itself. The Federal government returns a portion of that GST to the State. Therefore the State profits from the deception. Approximately 646.1 megalitres of fuel oil were sold in Australia in the financial year 2021. That's 646,100,000 litres. At one cent for every litre charged for, but not delivered, that's $646.1 million dollars. Imagine what the servos are making. If you want to get a rough check of the accuracy of the servo's pump, take note of the machine's true delivery metre before and after you get fuel. The meter is like a little HObbs meter and should be visible through a glass-covers slit on the face of the pump For added trivia, here's a link to the history of the bowser fuel pump https://aoghs.org/transportation/first-gas-pump-and-service-stations/

Now French stuff around here. Around here it's

You obviously haven't been to a beach lately. A couple of shoulder strings amounts to overdressing.

Did someone ask for a service manual for an English aero engine? Cirrus come to mind, but I'm not sure. I may have a manual in digital format.