rdarby

Hi JG I'm considering Kilcoy as a hangar base at the moment, and thinking of either a CH701, Savannah or Skyranger. Their specs seem pretty similar and since they are more or less clones of each other, I believe, I guess that is right. How do you find your Savannah does against a CH701 in terms of cruise and climb? Ryan

On a happier note it cleared up and the wind dropped this morning so I spent an hour flying around Bribie and looking for the big fish near Caboolture. It still eluded me. And when I got back my RAA magazine had been delivered and my new pilot certificate card! So a good day is possible and I hope it changes for everyone else too. If it holds up tomorrow I'm going after that fish again.

I think these stats need to consider that those who went solo in minimal time are probably the majority responding, it's not based on all pilots. You would need to get those figures from RAA if they are available. Also you need to consider what you did before going solo. Someone who did just enough to get solo, then spent another 15 hours with the instructor learning everything else to be able to get the certificate can't be compared to someone like me who did the entire sylabus, then went solo, then did the final test in minimal time after that. So someones 20 hours is not equal to someone elses without understanding their journey. Also, based on instructors I have spoken to over the last 10 years, I flat out don't believe the figures. I think that if all RAA members were polled we would get closer to 20+ hours as the norm. Ryan

There are example papers in the Dyson-Holland Human Factors book. But after taking it I understand what is being said above, the exam seems to have been based on another book. It's actually not that hard an exam, just don't overthink it and listen to what Sue said in her second line above. Ryan

Is anyone trying hard to make money out of RA? I read in the current Australian Flying that the new Piper LSA was at the Watts Bridge Festival of Flight. In fact they had two of them there. I was interested in buying one, actually had the process of getting the money started, but had never seen anything but a small advert for them. So there are two there, but no stand, no banners, no effort to attract someone with $150,000 in their pocket. There were other vendors there too, also minimal effort to attract people. And that was at a special event with a ready made audience. So now I've decided to hold off and probably buy the plane my flight school is selling, or just keep hiring. The point is that unless someone overcomes any obstacles they have such as fear and really goes to the trouble of contacting a school, nothing will draw them in. We should be encouraging, not waiting for them to come to us. I've at least got my friends into it and promised them flights when I have the passenger endorsement, hoping to get someone to progress with it. Ryan

Things that go in them range from small toys, promotional company things, coins from other countries, Xmas decorations, all sorts really. Just no food or anything scented that will attract animals. Open one up and have a look, you can enter in the log "TNLN" Took nothing, left nothing. Ryan

Its now bucketing onto Redcliffe, makes a change from the steady rain over the last three days! What's the point of me taking leave if I can't fly? Just got the certificate a week ago and really need to practice, I'm afraid I'll forget how! Hoping it will be dry in the morning for a bit at least. At least it's only my lawn flooding, those North have it bad.

Also think about what will make it easiest for you to fly, and for me that is living close by to someone who will start a lesson at 6:30am. I fly at Redcliffe (www.freeflying.com.au). There is another school there that is also RAA, and the GA club.

I'm just starting my nav training so would like to ask a basic question. There seem to be VTC's for the main control areas, which makes sense, but is there one for the East of the Brisbane -Sunshine Coast one? I have to plan a trip from Redcliffe, via Gympie, to Killaroy, and I'm thinking I have to use the VTC most of the way then a WAC or VNC. I have looked on the Airservices site but can't identify an appropriate VNC. Is this right or have I missed something? Killaroy seems to be just off the VTC. Thanks for the help Ryan

Geochaching is a great way to get kids outside and involved in a family activity. It's a treasure hand sort of. You get a set of co-ordinates, and maybe some clues or a puzzle, and have to find a small box and log your find. These things are often hidden in very public places, and you have to extract and replace without anyone seeing you, or some lout will ruin it. It's fairly secret but also mainstream. You go onto the site and look for a list of caches in your area, then go find them. Once you find your first one, and it can take several goes, you can get hooked. You need to consider a dog, as if you are scratching around in the bushes looking for a small box in a public place it helps to have the cover of a dog walk! If you fly somewhere, pick up a small package and then say fly over a border, you may get into trouble! The fun is in not letting the muggles (non geochaching public) know anything about it. Ryan

I've just started the nav training, and done one nav to get me used to the idea. I now need to plan a longer one, but am confused by the practicalities of planning for wind and flying at the same time. Say you want a track of 300. You know there is a wind that will result in you needing to point in the direction of 310, to be able to be blown back onto your track of 300. But, at the same time we (or at least me) have been trained to fly towards a point a few miles ahead then when I get there aim at the next point, so as to always fly in a straight line. So if I take off and point at 310, and then pick a point ahead, I will actually make good a track of 310, and then be 10 degrees off. So should I not look at a point on the ground? Or should I ignore the wind and track along points on the ground? Sorry for the basic question but this one is really bugging me! Ryan

You mentioned clubs. They are generally GA, not RA. There are schools teaching both, but if you look at an aero club specifically it may not be recreational, more for the PPL's.

Redcliffe has two schools that I know of. Depends on where you live. To diectly answer your question those packages, if they are a Trial Introductory Flight or TIF, are worth it as it gives you a taste of handling the controls with less expense than a full lesson. On the other hand if you know you are going to give this a go anyway, just book a lesson and go for it. The first lesson will not necessarily be an indicator of the experience to come, so sometimes you just have to jump in. A TIF will give you an intro, let you fly a bit, and give you a nice scenic view at the same time.

A PPL is recognised internationaly. If I go overseas and try to hire or just do a lesson, would they recognise our certificates? Given that each country seems to approach recreational aviation differently I suspect it may not be simple but was wondering if anyone had tried this. Ryan

The trip got rained out, so I'll redo in a few weeks, with a new ERSA! Thanks for all the help on this.

Hmmm. My ERSA has expired, it's the June one. I would not have noticed but for your post, thanks. First one I have had since I'm new to this. They do show up on the area briefing for area 40.

Thanks. I have also found by doing an area briefing you get all the weather and NOTAM's and down the bottom it lists locations with no current NOTAM, and my ones are on the list, so I'll check in the morning and then again on the radio before I get there.

Hi I am doing a cross country with my instructor tommorow as a pre-test for the flight test, so not really on cross country level yet but giving it a go and trying to do all the planning. I pass through R663A and R663B, these are rocket launching areas activated by NOTAM, or so I interpret from the VTC. I've tried NAIPS but can't get a NOTAM for them, it comes up with invalid location. How do I get a NOTAM for something that isn't an airfield? Thanks for the help Ryan

Recreational. Thinking of buying a CH701. I'm training at Redcliffe but that is a little out of my budget, and Caboolture which is close to home seems pretty full, so I'm thinking Kilcoy is the next up and coming airfield that is closeish to me. Thanks for the help everyone.

I'm trying to see about a hangar at Kilcoy but having no luck calling them. I've spent the morning looking up the many different numbers listed for people at Kilcoy Airfield Association, and I get a fax number, a clothing store and a message saying they are disconnected. Does anyone have a working number for someone I can talk to about hangars please? Maybe someone who rents or sells them is reading this right now? Cheers Ryan

It's Port Elizabeth in South Africa. About the size of Adelaide.

At least the Sportstar has leather seats! This one looks like economy up front there!

I've just gone solo and done the area solo, and now expect to have to at some point go to another airfield. So far this has been done with the instructor, and also I think I have been lucky in how it's worked out. Every time I have approached it's been 500 feet above the circuit and I have easily worked out which side is the live side and decended down on the dead side and joined cross wind on the correct runway. However I have just realised that by luck I have approached the airfield so that I have never had to reverse course 180deg on the dead side to be able to go in the right direction for the circuit. So lets say I am flying parallel to the runway with the runway on my left and I see that the circuit is actually a right hand one. I would have to turn around and go the other way to get the runway on my right so that I join in the right direction. Can I just turn right around? Given I am close to the runway, even though 500 foot above the circuit on the dead side, I just feel it could cause confusion. Should I go away and come back from another direction? Or should I look in ERSA and approach the airfield such that I am set up right for a left hand circuit or the circuit as specified in ERSA? This could mean a detour rigth around an airfield to get set up correctly. This seems best but I don't want to overthink this if not needed. I keep planning to ask my instructor this, but I always forget! I want to make sure I get it right and in effect can mentally plan out how to approach the circuits for the airfields near me, long before I ever go there. Thanks Ryan

Imm184cm and was fine. It's narrow but no different from anything similar. We had no discomfort on cross country.

I used to fly one long ago. Don't remember much, but what do you want to know?