Aldo

Turbo Agree with what you are saying but they still have to determine before they act if it is just a malicious act by a minority with an axe to grind which in this case I believe was the case. Some pretty high profile people within the RA community had direct access with the previous administrators of RA now with CASA to drive this agenda sadly one of them is no longer with us. As with all things if the minority complain long and loud enough and the majority just continue on their merry way the minority will get action. I along with a lot of other people have no problem with our Jabirus mine is maintained by a LAME and every AD, SB is actioned but I still have to comply with this rediculuous action placed on one of the safest aircraft on the market. Mine could have an engine failure tomorrow ( as could any aircraft engine) and I may die but that is a risk I manage to the best of my ability. Aldo

Dutch Understand where you are coming from, I can understand one pilot and even two (pushing each other) but three something doesn't add up here surly we aren't training everybody with the inability to interpret the weather. On top of that it was apparently an RVAC aircraft so that makes four people who should know better as someone would have had to sign the aircraft out. The scary part is some of these people are going to be your FO one day, hopefully I will have enough cash by then to have my own jet and don't have to rely on airline travel. Aldo

So elegantly put Oscar. Aldo

Shafts Impossible to tell from the outside whether it is and IFR rated aircraft it is all about the equipment on the inside unless you have a more in-depth knowledge of the aircraft. For all we know at this stage it may have been an IFR training exercise gone bad it would be a logical explanation for having 3 (that we know of) pilots on board. Aldo

Yenn If you watch the handle bar as you lean into the turn with no hands you will see that the front wheel turns slightly in the opposite direction. Aldo

Nothing new about that, not much Robbo doesn't know, just ask him. Budding ATPL be a C&T Capt. on 380's in a couple of years!!

A balanced descending turn (I.e no wing loading) any angle of bank is pretty much impossible to stall but as Planesmaker said you need to be aware of pulling out at the completion of the turn. This is why oval circuits are much safer than rectangular but they are not taught any more unless you are in the military Aldo

Toestub I was told a number of years ago if you want to own an aeroplane you need the money to buy it plus the same amount again in the bank to run it. While it is not quite that bad it is not far from the truth. My opinion, if you are two(2) pax most of the time the most versatile aircraft is the J230 (I own one) cost me 75k and I have spent about 25k in maintenance over the 1000 hrs that I have done. On top of that this last 12 months I have spent 48k in GA hire plus 60k in GA charter those numbers are starting to make it worthwhile buying myself a Bonanza, bear in mind I have done close to 400 hrs myself and 50 hrs charter in the last 12 months and I'm able to claim all as a business expense. Remember when you are buying an aircraft what you pay for it will be a good indicator as to what you will have to spend on it in the first couple of years. A pretty good 172 will cost you around 80k, a good 182 will be somewhere around 130k, an RG 182 will be around 150k, a good J230 will be around 70k. The 172 ( really only a 3 seat aircraft even though it has 4) will use between 35 and 40 litres per hour (70 - 80 dollars) and cruise at around 110 kts maintenance will be about 2500-3000 every 100 hrs or every year whichever comes first. The 182 (real 4 seat aircraft) will use between 56 and 60 litres per hour (112-120 dollars) cruise at about 125 kts, maintenance will be about 3000 every 100 hrs or yearly whichever comes first. The RG 182 (real 4 seat aircraft) will use the same fuel as the 182 and cruise at 145kts, maintenance will be about 3-4K every 100 hrs or yearly which ever comes first. The J230 (2 seat with lots of luggage and full fuel) assuming you and your wife are not 100kg each, 26 litres per hour ($52) cruise 125 kts If you are looking at 6 seat aircraft starting price for a good one is close to 200k All speeds I have used are TAS, if you want your aircraft to last and be very reliable don't do your own maintenance have a LAME do it for you but find a good one. As I said my opinion only take it with a grain of salt but I do more hours than most private pilots. Aldo

Me either Aldo

Dr You may be very old by the time this happens and more so now that the RPL is available from RPC (even if it is with a bit of messing around) once you have the RPL you can then fly your RAA registered aircraft in CTA (with the appropriate medical) providing it meets the requirements. Aldo

Robbo Which is why I make the calls but obviously as you are allowed to fly to 5000 feet in class g without a radio pretty hard to make calls then. I'm arguing the same side of this argument as you. If you are just trying to pick holes in my example to mandate radios then I won't bother responding to your comments Aldo

Happy I use 126.7 as YTAA is 9 miles to the north, yes private. Aldo

Robbo On our private strip, private farm?? Departure call yes as YTAA is 9 miles away

If I remember correctly the Concord had an automatic slow down function (or warning) if the nose temperature exceeded 121 deg C cruising at Mach 2 with th OAT at 62,000 feet being about -56c. The fuselage would expand due to heat by several inches during flight, amazing what a few molecules will do if you run into them fast enough. Dutch may be able to expand on the above if my number recollection is incorrect. Aldo

Ok here are three (3) examples from the last two days to show why I think radios are imperative. Yesterday afternoon flying from Toowoomba to Tara (I know Toowoomba is mandatory radio but I could have departed from one of the three strips that I know of that are not) Qlink 18D inbound to Wellcamp tracking north west for the 12 RNAV Z which placed us on perpendicular tracks within 2 minutes of each other, with some commonsense radio work we were able to maintain separation standards as applicable for the company policies relating to the Qlink operation without either of us diverting from our planned tracks. Without the radio I wouldn't have known he was there and vice versa. This morning departing from our private strip taxi call (as I always do, not required) and back on the radio was a helicopter 3 miles to the west tracking east directly overhead, I had no idea he was there (no need for him to make a call not required) could have resulted in me climbing straight up into his path. This morning into Toowoomba 3 King Airs inbound number 1 estimating 1 minute before me, number 2, 2 minutes after me and number 3, 3 minutes after that, we slotted in with each other without delay to any of us also 2 King Airs departing around the same time, once again sensible radio and separation stragities used, coms with both Brisbane centre and the aircraft involved, couldn't have done it by see and avoid. Other things to consider you can legally fly up to 5000 feet without radio what happens on your descent when you are flying through other levels with the sun in front of you without radio you have very little chance of seeing another aircraft on a reciprocal track. Aldo

Sorry, misread on my part Aldo

Geoff In his post pigs had damaged the cross strip Aldo

Turbo Not only that but the black stuff is generally a lot wider and longer Aldo

Kasper I don't live in or around London and I don't care what they do, I care about what we do here and is my family safe flying in our environment. Aldo

Kasper I'm happy that you continue to do that providing they take it back to the original ultralight rules of not above 300 feet and not crossing a main road, you are then not a hazard to mainstream RAA, GA and whoever else is using the airspace. For whatever reason (and I know you are smarter than this) you are arguing against radio carriage and usage unless you think it is required, there is a lot more traffic around these days (compared to when ultralight flying got started) and ultralights now fly in the same airspace as GA so it makes sense that we can and do communicate with each other. I didn't brand you a moron but if that cap fits then you need to wear it. Aldo

Pearl I understand your pain, I also learnt to fly at Redcliffe albeit a long time ago, never a day when there wasn't a crosswind but you learn to deal with it, I also land in Toowoomba every day so also understand the difficulties with that place. Aldo

I practice cross wind landings to the maximum of my ability anytime I get the chance and today that practice paid off. I arrived home this afternoon in my trusty J230 to find the wind sock was imitating a honeymooners pride and joy of pretty much direct cross wind. The wind was a very blustery/gusty 18/23 kts from about 170, I have the option of 09 or 27 and 5m of width, I chose 27 as I prefer cross winds from the left (not sure why). The 230 is tested to a max of 14 kts (per the POH) but from experience is capable of much more. Gave myself a little pep talk as I joined downwind that if I wasn't stable and touching down by the time I was 300 mts in I would go around and try again (I have 1000 mts to play with and had three (3) hours worth of fuel and two (2) hours of daylight), only use one (1) stage of flap and fly the aeroplane, very happy that I didn't have company policy saying that I had to be stable at 1000 feet and 3 miles or missed approach was the only option (I would be still up there). Long story short I managed to get down on the first attempt without too many issues. My question is how much cross wind practice do you do as one day you are likely to end up in this situation and when you do can you safely negotiate it. Aldo

Turbo Nah fair is fair (I was a bit out of line) I was just over some of the reluctance to accept that a radio actually enhances your spatial awareness and improves safety by a large factor. Aldo

Guy's/Girls I have received a PM from a fellow member indicating that my language may not have been appropriate for this forum in this, I can only assume this was relating to my comments around being a moron, I apologize if I have offended anyone but please understand the importance of having and using a radio in your aircraft. Aldo

Does it matter, 99.9% of the population wouldn't be able to tell the difference I'm just happy to see someone who has put his life on the line (for our freedom to sit and write on our computers whatever crap we think is important) get some recognition for what he has done. Aldo