djpacro

From the UK CAA's Safety Sense Leaflet on Aerobatics: "A person’s tolerance to ‘g’ tends to increase with exposure and reduce with age." So the cure is to increase your exposure as you get older. I find aerobatics relaxing and still enjoy wringing a Pitts out to its limits.

Agreed. Interesting that I saw the ad and took a slight interest in it myself because of "aerobatics". Not interested in an RAA aircraft as I am only interested in aerobatics so my Plan B (post CASA medical if it comes to that) would be to get my flying "fix" in the USA. (refer the Sport Pilot provisions for aerobatics) Quite a few - some personally seen, some on YouTube and others I've been told about. For those that I have observed personally I've never felt obliged to counsel the pilot regarding safety - his choice to operate illegally, I haven't yet seen anything directly hazardous to an individual (other than promoting illegal ops perhaps to others). Competent - tick.Structurally capable - tick - being an aeronautical engineer I take a keen interest in this. I've flown aerobatics in a number of aircraft approved for aerobatics but for much less than the usual 6 G - Beagle Pup is only certified semi-aerobatic at 4.5G, Airtourer T-6 at its max gross weight is approved for aerobatics at 4.5G, Citabria is aerobatic at 5G, some models of Auster (who knows what the approved G is?), that homebuilt aeroplane I built which was approved for aerobatics purely on evidence of safe history of operation in the USA ... Handling qualities - demonstrated capable - tick Spinning - no unrecoverable spin modes and the recovery technique is known - tick (hope I haven't forgotten anything - can't edit the post later) May very well cause an engine stoppage, similar situation with a Cessna Aerobat, for example ....

A typical solution for Pitts pilots Nomex USA Flight Suit

Another Young Eagles day, very busy at YMMB.

Pleasant day at the sausage sizzle.

I suggest a new thread for this discussion?

Thanks Jack. RVAC newsletter has the comps and BBQ for the Sunday. I'll be there Saturday.

Sausages on this Saturday?

No Cookies | Gold Coast Bulletin "His friend, Roy Sneesby, was at the airfield at South Murwillumbah yesterday moments after his mate was reported missing and said Mr Sinnott was an “accomplished pilot”. “The fellas were concerned about the fact that he didn’t come back because he was only doing a local flight,” he said. “He’s an accomplished pilot … (he would have been flying) for at least 30 years.” Friends said they dubbed Mr Sinnott’s plane “the grasshopper” because it was bright green. He was rumoured to have purchased the ultralight only recently. “He’d only owned the aeroplane around two weeks,” Mr Sneesby said. “If it went down in the bush it would be hard to see. He bought this aeroplane because it would do aerobatics. “If he tried something violent or something he could have blacked out … we’re only guessing.” I recall an accident some years ago where one or two witnesses stated that a wing had failed - ATSB said no structural failure, they had seen a stall/spin. Many years ago, before mobile phones and PLBs, one of my friends was missing for a couple of days after an engine failure during a short flight from an airfield near a capital city, fortunately he was found in the damaged aircraft (my guess is stalled some way above the ground) and survived.

Apart from the cans of magic goo ..... For the Pitts I modified an automotive scissor jack which picks up on a bit of steel tube on the landing gear truss opposite the axle, behind the wheel/brake. Used it a few times.

I have an iPad mini with AvPlan, it works well however your nav training will be to your school's CASA-approved syllabus which will almost certainly require you to buy paper stuff and use pencil and whizzwheel. Talk to your instructor.

Beaut day around Melbourne yesterday and the dog's owner wanted some help preparing for an exciting holiday. Just thought I'd include a photo from when I was doing a lot of mountain flying 20 years ago. Circuits looking at tight approaches to a short strip. The runway is beside those trees under the wingtip. Took time out to have a look at that old airfield at Monomeith we discussed here a while back. Time for a tea break while we discussed stalls in slipping and skidding turns. Then we did some.

One of the Typhoon pilots Honours and Awards: Harry Victor Markby | Australian War Memorial I got to know Harry quite well and did some flying with him some years ago. Top guy.

product liability law is not the issue that we are discussing wrt an engineer's professional indemnity insurance

CASA orders are really irrelevant for this discussion, suggest that you read The law in Australia relating to negligence of aircrew and engineers (Book, 1990) [WorldCat.org] Tony Pyne was an aviation lawyer and a CASA (or its predecessor) board member. Whether paid or not, an engineer easily gets in the frame for giving advice. DJP (former USA FAA DER)

I imported an airplane from the East Coast of the USA back in 2008, locals there weren't used to going to Australia so my guy was run around in circles certifying that the moon was made of green cheese etc. Well proven routes via the West Coast and you should be able to find ads from Australian companies which assist. General advice on budget I've been told is convert to AUD, add GST and add $20K to get it here and get it going. We got a guy in the USA to do a pre-purchase inspection which proved worthless. Some of my friends have done well, others have ended up with projects rather than flyable airplanes. The FAA has guidance info on the website which includes stuff specific for Australia. You do not need an Export CofA so save the expense as it requires a fairly recent annual inspection and my guy wanted to do a new W&B etc etc.

Note in the CAAP explains the reason for that amendment and what was changed, just one paragraph.

Comments close tomorrow so I guess that they will wait until after that before deciding.

its actually in the CASRs now and the text in part 61 is quite different than it was in the CAR so it will be interesting to see the AC when they eventually get around to replacing the existing CAAP.

years ago I got involved in some noise certification tests for airplanes in Europe - our focus at the time was propeller noise so engine rpm and propeller diameter/number of blades. Longer exhaust was further down the list - a bit of googling revealed this interesting guide: http://www.akletnany.cz/cs/letiste-w9/hlukova-zatez-w83/?stahuj=47

Rusty Pilots is worth looking at

I've dealt with a few pilots such as yourself who had a gap of many years. Skills in flying the aeroplane (especially if a type previously flown) come back readily. Knowledge refresher you can largely do yourself. There'd be many new things and stuff has changed - your instructor can guide you through this. I'd start by seeking a suitable instructor and ask him/her to outline a plan tailored for yourself with a guestimate at how many hours and briefings would be anticipated. Don't regard it as a test - just refresher training to where the instructor can tick the boxes per the checklist in https://www.casa.gov.au/file/105051/download?token=GCyOaRNt This stuff is only applicable to the USA but illustrates the sort of things that have changed in this time: Lapsed Pilots - AOPA Not sure if I still have some relevant info on my PC for one of my recent lapsed pilots, will check later. A few things that come to mind are: Part 61 licensing rules - plenty of guides on CASA's website Radio calls at non-towered airports - see the two CAAPs in 166 series Class D instead of GAAP airports AVID or ASIC Electronic flight bags - see Avplan or Ozrunways - decide on this early as if you have the hardware then it is worthwhile - will save $$ compared to buying paper ERSA and charts etc. Both have a free trial. Flying school may want you not to use it and instead buy all the documents and paper charts - long discussion perhaps, including flying schools Ops Manuals etc - my view is that you will use it in future so start with it now. VFR Flight Guide - don't buy it, save your money and read it free online. Have fun.

Was going to make a joke about getting CASA approval for a modification to a straight dipstick but then came across this extract of this letter from a CASA FOI and realised, nope it is something that CASA would require: I cannot confirm that it was a real letter from CASA, perhaps it was someone else's idea of a joke.I believe it however after being involved with a group of CASA people who wanted instructions in the Operations Manual with training and written authorisations required before a pilot could clean a windscreen, as it is maintenance. Groupthink at work during a session at a two day seminar with flight instructors and they wonder why many of us now decline such invitations to participate. At least the idea wasn't pursued very far after the group dispersed and the individuals' own pet subjects took their rightful priorities. I know that student pilots do need training in cleaning windscreens to avoid damaging them just as they need some training in the use of fuel dipsticks.

and so is very much longer than the tank is deep so even an idiot can't drop it in.

Those rules only apply to commercial ops. I use an iPad mini with my iPhone as backup. Taking a Pitts somewhere straightforward in good weather I'd just use the iPhone, Gee, I've flown some routes enough times I wouldn't look at a chart while flying. Going somewhere unfamiliar and complex I'd consider a paper VTC also to help me plan it and cogitate.