Head in the clouds

I'm glad someone remembered 😊. Yes, always been concerned about the number of apparently unnecessary fatalities. My take on it is a very strong crash cage around the occupants, good harnesses, rear head support, flail protection as far as practical, and most particularly as much underseat impact absorption as possible. To that end my latest design also incorporates a large amount of landing gear suspension movement with gas struts, but that's not practical for all aircraft configurations. I'm still here, I've never been 'deleted' as far as I know, though a few people have expressed that desire from time to time 🤣. I did get suspended for a month around that time, for having a contentious opinion. The DooMaw project has been on hold for a while, boy how a couple of years passes in a flash when you're busy! I've just been too involved with my drafting work and developing a new marine business lately. But DooMaw is still alive and well and will be completed in due course. There's the covering and painting of the fuselage still to do, final fitup of the engine, instrument panel and wiring to finish, and the wings to build. Here is a link to the DooMaw - building a STOL thread. There are references to the crashworthiness design features throughout the thread, chromoly structures aspects are earlier in the thread and the seat impact absorption stuff is on Page 11.

Bugger - really sorry to hear that Ian. Eyes are so critical to just about everything we do. I second danny's comment about finding a flying buddy so you can still escape the 'tyranny of petty things' from time to time. All the best, Alan

I'm amazed no-one has mentioned XE.Com. When I began importing I researched all the money transfer methods I could find, and XE were way ahead of the rest. I have never had a bad experience. XE has been around for nearly twenty years and in 2018 merged with their major competitor/sister company HiFX and continue to trade, combined, as XE.Com. Forex transfers from banks, credit cards, Paypal etc will typically cost you 6-10% in their margins as well as many charging fees as well. XE don't charge any fees at all and their margin, in my experience, has been typically less than 0.1%. The transfer takes place within 24hrs of your settling the account (usually more like 6-12hrs). You complete the Forex purchase online and then have 24hrs (max) to settle the purchase with XE.Com. If you use Billpay they will make the transfer the next day, if you use Osko or similar instant transfer methods, they will make the Forex transfer as soon as they receive the funds from you. On several occasions I have received notification from the recipient of the funds within 4hrs of my making the online Forex arrangement. If you are buying privately from overseas you set up a private account with XE, if you are buying as part of a business you must set up a business account. Both are essentially the same and the margin is the same, it's just that business accounts must satisfy the international money laundering regulations.

Yes, if you're ever on the Barkly Highway (Camooweal to Three Ways/Tennant Creek) around sunset near the dams and waterholes, you'll usually see flocks of more than ten or twenty thousand budgies flying in formations. It's a stunning sight, completely mesmerising. The starlings in Europe provide a similar phenomenon.

Birds are very light compared to their volume - would it be possible to fit 50T of canaries in a 747?

For piano hinges I've always followed the advice of one of the kit-build manuals from US (might have been Tony Bingelis' Sportplane Builder). Make a mixture of Iso Propyl Alcohol and dry lubricant powder (graphite is OK but messy and not recommended on Aly, better is PTFE/Teflon powder), and brush it on the hinge liberally. The Isopropanol carries the lubricant into the hinge and then evaporates leaving the dry lubricant dry, and where it needs to be. Also - the hinge pin should be lightly bent into a series of gentle S curves which prevents it rattling and causing wear.

I don't think it's been reported here yet, and I haven't been on the boards much to see if it has been mentioned elsewhere - but sadly the second occupant of the flight that is the subject of this thread, succumbed to his injuries. An extract from the club newsletter - Loss As most of you will know, in April 2020 we sadly lost former President Ross Scholes and fellow member Steve Chew in a tragic accident at Heck Field. Both were founding members of the JWSFC and great friends of us all. We will remember them with a plaque and photograph on the wall of the Clubhouse. RIP Ross and Steve - and condolences to family and friends of both.

Litespeed, as you know I well repect your opinions. However, as others have pointed out, things ARE different in the bush, and especially when compared with general operations in somewhere like Sydney ... I'm not in any way condoning the alcohol aspect, but as I've said in other posts, that's not something I found to be at all normal in the bush - in this case it seems to have been a serious issue. However - regarding the low flying aspect where you suggest it was for no reason but thrills and deliberate rule breaking - on a station property where locations of hazards are known i.e. power lines etc, it's extremely UNUSUAL to ever fly above about 150ft AGL because every flight involves fence or stock inspection, even if you're on the way or back from town - and low flight is perfectly legal over your own property or property where you have permission - in fact that is your everday job. It has nothing to do with a "bugger the rules attitude". And of course everyone in camp would have known ... that is how the job is done.

I couldn't agree more Nev. However, it's how the factory supplies it. Personally, by preference, I would cut the excess thread length off. But then it wouldn't be compliant on a cert engine would it? So what would be your personal advice to Rotax engine owners whose engines have carby bolts like these?

Not meaning to be pedantic but it's supposed to protrude at least 1.5-2 threads. There is no limit on how much more it may protrude. On my 912 it is the same ... just inconvenient to wind the bolt in that far.

More interesting background, thank you. I must have first gone there about 7-8yrs later than you're discussing I guess. Craig had set up Alligator Airways and then developed it quickly and very professionally. Slingsby broke away from VRD and then thought he owned the Kimberley and IMHO everyone's life, including his own, would have been much easier and better if he'd just concentrated on his own business instead of trying to destroy everyone else's. I remember Ken but not what happened to him. Stewy - I was telling a story about him just the other day (well I think it was that particular Stewy) - was he the one who had a 47 and explored an escarpment at Halls believing it held alluvial gold and found a huge nugget, spent too long celebrating in the Halls Ck Hotel and then drove home, tangled with a roadtrain and lost his arm that way? Peter Luitineger is a name I haven't heard in a long time. Always a gentleman in my experience but I only met him a couple of times, I wonder where he ended up? Flight Service - now there's a bit of history from back in the days before user pays. They used to be a good mob at Kun, I saw them grow, blossom and then get shown the highway. At the same time the movements at Kun went from hardly any to lots and then busiest airport by movements in Australia just when they were shut down. Makes sense to somebody I guess. Ah, the exceeding hours thing ... surely not? I'm sure I never came across that sort of thing ...

You must have been in a different world from me then. Only bloke I can think of that ran 6x 300s was Chilli at Fitroy Crossing but he wasn't killed in a Robbie, he went on to fly heavies offshore. First one killed by blade separation on a 22, AFAIK was Sean from Broome, but he never had a fleet, let alone 300s. I worked on quite a few stations in the Top End - Qld, NT and WA - and most of them were totally dry, the only drinks and revelry took place on the rodeo weekends. Two of the stations allowed 2 only midstrength beers per day, controlled and distributed by the Cocky - and sacking was instant for anyone who exceeded that. The only exception was Lawn Hill which didn't restrict it, and the Gregory Downs pub was only about 1/2hr away, Burketown about an hour but no-one ever bothered to drink during working camps anyway, with 3.30am starts and back at the homestead or outcamp after dark we were all far too stuffed at the end of the day - the only thing anyone wanted was their swag. Like I said, your world must have been different, somehow. I don't know what you mean by flying "2 months straight every day".

Really? Well I never encountered that at all in the days when I was mustering, the days were too long and demanding for playing up. And I never met a Cocky or station manager that would have put up with it. You let your hair down at rodeo time. Where did you come acrosss that kind of behaviour SP?

Sad outcome but how very refreshing to have a commentary conducted by someone who knows what they're talking about.

Regarding those cables with the bungee suspension - they're not there in case the bungee fails, they're not strong enough to hold the gear legs if the bungee had failed. They actually act like the 'bump stops' on vehicle suspension, they limit the amount of stretch of the bungees, and by doing that they prevent the bungees being overstretched and then failing as a result of the overstretching. On some aircraft they also limit the amount of suspension travel so as to prevent a prop-strike on the ground in event of a hard landing.