Roundsounds

The speed differences between most GA singles and RAAus aircraft in the circuit is insignificant. Flying an appropriate sized circuit and approach for the speed of the aircraft will overcome most of the issues caused by differences, any remaining issues are dealt with by ATS. After all that's ATS's purpose in life, to stop aircraft from bumping into each other and facilitating an expeditious flow of air traffic.

Perhaps, rather than insist on PPL theory, introduce some form of on-line training targeting theory issues specific to RAAus type aircraft? The suggestion of an on-line format is to create standardised training, allows remote pre-study for prospective instructors without the need to cram when attending an instructor approved school. Additionally, this allows students and RPC holders the ability to improve / refresh their knowledge. The content could initially be driven by findings from incident data - eg stall/spin or weather related decision making practices. Instructor trainees could be required to pass a written exam prior to commencing their instructor training to establish they have a sound knowledge of RAAus aircraft type BAK and Human Factors principles.

Nev, the pure gliders do as you state for comps, however motor glider pilots operate as though they have a PPL. For example at Camden (Class D), motor glider operations are permitted on a self certified medical, no GA quals and have a controlled airspace endorsement issued by the GFA. The pure glider operators also self certify medicals, but aren't required to hold an airspace endorsement. Private balloon pilots also operate from Camden, again no GA quals or CASA medical. Glaring double standards, I dare say the RAAus airspace limitations are a legacy from the days of ops not above 300', unreliable power plants, single seat aircraft and self taught pilots.

I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but.... how is it GFA and Ballooning Certificate holders are permitted to operate in CTA, but not RAAus? If RAAus were granted the ability to operate in at least Class D, that would open the sport up to our larger / capital city folk and potentially give RAAus a larger membership, voice and viability.

While I'm on my high horse.... You can teach spin awareness without spinning an aeroplane, just like you can teach ditching without actually ditching. A series of discussions during training with appropriate demonstrations / guided and monitored practice of scenarios leading to a stall / spin conducted at a safe height can be done - like I do. This subject could be the target of an on-line training package (video / fact sheets). Under CASR Part 61 all new Grade 3 instructors are required to hold a spinning endorsement. No reason why some sort of GA training for RAAus instructors couldn't be completed in say a C150/2, Citabria, Tiger Moth or GA registered Cub or Champ - similar handling to most 3 axis RAAus training aeroplanes. Then instructors would at least know what a spin entry looks like.

Could agree more, an inadvertent spin from anywhere in the circuit will not be recoverable by a pilot capable of entering such a spin! Early recognition of the tell-tale signs of a spin (stick position / unbalanced flight / holding off bank) is far more important than spin recovery and its achievable in any RAAus registered aeroplane.

Here is a current example of poor training: I recently finished training a young guy to fly. As part of his training we stalled the aeroplane with power on, off, clean, landing configuration, turning and induced wing drops (I'm also a GA instructor and teach aerobatics, so am comfortable to train correct stall recognition and recovery within the limits of RAAus aircraft). Having gained his pilot certificate at an FTF a fair distance from his home town he decided to get checked out in a local FTF aircraft. During the upper air sequence he was to demonstrate a stall recovery, he tells me the instructor almost wet himself at the suggestion of stalling the aeroplane in a turn! The FTF insists on glide approaches, but don't allow slipping but use s-turns to lose height. When asked why glide approaches in a Rotax 912 powered aeroplane was considered necessary he was told the earlier "Ultralight" aircraft had two stroke engines which were prone to stopping, so every approach is a glide approach and have carried on this practice. A couple of points here: 1. The operator insists on doing low level turns on final approach to lose height, yet doesn't teach or practice stall recovery in turns. 2. The operator's reasoning for glide approaches in a modern 4 stroke powered aeroplane is like teaching Cirrus SR22 pilots to do glide approaches because that's what was done in Tiger Moths. I'm quite sure there are poor practices in GA too, but from my observations some instructors can't put training of certain sequences into context. I don't know what the answer is?

1. Establish an incident database so the common causes, aircraft type, pilot profile etc can be determined. 2. Create educational material targeting the common topics determined from the incident data base. The material would be in the form of on-line video and fact sheets. 3. Make the common causes of incidents discussion points during flight reviews.

It might be time for some of you people to review CAR 166C and CAAP 166-1(3). In my experience there's way too many uneccessary calls being made on CTAF frequencies. The clear of runway and downwind calls being good examples, I put these down to GAAP/ClassD habits. The CAAP 166-1 recommended calls being: - taxying - entering runway - inbound - joining circuit - straight in approach - any time there is an imminent collision risk Keep a good lookout, just cause you don't hear another aircraft on the wireless doesn't mean there aren't any in the circuit with you!

CAO 95.4 doesn't place any limitations on operations in any class of airspace. The GFA operations manual only requires a controlled airspace endorsement for pilots operating powered sailplanes, appendix 6 of the GFA Operational Regulations refers. A standard Glider Pilot Certificate doesn't require any endorsement, apparently it's addressed under item 36 of the training syllabus - "Navigation and Airspace". Which as mentioned in earlier posts, there's no requirement for a glider pilot to hold any GA qualifications to operate in controlled airspace.

In my 35+ years operating from Camden I have seen many motor gliders operate from 06/24. When there was a Stemme based there it was almost SOP to use the sealed runways to avoid prop strikes. No aircraft at any of the old GAAP airports follow Class D procedures, they follow some locally created hybrid procedures. Albury, Coffs Harbour and Tamworth operate IAW the Class D procedures published in AIP. With reference to the comment regarding unsafe pilots being permitted to fly, I haven't seen the statistics to support your statement. Would you mind directing me to the location of these stat's?

If GFA and Balloon Federation certificate holders have controlled airspace access with self-certified medicals and no GA qual's I don't see why RAAus shouldn't be extended the same privileges. We would not be asking for any special treatment, just the same as equivalent RAAOs.

Based on the current approach being taken by RAAus to gaining airspace privileges, it's unlikely there will be any result for at least a couple of years.

The CTA stuff could be introduced within a month or so, if approached correctly. The matter of weight increases however is a different story. The tech area needs some serious tidying up (which I'm sure is well underway behind the scenes). The tech manual has no resemblance of what is actually taking place in the field. There needs to be a set of competencies developed for L1 and L2 qualifications (these are already available under the National Qualifications Framework - so would take little modification, if any, to adapt to the RAAus world). This would allow a objective assessment of applicants based on prior experience and for the right people to establish training courses for L1 / 2 applicants and keep CASA off our backs. In my opinion RAAus isn't in the business of training pilots or maintainers.

The matter of gaining airspace privileges for RAAus pilots should be at the top of the organisation's priorities. The number of pilots I speak to who are obtaining , or planning to obtain their RPL is growing rapidly. This means there's a risk of losing these members to GA, additionally CTR would allow FTFs to be established at Class D airports. The class D airports are located in areas of high population, this would provide a lower cost training option for prospective pilots and grow the RAAus membership.

A Balloon pilot holding a Private Pilot Certificate issued by the ABF can operate in controlled airspace subject to holding an endorsement on their Pilot Certificate (again no valid GA licence required).

I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but the GFA operate on the basis of a self certified medical for private flights. An amateur built glider or VH registered aircraft (hmm must look up balloons too!) don't have limitations on the airspace they operate in. RAAus pilots are suffering discrimination, it would be interesting to see the CASA response to this being pointed out to them.

The precedent of the GFA having CTA / CTR privileges should be used to amend CAO 95.55 and highlight the discriminatory application of restrictions. Citing the regulations of other ICAO compliant NAAs would also support the case. I don't see why the RPL MOS CTA/CTR competencies couldn't be used and I don't see any examination requirement under Part 61. (In fact, I don't see why RAAus doesn't adopt the RPL competencies for the three axis syllabus). As far as qualifying instructors, granting those holding / having held a GA FIR the ability to train and assess pilots and instructors would be the answer. I reckon I could put together a proposal within a week, it just needs the support of the appropriate people within RAAus.

I reckon this will feature in your annual visits to building 148 in a year or so. It's interesting the rear right slide didn't deploy for approx 15 secs after those on the right.

Yes, I'd be embarrassed if caught flying a Tomahawk too!

The various offshoots of the Aeronca Champ aka "Air knocker" are ideal abinitio trainers. They teach pilots what their feet and rudder pedals are meant to do and most are adequate aerobatic trainers. I think the value of tail wheel experience is lost on most future multi engine pilots. Tail wheel pilots have no hesitation in using full rudder during takeoff / landing if so required, in the event of an engine failure in a multi-engine aeroplane they will instinctively use whatever rudder is needed to keep the aeroplane straight.

In my opinion an instructor has no place teaching people to fly if they cannot effectively teach stall recovery involving a wing drop. If the aircraft being used aren't capable of performing such manoeuvres, then they are not suitable as a trainer. As far as spin training for pilots not interested in aerobatics they must be taught, at the very least, to recognise the symptoms of an impending stall / spin. The most common phase of flight I observe as leading to an unintentional spin entry being the turn from upwind to crosswind and from base to final. If an aircraft enters a spin at that point it's all over, so the ability to recover from a spin is of no use. The incorrect use of rudder in climbing / descending turns I see is staggering. The classic is the turn into final during a glide approach - the fear of over banking leads to turning using rudder and holding off bank with aileron - and I see so many people either totally unaware they're doing it or don't see a problem with it. Getting into the right aircraft with a suitably experienced and qualified instructor at a safe height will soon cure pilots of this habit - it only takes one demonstration to get the message home. I also firmly believe spin entry should be taught in a climbing turn - some power, out of balance with aileron input to hold off bank. Too many pilots will recite spin recovery as "opposite rudder and stick forward". The first two vital actions in the event of an unintentional spin entry to effect recovery (in fact all spin recoveries) are throttle closed, ailerons neutral, then you can think about identifying the direction of rotation, applying appropriate rudder input, then unstalling the wings (might involve back stick if inverted spinning). Rant over....

Be read elsewhere there is a company at YSBK operating RAAus and VH rego Foxbats with GA / RAAus flying school approvals. They should make the transition from the RPC to RPL pretty straight forward.

Appending CAOs to any manual is not a good practice, it's much better to make reference to them. You also need a proper tracking / reference system allowing the owner of the manual to address any changes to the references. The tech manual is an absolute dog's breakfast. I cannot see how any amateur built aeroplane can possible be maintained in accordance with the tech manual. Then any aircraft with a manufacturers maintenance schedule must be maintained IAW it. Instead it seems there's a mixture of CAO, CASR and manufacturers stuff

I'm not sure, but I hope CASA did audit their SOPs. To quote the Corner's comments regarding a recent gliding accident: "Nevertheless, perhaps they had become over-confident, complacent and reluctant to face the technological changes in the world which mock an old sport based on the winds and silence. The entire procedure depended on fairly amateur rules and traditions which were subject to human error at any time."