Pud,
Just got back, i have to drive 220km to get to Bunbury so i try to make a day of it. I took a mate (Ben) and after the flight we went to a pub on the beach for lunch before browsing Bunnings and Dick Smiths then heading to a scrap merchant to pick up some 500mm steel pipes for a creek crossing (for my farm).
The flight was a very interesting one, once all of the preflight checks were done and we were seated ready for startup i noticed i could not talk to Ben as well as not transmit. After a bit of swapping and cursing, the CFI, who was nearby, came over and solved the problem by using a "double adapter" and plugging both headsets into the right set of plugs. So now all i had to do was remember to press the transmit button on the right yoke.
Once in the air we headed off for a scenic flight north to the training area to then reutrn down the coast over Bunbury before landing. When we got to the training area there was a small fire which looked like it was started by a power pole, it started at one end of a small 20Ha paddock and moving slowly west. Within minutes we had a spotter plane overhead and he told us this had been reported. We were in direct view of the fire for 20minutes and no fire units had turned up, i must say here that I am a past fire chief for the shire of Katanning WA and if this had been reported we would have had 5-10 units (farmers) at the fire or on their way. At this stage the fire could have been extinguished by 2 units. Another 10 minutes we looked back and the fire had now got into thick bush, another 10-15 minutes and we had landed just in time to see three water bombers taking off to put this fire out. When we left the airport an hour later they were still active. There maybe more to this but i am just saying what i saw, anyway it was an interesting flight.
Just like to say it was great to watch the bombers in action and i admire these guys for what they do, not forgetting the refillers who were very efficient.
Back to the cramps........ I have been taking Bio Magnesium and this seems to be working well, I like the idea of Gatorade and will certainly be giving it a go.