NT5224

Yes this is all true. My 0320 would run fine on Mogas and I believe may be certified to do so. However, what Lycoming does not approve is switching intermittently between fuel types. I might do so in an emergency ( if no other fuel was available) but basically stick with Avgas. Incidentally, just from personal experience I find Avgas runs smoother and cleaner on various power tools around my property. The small two strokes prefer the lead lubrication and don’t get gummed up with all the aromatics and stabilisers they put in unleaded 98. Scaling up this observation to an aircraft engine, I assume it runs better on specialist aviation fuels. Have not personally experienced plug fouling with Avgas. Cheers Alan

Good point Skippy. But as I don’t use 98 unleaded in my Lycoming that’s of little interest to me…Will be more significant to those flying with Rotax or Jabiru motors… Alan

Hi Team I have a question. Every year I get repeat billed by the ‘Country Airstrip Guide’ people for their latest update. It isn’t cheap, (probably upwards of $50) and they don’t make it easy to unsubscribe. But as far as I can tell there are very few updates and differences year to year. So you keep paying for the same document on repeat. Furthermore, the ‘pilots touring guide’ that comes packaged in Ozrunways seems to contain virtually identical information and Ozrunways itself provides the airstrip diagrams. Can anybody explain to me what is the advantage of a subscription to the Country Airstrip guide? How does it compare with the pilot touring guide, and is it worth having both? Maybe there’s something I’m not getting… Cheers Alan

As a Territorian I must admit I find peoples fascination with crocodiles bewildering. Don’t you blokes have Brownsnakes and red back spiders? Do you try to eradicate them from the southern states? Crocodiles are the same. I have plenty living here on my property ( not marine crocs, granted) and am always pleased to see them. They are a species that has persisted millions of years virtually unchanged and no more deserve persecution by humans than we would deserve to be eradicated other species who could. Live and let live. Alan

Nev gotta say I disagree with some of that. The Top End is warm true, but when the job needs doing, you do it! My wife and I are currently in the middle of a tough concreting job, despite heat and humidity. I like to believe we are also capable of rationale thought, although possibly not to the same level of elevated intellect as you southern intelligentsia 🤣 Alan

Plenty of reasons to live here Nev. 🤣 Alan

That’s spectacular footage but I would personally be rather nervous flying so low with a two stroke behind me…

Really saddened I recall occaisional chats with Mark and remember him as a top bloke with a real passion for aviation and education.

This could well be somebody out of MKT on a Sunday. What a tragedy! Condolences to the friends and family of the fellow aviator we have lost… So many fatal accidents/incidents in the news lately… It’s disconcerting. Is this just the way these stories are being reported (e.g conflating different categories of aviation) or there something else…? A sad day Alan

Hi All Great, very instructive video. I hate to criticise, the emergency was well handled, but I thought the pilot landed very long at high speed. In a real off strip situation you probably want to glide at best rate to make of your touch down point, but then slow things up when you’re sure you’re in. I’ve had two engine out emergencies in real life flying, but am still learning. Helpful to see this exercise. Alan

Hi RGMWA sorry to hear about the inconvenience to your friend, but glad I’m not the only one afflicted. The irony is the Class 5 declaration was meant to streamline the process but I have spent three or four hours already trying to get one- and am still no nearer than when I started. This is just an IT bug, CASA public facing staff have been helpful, but I wish I’d just gone with my usual Class 2 basic now. Note to CASA (and all operators of automated public services). Please test the system thoroughly before launching! How on earth a Class 5 Declaration can result in direction to a DAME for a medical examination is completely beyond me! Class 5 and Class 1-2 should be on totally different systems. How did they become mixed up? Another automated system that gives endless trouble is that annual flight movements survey conducted by the department. I always have to send my data just as an email…. Sometimes they tell you to do that explicitly because the system is ‘down’ (yet again). But glad to read the system is working for many people. Gives me hope Alan

They’ve escalated my issue up to IT. They’ve been helpful but I’ve already applied three times and paid twice so not keen to apply again. I have one paid declaration logged in the system. They just don’t know why the certificate wasn’t issued. I hope they can just nudge that one along. Alan

Hi Turbo I'm describing my own experience. I do know how to use the system, order a pizza or an Uber. The Issue is clearly an IT problem and could happen to anybody. The platform delivering Class 5 declarations is still just a few weeks old and there are inevitable glitches. The CASA team were startled when I showed them the machine had sent me a DAME examination appointment. Remember it’s a Class 5 ‘self assessment’. It’s like the Robodebt computer sending a demand for cash to somebody who doesn’t owe any. It’s just a machine gone haywire… I have no problem with CASA. Alan

Those who have the Class 5 declaration, what does it actually look like? Anything like an actual medical certificate? My problems are being escalated in the CASA IT department. The staff are being helpful -but our AI overlords seem to have something against me… Alan

Passed test. It is an IT issue. On my second attempt the system mixed up my Class 5 Declaration with an application for Class 1 or 2 medical certificate and sent me to a DAME. I have a bizarre document from CASA requesting me to go get a medical to progress my Class 5 Declaration. The whole point of Class 5 is to streamline that part of the process. I don’t have any medical conditions. Alan