icebob

Marry Christmas to all on this site both running it and contributing. My Christmas started last Sunday, I was told to pack my gear and report to the transport section for a flight home, my deployment is over. This makes the second Christmas in 12 years I have made it home for actual Christmas. All my family are coming over tomorrow for Christmas, so seven(and one on the way) grandkids and six adults - WONDERFUL. Bob.

Hi, Dad is on deployment should be home just before Christmas, he has only got intermittent internet there. Melissa (bob's daughter)

Went straight to the manufacturer for the caps, not Repco. Bob.

Hi, I think you may find the SWL of winch wire is 600Kgs. That's what we use and it's an off the shelf product. Bob.

Hi All, Keith, I take you point about us all doing something, so I am, today in fact within the hour. I have a heap of old RAA magazines gathering dust unread, so some are off to the doctors with me so people waiting have something to read about our sport. Just a little contribution but I will continue this with every doctor, dentist or physio's waiting room I visit until all my old magazines are gone, a pity RAA didn't have a generic flyer we could put up all over? Bob.

Hi all, I remember some time ago there was a thread about this and someone pointed out a company from England made helo helmets for passengers of rescue helicopters and then the price was about 350 pounds posted to Australia, The construction was like the "Dave Clark" style, do not remember the name of the company, sorry, I can either blame old age or "the drink", ha, ha. Bob.

Hi, Pete I agree with you. I was involved with another National organisation that "governed" it's self into the ground. We got a new (smaller) management team at National HQ and a very small State team(3) and every club/training facility had a rep that put up all the members concerns/requests to the State group the state HAD to take them to the National level within 14 days (a SOP)and National addressed the issues with the regional rep directly. The old "distance thing" was settled by National providing all State reps with a lap top and any club/ training facility that did not have one plus a dial up account everyone of the reps could use to contact/email National admin and get updates through as well. Yearly registrations were done via State reps, all memberships were bar coded for ease of transfer and member registrations were all paid with money orders only. This group pulled it's self out of the muck in 4 years from owing money to substantial reserves allowing flyers and promotional stuff to go to everyone of the reps to hang on notice boards, schools, doctors rooms and the like. so I know it works. Bob.

See post number 15.

Now that brought back some memories, thanks David. The section of hang gliding on the sand hills, ouch now that brought back some of the pain too, ha, ha.

I would agree with above. My own building I used the "Lexan" only for the windscreen because of it's better optical qualities and also can have minor scratches polished out(kit purchased from UK) better than the other brands. I used the cheaper brands for the side windows, the only issue I had was using a too thin a thickness and had the oil canning effect, when I went to 2mm the window would shake but not make any noise. As a side issue when I fitted one of those clear air vents into the side window the shaking stopped? Bob.

Hi, the only good thing I found out using my ASIC card is a Sydney airport you get staff discount for food and drink, now that would be a lot of food and drink to make up the cost. A short "thunk" is that why some well know fliers have been putting on weight lately????

Had the same problem and it was icing, purchased an electric de-ice kit from X-air in Ireland(has own web site), problem fixed. Bob.

I too can recommend Dave, my brother started with him 18 months ago and he did put my brother's mind at ease and my brother now has his certificate, he enjoyed his training with Dave. Bob.

HI OME, I went that way and as I have CPL, I am away and flying. I had 3 years of delays but after the first year I photographed it all(just in case) so that was 18 photos, even photos of serial numbers too. Year two and year three sent photos in each year, plus W&B and hours flown, the only thing I did not send in was the colour of my undies(maybe I should, ha, ha) still had a six week delay each time. Yes rang on a regular basis(every week), even asked if the office wanted admin help, no response to that either - wonder why???? To tell the truth I am getting very disenchanted with RAA management, I joined to get back to the fun of flying, that under 50kts feeling and the bugs in the teeth and all that. The actual flyers are top people it is just this admin stuff that is well.....................! Bob.

Agree with cleaning this filter, it caused my engine out and subsequent write off of my VP-1a in 2006. Bob.

thanks.

Hi cooperplace, Yes a good photo of Ian on holidays, I guess we get him be the judge? So come on all you guys and gals we want some "way out" holiday locations for Ian to hide in. I still say that is Ian with his back to us under that tree. Bob.

Hi Guys and Gals, Yesterday I was at the Tiger Temple and I am sure I saw Ian(that is on holiday Ian) lurking under the tree, what do you think????

Hi all, Just got time to download some photos, the first two are of the villa we are staying in and then hotel reception. This next photo is of the Thai Department of Defence but I was not allowed any photos of inside or our project. This last couple of photos was a surprise party thrown by the poeple I work with as it is a milestone for me 45 years of ATP/CPL and 20.000 hours of flying.

Hi River, some good points there. I fitted a Navig8r Crash Cam to my aircraft mainly to point the finger at a couple of "cowboys", nothing like a photo of thier contant transgressions on the flying club wall for all to see to put pressure on them. Well indirectly as i leave the unit on all the time and selected 15 minute save times it records my whole trip so it could be considered as a mini black box, and has audio too, this unit was on special mid last year at $65 from a online computer store, very cost effective.

Hi All, Just a small update as today is a busy one, we got more done than we thought, the WWII airstrip is cement and in good condition, i think the army guys were having a loan of me - again. We are booked on the overnight flight the 14th Feb: that gets into Sydney around 7.40am, the wife wants to stay a couple of weeks more she said there is still credit on my card and lots of shopping still to do:drool: We return to Phuket tommorow and I am having a good old Aussi BBQ for the army guys that supported us. Bob.

Hi All, Just an update we are on the move up North, about 110Kms north of Bangkok, the map i was given was produced in 1943 and i was told by the Army officers here the strip is from that time too with minimum maintenance, an old fighter strip, red dirt - soooooo this should be fun, ducking around water buffaloooooo and big tuffs of razor grass ---- just make my day. forgot to download some photos will have to go back to the "how to" page and re-learn that. Can show you where i/ we have been living. Bob. PS Ian may have to take you up on the offer but you will need to pump fuel too, our fuel man did not come back, he is in jail for drunk and disorderly, silly bugger!

Hi All, After saying somthing to one of the Army officers here about how hot the aircraft is, he told me yesterday he would lit airconditioning, well he did this morning, a paper fan, oh how funny. It is 26 degrees today and rain coming later today early tommorow so it look like I get a chance to do some shopping and sight seeing, some of the guys here have offered to take me up north to see the tiger temple so that should be intresting. I should be ok just too fat for a single tiger bite, ha, ha. Anyway off to work, I only have 4.7 hours of flying today according to the flight computer. A slightly cooler IceBob. PS. A couple of people PM'ed me asking about the Icebob name, well here it is the short story. In 1972 I built a volkplane VP1a while I was attending TAFE for my LAME course. One winter day at HMAS Albatross, Nowra the then Commander Air the boss of all the aircraft there asked for a flight, he came back frozen and said to me" son you must be made of ice" so from that time my call sign and nick name was ice bob. He flew a C172. He also called everyone 10 years younger than him "son".

Well this is the first opertunity to get back on the internet, been as busy as an octopus with ten hot pies, ha, ha. So much for the flying hours here, I have been doing double what we thought. The four days in Bangkok were wonderful but we are now based at Phuket, I am getting a good workout on taxiway Foxtrot the military only taxiway although I do get some strange looks in the 206. Fueling has been an issue sometimes it needs to be done by hand from 200lt drums, wonderful in 40 degree humid weather. There is only military preasure refueling here and the electricity how shall I say has a mind of it's own?????? Still having issues with our terain mapping gear, must be the tropics,maybe????? It is 5am local time here and I am off for a hot meal and only 3.5 hours of flying today as I have been invited to the Army officers mess for dinner. Scared myself yesterday got a lift on a motorscooter from a local army officer, needed some big beers to calm down, done some shopping at a big supermarket in Phuket, an eye opener for big stores. We hope to be back in Australia within 3 weeks after the 20th Feb. Next time will see if I can download some photos but not of the airport/aircraft as there is no photos allowed. Got internet ADSL2+ 20gig per week at around $18A a good price, took a week to get connected up, have a lot to download back to Sydney for the map makers there. Bob.

Hi Ian, That is correct, the contract is for three years but not full time, so I will spend three to four months there and the rest here. I had planned to be back the very end of Feb: this year and be back there same time next year and the year after but unsure yet of the actual length of time/flying hours, some of the facilities there are, well how shall i put it - agricultural/supernatural/from the 1940's when the stuff was second hand?????? Bob.