icebob

Royal australian Navy 25 years, qualified as LAME while in the Navy, Venoms,Vampires, Gannets,Skyhawks, UH-1B,Wessex31B, Seaking,DC3, then Department of Defence working on missiles, then manager of misilles sytems(mechanical), Diploma of chemical engineering(explosives), decoys and advanced missile anti aircraft/anti ship systems (supersonic). Currently flying C206 on photo/survalence 15-20 hours per week and doing Private Pilot Helicopter licence now.

Paddy was a youthful and hard working Irishman at a coastal village in Ireland . Daily, he would pole a heavy old punt out to sea, then work a heavy iron grapple to bring up the sand oysters, which he sold to the local ice works. He was a man of regular habits.... he always arrived home each day at a certain time. Sadly, Paddy did not realise the heavy grappling was taking a toll on a faulty heart. One day, he failed to come home, so his wife contacted the Police to investigate him being missing. They rowed out and found Paddy dead in the punt; beside him, a huge grapple full of oysters that he'd tried to hoist aboard. Headlines the next day in the 'Irish Times Newspaper' read: Wait for it! Wait for it! Wait for it! OYSTERS KILPATRICK !!!!

Hi Yenn, I went to a disability store and got some high impact memory foam, it molds to your body with body heat seats cost me about $90 each. The RAA mag had an article in it around the begining of last year ansd gave an address in WA somewhere. Bob.

An old guy (not in the best of shape) was working out in the gym when he spotted a sweet young thing, so he asked the trainer nearby, "Which machine should I use to impress that sweet thing over there?" The trainer looked him up and down saying with a smirk, "Try the ATM machine in the lobby."

PS. Emergancy Management Australia has the "Intro to counter disaster management" CD and workbook, they are in each capital city- free.

there was the intro to counter disater course(a CD + workbook and FREE from SES) basics of counter disaster management(SES accredited instructors) free, local counter disatred co-ordination - free through SES. The biggest plus is getting to know all the group and the local area commander by visiting on a regular basis, I feel once they have your trust and you have thiers then things could be different. It is possible. There now is a common training package for counter disaster with the option of maybe going as far as Diploma of Public Safety through SES all of it free. Scouts do Certificate 4 in management (outdoor activities) for about $50 per module(11) and no I am not with SES.

Hi, I think you may find going to SES or your local emergancy service that has volunteers you may need to comply with thier training before you would be considered. Locally to me that was tried even jollies for local senior SES around the local area but when there was a search on the aircraft was left on the ground and the pilot asked to jump on the truck to help?????

Hi, Wow I like it and could recommend it to a very "windy" pilot I know, those rear doors would suit him fine. Bob.

Thanks Ian, got outside too slow to see the aircraft in the air just the flames and smoke. Pilot made the bolt, is ok. Third hand the guys were saying tail rotor failure? Bob.

To those people who phoned me concerned about the helo down at Bankstown this afternoon thinking it was me, can I put your minds to rest it was not me, right day wrong aircraft. Thanks anyway, I do not know who the pilot was/is. Bob.

Called my wife on my mobile to say I had got the milk and was joining base leg and then turned into my driveway. Bob.

Hi Slarti, Thanks for sharing the video, I enjoyed it. Bob.

Hi, I have one of those 12volt jugs too, got an old pair of football soxs(washed) and cut them to fit around the jug it cuts the time to boil by about half and any spillage on the sox can be washed off. Bob.

Thanks Tomo, one of my old stomping grounds in my youth, glad to see Goeorge Town International Airport, not much has changed in 20+ years. Bob. PS what camera are you using?

From memory there was somthing on the rotax owners web site about this but well my reason is old age, can not remember how far back it was. Bob.

Good on you Darky, I'm doing my PPL(H) now, its fun! Bob.

Hi Ozzie, I can not agree with you more, there are some horrific backyard "mechanics" out there. One issue i see is the difficulties getting the recognition of qualifications, I know I tried. I joined the Navy and became an aircraft mechanic, in 1977 I got my LAME's. Unfortunately we got so many endorsements we priced ourselves out of civilian employment. I have worked on every aircraft that the Navy had at that time except the Sykhawk, from J5 Austers to Sea kings and everything in between. I was responsible for 8 aircraft at any one time. I sent a certified copy of my LAME certificate, my degree in chemical engineering(explosives) and a letter from my OIC detailing my work on aircraft and sub/supersonic missiles but was told i needed to supply more detailed information on each and every aircraft/system. Now come on that would have cost at least two trees worth of paper! A system that complicated does not lend itself well to new applications, the other issue is there is no competentcy based training/checking in place - yet? Bob.

You do not need to take a ladder in the aircraft when landing.

Hi Rocketdriver, Yes i see it that way too but on the first post that is not what the questions were, looks like we all got a little of topic - me too. Bob.

Hi Ian, Thank you for defending the freedom of speech of us all. First up i would like to say i do not condone the unregistered flyer's or in the words of others the cowboy, I would much rather see in the first instance a re education of that person than a prosecution but most times regrettably we do not get to find out why this flier is unregistered and how we all could of helped that to not happen. I think we all agree that the regulations issued by CASA are by and large written by lawyers for lawyers and in some cases more difficult to understand than an insurance policy. To me the basic premise of this thread is should those registered fliers who fly tube and rag aircraft only be charged more in fees because of the higher performance aircraft coming onto the register? Is this fair to all or should there be set classes or groups of aircraft that attract their own and maybe slightly higher registration fee. Is there a portion of the fee increase because of the higher performance aircraft or just the usual costs of living? Should high drag low performance aircraft get a reduction in fees at all and if so what type of aircraft are they? The last question for you Ian - what if anything is the board doing about aircraft on the register that have not paid annual fees for for some time, is there a follow up of some kind, do we know is the aircraft flying, under restoration or just a pile of sticks in the back of the shed, I have asked HQ and could not get a definitive answer. Bob.

Hi Sue, some good points but .. (1) we know what makes an RAA aircraft registered in the eyes of CASA but why is it not in these regulations too (2) where in the CASA regs does it say "current" registration only certificate of airworthiness. (3) say I purchase an old C150, it has certificate of airworthiness and rego and i just fly it around my farm for the next ten years, by the way i read the regulations i am legal???? now for the sake of this say i purchase a (sorry guys) drifter from you and fly it up to my farm and just fly around the farm for the next ten years not join RAA after that first year, who will know? I have not seen any evidence of a follow up of aircraft rego's to see who/what is active or current or just a pile of sticks in the shed, how can anyone tell from the RAA database, there is no documented evidence that can be presented at law that I could find? Bob.

Hi David, Yes some good points, I have a relative who lives out western Queensland, when we went to visit him some years ago even the local copper did not know what the farm house looked like and he had been in the local area 25 years. So if you fly on a remote property like that the only way authorities would know is if you had a serious accident and needed the ambulance, well maybe not if you could cover it up. Who would find out other wise - no one, and it happens out there so why not anywhere? If you turned up in an well presented aircraft that had a rego number that looked correct and flew off and returned, packed up and left at the very least you would be looked at as unsociable who would dream illega - I wonder? Bob. Bob.

Hi All, first up I would like to thank you all for your different points of view, it sure has given me some things to think about. Originally i joined RAA because i developed diabetes and my CASA licences were in jeopardy, then the rules were relaxed, sure unable to keep my higher level licences but i do not use them now anyway. So do I now go back to PPL or stay with RAA. Once again a lot to think about, it just feels like even when you vote that vote is meaningless against the organised mob keeping a certain member in/on the board. There are some organisations that like RAA have a board but you only get 2 terms of 3 consecutive years in any 15 years, sure stops the empire builders. Again a lot to think about, thanks guys and gals. Bob.

Hi Roger, Have you tested the HT leads? mine played up exactly the same but at that time i was on a fly away and minimum tools with me it was found by running the motor at night, you could see the spark, so replaced the whole set when i got back home(temp fix with insulation tape - to get me home), problem fixed. Bob.

Hi, Have you thought of the plastic lids from 20lt drums, like the ones for bulk paint? They are good, just drill a hole in the centre and stake them down, can be lifted to cut the grass. We used them all the time they last about three years. Bob.