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Gibbo

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Everything posted by Gibbo

  1. Gibbo
    I've hired a few from differant companies around the country. Some are happy to just do a couple of circuits with a engine out test but I did hire one out of sydney (90hour hire) that almost wanted to do a full flight test and x country endorsement. He got a little shock when he did his weight and balance calculations and discovered that with a moderate tank of fuel in the Jab 160 he was going to need to weigh less than 30kg to sit on the right hand side. lol. The amount of paperwork he wanted me to fill out took about 2 hours. I was just glad that the actual owner knew that I could actually pilot a jab and decided to override the CFI as it would have been a expensive waste of time and money travelling to sydney to pick up the plane. Needless to say the GA CFI wasn't happy as he didn't get his extra couple of hours of dual time. The Jab turned out to be the best example I have ever flown and had a ball circling the country. Plane ended up a differant school at the end of the trip. lol Oh and yes.. My original instructer was the el-presentadenta who I am sure couldn't weigh more than 55kg.
  2. Gibbo
    I was running a OHS workshop for Ag force in Queensland in 2009.. Part of this was the safety around powerlines presented by Ergon. Basically - Talk to the local depo as they stock the white or red markers with reflecters (balls are not approved anymore as in high winds can damage the powerlines) and cost around $65 (they only charge the cost price). Fitment is free when the truck is next in the area. I can provide a contact at Ergon if anyone has a strip in Queensland with a powerline nearby. Same applies to farmers and farm equipment. Expect a education about working around powerlines.
  3. Gibbo
    Absolutely graceful! Hmm add a small motor..
  4. Gibbo
    There was an interesting discussion at a Tooradin talk fest a while ago.. One of the speakers was an ex-management pilot of a large commerical airline that is no longer in existance. He still works in the industry as a consultant. Basically 'Big Red' won't hire ex airbus pilots due to the computerisation. Big red believes that most of the airbus pilots are out of touch with physically flying the aircraft. Very interesting talk... Airbus time goes against you. A few interesting comments have popped up on the 'other... more professional website' about how pilots here in australia don't have the IFR approach skills. Hmmm clear weather and no VFR skills guys. What happens when the dash packs it in....
  5. Gibbo
    It was proberly the beer that caused the issue in the first place.. lol mmm Turbo did you get a job at Bunnings in Cranbourne...
  6. Gibbo
    How about limiting the MTOW. May currently be 600kg but could you live with 544kg.
  7. Gibbo

    Flight Safety Oz

    Gibbo replied to Gibbo's topic in Jabiru

    Does not yet appear to be online.. Give it a few days. Civil Aviation Safety Authority - 2010 Issues A few other Jabiru mentions for other defects / accidents as well. No real mention of any other type of ultralight. mmmm...... Whats CASA up to?
  8. Gibbo

    Flight Safety Oz

    Gibbo posted a topic in Jabiru

    Just having a criuse through the crash comics for this month and noticed that six Jabirus motors are listed.. Pg 37. Seems they have a common theme to most of them.. Crankcase bolts etc.
  9. Gibbo
    I've got a great photo that proves that IFR is just plain dangerous to any other pilot... I won't post it as it will identify the pilot but basically he's sitting back reading a newspaper at 7000' feet almost asleep, while the autopilot did the work for him. GA-8 on the mail / worker replacement / milk and bread run between a couple of stations in Queensland. By the way he has over 10k hours.. ATPL etc. Flying outwest can get pretty boring at times! STICK TO THE CORRECT LEVELS and use the radio. He might be coming the other way (and he does get around a bit!).
  10. Gibbo
    The way I read it.. I can break the 5000' exemption if I can not glide clear of terrian in case of engine failure. Just because you have the ground level at 450' it does not mean that it is safe to land.. The nearest 'safe' landing spot could be 20 miles away. Height equals time and effective communications. I admit I tend to do it a lot when travelling over central australia where there is no infrastructure or land devolopment. The ground may look ok but if you have ever walked it you would think differantly. A paddock is not always as smooth as a golf course or a plowed crop. I have a habit of flying from paddock to paddock no matter where I am after a couple of close calls with the ever reliable jab motors. Would love to hear other views on my habits and belief's. Personally I have taken a jab to 9500' west of alice over the McDonald ranges as the nearest clearing (no rocks etc) was almost 30k away. The cabin heat went on on a 30 degree day. lol I also tend to follow the ERC-low recommended lowest safe altitudes. Gibbo
  11. Gibbo
    Ah forgot about top springs... VRD would be a lot cheaper on fuel and it's not out of a drum! Renner springs also has fuel if you want to head across the Bunntine. Route I usually take in the Jab is Tennant / Elliot / Follow the Buntine Hwy to Top springs / Pidgeon hole station (private arrangement - Fuel and a cuppa) / Kunnanurra.
  12. Gibbo
    OK VRD has avgas by proir arrangement. Helimuster NT but they are flat out with mustering at this time of year. Another station that may help is PGH. Halls creek and a couple of smaller communities along the way could help. Nappperby station has fuel avialable at Timouth Well about 200k west of Alice. Drum only but Reg can knock up a great feed and the rooms are great for the area. Beware: Some of the road house's along the Tanami rd only open at certain times / days. Check before leaving. Unleaded is basically banned along the entire route. I would recommend he sticks to the Tanami Rd as crossing elsewhere is asking for trouble. I'm semi local and crossing the Tanami desert is not recommended. It would be up there with the colston track across the Simpson. If he is still having trouble PM me and I will send a couple of contact numbers for station managers that have a supply of avgas that he may be able to access depending on mustering needs.
  13. Gibbo
    Things have changed in the past month. Apple have had their licencing wings clipped a little by a small courtcase. On Call: Go ahead and jailbreak, it's legal now | Dialed In - CNET Blogs I couldn't find the actual ruling (in the U S of arrogance) but it also impossed a limitation on the concept of software licencing and the expectation of ownership of the product. Love my jailbroken iPod touch.. I can actually watch videos and read the email attachments. :)
  14. Gibbo
    If you do have another carriers phone it 'may' be possible to get it to work on Telstra's NextG by upgrading the radio firmware.. (andriod / windows mobile) xda-developers Great source for freeware apps as well. Most phones (bar the Iphone) use a programmable chip to control the radio freqency instead of the 'old' crystals that were locked. Hence they can be programmed to other ranges. Telstra use 850 UTM and 2100UTM while optus are using 900GPRS and 1900GPRS. Also beware that the old CDMA antennas / patch leads and inductive antenna pads etc will still work with NextG as they still use the same radio bands. CDMA is still used on the rural radio telephone systems. Anybody want to guess why telstra have not upgraded them.. (loss of satellite revenue! - Signal loss oh and it would cost them a fortune to phyically upgrade the gear for less return)
  15. Gibbo
    The actual owner of the airport is Linfox. They are the ones who stand to make the $$$. How much has MR. fox donated to the greens? It is the only airport within about 15mins (outside of peak traffic) to any of the major Melbourne hospitals and is the airport of choice for any air ambulances (they are based there). Where are they going to go.. Tulla which is about another 10-15mins from the city. Heard a rumor that the Virgin sign on the corner of the freeways is worth close a Mil per year from a reliable source. I grew up directly under the flight path less than 500m from the threshold and the only aircraft I ever noticed was the IPEC 727. EDIT: Add one Gruda 747 that tried to land at the airport back in the eightys. It would have 'just' stopped but never got back in the air unless it had a 100kn wind down the strip..
  16. Gibbo
    Depends on the model.. Android (Java with Linux), MS windows mobile and symbian in some cases. What model do you have?
  17. Gibbo
    Used my HTC HD2 with 'google maps' and 'google latitude' so someone could track my progress today. Worked a absolute treat and was nice to know that someone knew where I was all the time.. They were able to track me in real time with just a google web page gadget (marginal weather to say the least). I simply typed a short message into Google maps as plan changed so they new what I was doing at all times. Takes the concept of a flight note to another level. I am using NextG and it did'nt drop the signal the entire trip. I would highly recommend this to anyone. How many CFI's would like to know where their students are on their first solo nav? EDIT: Google maps and Lattitude work on all Smartphones. Nokia, I(junky)Phone, ect. If no GPS will give location based on Cell tower calculations within xKilometers.
  18. Gibbo
    Sitting in Gunnadah now.. Had to go out to YNRM and then headed north around the hills and tracked up the Valley to Gunnadah. Lots of Scud so never really got above 1900' and only when I got back out onto the plains. Lots of showers and at one point was suspect on mushy snow. Carb heat got used and abused. What does it mean when you pull the carby heat out and you gain 100rpm? lol Had a ground speed at one point of over 140kn. Not bad for a J-170. Was fairly rough in parts.. PS A Jab 160 can land with a 20kn + xwind. Had the displeasure for my initial P-Cert flying test. A 170 would not have a chance in 16kn xwind.
  19. Gibbo
    I managed to reduce the companies 'carbon' foot print by almost half... I got a pilots certficate and now fly instead of drive myself around the country.. I Work for one of the Biggest Greenies in the country and he fully supported the decision after he had commisioned a study into it. Efficent General Avaition has a place in a green economy. The Jets do cause some issues as the carbon discharge in the upper atmosphere cause's lots of problems.
  20. Gibbo
    What ever happened to Kero.. The Old fergies started on 'Standard' when when warm enough switched to Kero. Know a couple of old farmers (90ish) that still do it. It seems to go further and lots less TAX.
  21. Gibbo
    just wish this cloud would lift. At least the termimal at ysdu is heated. lol
  22. Gibbo
    Made it from West Wyalong to Dubbo via Parkes for a enforced break... First headed west, then north, then east, then south and ended up with a ave GS of about 50 knots. I'm sure I was doing at least 70kns GS. lol Got a days work in Dubbo so at least the pubs paid for. I would not recommend flying in this sort of weather. Going to do a little IFR training 'just in case' at a GA school. Next leg is to Gunnadah so who knows?
  23. Gibbo
    This really sucks.. Sitting in West Wylong at the moment, hoping to get to Gunnadah in the next two days. :( Wait and See I spose... G
  24. Gibbo
    Had the pleasure of hearing a few of your calls as I went over the top.. Well done. 5215.
  25. Gibbo
    mmm. In Bits and the motors havent been run since 1998!!!!! Anybody want a slow build kit?
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