Nightmare

My first flight of 2016. I did more solo circuits this morning at YBCM (Coominya), inching my way closer to my RPC. I got a GoPro for xmas but forgot to bring today.... sorry! The weather looked like it was going to be ordinary, I was kind of expecting to hear from my instructor that todays lesson would be cancelled, but it was perfect weather, the clouds stayed well above circuit height and the wind was calm at aerodrome level. I was kinda hoping to have a slight x-wind, I need more practice with them, but no problem, I know I lucked out today.

Hi Brent, welcome to the forum! Same as you, I started in flight sims, that inspired me to start my RAA flight training, which I commenced in April this year. I'm hoping to attain my RPC early in the new year. Good luck with it all, but be warned, this aviation stuff is very addictive due to its awesomeness, once you get bitten by the bug it won't let you go! You will find some excellent people on here with loads of helpful and good advice. I know I am becoming a much better pilot interacting with them. Cheers, Tony.

A mate with a plane ...... nice!

Yep, I agree with Robbo, try X-Plane, it is the way of the future for flight sims. IMHO it's much more realistic in it's feel. I believe FSX uses an engine where the environment moves around the plane, but X-Plane the environment is relatively static but the plane moves through it, like in reality. I believe it's called Blade Theory. The scenery is really good as default, all the roads and rivers are in the right places but gets really good when you add World2xp, which uses Open Street Map (OSM), and Skymax Pro for good weather. You would probably be aware of Ant's airfields he released for FSX, he has recently put them out for X-Plane adding hundreds of small and medium airports and airfields to the Australian continent. FSX is also getting old now, it is unsupported by Microsoft, so it is fast becoming redundant. X-Plane is new and is still supported. A major update (10.42)was released for it about a month or 2 ago, and it was good! The last upgrade for FSX I think was SP2 released in 2008 maybe? X-Plane also utilizes 64bit technology. ATC is a little better in FSX, but RAAus pilots normally fly in uncontrolled airspace anyway. Could try AVSIM or the equivalent. Finally, Alebeo put out a very nice little Light Sports Aircraft, the Piper Sports Cruz. I like it as it handles quite like the aircraft that I've been training in. I was a die hard FSX user until I flew a plane in X-Plane.... but nothing beats flying the real thing!!!

You ever thought of getting your pilots certificate and fly the real stuff?

Sounds like you live in the Toogoolawa/Esk area. I'm currently doing my flight training at Coominya, which isn't too far away.

Hello cgsimpson, and welcome

It's all a bit blended isn't it? Look at the VFR rules on keeping clear of cloud, 1500 metres horizontally and 1000 feet vertically, then you have nautical miles for distance over ground. Can't say aviation isn't a thinking persons activity, keeps the grey matter busy.

Hi Paul, and welcome. I started my training at Redciffe with Mahl and Wayne, changed schools for distance reasons, now on my way to completing my training at Coominya. I too went solo last week. It's a nice feeling isn't it. Tony.

Not bad for a B737, but yes, kinda prohibitive for me. I will have to research my options further.

Are there landing and parking charges?

You know David, I might just take you up on that:oh yeah: Hey what are the servicing costs like to own your own plane? I haven't really checked it out yet

If you have a wing drop on final, it is my opinion, you are not doing one of the fundamental things in a landing, having a stabilized approach, including keeping that speed at the optimum glide speed through out the approach. I understand that sudden wind gusts can push a plane into a stall, but I think that the plane would be traveling well above that speed if the approach speed is maintained properly. I would say that a stall would occur by attitude nose high adjustment, maybe with a wind gust, whilst not monitoring and maintaining the correct speed. In the Lightwings I am training in, the rudder is extremely important for directional control, and I don't put the aircraft out of balance that often. I use the side slip technique if I'm a little high in the approach, it is a good way to loose more height if you are at full flap and still maintain the approach speed. For Xwind landings, I agree that the best method so far for me is the wing down method as the aircraft is always lined up with the runway. I understand that low wing aircraft may have an issue with this method.

How are you going in your flight training David? Are you training in your plane now or still training in the Tecnam? I just went solo last week, hopefully certificate in January, then PAX and X-Country endorsements May to June. Then probably look for a plane to purchase as well. But until then I'll be happy to hire.

Cool, when I complete my training, I have a friend who wants to have a fly, he lives in Oakey, so Wellcamp is an ideal location to pick him up from. I was thinking Toowoomba, but it has landing fees. The other option I guess is Dalby, but that's a big detour around restricted airspace.

I'm still going through my flight training, but from how I read ERSA and looking at current charts, I've come to the conclusion that Brisbane Wellcamp is a place RAAus aircraft can fly into and out of, am I right?

I bet it is Joe, but that's the fun isn't it? The challenge, then the feeling you get when you overcome it! Then you learn more for you to overcome... This aviation stuff is awesome isn't it?

Welcome Joe, have you thought about starting any rotary wing flight training? .

My lovely wife decided to watch me do some circuit training last Sunday morning, she took some video. https://www.youtube.com/embed/b6gL536_UTk

Thanks Nev, I'm not a risk taker by nature, just wanted to get home safely, not bang up the plane, and live to fly another day

To answer my first question, you only need Pre-Solo, and Radio exams to fly solo. I did sit and pass my Air Legislation exam before I solo'ed but it's not mandatory.

I JUST FLEW MY FIRST SOLO TODAY!!!!! It happened at about 0830 this morning. I thought I'd just done 2 pretty ordinary circuits with my instructor on board, then he told me to shut down after taxiing off the runway. Then he got out and told me I'm good to take it up for a circuit. What a feeling when he closes the hatch and it's just me in the plane. I think I did my best circuit yet, Taxied and shut down and he told me to go for another spin. This one I did a go-around, things didn't quite look right on final, I got hit with a sudden updraft. Just after I was climbing away and made my go-around call, my Instructor called over the radio to say he was impressed. I came around for another landing, shut down, Got out and I swear, I felt 2 foot taller!!

I'm guessing that most regulations would be changed for safety reasons, so to me it seems quite dangerous not to be kept up to date, from the student level in in the exams, right through to current pilots being informed. Then everyone is on the same page. Worst case scenario I can see is someone flying to a superseded rule and another not which puts them on a collision course. Surely in the age of computers, internet and automation, rule changes in one department could be easily converted over and applied in another similar department with minimum of fuss.

I actually did that, and I got a reply from the National Operations Manager. The essence of the answer was "the 871 staff at CASA can produce more rule changes than the 15 staff at RAAus can keep up with sometimes" She painted a picture of an organization a bit snowed under.

Congratulations David, that's one sexy little plane!