JG3

I've since just finished flying the Arnhem Land coast, so can answer my own question... I knew that a permit is required to land at any of those small airstrips. There are dozens of ideal strips, some with only a couple of houses at them. They are considered to be private property, and a permit is required to land at any of them. The process is to apply to the Land Council and then they must contact elders at each site for permission. I applied to two strips to be able to camp overnight without intruding on the residents. Did not receive any reply at all.... Later, I talked to a mission pilot up there and he reckoned no way to get a permit unless knowing someone there and being invited. So I had to fly right through without stopping over.... You don't need a permit to land at any of the Security Controlled airfields, such as Gove, Elcho Island, or Maningrida, so long as you don't leave the airfield. But of course, not allowed to camp on such a airfield....

I was just up that way and learned the real story behind this incident. It seems that a Cessna 206 had hit a couple of cattle when landing and was blocking the middle of the actual strip. The Jabiru was able to land on the remaining portion of the strip, but was doubting takeoff with full fuel, so elected to try the road verge. Didn't work out, but there was a valid reason he tried it....

[quote=" So interesting though this thread is, it doesn't have much purpose in the real world, IMO. Not quite. Some years ago we had an aircraft with an engine failure setting up to land on a golf course fairway, only to notice a couple of golfers strolling away right in the wrong place. They showed no notice of his approach and he had no way to warn them, so he diverted to land on a nearby highway and was killed in a collision with a 4wd.....

It used to be performed every year at the Clifton Fly-Ins.

Excellent advice!

In 2012 I got a South Dakota license with only a one night receipt, a written test and a short test drive. Many itinerant RV owners with no fixed address go especially to SD to do the same. I forgot to mention that I also did the written FAA exam for the Light Sport license. This is a fairly comprehensive exam and needs some considerable study. I used the King Schools on-line course, $300 but worth it, and scored 93%. This study is necessary to familiarize the differing rules and airspace designations. There are lots of serious military areas over there, some totally prohibited some shared, and TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions) which usually follow the President when travelling around and have 'lethal force' protections not to be messed with....

[quote=" To me that reads you need a PPL or higher (which is recognised by ICAO) to do the conversion. There might be some other exemption buried somewhere but it wasn't immediately forthcoming in the time I had to look, but I doubt it. Pretty much correct. I have experience of flying Light Sport/Ultralight aircraft in the USA for several months each year for four years. I couldn't find any way to legally use my RAAus certificate over there. It's not recognized at all. The flying schools that I approached read the rules that I would have to do 20hrs basic training. Only vague indications that if I presented a really official looking logbook they might be able to recognize some of that time. But their system requires that after the training course you must do the final test with an official FAA examiner, who would have to agree to that shortcut, and that didn't seem to be likely..... Before you can even start training you must get clearance from the TSA (Transport Security Authority), fingerprints life history, etc, etc., to make sure you aren't a terrorist.... I jumped through the hoops and passed all that, cause those guys have no sense of humor at all if I got caught out..... Then I went and did the aero medical, cause it's not possible to get a drivers license in most states these days without proving history of residence (except South Dakota where you only need a receipt for one night in a caravan park to qualify....) Another advantage of doing the medical is that I received a Flight Training License, which doesn't have any real value other than for training but I hoped it would at least show that I had made the effort. The medical was really easy, just listen to my heart, stand on one leg and read a chart. But no way was I going to pay for 20hrs basic training, since I did that 25yrs ago and have 2700hrs experience. Especially since our training system is far more detailed that theirs, (no extra time required for x-country or endorsements over there)..... Then I just went flying, several hundred hours from 150 airfields in many states, and never got questioned. Just must be careful not to cause an incident that would start an investigation..... You wouldn't be able to rent an aircraft that way. I had my own 'ultralight'. They have an ultralight Part 103 category that requires not training or registration at all, really a strange setup! But they must weight less than 254lbs empty and can only carry 5usgal of fuel, so are pretty flimsy and useless except to get high enough to get killed.... I had an overweight 'ultralight' that would qualify as 95.10 here, so was a really capable aircraft. There are lots of them over there and so long as you stay out of the 'GA big boys' way everyone turns a blind eye, "If it looks like an ultralight and sounds like an ultralight and flies like an ultralight then we'll just pretend it is...." Once again, must be really careful not to get in the way of the 'big boys'.... Most Americans do have a really good attitude of personal freedom, in that "...if you're not interfering with anyone else, just go for it..." I had intended to buy a Light Sport aircraft, but the catch is that you must be an American citizen or Green Card holder resident to be able to register an aircraft there..... So it's not easy at all. I think I investigated all possible dodges and had help from sympathetic friends and instructors, but I couldn't find a way around.... If you were to get a PPL here then that is valid over there with just a check ride and a written test to cover differences in rules and airspace, etc, (and probably TSA clearance these terrorist days...) PPL is valid for Light Sport and ultralight aircraft. To rent probably would just need to show a logbook for time on type and go for a check ride. I hope you can find a way, cause there's some terrific flying over there, especially in the western states. JG

Does anyone know of an airfield along the north coast of Arnhem Land where I could likely get permission to camp overnight???? JG

Tony is goin well. Last summer flew across to Washington DC area all at 500ft, he likes to fly low......

I can't find the original photo, but it's near the front of this blog http://jgflyingroadtrip2014.blogspot.com.au/

For any auto engine conversions with fuel injection and thus ECU, consider the problems that can bring. I know of a 701 flyer who had a 4-cylinder BMW conversion. He was very happy with it, until a sensor failed and the ECU shut down the engine, dumping him in a cane field that wrecked the aircraft..... This was not a fault in the engine, just the sensor itself had failed and then the ECU panicked when it lost signal..... It's normal for auto ECUs to either shut down or back to idle when an error signal is detected. A properly designed ECU for aircraft would give an alarm signal then keep the engine going until the pilot can make a landing, then the engine can't be restarted until the fault is properly rectified. ECUs can be reprogrammed/modified to act this way but it's a very specialized operation..... JG

I replaced the Brolga with a Kool, as per these prop comparison tests StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft As you will see, there was very little difference in performance, but on a long trip alongside an identical Savannah, the Brolga used one litre per hour more fuel, as would be expected because a 4-blade prop is inherently less efficient than a 3-blade. The Brolga company was by then out of production, and I really liked the Kool so have been using it ever since. JG

This is for anyone flying far from home with a 912s and having an incident that destroys their prop. It can happen in a minor incident, and can lead to a real problem waiting for a replacement. I keep an old Brolga 4-blade prop all packed up and ready to ship anywhere same day or next day at latest. Complete with pitch blocks matched to a 100hp Rotax. The advantage of the Brolga is that you don't need a protractor and testing to get the pitch correct. Just bolt it together and it's ready to go. All I ask is that it be shipped back to me when a new prop has been acquired. Keep my number handy and I'll help when I can. 0429 943 508. JG

Any more details on this one??

If you can access to put a couple of bolts in there, that would be a good solution. JG

Yeah I'm well aware of that issue and certainly wouldn't use s/s with Al in a marine environment. But I've seen the results of s/s rivets in aluminium aircraft for many years with no problem, that I decided to use them here where they are easily inspected daily. JG

That'll be a really good aircraft I reckon. A good replacement for the old Drifter, now with a 912, better landing gear, and durable all metal structure. That's designed by Max Tedesco who also designed the MXP 740, since copied by ICP and renamed the Savannah. He has long experience designing and building practical ultralight aircraft. JG

Get in touch with Roger at [email protected] JG

My last long flight was late November, when I flew my Savannah from Kilcoy, SE Qld to Melbourne, Snowy Mountains Scheme, and the 'Gathering of the Moths' fly-in at Mt Beauty. It was a heck of a rough and challenging trip...... Not a good time of year for such a flight, but earlier constant bad weather in those parts kept it delayed.... A good start down the coast to Port Macquarie, smooth and good tailwind. Getting a bit rough through the lane behind Williamtown, then heavy smoky haze and really rough up the Hunter Valley. Planned to stop and camp at Wellington, but a line of thunderstorms confronted. Bless OZrunways for the radar overlay. Made it so much easier to find a way between the developing thunderheads. Had to keep going west to Peak Hill, south of Dubbo to get clear. So a long 8hr day..... Next morning back to Orange for fuel, but too early for the only refueler Wade Air, so on to Bathurst. Then backtrack to Cadia gold mine of look around, then riding a strong northerly tailwind to Tumut for a look at the Blowering and Talbingo Resevoirs, all full now after all the rain earlier. Then to Khancoban to view the power station and pipes down the mountain. From here that northerly became a violently rough Xwind to Lethbridge. But had to press on because the windy.ty site showed a sharply defined front line coming through late afternoon. It showed a 20kt northerly with temp 34 degrees on the north side and a 20kt southerly with temp 14 degrees on the south side, so inbetween would be wild..... Made it to Lethbridge in plenty of time, but while waiting ages for the fuel pump to prime itself the gust front of a wild thunderstorm hit. I sat in the aircraft with the door open, ready to jump out and grab a strut. The aircraft danced around and slewed around, but just enough protection from the buildings to stay right side up. As soon as there was a lull, Gary, owner of Lethbridge airfield kindly put me in a hangar just before an even more violent cell hit. Safe at last..... Then holed up at my daughter's place for three days while Melbourne's shit weather did it's thing. Friday cleared up so rode the 15kt SW'erly across to Leongatha where I ran into low, drizzly, very dark cloud, could be flying into a trap so landed to sit it out. Later got through to Latrobe where it all improved. On to Benambra and a cup of tea and a yarn with Ben Buckley. Finally over the mountains to Mt Beauty. The weather for the 'Gathering of teh Moths' fly-in was perfect, and a really good turn-out of good flyers. Some STOL demos from the Supercubs and Savannahs, then lots of interesting visiting with the boys. Excellent hospitality from the Mt Beauty folk, thank you. Sunday was also perfect weather at last. Landed on reputedly, the highest airstrip in OZ, according to flyers who would know. 'Emergency Only' but this was an emergency, eh, just had to do it! But still only 5200ft altitude, about the same as the city of Denver, Colorado.... Called 'Alpine' or 'Snowy Range'. Not challenging at all, cause it's a long open strip also used by heavy fire-fighting aircraft when necessary. But lots of very ominous 'tiger country' all around, with tall forest and steep slopes. Then on to Mt Kosciouzko, and looking for above ground signs of the Snowy Scheme, but of course most of it is underground! Landed at Cabramurra airstrip and walked down to to the 'Highest Town in Australia'. There's a really interesting electronic display in the shop, showing the complex layout of the Hydro Scheme and real time showing which generators are operating and where the water is flowing. Then to Tumut again for fuel and on to Leeton to camp the night. An ideal campsite, soft grass, shady tree, toilets and shower. Next day a good run to Narromine for fuel. Hundreds of glider trailers there for some gathering. Increasingly rough to Moree, then the windy.ty site showed a narrow but very strong band of northerlies ahead, so diverted east and found windy.ty was exactly correct, so a wild Xwind ride across to Ashford. Unloaded my bike and rode into town for a sandwich and a rest. But rapidly developing storms so had to press on. Once again thanks to OZrunways and that radar overlay I was able to find a path between the now fully developed thunderstorms. Clifton was clear so landed there to watch developments.... Watched a storm on BOM radar headed for Kilcoy, until it cleared away to the north. Sure is wonderful this modern technology! So finally back home to Kilcoy, feeling relieved, and battered around as if I had just played overtime in a rugby game..... So just proved that it isn't a good time of year for long flights..... Need to start first light and plan to stop by 1100, then retire to aircon accommodation cause it's too hot to tent out under a wing. And have a hangar space arranged for the aircraft because of those late afternoon thunderstorms.....

Only takes one to be a disaster.......

Yeah it's for sure that I personally find airshows boring and annoying, but that's not the issue with my objection to them taking 4 hrs of the main day at our Narromine Fly-In. True fly-ins and airshows don't mix well - the airshow dominates and really screws up the fly-in. An airshow is a spectator event, while a real fly-in is a participation event, totally different game..... By closing the airspace for that long it forces all the rest of the recreational flying into the remaining time left. Just imagine, by the time the pylon racing is finished at 0800 there'll probably be several aircraft maneuvering around outside waiting to enter and then having to sort out their order of approach, meanwhile there'll be a que of aircraft on the ground waiting for a chance to take off. Then it's going to be a frantic two hours of dealers wanting to do as many demos as possible and flyers just wanting to have a fly, so the circuit area is going to be crowded and intense..... And it's not really a full two hours, cause you'll have to be careful how far out you go and keep a good margin so that you don't get caught out by the closure - (and then what do you do and where do you go to wait out three hours!) By the time it's open again it's early afternoon and not the best flying conditions and you don't dare have had a beer at lunch.... Traditionally at Narromine we roamed around the aircraft and met the owners and learned about different aircraft and often swapped rides to get the real feel of another aircraft. That has to be spontaneous with the freedom to go up when the mood is right.... Making an appointment for later is a real hassle cause both are liable to be involved in some other conversation and would need to break away from those visits. I can't imagine anyone being inspired to take up recreational flying from watching aerobatics. They can see right away that the costs are so far beyond their means that it's not reachable. But I've personally inspired several newcomers to take up their dream of flying. When I see someone looking interested in my aircraft I engage in friendly conversation and ask if they're tempted to take up flying. The typical conversation goes as follows, and has been repeated many times: Me - "Are you tempted to take up flying?" He - "Well, I always dreamed of flying but family responsibilities and shortage of money didn't make it possible, but now the kids are gone and I have some time and money to spare, but I still don't know if I could afford it..." Me - "Well it doesn't have to cost a lot these days. This aircraft cost me about $50k, about the same as a new 4wd, burns premium unleaded and gets about the same mileage as a 4wd, but goes 150 km/hr Xcountry with no doddering caravans or whatever in the way, and we do all our own maintenance which is easy with these engines these days. I built this one from a kit, really easy, just rivet it together, was lots of fun and very satisfying. There's lots of support and help around for beginner builders, and of course lots of advise...... If you do a good job, after a year it's worth more than it cost you, while a 4wd will be rapidly depreciating...... So it is really affordable and enjoyable and the best thing I ever did at this stage of life. Golf and bowls just wouldn't do it....." He -"But where would I get training?" Me - "Get online and go to www.raa.asn.au and there you'll find a listing of flying schools all over. Call one and arrange a Training Introductory Flight." Me -"Would you like to go for a flight right now to see what it feels like??" If they're really are interested of course they grab the opportunity. I explain what I'm doing all the way and insist that they take the stick for some gentle turns, and then I can feel their excitement! Well now, I reckon that's introduced several, if not many, new flyers into the game, over the years that I've been doing it, many of those times at the old Narromine Fly-Ins , and at many other venues:. But I wouldn't want to try to fit in that hectic gap between airshow activities in the morning, and at lunch I want to have a sit down to rest the weary feet. and a beer. and swap stories with old friends for the rest of afternoon. I reckon one hour of aerobatics late in the afternoon would be all that a good fly-in should have to tolerate. But of course that wouldn't bring in the paying drive-in public who are required to fund the airshow. So how about if the all the airshow activity was moved to Sunday?? It would still attract the drive-in public, and leave our main day free for the real fly-in participants. And then I and many others could head for home right after Sunday breakfast, very satisfied after an enjoyable Narromine Fly-In. JG

Well, so much for that enthusiasm to support the new Narromine...... Just got an email from RAAus with a schedule for OzKosh, and note that the airspace will be closed for 4hrs! for air displays on Saturday. I had planned to arrive early Saturday morning and have a peaceful day visiting around and watching other fly-in aircraft show their stuff. So stuff it, I'll now arrive Friday and leave really early Saturday and avoid the noisy display, p***d off..... Now I'd only bother to show up at all cause it'll be on my way home from a longer flying adventure. Such is life.......

I feel the need to bump this up. Let's go and try and make OzKosh at Narromine into a success! I'm making the effort to support it, and several others from our airfield are also. We had all been fans of Narromine and I had been there 11 times, but when NatFly moved to Temora and changed it's character to more of an airshow, we lost interest..... Now the chance for a return to the once very popular Narromine Fly-In needs lots of support. See ya there! JG

I was touring Sweden on a motorbike just before the changeover. They enjoyed telling me that, "Too make the changeover easier, first the trucks and buses would change sides then next week the cars would also changeover..." Typical low key Swedish humour.....