onetrack

I'd opine that anything you can do to enhance your conspicuity - no matter how small the effect - has to be worthwhile, despite Skippys opinion that most lighting is worthless.

All part of the experimenting of the time, I guess.

De Havilland D.H. 71 Tiger Moth race aircraft.

........you know that auto-dig mining software for excavators and trucks that you developed, that's in wide use in mining today? - do you think you could adapt it to aircraft, so no pilot is needed and the aircraft all automatically take off and land themselves? I can put the learner pilots in the aircraft and they'll think they're piloting with skill on the first day, with no idea the planes are flying themselves!" "Yeah, I reckon I can do that", said OT, and he went straight to his computer and pulled up the programmes, and got right into the software modifications. Within 3 days, he had the programmes sorted, and he sent them off to Turbo to fit to his recently Govt-funded fleet of Drifters and Thrusters. A week later, OT got a call from Turbo. "I haven't heard from you since you fitted up all the aircraft, how's it all going?", said OT. Turbo said through gritted teeth, "Nothing like what I expected. The aircraft are digging holes in the tarmac, and the pilots are being ejected on a regular basis, as the software identifies "foreign object found in cabin", and is the programme supposed to............

.......there was more to be gained by re-directing the discussion to increased funding for airports, aviation in general, subsidies for kit-builders, and Govt funding for RA-Aus. After he'd made his pitch to Jac, she retorted, "You've got to be XXXXXXXX me, surely? I'm not handing out money willy-nilly to an exclusive group who are in such a minority, they're basically only a blip on the radar!" Turbo responded with soothing words. "You don't understand what I'm getting at, do you? This proposal of mine is all about promoting yourself, by doing a little promoting of a small group, who possess the ability to project your image with an aerial display, that would be so effective, it makes your spending on Saatchi and Saatchi look like the equivalent of burning a full Armaguard truck!" "Well, I never thought of it, that way!", said Jac. "Tell me more about this proposal of yours". Turbo replied, "I have this company set up, it's called Turbine Aviation Promotions, and all we need is.........

I will be as old as Methuselah before I see a European-built aircraft that can be described as "affordable" in Australia. A lot of people forget there's a thing called "old money" in Europe, where a substantial number of the population have pocket money to burn on "toys", that would buy a luxury waterfront mansion on the Gold Coast. This market is very attractive to small aircraft manufacturers, where the primary input is what we called "cubic dollars" (not cubic inches) in speedway racing.

It is a copy of a Messerschmitt Bf 109G, manufactured by La Hispano Aviacion S.A. in Spain from 1945 to 1961. The model number is HA-1112. Nine different versions were produced, and as Germany was unable to supply the Bf 109 Daimler Benz engines, HA initially utilised Hispano-Suiza 12z engines. This early version was called the HA-1109. However, the H-S engines proved to be unreliable and the H-S manufacturing operations was also unable to produce enough engines to fulfil contracts with LHA, so LHA went over to using RR Merlin engines. The HA-1109 was designated the "Tripala" ("Three-bladed") and the Merlin-powered HA-1112 was designated the "Buchon" ("Pigeon"). Spain used the HA-1112 up until its official Spanish Air Force retirement in 1967, and it was still being used by them as late as 1969. Surplus HA-1112's have been purchased by aviation enthusiasts and most notably, a film production company purchased a number for use in the film "Battle of Britain". https://planesoffame.org/aircraft/plane-HA-1112-M1L Hispano-Suiza 12Z - Wikipedia EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Two things - 1. The number of "news" websites that are simply there to entertain or extract views from you, are in the millions. You need to be very selective in what you read and look at. So much of the Internet is simply dross. There are useful sites in amongst it all, that will give you useful information - but you need to seek them out, and the results are highly dependent on the browser you use. You get very little of accurate information value from the MS browser, Edge. 2. If the Chinese produce a new defence item, they will not be broadcasting accurate details re the design and performance - the same as any other country. Here is possibly the most useful site for information on the two new Chinese defence aircraft sighted in recent days - Yes, China Just Flew Another Tailless Next-Generation Stealth Combat Aircraft WWW.TWZ.COM In less than 24 hours, two previously unseen Chinese advanced combat jet designs have broken cover and both are already undergoing flight testing. In less than 24 hours, two previously unseen Chinese...

A fabulous photo below (by Isabelle Beauvais) of the Renault Bengali, the 6 cyl engine that powered the Caudron Simoun, throttled up! It's got an interesting setup of downdraught carburettors on an inverted engine. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3482877135089940

You need to keep in mind that if the manure hits the rotating blades, and you end up involved in lengthy trials and lawsuits, the legal costs can often be ruinous - besides any payout you're deemed responsible for. Even when someone else has done something wrong (such as locating a Ferris Wheel inside a flight path splay), the pilot can still be found partly responsible for losses/damages/injury or death. In the Ferris Wheel case, the Council was found largely responsible, but the pilot was still deemed to be 35% responsible (for the crash) as well. The payout to the girl trapped on the Ferris Wheel was well over $1.5M and I hate to think what the legal costs were in total. The legal profession often charge daily rates that exceed monthly earnings for many people. Plane crashes into Ferris Wheel at Festival – child riding successfully sues Council and Pilot for damages | McAuley Lawyers MCAULEYLAWYERS.COM.AU On 1 October 2011, at the Old Bar Festival in Old Bar NSW a pilot of a light aircraft travelled from Taree Airport, to the Old Bar Airstrip, which lays adjacent to the land on which the Festival was taking place. While... The bloke who had the Ball Bay (Qld) crash that killed his mate and passenger, has narrowly avoided a manslaughter charge, but he still faces a handful of aviation law infringement charges next year - and the daughters of the bloke killed are very angry just at the dropping of the manslaughter charge, and no doubt they're planning a lawsuit that will possibly result in a major payout. But even if they fail in acquiring a payout for their fathers death, the legal costs are going to make this pilot wish he'd never taken to the skies. Queensland pilot avoids manslaughter charge over fatal Ball Bay plane crash - ABC News WWW.ABC.NET.AU Nearly three years after a fatal plane crash near Mackay, the Department of Public Prosecutions has decided not to formally charge the aircraft's pilot with manslaughter. www.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fqueensland%2Fmackay%2Ffamily-of-gerardus-miltenburg-angry-as-manslaughter-case-dropped-in-fatal-plane-crash-case ATSB discontinues investigation into fatal Ball Bay light aircraft accident | Mirage News WWW.MIRAGENEWS.COM The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has discontinued its investigation into a light aircraft accident in which a passenger was fatally injured

......Lake Boga, so they could practise their night ditchings, as well as their BFSL. Bull was wrapped, he always loved the water, and it wouldn't be the first time he managed to catch a bucket of prawns at the same time as he managed a successful night ditching. However, this time was going to be different. This time, there was no...........

.....this, along with still wearing the gumboots he usually wore on the trawler, made controlling the aircraft and landing a little more "tricky" (bull's words, not mine) than usual. However, after bull finally recognised that a hedge of large hibiscus bushes made for a soft landing, he finally plonked the aircraft down in the hibiscus and came to a stop so fast, Turbo and the committee awarded him a special trophy for the Shortest of the Short. As bull was height-challenged, he took offence at being given the award, and in the best bull fashion, he wasted no time in telling Turbo and the committee, "where they could shove their f$#@# Short award!!" Turbo was a little upset at bull taking this award the wrong way, and set out to...........

I think Phil has found other things to do with his time, and aviation and forums no longer takes up a big portion of his life. I expect advancing age has also slowed him down somewhat, and perhaps refocused his aims.

The latest information, direct from Malaysia, is that the Malaysian Cabinet has only agreed in principle to finance this next search. There is a draft agreement in place, and negotiations with Ocean Infinity are still ongoing - but the Malaysian Transport Ministry is expecting a final agreement will be thrashed out and signed, "early in 2025". It appears things only happen slowly in Malaysian political circles. Interestingly, the second unsuccessful search carried out by Ocean Infinity in 2018 was also subject to a US$70M "finders fee" - which of course, wasn't paid. So the US$70M the Cabinet previously reserved for the 2018 search payout, must have been spent elsewhere since 2018, and they must be looking to see where they can find the money again. Everything you need to know about Ocean Infinity’s ‘no find, no fee’ deal for Malaysia’s missing MH370 WWW.MALAYMAIL.COM KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Flight MH370 “disappeared” on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite past searches covering over...

Reports are, the Embraer was to land in Grozny, but ended up seriously off course, likely due to Russian GPS jamming. Grozny was under attack from Ukrainian drones at the time, and it appears Russian air defences incorrectly ID-ed the Embraer as another Ukrainian drone, and launched a ground-to-air missile at it, which exploded close to the tail. The crew reported an in-flight explosion, and this seems likely to have been an oxygen bottle exploding after being hit by shrapnel. You wouldn't want to be airborne anywhere in that region at present, the Russians are more trigger-happy than anyone around.

.......in the earliest days of the world, when aircraft were made of rag and tube, and all recreational aircraft engines were 2 strokes started with a pull cord, there camest out of the East, Wise Men calling themselves Recreational Aviation Australia. These Wise Men came bearing gifts and promises to the AUF stable, inside which place they prophesied that the RA-A would lead the world out of aviation darkness, and into the aviation light of the coming centuries. The AUF was taken in by these prophecies, and looked for............

........cheap offerings at the local market, mobile food trucks - otherwise known as Bait Layer trucks. On one visit to the markets just on closing time, Turbo seized on the opportunity to get a cheap feed, when he sighted a "Hungarian Goulash Special! - tonight only, selling fast! - only $7!". Turbo raced up to the truck with alacrity, and ordered the HG Special - but after receiving his special on a cheap paper plate, and walking around the back of the truck, he sighted 118 empty cans, labelled "Turbine Food Industries - SPAM". He was stunned. He thought the cat carcasses his operation processed after the fur stripping, would only be sold in 3rd world countries - but no, here was proof someone in the System had managed to sell a whole pile to the food truck marketers. All of a sudden, his HG Special didn't look so special or tasty any more - so he offered the meal to a passing bloke, who bore quite a resemblance to..........

I'm sure you'll be able to produce a full-size working prototype in a short time frame - as long as you find a backer with deep pockets, and a loose $50M that he would never miss. After all, it only took Clessie Cummins 25 years, and the unfailing backing of a friendly bank owner, who was prepared to sink endless amounts of money into Clessies dream, for Clessie to finally produce a commercially viable, diesel truck engine. The rest of us can only hope to win Lotto. Good luck with your project goal - as Calvin Coolidges famous quote goes, "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent".

It looks like they're going to have to add an energy provider major inquiry to the list, as well. That's a major energy supply failure, right there. Also, it appears Santa avoided the work zone toolbox meeting, where recognising the hidden dangers of whirling propellers was discussed and highlighted.

.....our beloved entrepreneur and occasional war hero (he's only ever fought occasionally at the best of times, but we'll not cover that here), Cat farm owner of some notoriety, a speedway racer of major notoriety, and a former pilot of even bigger notoriety. The last-mentioned area of notoriety was the reason Meg chipped him. She wanted to make sure she knew where he was at all times - and also included in the chip, a concise history of his notoriety, able to be read by any $5 Chinese RFID chip reader. The problems started when Turbo was picked up by a City of Kingston Council Ranger as he was searching for Moorabbin Airport perimeter parking breaches. His RFID reader went off as Turbo was walking his.........

Has anyone considered the radio in the Cessna may have failed?

.........limited disposal facilities. This problem led to Turbo inventing the Wooworths EL6 model of bag, which came with factory-infused Chanel No. 5.5 in the weave. Naturally, as the Turbo bag was a knockoff, so was the Chanel No. 5.5. The perfume was actually refined cat urine from the Turbine Cat farms, which actually smelt better than..............

The latest search approval by the Malaysians is based on work done by three highly qualified researchers, who have spent years researching the best ways to track down a missing aircraft. The researchers are Richard Godfrey, an aerospace engineer, Dr Hannes Coetzee PhD, a Design Authority on antenna designs, and Prof. Simon Maskell, MEng, MA, PhD, FIET, CEng., Professor of Autonomous Systems Electrical Engineering and Electronics at Liverpool University. It's not correct to say that an aircraft can vanish with no trace. It leaves traces in multiple places - and one of those traces was interruption of ham radio transmission waves. The radio waves are recorded by a system known as WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter - pronounced "whisper") . WSPR (amateur radio software) - Wikipedia EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG In a fortuitous act, those ham radio transmission waves have all been logged since 2009, and the records are readily available. Richard Godfrey tracked all the ham radio wave disruptions caused by MH370's flight, and claims he now has a complete record of the flight - right to the point where it crashed into the Indian Ocean. Interestingly, the crash location closely follows the deleted, but recovered, flightsim waypoints left on Capt Zahari's homebuilt flight simulator - where he practised landing on a remote part of the Indian Ocean. More interesting is the fact that Godfrey has removed a number of the assumptions made by the previous search teams - and one important one, was the assumption that the aircraft flew a relatively straight course to its splashdown location. Godfrey has proven the aircraft made several turns during its assumed final course. Finally, Godfrey has removed another assumption - the one that the aircraft didn't drop into the ocean within a short distance of running out of fuel - but glided for some distance. Boeing did some extensive testing and found that the B777 could be made to glide for up to 110NM after fuel exhaustion - obviously by a pilot with skill - as in the Gimli Glider pilots. The ham radio wave disturbance record appears to indicate that MH370 didn't glide for any great distance after fuel exhaustion. The Immarsat record showed MH370 in a 15,000FPM high-speed dive right after fuel exhaustion. Godfrey states that he can find no WSPR record that shows MH370 glided for any distance after fuel exhaustion, and he believes the Immarsat record is accurate and reliable. Godfrey and his two assistant researchers produced a document detailing their research, findings and conclusions in March 2023. This document, after being studied by others with substantial qualifications, is believed to offer the most accurate interpretation of MH370's flight path and final location - and the Ocean Infinity group are in agreement with Godfrey and his assistant researchers, and have simply been waiting for 18 mths for the Malaysian Govt to study Godfreys report and agree to fund this latest search. https://fox2now.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/653164863/new-groundbreaking-report-reveals-mh370-location/ Breakthrough technology giving real hope for a new search for MH370 WWW.AIRLINERATINGS.COM MH370 – A New Hope | The Search for MH370 WWW.MH370SEARCH.COM

.....gets a top-class proctologist to give him a bypass and a colostomy bag. "Well, he's already in possession of what would pass for a pouch, around his gut now, so I don't see what the problem is?" "Well, the problem is", said the Doc, "someone has to break the news to him gently, and as he's obviously already endured a considerable amount of trauma, I'm not sure that he could absorb the trauma of being advised he now needs to have a colostomy bag?" "He'll handle it", said Cappy. "This is my Khyber Pass compatriot, we've endured a lot more up the Pass". The Doc took this in, and then said...........

....to visit a very famous, world-class plastic surgeon, one Dr Nipitoff. Dr Nipitoff was renowned for his ability to reshape bodies into far more attractive shapes, with his skilful hands and scalpel. Turbo complained, "I can't sit in the seat of a Drifter properly now, since I've been left with this jagged-shape, lumpy bum! It not only affects my ability to walk, it affects my ability to control the aircraft (long-overdue avref), and besides, everyone's laughing at me! It's making me depressed!" "I can clearly see your distress, and I can assure you, I can repair the damage caused by your so-called 'surgeon friend', and it won't cost you any more than $198,000!" "On completion of the surgery, we also adopt the latest and most revolutionary healing products - one we have discovered, is called 'Goanna Liniment', we use it to speed up the healing process and....... At that, Turbo screamed with a high-pitched scream, jumped up, and ran out of the Dr's office at a speed that would make Usain Bolt look slow. "My goodness!", said Dr Nipitoff, "What an amazing reaction to being told about such a fine healing product to be used on him! I wonder what............