Bats

Given that zero information has surfaced as yet regarding the cause of this accident, I'd suggest that sweeping and unsupported statements regarding power or a lack thereof have little relevance at this point. A stout effort to still be flying at 84, RIP fellow aviator.

Given that we're talking about the circuit, I find your turn tightening scenario unlikely in the extreme.

I have done both and quite like your method when flying trikes or Drifters (2 strokes) where I am perhaps a little less trusting of the engine and the high drag aircraft don't have a great glide ratio either, so I like to stay within gliding distance of the field if possible. Obviously at the bigger controlled fields you'll upset the natives if you insist on keeping in close and rounding out the ends of the circuit, but the turn from base to final is still a trap particularly in crosswinds, all the more so if you have had it hammered into your skull that "thou shalt not exceed 30 deg bank angle" and yield to temptation, trying to tighten the turn with rudder.

This one? Microlight pilot Martin Bromage killed in crash over English Channel on first day of charity flight to Australia | Daily Mail Online

Any more info on this one? I've tried a couple of searches on the NZ sites, but could find nothing using the rego and occurrence date.

Mmm, I must have slept through the bit where they taught you anything about maintenance. Compliance by the bucket load, the nitty gritty of keeping your aircraft airborne safely, not so much.

The MPC is an example of exactly what a maintenance certificate should not be! It is the kind of paperwork / tick box exercise so beloved of management consultants that does precisely zero for actual productivity, but creates a warm n fuzzy feeling that "we're doing something".

Unfortunately the fire seems to have been particularly intense and nothing has survived from the EFIS.

Actually it was a clear breach of la Bishop's parliamentary entitlements, hence the fact that even her closest supporters turned their backs on her and she quickly agreed to repay the cost plus penalties. I know facts have a way of getting in the way of a nice little conspiracy theory, but the media in Australia is not some homogenous block who decide on the quiet which direction they're going to push things. Some organisations lean right, others have a decided bank to port and about all they have in common is a tendency to sell their mothers into slavery for the chance to be first with a story.

Quite possibly not, the footage at the time showed the whole area littered with anchored craft. Getting in there without hitting a mast or hull somewhere along the line would have been a big ask.

Interesting observation re the impact of a wind with some northerly in it, Oscar. I'm not very familiar with the area, but have experienced a similar scenario elsewhere and it creates a fair amount of torque on the sphincter until you fly clear. I've always considered time in some form of unpowered aircraft a bonus in these situations. It will be interesting to read the final report and see what other pax and witnesses have to say; was this a regular deviation or a spur of the moment decision.

Don't you have a boomerang to register? A better use of your time than displaying your prejudice for all to see, I'd suggest.

I see the prelim report is out; little if anything new there and as expected, stall warning devices are on the further investigation list. Sydney Seaplanes bottom line must have taken quite a hit, shutting down operations at peak season and doubling up crew when they did restart. Could easily have been the end of a smaller operator. Investigation: AO-2017-118 - Collision with water involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft, VH-NOO, at Jerusalem Bay, Hawkesbury River, NSW on 31 December 2017

Ha ha, I get the impression that Aunty ABC is a bit of a special child. I did quite a bit of work with them at one stage and whilst there seemed to still be an emphasis on quality, there was also a breathtaking assurance that their world view was the only one worth having and definitely not to be challenged. I did work with the Catholic Church at about the same time and there were distinct parallels in attitude; a somewhat cloistered environment.

Horses for courses comes to mind and I quite agree with your last line, Frank. I've had instructors push various methods at different times, but left to myself, I find the easiest approach in LSA type aircraft is to keep the nose up and as the asi winds down to best glide, gradually lower the nose and trim for the desired speed. That pretty much caters for the inevitable what the hell delay and minimises control input. Short of something like an RV at naughty feet over the beach, I cannot see any advantage to zooming for height and if anything the changes in attitude will erode the margin of potential energy more than a gentler, smoother transition. The "shove the stick forward" method is to my mind only appropriate when faced with an EFATO situation, ie nose up and close to the ground. In Drifters and similar, it is crucial to prevent too much speed being lost and compensates for trim changes, but even in something like a Tecnam, climb and best glide speeds are similar and delaying lowering the nose is only going to result in you falling behind the desired speed and descent profile.