Jerry_Atrick

In the context of a discussion on Australia, well, er, things like climate change denial, fossil fuel lobbies, tax breaks for the rich, er the Afghanis who helped Australia being left for dead, civil libertarian issues, sexual abuse and cover-ups, etc... The assertion was a reflection of another user's assertion and was a subtle attempt to say, hey, while they are grubby, they haven't been so grubby with respect to COVID* Excellent analysis... this should be ample evidence to those who look for conspiracy theories that the reckless, if not criminal behaviour of governments entrusted to protect their citizens who bowed to their sponsors... er.. donors and vested interests acted wrongly. I did not mean to say Australia was grubbier is less competent that any other country. Exactly, which was my reference to the state governments who did act decisively seem to be fairing very well by the electorate.. BTW, even at state government level, politics is otherwise grubby... However, those governments who have taken a more liberal approach to controlling the pandemic seem not to be enjoying as much electoral support.. And coincidentally, this video was just released: (Just wanted to clear up, as I have said on the sister site, the state governments by and large have been doing well.. Even Gladys, who is having a few issues at the moment, has by and large, well.. been OK...)

This could be good value, if they allowed camping under the wing, decent dunny and shower block, and of course, on site BBQs - right next to the fuel bowsers/trucks/tanks... 🙂 Me, personally, after flying in the UK, would feel guilty only paying $6 full stop and $1.76 T&Gs. A comparable airport over 'ere: https://flybrighton.com/landing-fees-and-charges/ and this used to be my home airport: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/593e87342e69cf4a3e148bb4/t/60fadce6c1ab01116964fd19/1627053286642/Airport+Price+List+v7b+(incl+VAT).pdf. At these rates, the annual landing card for Blackbushe for what was my a/c at c. 1450kg mtow would require 174 landings to break even. Smart flying schools pay private airstrips an annual fee to be able to use it for T&Gs rather than at their home airport. Why table what is happening in the UK? Because about 35 years ago (before I arrived here), they went from community assets to cost recovery.. I think most were council owned. Now a lot have been either sold off or long-leased to private companies with Armageddon clauses that if they can't make money out of it, they can convert them to housing estates.. Guess what has happened? Lots of airfields (some historically significant WWII airfields) have gone; the remaining have jacked up their prices.. And, nary a real (GA) flying club to be found; certainly not of the same calibre of those in Aus. Permit flying is in better shape, but it hasn't made up for the decline in GA since I have been here ('96). So, take this as a warning, esp if you need more than 400m landing/take off distance.. It is a slippery slope.. Like @Munger, fight to keep it affordable... Airfields are a public asset; yes the pilots are few, but the benefits are many.

I am still struggling to see how this is what the grubby government want? Don't get me wrong, the government is grubby - no doubt about it, but they would rather not have to lock people down and pay for it; although it did manage to find its way into some business people's wallet who didn't need it, so I suppose the government will consider it job done! But what are the government getting out of it? Are they exercising more control to their benefit over the people by imposing lockdowns when required? I am not seeing it. Apart from the restriction of movement, what more control do they have that is enduring (remember, state of emergency has to be renewed, and famously Dan Andrews wanted 12 months and didn't get it). Pre vaccination, there was a need to lockdown and it appears the pollies whose party pockets are lined by business were the ones not wanting to do it. Gladys is now paying the price; SFM famously got the federal government to join the constitutional action initiated by Clive Palmer to keep the WA borders open. When he realised it was going to cost him more votes than Palmer's dirty donation money could buy, he decided that it wasn't a good idea after all. Sadly, there is a vocal minority who think that this is some conspiracy theory to allow governments to seize control, but what other rights are under attack as a result of this? And the governments seem to want to open up as soon as practical; they have not continued the lockdown when the numbers show they don't need to.. so where is this control grab coming from - as opposed, to say anti-terror laws used for non-anti-terror events? Happily, the Aus electorate seems to back the governments taking a responsible approach - What was the WA election result, again? And the Qld result? I am not sure how Dan Andrews will do in the next election, but his popularity seems to have increased; while the pollies who were more "liberal" with the lockdown requirement and fighting COVID seem to be struggling at the moment (of course, COVID is not the only factor dragging them down). Australia is a free country - and you have a choice to take the vaccine or not - no one is going to force you and they're not going to kill you if you don't.. But when Aus has reached the critical mass of vaccinations, well, according to The Age today, the lockdowns will stop and normality will resume - for those who are vaccinated. I can't see an employer of, say airline pilots allowing a non-vaccinated pilot into the cockpit.. I could be wrong.. And it is [currently] a pretty tough job to do from home. Similarly, I can't see too many airlines allowing unvaccinated people a seat on an aircraft when economics dictate that they no longer want to force social distancing.. But this won't be the government impressing the rules on us. The UK is now out of lockdown with c. 65% of the adult population vaccinated. Virtually all hospitalisations and deaths in the UK (125 deaths the other day) are non vaccinated people. Some businesses won't accept customers without face coverings - I still wear mine because I know there is c. 35% of the population still yet to be vaccinated and I don't want to pass it on to them. Anecdotally, 95% of people still do. Seems the government here has relinquished its control. So much for that conspiracy theory.. But, hey.. still think its a conspiracy theory? As I have said before, get together with like minded people and throw a COVID party as people did during the first lockdown.. And make sure at least one person has it. The new Delta variant should do the trick. Sadly a few caught the earlier strain COVID from the party and died. It wasn't long before their friends and family believed the urgency of the situation.

I was doing an aero lesson one day and it ended up with me feeling quite ill. When I landed, my instructor asked what I had eaten beforehand, which was nothing (it was about an 11am flight and I never ate breakfast at that stage of my life). He said next time, a light breakfast beforehand would probably fix it.. and it did. There are many reasons it could be happening and many ways to minimise the effects. The US military had designed a form of sunglasses to beat it for their pilots, I recall.. Quick google can't find anything, but there is a French firm that now sell glasses designed to beat motion sickness, though no idea how good or otherwise they are: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-these-glasses-cure-your-motion-sickness-180969722/ Also not sure if they are legal for use in flight.

Yep.. anti-lockdowners and anti-vaxxers offer no alternative. And, the evidence points that lives are saved and the economy fares much better when the lockdown is hard and fast, and over with quickly (relatively). Even Josh Frydenberg, citing EY research is saying the extended lockdown that is required in NSW will lead to a second recession.. https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/treasurer-warns-sydney-lockdown-could-lead-to-second-recession-20210729-p58dxw.html If NSW acted faster, there would probably be no recession and wouldn't that be better for business as well as people? Sounds like the hard/fast and ultimately relatively quick lock-downs, while providing temporary issues, are, so far, the best option while waiting for the country to be vaccinated.

Wow! Leave the country for a few years and it descends to this 😉 I have no idea of what the planning rules are in Vic (my home state, let alone NSW).. but: When I have had planning issues (admittedly, not airport related), I have gone straight to the planning lawyers.. They usually know more about planning issues than consultants, and I guess if they think you need a planning consultant, they will tell you to get one. When the rubber hits the road, if it all goes pear shaped, you'll end up in court.. May as well have had the lawyers involved in every step of the way. Obviously, get one that has good experience with regional airport planning issues - and not whether DFO can plant a warehouse store on airport premises or not (this is why YMMB, ahem. Moorabbin, ahem, Harry Hawker airport is not the place it used to be). From the radio interview, a local government asset directly employing 50 people and indirectly 26 makes it (without weightings between direct and indirect employment), 343,205 revenue per employee for the $26m revenue.. I am guessing many of those are looking at salaries and benefits, probably at about $120K (as an average - maybe $160K). Lets take $160K; that leaves a c. $13m surplus... Does that not cover user pays (i.e. short of a new hangar/building or rwy repavement, would $13m not cover maintenance?) Although, I have to admit, over 'ere, I would love $12.30 as a larger regional airport landing fee.. Can't deny it. Dunno about the NSW version of VCAT, but my limited experience on planning issues with VCAT has turned out effectively a toothless tiger. At one hearing, the adjudicator (or whatever they are called), stated directly, that if the defendant (who lost the case) did not perform the specific performance, to contact her (the adjudicator) directly to ensure it got done. That was 7 years ago, and 6 years since contacting her.. and the defendant has still yet to carry out the prescribed works. Good luck with AATs when they rule in your favour against powerful adversaries. As TP says, you "busy" aviators have to make some time if you don't want to be forced to be flying from around the corner of the "big prawn" (I do hope it is still in Ballina). Short of Lismore CC turning the airport into a new estate, try and gather figures to present to them why it will leave a bigger hole in their deficit reduction plans if they continue.. e.g. if it has existing use, and the main payer of landing fees moves on, they are stuck with the asset and with less revenue.. The above are ramblings of a homesick madman who has, or at least had, ties to the Lismore and Ballina areas...

Ciao bene, @Malpo412

That was one helluva letter, but it appears to have been a little too late... I am sure he had sparring words when he was in charge of CASA. I hope the letter is published well beyond AOPA, otherwise it won't make one iota of difference to the electorate.

Maybe, but they still look good...

I was reading through the whole thread on the other site (first time I have been to it in a very long time), and some were of the belief it is due to an obstinate security manager at a certain airline that flies into Birdsville. Apparently, Birdsville and a few others were supposed to be coming off the list of airports requiring security (and therefore the ASIC card), apparently in line with Dept of Home Affairs advice, however, at the last minute it decided not to.. and a few others that the certain airline fly to that were supposed to come off the secured airfield list (or whatever it was called) but changed their mind at the last minute.. Althogh, apparently a coupel of others decided not to take the airline's advice. Regardless, still up to the council to apply common sense and logic.

From the dark side (aka PPRUNE): AVIATION WRITER @ironsider 10:36AM MARCH 2, 2021 The decades-long tradition of *pilots camping under the wing of their aircraft at the Birdsville Races has been banned by the council in a move declared “un-Australian” by veteran aviator Dick Smith. The entrepreneur is leading calls to have the Diamantina Shire Council’s ban overturned, before the race meeting in September. Council imposed the ban because of the cost involved in operating a “special events zone” at the Birdsville airstrip. Owen Ruschen and Ian Dewick, camping next to their plane, flew in from Wagga.Diamantina chief executive Leon Love said under the airstrip’s tier-three security status, council would have to provide 24-7 *security and install fenced *walkways. “Those type of requirements have always been there but council is more risk averse and its insurers have become more risk averse,” he said. “Higher standards equals higher cost, and council also provides amenities, collects rubbish, empties portaloos, and all of those things combined cost us more than the landing fees we collect during that week.” He said the council took the view the operation of the airstrip should be cost neutral in race week, and eliminating the special events zone achieved that. “Maintaining a multimillion-dollar airport on a shoestring budget, something’s got to give,” he said. Mr Smith said the ban *appeared to be an “over-reaction” and he was hopeful it could be reversed. He said there was nothing more Australian than flying to the outback town and sleeping under the wing. “First climbing Ayers Rock (Uluru) was banned and now this. You wonder what’s next?” he said. “Now pilots going to Birdsville will have to carry all their stuff to another camping area where it’s completely packed with people who know nothing about aviation.” Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association executive director Ben Morgan said they were hopeful of finding a solution to the problem facing council and would work together if possible. A petition launched by AOPA opposing the ban had attracted more than 2000 signatures in 48-hours, and Mr Morgan said the issue highlighted a bigger problem for general aviation. “It needs to be stressed, this is a critical moment in time. We need to implement a solution that will enable events at remote airstrips,” Mr Morgan said. Already a “boycott Birdsville” hashtag was circulating pilot groups on social media, to the concern of local business operators. Birdsville Hotel owner and pilot Talia Ellis, said the races were critically important to the whole region this year after being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID. “When people fly out to Birdsville, most do so because they can camp out under their wing,” Ms Ellis said. “There’s lots of little towns that benefit with them stopping and refuelling, staying over night. It won’t only be Birdsville and the races that are impacted if this ban goes ahead.” She said there had been no safety breaches in the past to warrant such action and she was hopeful they could find a way to make it happen. “There is another way to skin a cat so to speak, so we think they can resolve the issues in a financially viable way,” said Ms Ellis. “There’s a lot of passionate people in the aviation industry who would be keen to help in any way they can.”

Pilot magazine here are doing weekly articles of emergency and unusal flight "refreshers/training" using FS2020... Last month they had an evelator control failure - although when I was a member of RVAC, hands off flying (in the circuit) was one of the comps... Let's just say, I almost survived 😉 but I was amazed at how accurate the plane could be flown without use of the control column.

Your're right in that a private/GA pilot doesn't technically need an ASIC card - I think the minimum is the AVID, which is a lower level background check and lasts for 5 years? The MSIC I thinkis for yachties.. But, as a GA pilot that would be flying into security controlled airfields such as Moorabbin, Bankstown, Parafield, and hopefully Jandakot - as well as the obligatory Birdsville (where I am told there is one bloke who is anal about ASIC card), it will be a ball-ache to try to arrange for an airport official with a red card to meet me, and of course, if I am running latet (rarely early), it will be a pain. Of course, when I get back to Aus, I would go rec flying as crossing international boundaries isn't really going to be an issue... For me it will be controlled airspace - My IMC Rating won't be valid in Aus, and I doubt I will be bothered douing a full IR (plus as one gets older, they want their flying to be more leisurely).

I don't even know who you're talking about... Is that Aussie's netball team?

Both countries? Isn't New Zealand really East Australia? [edit] or the Eastern Territory [/edit] Or, is Australia really the West Island? I can't remember...

Oi, Scott! Did you remember to switch on the transponder!!!???!! (the amount of times I have left it on standby and got a right ticking off by ATC is too many to admit to!)

Don't worry, Phil.. Read in this month's Pilot that France has given UK permit aircraft the all clear equivalence so your fellas can fly to France to get fois gras and escargo again without all of the administratrative hassle.. The airfields missing British custom must have complained hard and long enough... 😉

If you're a Hawks support, it's definitely Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.. Ship is going down... (sorry for thread drift).

Deepest condolences to friends and family. A spital dive unchecked or pulled out of too quickly will likely lead to a break-up before you hit the ground (depending on altitude, of course). We had to practice them as part of the PPL and the acceleration is scarily quick and the ASI winds up accordingly. Also a tell tale if a dive over a spin is the increasing air and prop noise.. In GA aircraft I have trained in, recovery of a spiral dive is throttle back, wings level with aileron and then arrest descent with elevator - gently.. I don't know Aussie regs, but if an aircraft is a homebuild (are any Vans not homebuild?), how does it end up on the VH register (whcih I thought - possibly incorrectly - is for certificated GA aircraft?

Unf, like Australia, all EU countries are required to levy VAT. This is done at the point of sale and there is now't much that can be done about it when you hand over the cash. Note, if it is an imported aircraft,. chances are it has had import duties paid as well. While it is a legal requirement that EU countrues charge VAT, each countries rules are slightly different. The minimum rate is 15%, but they can charge what they like, and there are exemptions to the 15% as well (e.g. staple foods, etc). A quick look here gives you the rates of each EU country: https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/vat-rates/european-vat-rates.html. During the pandemic, VAT rates have been cut for some countries. As mentioned, each country's rules are different, and I am going off the UK rules, that haven't changed since leaving the EU (why get rid of a cash cow the population is used to paying for?) You can either run your purchase through an existing company registered for VAT, or you can form a company and register it for VAT. This is oiptional for companies with a revenue < £85k. Once registered, you can claim your input VAT paid (i.e. the VAT you are charged for when making purchases for your business) against the output VAT (the amount of VAT you collect from sales by your business). So, what happens is yoy buy an aircraft for say £150K + VAT. The VAT will be £30K. You will have to hand the seller £180K. It is illegal for the seller not to collect VAT for these types of transactions. But if yiour VAT registered company buys it, your VAT reigstered company can claim the £30K as input VAT. If you had no sales in the quarter you purchased your aircraft, you have no output VAT to offset you input VAT, so, assuming you made no other purchases, HMRC will deposit the £30K into your company account. But.. there are a couple of gotchas.. First is that any private use of the aircraft will have to have VAT charged against it. So, if you hire it out, VAT has to be applied. If you use it yourself, you have to work out a fair value of the rental you would have paid, and you have to pay VAT on that fair value. In other words, every time you privately use the aircraft, you have to pay a 20% tax based on the fair value rental of the aircraft. This doesn't have to me market rates, but it has to cover all costs of the iarcraft including depreciation, maintenance, etc. Secondly, you are simply deferring the payment of the VAT (i.e. lowering the cost of purchasing the aircraft, but not the total cost) If, for example you decide that it is a pain in the proverbial to pay that tax when flying, and make quarterly VAY returns, etc., then you can unregister for VAT or dissolve the company - or trasnfer ownershipo to yourself as a person. When that is done, you have to pay the VAT at the purchase price (no allowance for depreciation). Or, when you sell the aircraft, the buyer has to pay VAT on the sale price of the aircrtaft. This sounds OK until you realise that you have to doscount your selling prtice so the VAT inclusive price the buyer pays is the market price of the second hand aircraft. In the UK and Europe, you will often see used aircraft ads with + VAT or Vat Paid. The former means the original VAT had been reclaimed and it has to be paid again; the latter means the VAT is paid and not reclaimed. So, you think, "Hey, I know.. My company will sell me the aircraft at a discount price and I will pay little VAT in the end." Well, in the UK, HMRC don't like that very much. Firstly, if you do sell, you have to physcially transfer the sale price to the company (unles the company owes you at least that much in directors loans). And if you re-draw it even after a few months, they will consider it not a sale and you will be liable for the whole original VAT amount. If the HMRC deem you have trasferred at a materially lower than market value, they will top it up to market value and you will have to pay the VAT on that (+ interest at something like 20% + Bank of England interest rate). And they compound it every month or something like that.. One thing the HMRC hates - and since the merge of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise they have more powers than the Spcial Branch of the police (anti-terrorism) - is being gypped out of money. The best that you can do is defer the payment - and possibly later reduce the payment of VAT - but it will still have to be paid. These are the UK rules as they were a few years ago (haven't kept up with changes relating to aircraft). The EU country you buy in will inevitably be different. The best thing is to find the lowest customs (if imprted from outside the EU) and VAT rate country within the EU to purchase your aircraft, make sure there are no gotchas and buy it there (assuming new) or find a used one there. Once VAT is paid in an EU country, it is paid across the EU - another country can't charge an equivalence VAT rate. Of course, if the VAT paid is worth it, an hour or so with a good accountant should give you better advice than I could ever give.

Getting back to topic, on my next trip to Aus (hopefully not too distant future - could use a forced 2 week break), I will be begrudgingly applying for my ASIC.. The reality, it has spawned a cottage industry of companies that handle the applications - and the CFI at the RVAC is certified to certify docs as originals, etc., so it looks to be a seemless process. But, because of the cottage industry, even if the guvmint wanted to get rid of it, they will find it difficult as whole businesses and employment have popped up as a result. I agree it should be fought at every opportunity, but as it will probably cost more votes to get rid of it than it will attract, I can't see it happening anytime soon (of course, when I get back to Aus, if you vote me in a PM and I stay for 2 terms to get the cushy pension and benefits, in addition to being a PM, then I will promise to look into it for you ;-))

Isn't that Greek, though.. Seems it to me! 😉

I inquired about lanfing at Heathrow for that episode... Would have cost more than the plane was worth...

We are even further away....

Enjoy your endeavours... Of course, I would also recommend taking a look at the EASA PPL.. I am not sure of the differences in the training and medical requirements, but I don't think it is that much.. and it gives you a whole lot more flexibility. As an example, I had everything organised for a Sojourn to Anzac Cove in the shareoplane for last year's Anzac day, but the pandemic put pay to that. You can certainly do it with an LSA and LAPL, but its a lot more pain. Also, the fleet you have access to in Europe has much more variety and I think (but don't quote me) you can fly LSA on your EASA PPL - though it may pay to triple check. You can hire Robins, AT-3s and all sorts - muchmore variety than in Aus or the US (or the UK for that matter).