A guy I know has a PPL & RAAus pilot cert, but with not alot of experience, most of which was in a Stinson 108 Voyeger which is a 4 seat, fairly stable tail dragger. He has recently bought a RAAus registerd Sonerai. The following is cut & paste from his facebook page.......
Wednesday -
"Finally got to take my new plane out for some high speed taxi runs. One word comes to mind SHIT! Like holding onto a crocs tail while fighting him.
Looks like a couple of deep breathes and lots of practice before I even try to take off."
Thursday -
"Flight dramas up date today.
Take off was with non even after what feels like 50 fast taxis runs up and down the runway. Flight to Boonah from Caboolture was beautiful. Cruise at 125 knots is just cool.
Landing circuit at Boonah in 45 minutes, all under control, speeds looking good. Wind showing a very light tailwind base on runway 22. Turn onto finals looking for runway, still good. Check instruments and airspeed, look-up, where is the runway gone!
Plane is out of balance a...nd now flying sideways, look over right shoulder to find runway. Correct plane flight path, noticing the houses on the hill below me look really close, shoot. Look for the runway again, not there, looking over my Left shoulder now and thinking this isn't looking good.
Okay correct this, now looking over my right shoulder again to find the runway again. Okay make this chaos look like I know what I am doing and in control of this situation. I will do a side slip, must look cool I think to myself, yeah. Ground is so close and my eye by now must be as big as bowling balls with sweat flooding down my face. Now straighten the plane up so it is pointed down the runway for landing, I said straight, straight now would be good,
SHIT, not straight enough, FLARE we are about to touch, to late we touched, bounced, still not straight, bigger bounce, holly shit, power on, get out of here. Plane points the nose sky ward, still not straight and creeping of the runway centre line the blood big trees on the edge of the runway look flaming close and HUGE. Looking to the front of the plane, and all I see is blue sky, nose too hight. Shit again check airspeed, still okay.
Back under control again at last, thinking maybe that tailwind was more than I was thinking for this little plane. Next time I used the other runway approach into the wind. Lets say it was so much easier to get on the runway. Still not like a pro, but down and safe.
Got to the hangers and was greeted by others with looks of complete fear on their faces. I just opened the canopy and said I soloed on my second landing. The reply was more like five landings and shaking heads.
I was okay with it all, its about what I was expecting."
Friday -
"Should I be worried now?
Doing my practice approaches and making hard work of landing my little plane, still feeling okay. Stopped for a chat with a neighbour at the fence while sitting in the plane. The local flight instructor walks over to join in with the conversation. Asked a couple of questions, then said, do I want to do some training with him. I said, no all is good thank you very much. He said, its for free, I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't know what he was thinking, I've not scared myself yet. It must look pretty bad from the side lines.
Anyway, two safe arrivals today. Not sure if you can call them a landing yet. I'm getting better though, trust me, Lol."
After that post a few friends ( some pilots & some not ) expressed concerns about this guy's safety & suggested he take up the Instructors offer of help, but this was his reply today -
"Guys really it is all okay. It's not that the plane is out of control. It's just different and more responsive than what I am use to. Not that much different to the Jabs, I just have to get use to the approach speed and lack of forward vision to see the runway. This can only be done with time and bum in seat. The instructor and his plane would offer no being it, as I would still have the same issues to over come in the Sonerai.
All is okay, if I felt it was a danger I would be getting help. Thank you for your concerned thoughts, and comments. I really just wrote these comments as a bit of fun, not to cry wolf. "
I am really concerned for this guy & know he is the stubborn type who will not listen to people trying to help him. If he was writing this for a bit of fun why would an Instructor offer unrequested help? I know me talking to him will not be heard and probably only get his back up, but what else can be done?