Australian PILOT Magazine Oct-Nov 2017 by AOPA Australia

AUSTRALIAN

Join AOPA to

WIN!

Win a jet flight details inside

Oct - Nov 2017 Vol 70 No 5 Price $7.75 incl GST

TECNAM P2008 – LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT

Mountain Flying –

STAYING SAFE IN BIG HILLS The Wilga –

QUIRKY, NOT CUTE AOPA AUSTRALIA WORKING WITH AOPA USA FREEDOM TO FLY TEAM WOW CHINA A I R C R A F T O W N E R S A N D P I L O T S A S S O C I AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A A U S T R A L I A N WA R B I R D S A S S O C I AT I O N • H E L I C O P T E R F R AT E R N I T Y

YOU EXPECT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF QUALITY WHEN BUYING A PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT, AND THAT’S WHY BUYING FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER JUST MAKES SENSE.

With Embraer PreFlown you receive the same service and experience as a new aircraft buyer. TM

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia MISSION STATEMENT AOPA stands for its members’ right to fly without unnecessary restrictions and costs.

PRESIDENT Marc De Stoop mds@aopa.com.au VICE PRESIDENT Phil Yates SECRETARY Dominic James VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER Dr Tony Van Der Spek tony.vanderspek@aopa.com.au DIRECTORS John Glynn Aminta Hennessy Ben Morgan ben.morgan@aopa.com.au Mike Smith Perry McNeil MAGAZINE EDITOR Mark Smith editor@aopa.com.au

The benefits of buying your pre-owned executive jet from Embraer:

PROOF READER Michelle Smith ART DIRECTOR Melinda Vassallo melinda@aopa.com.au Advertising 02 9791 9099 advertising@aopa.com.au

• Flight Training • Certification conversion

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ben Morgan 0415 577 724

• FlyEmbraer enrollment • CAMP enrollment • Engine and Airframe Program enrollment • Aircraft Modifications • Implementation of all recommended Service Bulletins and assurance that all systems and software are in their latest versions • Other upgrades

AOPA OFFICE Phone: +61 (0) 2 9791 9099 Fax: +61 (0) 2 9791 9355 Email: mail@aopa.com.au Membership 02 9791 9099 mail@aopa.com.au Accounts 02 9791 9099 accounts@aopa.com.au

Backed by the No. 1 customer support team in the world, your Embraer PreFlown aircraft will be ready for your mission. Ranked No. 1 in 2016 AIN and Professional Pilot Support Surveys.

Address Hangar 600 Prentice Street Bankstown Airport NSW 2200 All mail: PO Box 26 Georges Hall NSW 2198 www.aopa.com.au

Review our inventory at embraerexecutivejets.com/preflown. Phone: +1 (321) 751-5081

©AOPA Australia 2017. This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without permission from AOPA. Printed by Graphic Impressions. AOPA by resolution of the Board has adopted database management practice that will allow selected and qualified aviation commercial interests access to the membership database for aviation promotional use that the Board deems acceptable as being informative to its members. The Privacy Act requires that members have the right to opt out of this marketing. Please advise the AOPA office if this is your desire.

Reporting Point Recently my wife had to do a BFR. She’s a PPL, has about 400hrs, and is always reasonably current. These days my BFRs are with RAA, because CASA want me to be irradiated to allow me to fly about 40hrs a year by myself and the other 40 with my wife. I can’t fly my Beech Musketeer, by myself, over open ground as I do my work for AOPA. But I can fly my RAA Piel Emeraude. God I hope some sanity comes to the whole medical debate, and soon. But my wife is doing her BFR. Now in the ‘old days’ that was a simple matter of booking in an hour of a grade one instructor’s time going through the log book, looking at the flying that had been enjoyed in the past two years, coming up with a plan for sanding off the rough parts of currency and then going flying. The candidate proved they weren’t about to get lost or plough a hole in the runway, a stamp was put in the log book and everyone went on their way. Now there is a prescribed syllabus, including partial panel if you hold NVFR. The results are sent to CASA for review. If the exercise is done following CASA requirements it’s two hours that is basically a PPL flight test. Meanwhile the biggest GA country in the world, the US, continues to do BFRs the old way. An instructor, a review of the log book, a flight and a stamp. Again I ask a simple question. Is the airspace over Australia special? Are our pilots so poorly trained CASA needs to oversee a basic check? I have a simple theory: that CASA don’t trust experienced instructors because the people in-house, administering the system, don’t have anything like the experience of the dedicated people running flying schools. The CFI doing my wife’s BFR has more than 10,000 hours instructing, but he isn’t allowed to simply stamp her log book and send her on her way. Why? I was then shown the paperwork requirements involving an instructor running a part 141 flying training organisation. Now a Part 141 approval allows a school to train candidates from zero experience to a CPL in 150 hours. Great stuff. But why does a country flying school, that basically has a clientele who simply want to learn to fly, need the bureaucracy? In the United States the same school wouldn’t need an AOC, an ops manual, nor a 900+ page manual of standards. It wouldn’t see the sole instructor spending five hours plus per week on regulatory paperwork, that if it isn’t filled out properly could possibly see a pedant from the regulator, with a tenth of the experience of the CFI, close the operation down over a paperwork mistake. An overused cop-out when a bureaucrat, who probably can’t fly an aeroplane, wants to justify why our rules are so out of step with aviation regulations like those found in the US, is that we must comply with ICAO. But we are an island continent. Most of our pilots just want to fly in their own country. They don’t care about ICAO compliance.’I could give examples where our regulator has put up road blocks for international airline pilots who are from English speaking countries, who fly large jets into Sydney, Melbourne and our other capitals, who then get thrown through the CASA ringer to get approval to fly a 182 here while on holiday. Sorry, I digress. As editor of AOPA’s magazine I get sent these examples. An airline pilot needs a qualification that not only allows them to land in a country, but to take off again. Private pilots flying in Australia don’t need that. Here’s my simple solution: introduce a system based on the FAA that allows Grade 1 instructors to hang out their shingle. They run a simple flying school. Trust their experience and introduce a system where CASA delegates can do 20% checks meaning one in five of any independent school’s students will be independently assessed. Yes it will cost some money, but when I did my PPL many decades ago I wanted to be subjected to a 20% check because it meant free flying. We need to cut the paperwork burden. CASA needs to accept they are out of step. Shane Carmody has said he wants to put his minions to the test. He should ask his staff to explain the extra paperwork. He should ask ‘why are we so different’ I’m happy to show pictures of the difference in the flying training paperwork burden between the US and Australia. That should be enough to get him to drag his experts into the office and ask why. Our industry needs some relief from an administrative burden that has grown over the years but adds nothing to safety. Clear Prop. Mark Smith, Editor www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

CONTENTS

AUSTRALIAN

Join AOPA to

WIN!

Win a jet flight details inside

Oct - Nov 2017 Vol 70 No 5 Price $7.75 incl GST

TECNAM P2008 – LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT

Cover: Gerard Kitt in the Tecnam. Photo: Mark Smith

Freedom Fly Team AOPA At Work President’s Report ........................................6 From the ED’s Desk ................................... 12 Young Members .......................................... 14 New Members .............................................. 14 Freedom Fly Team Wow China................ 16

Features

Fly-In for Brunch...................................... 50 Keeping Flying in the Family................ 56 Oshkosh..................................................... 60

Letters

Cover Feature

Letters to the Editor ................................. 24

The Tecnam P2008................................ 42

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

AOPA AUSTRALIA WORKING WITH AOPA USA FREEDOM TO FLY TEAM WOW CHINA A I R C R A F T O W N E R S A N D P I L O T S A S S O C I AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A A U S T R A L I A N WA R B I R D S A S S O C I AT I O N • H E L I C O P T E R F R AT E R N I T Y

Maintenance............................................... 31

Keeping Insured – Mike Dalton................ 19

QUIRKY, NOT CUTE

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle.................... 26

Events ..............................................................8

The Wilga –

Reducing Fatalities..................................... 20

One Leg, Two Wings............................... 38

Learning to Fly – David Bonnici.............. 19

STAYING SAFE IN BIG HILLS

Bunbury Flying School..............................................18

Calendar of Events Columns

Mountain Flying –

Warbirds The Beech 18............................................... 63 Tiger Flying 21st Century.......................... 67

Membership Marketplace Classifieds .....................................................77

Travel Mountain Flying....................................... 34

AOPA Membership Form Join AOPA for Great Benefits ................. 81

Aircraft Review Experimental Aircraft................................ 46

Short Final

Taming the Wilgabeast............................. 52

Birds of a Feather....................................... 82

Mountain Flying

The Beech 18 www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

AOPA AT WORK

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Unity is now the key, here and overseas. In the past month I have been working at building stronger links with AOPA in the US. Why? Harmonisation. At this time it is vitally important to work with as many lobby groups as possible to demonstrate to CASA that Australia is a small fish in a big pond, and that our unique take on aviation regulations is incredibly out of step with overseas best practice. The restrictions that CASA impose on our aviation industry through our unique regulatory framework continue to cause serious decline in GA activity across our wide brown land. The government’s own BITRE Report has confirmed this fact. The elephant in the room being that despite our cumbersome regulations the US still enjoys a far better GA safety record. The Part 61 changes are an excellent example that still dog the training industry. The BITRE report has again demonstrated that the GA industry is in decline, with the hours flown by the recreational sphere not making up the historical shortfall. The minister needs to come out and state just what he intends to do. So far all he has done is to announce another committee - with AOPA excluded I might add. A dead-set fine for us publically criticising his lack of any action. No good being a compliant Canberra committee member if you don’t get positive actions and outcomes. I’d much rather be resolute and true to our cause. General aviation has its back against the wall and it needs bold initiatives from government to turn it around. AOPA is determined to force outcomes rather than win friends in Canberra. Many say to me: “Marc you need to do things the Canberra way to get anywhere with government”. I respond by saying that approach has got us nowhere in the last 30 years. It’s actually been the catalyst for our decline. Maybe it’s time Canberra changed its ways. You wonder why we have the BREXIT and Trump phenomena? Ordinary people are fed up. Part 149, governing self-administration, needs a safety spotlight. The safety record needs a serious, open and transparent audit. As an industry we are entitled to know if this unique Australian model has improved or decreased GA safety. Under the CAA act governing CASA there can’t be a change to regulations that have a detrimental impact on safety. I’m all for less regulation, if the right outcomes are achieved. It time for all the facts to be released. CASA must have the data. Greg Hood from ATSB was quoted in The Australian saying there had been a tenfold increase in the number of safety incidents reported involving recreational aircraft between 2006 and 2015. CASA’s decision in the 1990s to dump the FARs and adopt EASA based regulations was a mistake for GA. EASA executive director Patrick Ky has admitted the EASA regulations are airline-centric and not set up for GA. US AOPA president and chief executive Mark Baker has joined with me in calling on CASA director of air safety Shane Carmody to expedite the aviation medical reform agenda in light of the success of the change to BasicMed in the United States. More than 15,000 pilots have shifted to the simplified system, and I’m sure many

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

of them are people returning to flying after being unjustifiably concerned about their ability to pass their medical, even though the US class 3 system is nowhere near as draconian as our class 2. But there is far more to be gained in working with AOPA in the US than just support for medical reform. I have asked Mark Baker to address our members on the benefits of closer ties with the US. His response is adjacent. AOPA US has full-time resources that are dedicated to helping general aviation not only survive but grow. DAS Carmody has expressed his willingness to listen to evidencebased arguments regarding regulation. With all the resources of AOPA US we will be able to demonstrate the handbrake effect of our regulatory processes versus the accelerator that seems to be part and parcel of the FAA. However this isn’t a takeover of your AOPA. We intend to share information to help with outcomes, but maintain our own independence and identity. It’s much more a joint venture, where we get access to their expertise as well as become a closer part of an organisation with more than 330,000 members in the US and 400,000 worldwide. The Australian Defence Force has very close ties to the US military yet Australian troops have a strong national identity. We are no different. Australian Pilot is called that because it’s for Australian pilots. It reports on Australians, and will continue to do so. One red tape area that is a huge problem for GA is the lack of reciprocal rights between the major aviation countries regarding recognition of qualifications. US, NZ, Canada and the UK all have strong flying training and maintenance standards yet it’s incredibly difficult for someone from those countries to get recognition for their skills in Australia. Australian pilots who went to Oshkosh found out just how aviation friendly the US is. The average time taken to issue a reciprocal licence was two to three days. The reverse involving CASA is far from that. Why? Opening our skies to efficient competition from around the world can demonstrate to CASA just how smoothly systems from overseas can work. To this end we’d like to see aircraft registered in the countries above allowed to fly charter in Australia. Protectionism doesn’t work, as has been shown in so many other industries where international competition has led to productivity increases that have assured their long term survival. The next international AOPA conference will be held in New Zealand in March next year to coincide with the Wanaka Air Show. Past AOPA president Phillip Reiss is IAOPA vice president and will be there along with Australian AOPA board members to continue to build the IAOPA into a truly global powerhouse that can lobby on behalf of GA worldwide It’s time to confidentially engage with our fellow AOPA organisations worldwide to help rebuild GA globally. Marc De Stoop President

Marc De Stoop AOPA President mds@aopa.com.au

The View from AOPA US. AOPA US President and CEO Mark Baker voices his support for a unified approach to GA regulation. The issues facing general aviation across the globe have never been more challenging. Over-regulation, increasing costs, fuel availability, ageing aircraft, airspace access, public perception regarding noise and safety, and many other factors challenge pilots around the world. And while it’s important to focus on the challenges, we must also celebrate success, progress, and opportunity. Electric propulsion is progressing quickly in Europe and showing great interest in the United States. Reducing emissions, decreasing noise, and the potential of lower costs make this a technology worth paying attention to. In the US we are close to delivering a new fuel that removes lead with minimal impact on performance and aircraft systems. Also in the US we are benefitting from the Federal Aviation Administration’s willingness to consider risk-based certification methods. This major policy change allows the installation of modern avionics and autopilots from the Experimental category in certified airplanes in a manner that was not thought possible 18 months ago. The ability to infuse new technology into our aeroplanes is a great first step that we hope will propagate across the globe. However there’s still much to be done when it comes to reducing unnecessary and burdensome regulations that don’t improve safety. Our ageing fleet presents its own challenges as we look for ways to modernise and continue flying aircraft that are on average nearly 50 years old. It’s important that we as a group require regulators to act with reason, reminding them that no pilot wants to fly an unsafe airplane. The truth is, there is a lot of life left in the aircraft we already have. AOPA US has seen great success in encouraging remanufacturing of older airframes and increasing the use of new safety-enhancing equipment. AOPA Australia is working to refurbish a Cessna 152 Aerobat as a first in a series of aircraft to get upgrades. This refurbishment will become part of AOPA Australia’s Junior Pilots program - a national initiative with the goal to inspire the next generation of pilots and aircraft owners. Like our ageing fleet, pilot medical certification also needed an overhaul. BasicMed is a new FAA medical alternative that allows a pilot to visit his personal physician once every four years and take an online medical course created by AOPA US every two years. Since May 1, some 17,000 US pilots are flying with BasicMed. While it comes with some restrictions, BasicMed is a great alternative for many pilots who faced mountains of paperwork to

fly under traditional third class medical certificates. Modernising medical certification is a subject being discussed in many countries. At the urging of AOPA US and the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, authorities in both countries are considering ways to allow cross border flights with varying types of medical certificates. The Bahamas already recognises BasicMed. AOPA US and AOPA Australia recently contacted CASA to urge similar reform Down Under. New Zealand too is working on medical reform. While the challenges loom large, we have new allies who are beginning to recognise the importance of general aviation from an economic and training standpoint. With wealth increasing around the world, the demand for airline travel is skyrocketing. By 2036 the world will need 2.1 million new aviation industry jobs including 637,000 commercial aircraft pilots, 648,000 technicians and 839,000 cabin crew members, according to a recent Boeing study. This means that to meet demand, every nation will need to start creating more pilots and that begins in general aviation. The initial training of pilots, mechanics, and other aviation professionals starts with general aviation. Often overlooked, general aviation is a huge asset and one that we cannot allow to be undermined. Among the biggest opportunities for general aviation is in China, where the burgeoning population and wealth are demanding improved transportation. Recently a Chinese aviation delegation visited the US to learn more about general aviation and its benefits to the community and the nation in hopes that it will provide the same for China. The visit included a tour of airport businesses and education on flight training and how general aviation airports serve the community. Many other countries can also benefit from general aviation growth, but the differences between airlines and general aviation must be recognised for that to happen. While the challenges are great, so are the opportunities. On March 25, 2018, in Queenstown, New Zealand at the IAOPA 29th World Assembly, we will have the opportunity to meet industry leaders from around the world to discuss these challenges and to formulate solutions. IAOPA is focused on advancing general aviation on national, regional, and international levels. As leaders in the industry, we are and will continue to work together to represent the aviation community and provide insight, support, and solutions around the globe. I look forward to seeing you in Queenstown. Mark Baker www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

EVENTS

AOPA AT WORK

EVENTS 2017 NEW SOUTH WALES THU - SAT

19-21

Narromine AirVenture Australia 2017

FAirVenture Australia 2017 (formerly Oz-Kosh) will be Australia's leading general aviation, recreational aviation and sport aviation fly-in and airshow event. The RA Aus, SAAA and the Parachute Federation of Australia invite Australian aviators to join more than 500 other fly-in participants at Australia's largest fly-in and aviation social event. AirVenture Australia will host more than 45 industry exhibitors, seminars and a twilight aviation spectacular including an airshow with military, warbird and aerobatic participants. Details: airventureaustralia.com.au

OCTOBER

THU - SAT

Rathmines

The Seaplane Pilots Association will hold the 2017 Splashdown Conference at Rathmines. Hear key industry speakers talk on vital seaplane issues. Learn how to be safe on the water in floating hull or on floats. Enjoy camaraderie and fun evening events. Inspect the visiting seaplanes at this WWII RAAF Flying Boat Base. The Rathmines Catalina Festival will be held on Sunday after the conference. Registration essential. Details: www.seaplanes.org.au 0448 744 763

26-28 OCTOBER

Rathmines Rathmines Catalina Festival. The HARS Catalina will fly a display to commemorate the brave actions of RAAF personnel who trained at and flew from the Rathmines Flying Boat Base during WWII. The festival will also feature aerobatic displays including the RAAF Roulettes. Amphibious seaplanes will be part of a day of rich flying boat history at Rathmines. Details: www.seaplanes.org.au 0448 744 763

SUNDAY

29th

OCTOBER

SUNDAY

5th

NOVEMBER 8

Bankstown The Sydney Flying Club twilight dinner. If you have a passion for flying, join fellow aviation enthusiasts for a night of socialising. Details: www. sfcaero.com.au/sydney-flying-club

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

VICTORIA Kyneton Fly-in The Kyneton Aero Club Hot Dog SATURDAY fly-in is held on the first Saturday each month. From 12 noon to 1pm, club members will sell gourmet dogs and drinks. Make a day of it and come along and meet fellow aviators, enthusiasts or catch up with friends. All profits raised will support the Neuroscience Foundation. Details: kynetonaeroclub.org

7th

OCTOBER

Mt Beauty The Gathering of the Moths fly-in at Mount Beauty Airport is back. Be part of a unique air sports event at the finest mountain airstrip in the Victorian alps. Stay overnight on the Saturday to join in the unique runway dinner event for $25. Lunch, dinner and breakfast all available at the Mt Beauty Airfield. Aircraft numbers are limited and registrations essential at Details: www.ymbt.org.au

SATURDAY

25th

OCTOBER

SUNDAY

5th

NOVEMBER

Shepparton The Goulbourn Valley Aero Club Pancake Breakfast fly in commencing at 8:30am. Normally some flying activities occur after breakfast. Details: 0453 588 5212

QUEENSLAND Gympie Fly-In SUNDAY

5th

Gympie Aero Club will hold their fly-in breakfast with eggs on the BBQ from 8am. 0436474011 Details: Cumulusairpark.com.au.

NOVEMBER

SATURDAY

14 th

OCTOBER

Angelfield Breakfast Fly-in The Angelfield fly-in breakfast is held every two months on the second Saturday. A hearty breakfast is served from 7.30am to 9.30am. $15 a head includes bottomless freshly brewed coffee. Details: www.burnettflyers.org

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

LEARNING TO FLY

Back and flying in RAA

By David Bonnici

Volare is the Italian word for ‘to fly’ and the famous Dean Martin song of that name features the line “no wonder my happy heart sings, your love has given me wings” which is how I feel about this cute little Italian bird I’ve fallen for. The Tecnam P92 Eaglet has brought the pleasure back to my flight training after an almighty plateau where I only flew 10 hours in two years. My last ride was a Piper Warrior, which I loved, but only saw as a means to my RPL and a chance to try different aircraft. I’m a low and slow kinda guy but I loved the idea of flying something with a stick that didn’t feel, by association, like a flying classroom. So I decided to return to flying via RA-Aus and so began my Tecnam ‘romanza’. You have to get up close to the all-metal P92 to appreciate how well built she is. To me it’s the Cessna 152 re-imagined. People lament how the Wichita planemaker failed miserably to emulate its prolific little trainer with its 162 Skycatcher LSA, but Tecnam’s co-founder and chief designer, the late Luigi Pascali, achieved this 25 years ago. While getting in the cockpit is a little trickier than the 152 because of the joystick – get your right leg around the stick, head through the door and drag your bum and left leg into the seat – it has extra elbow room thanks to the bubble-shaped doors, and the forward vision of a Toyota Yaris. Thirteen months had elapsed since my last logbook entry so I had no idea how I’d fare flying a whole new type of aircraft and its joystick, push-button trim, glass cockpit, light-sport dynamics and high-revving Rotax donk. I also had a stiff 20-knot wind to contend with, but apart from pitching too high on take off because the tall forward vision makes you think you’re almost straight and level, the old adage about returning to cycling applied. The P92 was surprisingly stable once I got used to the trim but very responsive and I had a ball re-acquainting myself with steep turns and the like. It even made my first landing look pretty good, though I ended

up left of centreline because I tried using the stick instead of my feet to stay true in the gusty breeze. One of the P92’s quirks is the white line on the ASI starting at 68 knots, which means you have to get down to base leg speed before lowering that first stage of flap. This means cutting the throttle to idle before turning base and keeping the nose up before trimming to 68, lowering 15 percent flap and then re-trimming, which is simple enough. After a couple of touch-and-goes we tried crosswind landings in winds that would have kept a Cessna 152 in the hangar. The preferred crosswind method in the Tecnam is to use the stick to crab into the wind and straighten up with rudder when you’re over the fence and land on the windward wheel. With larger aircraft you touch down on one wheel momentarily, but in the P92 you stay on the incline as long as airspeed allows. My first two attempts weren’t good mainly because I failed to compensate for the tailwind on base, but after a demo circuit where my instructor made it look ridiculously simple, I tried again and voilà! I ticked quite a few boxes off the RA syllabus in one lesson and more the next, which included a training area solo, and for the first time in ages that light at the end of the training tunnel saw me reach for my sunglasses. My progression has also been aided by the fact the Rotax sips premium unleaded at the same rate as a Ford Mustang meaning I only have to worry about the weather gods and not my bank balance. I look forward to the few lessons I have left as a chance to fly, rather than as a hurdle, but can’t wait to fly the Tecnam as a certified pilot. That said I have my eye on another cute little Italian in the hangar, an Alpi Pioneer, who I really want to get to know. n

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association Australia

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

AOPA AT WORK

From the ED’s Desk Ben Morgan

Australian private pilot medical reform getting closer? If you thought the debate for private pilot medical reform was over, think again! AOPA Australia is continuing its efforts to build momentum for important Class 2 reforms, with support from our AOPA friends in the United States. CASA’s Group Manager Stakeholder Engagement, Mr Rob Walker, has confirmed this past week that the regulator is making progress, reviewing the Medical Discussion Paper responses, indicating that industry could expect an update before the close of 2017. Whilst CASA continues to internally debate the issue, both their UK and US counterparts are now enjoying the fruits of their successful reforms. AOPA US have reported that in the first three months since FAA BasicMed was introduced, some 15,000+ pilots have successfully obtained a medical. The reform is now considered one of the most successful initiatives undertaken by the FAA to revitalise their general aviation economy.

aviation pilot training, yet need a workable and affordable framework. In response, the AOPA Australia has given a firm commitment to work in partnership with the Aero Clubs to develop an achievable recovery and growth strategy, whilst at the same time representing their concerns to both government and the regulator.

NSW aero club’s and AOPA Australia forge a new partnership The AOPA Australia attended a gathering of NSW aero clubs at Orange Airport in early September, organised by former AOPA Australia director and Orange Aero Club Secretary, Bob Nash. The meeting gave attending Aero Clubs the opportunity to openly discuss the various challenges that are facing their associations. At the top of this list is the inability for regional clubs to maintain costly and prohibitive flight training AOC’s, with 95% of the participating clubs handing back their approvals. Over the past 10 years, greater numbers of clubs across Australia have ceased providing training services, which in turn has driven declines in club membership numbers. Club presidents and representatives have made clear to AOPA Australia that they want to be able to provide general

Welcome to our new Queensland Director, Perry McNeil The AOPA Australia this past month has welcomed Mr Perry McNeil as our new Queensland based Director. Perry is no stranger to the Australian aviation scene, both as a commercial airline captain and avid general aviation pilot, and is a passionate industry supporter. We are looking forward to getting out and about with Perry over the coming months to locations across Queensland.

Sport Aircraft Association of Australia partner to help promote junior pilots. I am excited to announce that the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia have partnered with AOPA Australia to help promote our new junior pilots initiative, which we aim to commence in November of 2017. The initiative will see the SAAA and AOPA Australia working together to engage with high-schools and youth groups, introducing our next generation of pilots to our aviation industry. Our two associations share a long history of cooperation and support and I know I speak on behalf of the entire AOPA Australia membership in welcoming their participation.

AOPA Australia membership numbers continue to climb! Our membership numbers continue to climb and it’s great to see so many new names published in this edition of Australia Pilot. With greater membership strength there comes a greater voice to government. Without question we are stronger together and I am encouraging all of our members to start a discussion at your local airport, flying group or aero club about what AOPA Australia is working towards. Invite your friends and associates to lend their support. AOPA Australia welcomes new student and junior pilot members! In this edition of Australian Pilot our association extends a big welcome to more than sixty new student and junior pilot members. It is exciting that we have opened our doors to an entirely new

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Skyhawk, VH-CEO, which is exclusively available to AOPA Australia members for just $125 per hour dry. The aircraft is available from our Bankstown location, Monday to Sunday. So, no more excuses, it’s time to fly! To make a booking, call (02) 9791 9099.

Carsten Gerard-Smith with the AOPA members 172 generation of AOPA Australia participants. We will be looking forward to delivering opportunities for our new members to participate at events and in activities. WIN a $2,000 fighter pilot experience and photoshoot with Australian PILOT If you’re looking to renew your AOPA Australia membership, or maybe you are considering taking up a membership for the first time, now could be the perfect opportunity! Join or renew between the 1st September 2017 and 30th October 2017 and you go into the draw to WIN a $2,000 fighter pilot experience, including an air to air photoshoot with Australian PILOT. For more information, visit: www.aopa.com.au AOPA Australia Members Club Aircraft has arrived! September 2017 has marked the arrival of our first Members Club Aircraft, a super low-time Cessna 172N

Junior Pilots Cessna 152 Aerobat earns its stripes Thanks to Craig Barnett and his professional team at Scheme Designers, the AOPA Australia Junior Pilots Cessna 152 Aerobat now has a sporty new paint scheme! Daniel Thomas and his painting team at Orange Aero Engineering will now start the final paintwork application process, bringing to life our first Junior Pilots airplane. Final assembly of the C152 is anticipated towards the end of September 2017. Many thanks go out to both Scheme Designers and Orange Aero Engineering for their continued support! The AOPA Australia Junior Pilots initiative will see the finished C152 Aerobat flying around Australia, working in partnership with aeroclubs, flight training schools, flyins, events and airshows, to promote and encourage youth participation. Airventure Australia 2017, 19th to 21st October 2017 Following a turbulent start, the Airventure Australia 2017 event is set to go ahead at Narromine Airport, 19th to 21st of October. The AOPA Australia will be on hand in support of the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia, meeting and greeting members and providing updates to our various initiatives and efforts. If you are attending the Airventure Australia event, be sure to stop by and say hello. Members enjoying insurance policy savings It has been great to see AOPA Australia members taking advantage of our new insurance services across the past two months. If you’re in the market for aviation insurance, be sure to give Aaron Stephenson a call on (02) 9791 9099 and request a quote today. n

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

AOPA AT WORK

AOPA Young Members AOPA welcomes Young Eagles and student pilots who have joined via the AOPA website, expressing an interest in aviation.

One such person is Daniel Fethers who, when he turns 14 in November, intends to start his flying training. Daniel comes from a family of pilots; His grandfather flew bombers in WWII, and then went on to a career at Qantas and his uncle is a 737 captain. With such a family history it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprising to see him ace his flying training and follow a career in the industry. Well done Daniel, and all the other people who have joined the program. n Brian Hamilton Chris Jack Geoffrey Turner James Birch Heather Brennan Kai Nolan Lee Parkinson Phillip Wherrett Dominic Philippa Trish Curry

Ryan Bell Christopher Smyth Helena Walker Sm Arifuzzaman Geoffrey Eddey Lachlan McKenzie Viky Berry Liam Morey Dean Bracht Shane Aul

Scott Butler Robert Timbrell Ninus Kanna Brett McAlpine Zhaobo Fan Jamie Zammit Jack Laurens Kaine Sherwood Bailey Armstrong Nathan Holloway

Mitchell Vayro Matthew Thomas Andrew Agnew Vikki Woodward John Fischer Beau Matthews Benjamin Bayly Issac So Paul Sivell Michael Tibbitts

Rameez Mushtaq Alex Jenkins john dozzi Leslie Webb Jurgen Dale Evan Winick Tim Ochse Damian Mammino Lloyd Griffin Bhrat Gupta

Stirling Day Liam Morey Jack Ferguson Tim Aimer Jacob Kirwan Jordan Curran Bradley Turrell Daniel Fethers Ella-Rose Marland Frederick Fraser

Welcome New Members Name

Name

State

Graeme Whitmore

NSW

William Catford

Gary John Wolman

NSW

Melanie Cummins

Michael Wood

NSW

Theo Yannakoudis

Peter Dickson

QLD

Elaaa Pty Ltd

QLD

Brendan Kent

QLD

Leigh McNeil

QLD

Dan Peart

QLD

Rod Robertson

QLD

Chris Syron

QLD

Robert Faithfull

VIC

Peter Brookman

State

Phil Buckley

NSW

Andrew James Cameron

NSW

Markus Edwards

NSW

Scott Feneck

NSW

Paul Greig

NSW

Maria Hardas

NSW

David Healey

NSW

Lawrence Hutton

NSW

Darren Kerry

NSW

Tim Lindley

VIC Moorabbin Airport

VIC

Nina Plummer

VIC

NSW

Russell Smith

VIC

Robert Muscatello

NSW

Trent Stewart

VIC

Dimiter Nedialkov

NSW

Athanasios Tsakonas

VIC

Cornay Sinac

NSW

Michael Vranic

VIC

Terrence Steen

NSW

Tony Wulff

VIC

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

AOPA AT WORK

From left, Adrian Vanderslu , Jeremy Miller, Jesse Jury, Trent Stewart, Michael Jones, Ivan Krippner

Michael Jones with the crowd

AOPA Freedom to Fly Team Wows China Aerobatic ace Jeremy Miller recalls his experiences flying in Chinese airshows

Jesse Jury meets some fans

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Being an airshow display pilot in China is a little bit like becoming an overnight celebrity, but without really knowing what you did to achieve that status. This took a few days to get used to at the Shenyang Faku International Airshow in China as I joined four other pilots from Australia, and one from New Zealand, performing in front of hundreds of thousands of eager spectators. Organised by Paul Goard Promotions, we were fortunate enough to be invited to China as the AOPA Freedom to Fly Aerobatic Display Team. As the Chinese

general aviation industry is still in its infancy, aerobatics, formation flying and airshows in general are new to the general public, but extremely well received. Over the nine days the team were in China there was a continual procession of people, dignitaries and cameras moving through the hangar both during assembly of the aircraft, the show, and disassembly. After each performance, if time permitted, we would interact with the crowd, with thousands of people wanting to shake hands, take selfies, and autograph almost anything they had on them. This included model aircraft, programs, mobile phones and hats. With the crowd five or six people deep at the fence, children and even some infants were passed forward so they could shake hands and take photos with the pilots. Overall it was quite a surreal experience, as from my perspective this is just what I do! I love the flying and the challenge of putting on a safe entertaining show. We as pilots donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see ourselves as celebrities, but are we looking forward to the next one? You bet. n

Ivan Krippner refuels the SU-26 www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Bunbury Flying School

FEATURE FEATURE

Photos: Mark Smith

Bunbury Flying School Western Australia produces strong characters. Mark Smith meets one who used a quarry to build a flying school. Blair Howe doesn’t look like your typical aviation enthusiast. He’s a big bloke with rough hands and a gravelly voice that matches the industry that helped make his fortune. But he’s like so many who have been flying from a young age, and he’s not afraid to admit it. “I’ve been around aviation most of my life. My father was in aerial agriculture, my uncle was a bomber pilot, and another was a Spitfire pilot,” he says. “It’s a disease. Once you get hooked by the bug, that’s it. I never was much into flying but I liked mucking around with aeroplanes - aeroplanes and old cars!” The mining industry was the catalyst for Blair’s aviation journey when he needed fast transport to support his growing business servicing crushing plants in the Western Australian goldfields. “We had a business relining the crushing mills. So I started off with a little aeroplane and they got bigger and bigger and we

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

finished with an 18 seat Trilander and two Cessna 337s carting parts and people all over Australia. When we got out of that business we came down here to retire, but I only lasted six weeks at that.” Blair’s short-lived retirement came to an end when he started a lime quarry on the land he’d bought to retire to. The building boom in Western Australia meant this became very profitable, allowing him to finance his growing flying training organisation. Blair was a member of the Bunbury Aero Club but thought there was a need for a dedicated flying school rather than a social club. General manager Dennis Coxall explains how the flying school came about. “At the aero club, you pay a membership fee and enjoy the benefits of social outings, Sunday breakfasts and spot landing competitions. At the Bunbury Flying School, we dedicate our time and effort into training a student from zero

to a point where he or she is ready to step into an airline as a first officer, or any one of a number of flying opportunities that are available such as parachute operations, fire spotting, customs coast watch or charter,” Dennis said. It’s been an interesting journey but one Blair would not have missed out on. “It’s been a lot of fun and cost me a lot of money, but that just means there will less left for the kids to fight over when I go,” Blair says. “I could have owned half the main street of Bunbury if I didn’t own a flying school, but we are building up an asset that is putting back into aviation.” Pamela Ray is the administrator of Bunbury Flying School and has worked with Blair from the beginning. “We didn’t expect it to get this big this quickly but that’s just the way Blair does things. He just loves coming in and seeing the young people learning to fly. He loves the club atmosphere but at the same time

wants a professional approach to the training.” Adam Levay, a 20,000 hour veteran of the aviation industry, embodies this professional approach. As CFI it’s his job to maintain the high standards needed to provide the best pilots to the wider aviation community. “It’s not like the old days of come in, do your PPL, there’s the course, and we’ll get you through in a couple of weeks. It’s a structured course. The culture we have here is that we breed professional pilots,” he says. “My background is in airline training and I have a great team around me. We do everything by the book. Once people get to know that they want to come and fly with us. “Flying requires discipline. That’s why right from the start students have to wear uniforms, and have to clock on and clock off.” But Adam sees another reason Bunbury has proved popular with students seeking a career in aviation. “Why wouldn’t you want to do your training here where you have no landing fees, whereas at Jandakot you can be waiting 20 minutes for a take-off clearance and have to pay a $40 landing fee every time you fly. “Plus we have accommodation for our students on site.” Students have to apply for entry into the course, of which some students used to qualify for Vet Student Loans where the flying training component was 100% covered. The school hopes to offer this again next year. Candidates are put through a series of aptitude tests to gauge their suitability for the course, and the best are offered a place. The course is geared to taking in an ab-initio student and after 10 months of intensive training, graduating them with a CPL. Many students like newly minted commercial pilot Zen Best had never flown in a light aircraft before their trial flight prior to applying for the course. “I did my first TIF here a year ago and then started flying training 10 months

“I could have owned half the main street of Bunbury if I didn’t own a flying school, but we are building up an asset that is putting back into aviation.”

Blair Howe

ago. That is what led to me passing my CPL test an hour ago,” he says with a grin from ear to ear. “I start my instrument rating next week.” The 19-year-old pilot has set his sights high, with his goal to be an airline pilot as quickly as possible. “I want to end up at Emirates. I went to an information session with them and was told by an A380 captain that I could end up there in five years so that’s my five year goal.” Pamela Ray offers another insight into Blair and his motivation for funding the school. “I think he has a vision to teach everyone to fly who wants to, and we have been very lucky he has put his resources into Bunbury. He and Sue could have retired 10

years ago and been very well set up but they have continued to support the flying school and pour financial assistance into it,” she says. “He continues to help individual students with mentoring and financial assistance for some students. He comes across a bit rough around the edges but he’s a softy underneath.” Blair is obviously very happy to be involved in helping start the careers of so many young and not so young pilots. “I have trouble remembering their names. They should give them all ear tags when they start. But yesterday I heard one of the kids is now flying the 380,” he says as pride brings his voice to a whisper. “That was pure attitude. You just knew he was going to go a long way. He never walked, he ran and was always on time. n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

FEATURE

Reducing Fatalities – Surviving in Cloud.

How did the old-timers learn how to do things like fly for hours in cloud on primitive instruments? Some didn’t and they died. Some did learn, like Kingsford-Smith, Roscoe Turner, Charles Lindbergh and many others. They mostly taught themselves. Just how is an interesting question. The first requirement is to have a good knowledge of the various dangers and of our own limitations. Then we can slowly extend the envelope of what we can safely do. The emphasis is on learning, rather than being taught. I am not an IFR pilot, nor do I have an aerobatics rating, but there is nothing in what follows that I have not practiced. I am not advocating flying in cloud and what follows will not make you an IFR pilot. It may however lead you one day to having a better chance of surviving.

Reducing Fatalities –

Surviving in Cloud

Carl Nilsson offers some ideas about staying safe as your experience grows. Having trawled through the fatality statistics over the years 1975 - 2014, I would like to offer some opinions about reducing the number of fatalities in the recreational and sport end of GA and RAA. About 80% of fatal accidents come about through controlled, managed and uncontrolled flight into terrain. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau classifies them as controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), managed flight into terrain (MFIT) and uncontrolled flight into terrain (UFIT). UFIT causes the most grief. However, behind almost all these accidents, some pilot has made a poor decision.

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Most often it is a decision to fly in the face of doubtful weather or visibility and sometimes to try to stretch the range. These decisions are human factors that will never be entirely eliminated, but only education can reduce them. Technology can and has reduced the consequences of errors in airmanship and can do still more. The GPS has wrought a revolution in navigation and there is no reason why every pilot should not have several on board. Smartphones, tablets and other technology give us little excuse not to get a good picture of weather ahead and how best to navigate to the next

waypoint. There are other technological aids to reducing FIT accidents, but first let’s consider how to extend our own abilities. Avoiding the FITs CASA’s advice regarding cloud for VFR pilots is simple and direct – don’t go near it! If entered, do a 180 (turn) and get out. However, UFIT continues to cost lives. Perhaps there is a need for a little more education and practice for situations where that advice is insufficient. Some might argue a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It is an endless debate, but I belong in the camp that believes more knowledge is generally beneficial.

Uncontrolled Flight into Terrain (UFIT). UFIT is the major cause of fatalities it most often happens through the pilot flying in cloud or reduced visibility and not being qualified to do so. The circumstances are many and varied, but the end result is unfortunately all too common. I do not agree with CASA going around the country with the message: 128 seconds in cloud and you are dead. You do need to learn how to fly appropriately. If you read test pilots’ biographies you will note that the envelope of any new aircraft or manoeuvre is extended gradually. Also, there is always a backup plan if things go wrong. A program is developed by asking a lot of “what-ifs” and having the answers ready. You can learn a lot about how to control your aircraft using clear conditions. You start with a minimalist approach to using the flight controls. The exercises will increase your flying ability and knowledge of your aircraft. I recommend a book like IFR for VFR Pilots by R.L. Taylor. The first exercise is to fly straight and level without touching the yoke or stick, but lightly using rudder. Fly at a reduced cruise speed. If you don’t touch the stick in almost all GA aircraft with normal trim, you can’t stall, even if you try – except perhaps in severe turbulence. However, with no control, the aircraft likely will drift off into a spiral dive, which is a concern. But if you keep your wings level, that won’t happen. All you need concentrate

on first is keeping your wings level. If your wings are level, you are not turning and, with some time lag, the reverse is true. If you are flying straight, your wings are averaging level. Just keep on course with gentle taps on the rudder. So long as perturbations are kept small and the trim is right, that’s all you have to do. Wandering off course generally follows a dropping wing. It’s the dropping wing you need to correct and you do that with rudder. You can fly a 3D pattern by judicious and stepwise application of rudder, throttle and trim only. You are using whatever natural stability the aeroplane has. If you want to turn, do so with no more than about 10 degrees bank using rudder. Try not to touch the yoke or stick. If you want a major change of course, try doing your turn in sections, say 30 degrees change of azimuth at a time and return to straight and level before repeating as necessary. Straight and level is your fall-back situation. You are doing all you can to avoid dropping one wing and going into a spiral dive. That’s the thing that kills. Overuse of the control column or steady bias of one wing down are the main causes of loss of control. Avoid heavy use of aileron at low speed that could precipitate a stall. You are keeping things as simple as possible to avoid overloading the pilot and overcontrolling. An excellent early exercise is to go to the training area and do a large circuit without touching the yoke or stick. Do it all on engine, trim and little pushes on the rudder. Then do it again adding climb and descent to the profile. Want to go up? Add power and re-trim for speed. Power first and then trim for speed. Once you get confident with those exercises, try them on a day with some turbulence. Remember, bumps and thumps tend to average out. As the turbulence increases, so may your use of ailerons, but keep as light a hand as possible. Now you want to progress to repeating these exercises on instruments. First get some currency in recovery from unusual attitudes. A home flight simulator with realistic controls can be useful, but recognise its limitations like there being no physiological disorientation or real stress. Surviving the unexpected usually tests

Do not underestimate the psychological impact of really losing all outside visibility

your training in aircraft control and your psychological preparation. Most aircraft have strict limitations on aerobatics of which you should be aware and it is certainly best to have a qualified person alongside you. Get a book about learning aerobatics like Flying Aerobatics by R.T. Bowring or Aerobatics by N. Williams. When I first learned to fly in 1968 in a J3 Cub, my instructor would not let me solo until I had demonstrated recovery from a full spin. Spinning is a recognised aerobatic manoeuvre and not dangerous in most aircraft so certified. As usual, my instructor demonstrated and then I had to do it. What I learned first was that I was psychologically unprepared for the behavior of the aircraft and the unusual sight of the ground filling the windscreen and whizzing by from one side to the other. You can easily react by freezing on the controls. You have to learn to think, observe and react calmly in such situations, and that can only be done by practice in controlled circumstances. This is part of answering “what if” before you try anything new. Try to cover the consequences of things not going to plan. Back to blind flying: you still practice in clear weather, but you wear a pair of ‘foggles’ and you need a partner for eyes outside. It is important not to cheat with your vision. Normally, almost all of your sensory input comes from the eyes. You must ignore apparent gravity - it’s a siren call to disaster. IFR pilots warn against the leans, when you have a strong feeling that www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

COLUMN

FEATURE

Keeping insured all of the time Insurance expert Mike Dalton discusses the need for your insurance to be current, always.

you are not in balanced flight. You must ignore that and trust your instrument panel. Just a tiny glimpse of blue sky or the sun gives you a tremendous amount of information about the aircraft attitude. Try to eliminate that before you finish the exercises. Having no outside visibility at all is very different to having it almost lost. The DG or GPS (you absolutely should have a GPS with at least one page with a big course arrow) will inform you about your course. Remember, the GPS tells you where you are going, the compass and DG tell you where you are pointing. Wind makes the difference. The little GA compass is near useless for maintaining a course in turbulence – once you start turning, the compass spins. Practice how to scan your instruments and not fixate on one. Rod Machado’s Instrument Pilot’s Survival Manual has a good section on that. The rudder-only exercises were designed to stop you being overstretched and to prevent you over-controlling, which is

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

common for a novice or someone under stress. Do things in small steps. Try without an AH. Unless you have a modern solid state AH, the older gyro-driven one will tumble if you ever really lose control. Also, they fail more often. Learn to love your turn coordinator T/C or older turn and bank. See how it responds – the T/C responds first to roll rate and then to changing azimuth. Clouds are often associated with turbulence and ice and other difficulties, so try placing a card over your ASI to simulate a pitot blocked by ice. Now you will understand why you need to eliminate moving the elevator except by trim. Remember that GPS can also give you geodetic altitude if you lose your altimeter. It’s such a boon you need at least one backup. Practice these things and more under safe conditions. Go on to some modest cross-country exercises. Finally, because you should try the real thing, go up with a qualified IFR pilot and suitable aircraft and

be tested in cloud. This is the psychological test, but you have the tools to cope and survive. Do not underestimate the psychological impact of really losing all outside visibility. You need to see and trust the instrument panel as a whole. Only some real practice can fully prepare you. You still are not an IFR pilot, which has a lot more to it, but you can have some confidence of surviving an unexpected encounter with poor or zero visibility. UFIT accidents can be minimised by good planning and staying out of these situations, by learning and practicing how to recover from unusual attitudes, and by learning how to fly your aeroplane with no outside visibility. I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of considering the what ifs and their answers, for flight planning and learning new capabilities. In the next Australian Pilot I will discuss good technique for recovery from a dive and how some technical innovations could save more lives. n

One thing I’ve heard plenty of times over the years is “nah I don’t need to worry about any insurance as my plane is undergoing a rebuild and it’s covered by my LAME’s insurance”. I’ve even heard some insurance brokers advise their customers in this manner but it is simply not correct and is fraught with danger. There’s a few key reasons why you shouldn’t blindly rely on your LAME in this way. Firstly, he may not actually have a policy, or may not have the right coverage under his policy. Unlike aircraft operators with a charter AOC, there is no requirement for a LAME to buy insurance other than, maybe, for public liability as required under their hangar or land lease. Most certainly buy some level of cover but it’s not cheap and so, understandably, it becomes a cost/benefit/risk consideration. The type of policy a LAME buys is commonly referred to as a hangarkeepers policy (in our region at least). It is a liability policy which means it protects the policy holder from common law liability claims made by third parties only. That claim can be for personal injury or for property damage and can be as a result of an accident at their premises or as a result of faulty workmanship. In simple terms, it protects the policy holder (the LAME) when they are sued at common law by another party. Given this it is still important to maintain your own hull insurance and I trust the following scenario will go some way toward dispelling the myth of not needing your own insurance while the aircraft is in the care of a LAME. The owner of a recently purchased Cessna had booked it in for an annual inspection and to make some inroads on the SIDS inspection regime. While it had been purchased at a bargain price, it was a very nice aeroplane and had been looked after by its previous owner very well. Given the low acquisition cost and what was expected to be an extended stint in maintenance the owner elected to forgo hull insurance figuring that all would be ok because it was in the LAME’s hangar. Unfortunately at some point the LAME elected to move the

aircraft outside and did so without securing it with chocks or tie downs and during strong winds the Cessna moved and hit another aircraft. Damage was to one wing and to most of the rear fuselage and required the services of an expert sheet metal guy with the right jigs to do the repairs. In this case the aircraft owner had two choices; seek a remedy via the legal system or negotiate with the LAME’s insurer on his own. He chose the latter in good faith and while the insurer in this case was willing to settle promptly, they would only do so on the basis of what they considered the value of the aircraft was, rather than the likely repair costs. Remember this is a liability claim and not a hull claim so there’s not a set hull value like there is in an aircraft policy. In this type of claim the plaintiff (the aircraft owner) must prove a) negligence and b) quantum of their claim. Proving liability in this case is easy but in the example discussed here the owner was not given the opportunity to prove quantum. In reality the repair cost was in excess of the settlement amount and so the owner had a shortfall. It’s also important at this point to recognise that not all LAMEs have the resources within their workshop to effect extensive airframe repairs to damage such as this, and so the owner may need to move it to a more suitable repairer. It may well seem easiest to leave it where it is but that may not ensure either a timely repair process, quality of workmanship or even an interest in seeing the job complete if the cash runs out. That’s not intended to be a criticism of LAMEs but a simple fact that because of a lack of specialised tooling (jigs) or sufficiently large enough team or cash flow to handle the repair and their regular workload it may be better to move the repair to another shop. Having your own hull policy with a realistic sum insured in this scenario enables you to work with your own insurer to facilitate repairs to your aircraft and then leave them to deal with recovery of costs from the LAME and their insurer. The simple fact is that you are not protected by your LAME’s insurance – he is. n

JOIN AOPA Freedom to Fly

Become a member and start receiving your free copies of Australian Pilot Magazine among other benifits. Phone 02 9791 9099 email mail@aopa.com.au or visit our website:

www.aopa.com.au www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

LETTERS

WIN

LETTERS

Win Oz R a years subs unways cript ion

We value your opinions about everything to do with aviation and so we are happy to announce a one year subscription to Oz Runways for the author of the best letter we receive for publication. It can be about how AOPA is doing, something that happened when you’ve been out flying, or a concern you think we should look at. It’s your chance to set the agenda. The address is editor@aopa.com.au, or PO Box 26 Georges Hall, NSW 2198.

Sandy Reith always has an interesting perspective on Canberra. Recently I had occasion to make an incident report to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). I rang and spoke to an officer about the procedure which is either an online form or a written report. Having explained the nature of the incident I was advised

When I was a kid back in the 1960s aviation was still seen as a glamourous pursuit. People got dressed up to fly on a jet to Sydney, if they could afford it. A trip to Moorabbin airport to watch the aeroplanes taking

Without a free and competitive market there can be no

off and landing was a great way to spend Saturday afternoon. I even remember the Melbourne Herald

acceptable standard and therefore the model is, and with

running a ‘learn to fly’ competition with Schutt’s aviation academy.

irrefutable facts in hindsight, a failure. Unfortunately, being monopolies they perpetuate themselves with make-work programs, the never-ending

What changed? Did we simply stop caring about promoting aviation or did the popularity simply erode? I’d like to see everyone in the industry contribute to a fund that exists to promote GA. I’m talking private pilots, businesses big and small, everyone who has a vested interest in restarting the momentum. I watch

not to make my explanation into War and Peace (1st. ed.

and outrageously expensive rules rewrite (now unworkable

1225 pages by L. Tolstoy).

rules of strict criminal liabity) by the Civil Aviation body

The Gruen Transfer on TV and have learned the power of a well thought out marketing campaign backed up

(CASA) being a perfect example. Monopolistic fee gouging

with on the ground events. We can do it if the will is there.

If the advice had been given in a light-hearted or joking manner then maybe I’d think nothing of it. But no, it was given in a condescending tone to display superiority and the classical learning of this clever person compared to an ignorant peasant pilot. Nothing new here, typical Commonwealth public employee. Years ago we would have said ‘public servant’ but now the many that are employed by Commonwealth corporate bodies are not in fact public servants. Moreover they eschew the term public servant for that denotes lower status. Status in Canberra is everything. It’s not for nothing that remuneration is 42% higher in Canberra than the average nationwide. Commonwealth corporations, independent and largely unaccountable bodies, were designed to regulate and administer with little or no cost to government or to make money and contribute to general revenue - a unique “user pays” hybrid design experiment off the back of the

Peter Lewis has some thoughts on youth engagement

for completely unnecessary permissions or licences along with runaway wages and uncontrolled expenses add to internally bloated budgets. An interesting exercise would be to make an overall cost benefit analysis of the unique corporate body administration of civil aviation in Australia which began some 29 years ago. Having lived and worked in general

Finally a voice of reason in the long running Badgery’s

Don Ramsay has his say about the conflict that occurred over Australian Airventure 2017, via social media

Winner

aviation for more than 50 years it is obvious that the costs

Creek saga. Why build a new airport when the one

The best way to get all the groups to work together is to

to community in lost businesses and jobs far outweighs the

you have doesn’t run at capacity, especially compared

fold all the aviation alphabet organisations into a single

sums gained by the fees that are extorted by the regulator.

to similar sized airports overseas? And why disregard

federation. The federation would have chapters that

Richmond as a possible solution?

specialise in their particular form of aviation from light

A department controlled by a responsible minister overseeing and administering with a rational, internationally compatible rule set is needed. This would be effective and efficient with tax revenues from a healthy industry much

I don’t live in the Badgery’s area so I’m not voicing my opposition to the building of the facility because I fear

greater than the industry-destroying fees and massive

aircraft noise. It’s to do with common sense, something

paperwork burdens which are currently imposed.

our elected so-called leaders seem to lack. But when

The bureaucratic war on GA should cease. CASA will

Thatcher privatisation reforms. Unfortunately the user

resist at every turn, and therefore only action by parliament

pays only if there are users, and only if there is real value.

can bring a new and prosperous peace.

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Eric Peterson agrees with Marc de Stoop’s last presidents report.

it comes to wasting our money, the pollies seem to be world leaders with few peers.

sport to gyros to homebuilts to trikes and warbirds. A central membership administration could then look after all the chapters saving a vast amount in administration costs and become one very powerful voice to take on CASA and the politicians. This is possible and we could end up with a body as professional as the USA EAA. But it will take a group of enthusiasts to run with the idea as happened with the revamp of RAAus.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle

FEATURE

Photos: Dan Bolton

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle

The turbine Mallard after a wash

Dan Bolton has appeared in AP before. Now he describes his latest job, flying off the water. The sun is shining, the wind is calm and the boat is packed; anchor, lifejackets, survival kit, ELT, sunscreen, fishing rods and 20 odd slabs of thirst quenching beer. However, this is no ordinary fishing trip, nor is this your standard fishing boat. Oh and the load of beer isn’t mine either. The ‘boat’ I’m driving, alongside my skipper is a 1947 Grumman Mallard flying boat. Converted from its oil-dripping radial pistons to more modern Pratt and Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop engines, this boat with wings is the perfect craft for today’s charter. Our passengers are the owners of the beer and fishing rods. They have escaped

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

their fast-paced Sydney lifestyles for the quiet untouched vastness of the Northern Territory’s Arnhem Land. Free of mobile phone coverage, it is the perfect location to get away from emails for a week of fishing on board their mother ship, Iron Lady. My journey through the aviation wormhole so far has taken me from my hometown of Geelong up to the tropical Whitsundays, into the IFR world in Cairns and then on an overseas adventure flying in Vietnam. With great memories and experiences behind me, I have now reached my pinnacle, my “airline” as a comparison for the land-based pilots among us.

I’m flying for the small family team at Paspaley Pearling Company, focusing on operating and maintaining these veteran aircraft. Most of our flights are based around transporting company staff to Paspaley’s main pearl farms located in the North Kimberley of Western Australia. With its thousands of islands and orange rock ridges contrasted against the turquoise waters, the Kimberley is a location almost as romantic in its beauty as the pearls it produces below the water. When the reprieve of the dry season allows the tourists to flock to the NT, we further operate fishing charter transfers due to the versatility of the Mallard. Our

aircraft are also available for charter, freight or specialised water rescue work. My captain on today’s flight is our chief pilot Andrew Lawlor, whose experience in specialised operations doesn’t start with Paspaley. After nearly 30 years in the industry Andrew has found himself at the helm of turbo DC-3s in the north of Canada, and in DC-4s and Lockheed Electras flying freight all around the world. He is the perfect role model to lead our small group and an even better bloke to be teaching a young hack like myself the ins and outs of flying the Mallard in this operation. Paspaley have owned these aircraft for more than 20 years. They have become one of the essential pieces of the South Sea pearling giant’s puzzle. Manufactured by Grumman back in 1947, the Mallard superseded the tail wheel Goose, however production halted at a measly 59 aircraft as the much larger Albatross was developed for a variety of military purposes, mainly search and rescue into open ocean areas. The destination for this group of excited anglers is south of Elcho Island, named Buckingham Bay. It’s well-liked for its intricate network of rivers populated with arguably Australia’s favourite fish; the barramundi. Guests regularly catch more than 80 barra per day per person, with rumors that just as many ice cold stubbies are also consumed. On departing Darwin, our track takes us over the Top End’s vast countryside, passing by the Kakadu National Park escarpment. Floodplains and riverbeds with sun-parched water from the previous wet season intersect the undulating ridges and valleys of rock. Vibrant green waterholes complete the dirt barren landscape. Occasionally small communities pass by our windows, huddled around a gravel or sealed airstrip connecting the traditional owners of our land to the relatively new age cities of the white man. It’s Andrew’s sector as the pilot flying. The Mallard isn’t pressurised or equipped with an autopilot. To those accustomed to sitting back and having the plane fly itself,

Interior out

Falling off the step at Kuri Bay pearl farm, Western Australia.

Dan Bolton at work www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

FEATURE

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle

Dan is back working with his ex Air Whitsunday work mates Drew Daniell and Chad Banfield.

The Mallard ready for a day of scenic flights around Kuri Bay pearl farm.

hand flying would seem a drag. However all of us who fly the Mallard find the extra hands-on component a saviour from the boredom that can be straight and level flight. We approach top of descent and I broadcast to all stations east of Arnhem Land, along with Brisbane Centre, our position and intentions. With the lack of drag associated with the floats of a normal seaplane, we break the 200kt groundspeed barrier most float drivers fail to achieve. The true emptiness of Australia becomes evident as our flight nears the ground – there’s nothing but flat shrub and harsh dirt as far as the eye can see. Our descent continues further toward the coast until we spot the fishing boat. We adjust track to overfly for an assessment of water conditions. The wind, swell, tide and debris, along with approach and goaround paths are all assessed. All looks favorable. Andrew discusses his landing approach and calls for the pre-landing checklist. Our

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

multi-crew coordination and SOPs are as tight as any airline. He lines up for our final approach, taking us mainly over land before crossing the riverbank and landing on the longest straight of river we can find on this python of water. I run through the finals checks with him and follow him through the landing. Touchdown. With a flatter nose attitude to that of a floatplane, Andrew now concentrates on his wings level attitude all the way until we fall off the step, keeping the Mallard’s wing floats from touching the water. These are a critical part of the aircraft when moving slowly on the water, stopping our wings from drowning. However they are not designed for high speed skiing and could rip off if they were to touch down early, especially on rough water. A flying boat has very different balance characteristics compared to a standard seaplane. It has only one point of contact on the water (the hull), similar to how a bicycle has only one point of contact with the road. The seaplane however with its

two points of contact on the water is similar to a car. A flying boat in a turn tips quite easily if the centre of gravity falls either side of that balance point. Add to this balance dilemma the wing floats that are only a foot or two from the water at touchdown and all of sudden water crosswind landings become a great challenge. The technique is to apply rudder to align the hull with the direction of travel but not add opposite aileron like a normal crosswind landing. Old habits die-hard and this one was a tough one to change. We run the after-landing checklist and I call Flightwatch on the trusty old HF radio, battling with the squawky sounds of Indonesians, to cancel our Sarwatch. With all flight duties completed, it is now time to catch the mooring buoy floating behind the Iron Lady. Andrews’s role as aircraft captain now turns to boat skipper as he guides our vessel for a slow but steady approach to the buoy. The Mallard doesn’t use a water rudder for directional control, instead the use

of beta and reverse thrust on each engine controls our direction. Speed is also controlled this way. Remember a floatplane or flying boat has no brakes! It’s now my turn to pull out my first officer party trick. The co-pilot control column is of the throw-over type, so I swing it on its central axis over to Andrew’s side. My rudder pedals are a simple peg design that swing backwards and out to the side. This allows access to a passageway under the instrument panel and dash where I can crawl into the nose bay. I then open the hatch and with the aid of an extendable hook and set of second headset jacks, I guide Andrew forward enabling me to catch the mooring buoy and secure us to the line. Once we are secured Andrew shuts the engines down, gradually pulling the power levers further into reverse to catch the pitch locks, an accessory most PT6 installations don’t have. With a seaplane on the water, starting an engine in feather can mean an excruciating 15-20 seconds of uncontrollability from the forward thrust of the exhaust as the propeller

slowly moves to the fine pitch setting where reverse is then available. Pitch locks are simply spring loaded pins that centripetally fall into a groove in the propeller hub to lock the prop into reverse, not allowing the propeller to feather once oil pressure is released from the hub. The tender from the Iron Lady makes its way over to the aircraft for the transfer of passengers and freight. As we unload our mass of boys, beers and bags, a strange floating object passes our view in the distance. As it nears we can make out what it is; a dead buffalo being dragged along the river from the incoming tide, followed closely by three hungry crocs. I look at the murky water outside the Mallard’s door only a foot below and hope no one falls in on the transfer! It is time to head back home, and with a fresh planeload of relaxed and dusty fisherman, the cabin atmosphere is filled with stories of the week’s big catches. I’m back in position in the nose bay of the aircraft ready to release the mooring. Andrew fires up the right engine first and

once confirmation of a successful start is called to me through the intercom, I release the line. With thanks to the pitch locks we back away from the boat in an instant. I close up the hatch and put my yoga skills into practice, curving my body back into the cockpit while Andrew starts the second engine. It is now my flying sector, so I get the task of launching this beast into the air. A few radio calls by Andrew, a departure brief and completion of the water-takeoff checklist and we’re ready. I hold the column hard back into my chest with full right aileron and right rudder. Leading with the left engine I power up towards the torque red lines, then hand over control of the power levers to Andrew with the call of “set power”. In my relatively short aviation career to date, the biggest challenge I’ve had is taming this bucking beast as it fights me onto the step. As we gain speed, the nose rises up to the sky and at its point of maximum pitch I push the nose forward to commence the transition onto the step. My focus now includes keeping the wings level to stop www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Dan’s Flying Boat Lifestyle

FEATURE

Maintenance- An Industry in Crisis?

FEATURE

Maintenance –

An Industry in Crisis? Flying past the Horizontal Waterfalls, Western Australia

my floats from digging into the water. The curved nose of the Mallard provides no reference to a level attitude so short glances to my artificial horizon help me through. It all seems to have worked out well enough and when I hear Andrew call out our V1 speed of 83kts for this sector’s given weight, I smoothly but firmly rotate us into the air (Vr is V1 plus 2 knots). I capture our V2 plus speed to climb us up to our acceleration altitude with a further ascent to 10,000ft to head for home. Arriving into Darwin, the wind has picked up and unusually swung around to have us landing on runway 29, the only runway with an ILS approach. It has been a few weeks since we last landed via this aid, so we request the full procedure for currency. The ability to fly multi-crew operations under an IFR environment along with the challenging and diverse water work of a flying boat certainly makes this job unique. I land off the ILS approach and through 60kts hand the controls over to my captain for the taxi to the hangar. The

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Without skilled engineers an aeroplane is merely a ground-based ornament. Mark Smith looks at what’s holding back our maintenance industry.

handover is not due to my inability to follow the yellow line, but due to my tiny peg rudder pedals having no brakes. The addition of ground taxiing will be an extra bonus once my command training commences down the track. With the passengers safely back into the terminal on their way back to face their mobiles, emails and reality, it’s now time to face our own reality; paperwork and the wash down. I spray fresh water into all the hidey-holes that salt water

intrudes while Andrew takes care of the books. Tomorrow’s flight will be off to one of our pearl farms for a crew change and stores replenishing. I’m off home now to enjoy what remains of Darwin’s dry season lifestyle, with the blue skies and consistent 320C weather, combined with overwater sunsets and all cuisines of food vans in an abundance of markets. The wet is nearing however… hand flying around thunderstorms? Bring it on! n

To say Maryborough (Vic) based LAME Rob Scott works hard is an understatement. He’s a one man band who always seems to be on the move. One week it’s replacing an engine on an ag plane on King Island, the next it’s back in his hanger trying to clear the backlog caused by the trip. He has a business that has more work than hours in the day yet one thing holds him back. “From my perspective it’s bloody hard to find qualified engineers,” he says while standing in front of his hangar that is filled with aeroplanes in various stages of their maintenance cycle. “No one’s been taking apprentices since the late 1980s, and now there is very little government support to train anyone. When I did my apprenticeship there was a lot of support through TAFE courses and it was heavily subsidised. If you look at the companies now doing the training they tend to be private, pay as you go operations.” Those facts are borne out by the figure

published by the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Association (AMROBA) that the average age of a LAME in Australia is around 50, and rising every year. Tony Brand is an engineer with 38 years of experience keeping aeroplanes where they belong, and is on the board of AMROBA. He says the lack of engineers started a number of years ago when the education systems began winding back technical education. “When I went to technical school from our first day we were offered, in addition to the traditional subjects of maths and english, trade subjects like wood work, fitting and turning, sheet metal work, automotive, electrical, and welding,” he says. “That was an unbelievable insight into the world of working in a trade. For instance in fitting and turning we were taught how to drill a hole in steel involving drill speeds for a given size of drill, how much pressure, and what lubricants to use

on the different types of metal. We were even taught how to sharpen the drill. We were taught how to use something as basic as a hacksaw, how many strokes per minute, and what type of blade for what type of metal.” Tony says the change began in Victoria around 1993 when the Victorian government began closing technical schools. He says this was a huge mistake, not only for the aviation maintenance industry. “When the computer age came along in 1993/94 a decision was made that computers were going to do everything for us and we wouldn’t need trades people, so they closed down the tech schools. Now when we go to employ someone as an apprentice they don’t have these basic skills to begin with so they are really behind the eight ball. It’s become just too hard to employ a young person who hasn’t already got these basic skills. That’s one reason why it’s hard to employ apprentices: they can be lovely www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Maintenance- An Industry in Crisis?

FEATURE

Tony Brand

kids but basically the education system has failed them.” Tony says another factor that has seen new starters into the industry disappearing has been a downturn in the popularity of flying in general, meaning school leavers aren’t as attracted to a job in the aviation industry. “Back in the 1960s, aviation was very popular with a lot of new aeroplanes coming into the country. Engineering workshops had lots of applicants for apprenticeships, but that doesn’t happen now. Today if you put an ad out there for an apprentice you might get five or six applicants and most won’t be suitable anyway. There are also more career options for young people so the thought of working in a hot hangar with your hand in an inspection hatch on a 40 year old aeroplane isn’t that appealing anyway.” Rob agrees with this assessment, having had firsthand experience trying to entice young people into the industry. “In the two years we’ve been here I’ve had a few kids do work experience. None have come back. One guy decided he could earn more money pumping out septic tanks with his father and another was keen but decided he wanted to be a pilot after one of the local pilots took him flying. After that he decided he didn’t want to spin a spanner again!” However there are still people who

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Rob Scott inspects an Auster

want to learn how to keep our GA fleet flying. The problem is the changes to licencing brought about by the move to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards led to chaos in the maintenance sector, which Tony says still hasn’t been resolved. “When we moved to the EASA system, the Europeans only had the system sorted for the top end of town, the airlines. I think the move to EASA was pushed by the airlines and most of the people involved in the change at CASA had no experience in general aviation maintenance. They’ve never spent a day in a hangar and they are rehashing our maintenance licencing system but basically they got it so wrong,” he says. “At the end of the day they left us with a huge mess. Our previous system basically described engine, airframe and electrical licences, with different classes for larger aircraft. It was very basic bread-andbutter stuff that was easily understood. Now there are so many classes of licences with so many differing requirements that it’s simply a nightmare.” Tony says that in the past CASA oversaw the exams and gave a candidate their licence. Now, under the European system, the training colleges across Australia that previously weren’t required to hold CASA approval found they had to because they were going to take over the role of doing the exams and assessing if the candidate

met the required standard. Responsibility was to be moved away from CASA and the colleges would issue what was called a Part 66 licence. CASA’s role was to ensure these organisations and schools were competent so they could become approved training organisations, but the separation has not fully occurred and both groups still have responsibility for exams involving trainee engineers. The paperwork burden combined with the time required to become approved led to many training organisations moving out of the aviation engineering training sector, limiting the opportunities for young people who wished to enter the industry. While the traditional path into a career as a LAME may seem a thing of the past, the schools that have received CASA approval are turning out graduates who are moving into the aviation industry. Aviation Australia is the largest approved training provider offering courses ranging from early skills development to give candidates the basic knowledge traditionally developed in the old technical school system, through to Part 66 certification. Business development manager Paul Jones says the difficulty in finding young people who want to take on a career in aviation engineering is tied into the nature of our throwaway society. “We are a generation where we don’t

fix our own lawnmowers, we don’t service our own cars - we either get someone else to do it, or at times simply throw something away and buy another one,” Paul says. “So we get school leavers coming through who just don’t have that skill set that used to be there, where a kid would help their father fix the mower or work on a motorcycle. There is no curiosity in how something works.” Paul says though that there are still people who want to be a part of the aviation maintenance industry due to their deep interest in aircraft. “The people we get on course are aviation buffs. They are intrigued by aircraft and intrigued by helicopters and they want to be in the industry. “In Queensland we offer a partlyfunded course and last year we trained around 105 engineers who then entered the system as apprentices. That doesn’t include the all the traditional apprentices we train nationally who come up here to do the block training.” In Tony’s opinion there are still many problems with the system, with a degree of uncertainty about just what model the industry will finally end up with. “The changes in our licencing system that were brought about by CASA moving to the European system really threw a spanner in the works and even today it’s

“So we get school leavers coming through who just don’t have that skill set that used to be there, where a kid would help their father fix the mower or work on a motorcycle. There is no curiosity in how something works.” not really sorted,” he says “You now have two systems running side by side. CASA was supposed to have phased out their basic examinations and thrown it all to private industry but now they are stepping back the other way and have extended the basic examination timeframe so we now have apprentices sitting the CASA basic exams and working through the old licence syllabus. “In addition, colleges across Australia are being allowed to issue the Part 66 licence. But some approved colleges are still telling their students to do the CASA basic exam. Then there are students who have been working through their licences at a college that were in the process of getting their approvals and then at the end the college has failed to get their approval and the students are left high and dry after spending thousands of dollars. We have a mess that hasn’t really been repaired to the industry’s satisfaction.” A lack of people moving into the industry

isn’t the only issue affecting the number of LAMEs available to service Australia’s GA fleet. Tony says the age of the aircraft now flying contributes to the amount of time an engineer needs spend to keep a plane flying than when it was new. “I read an article the other day that suggests the time spent maintaining an airframe today is approaching double what it was when it was new in the 1980s. That puts more pressure on engineers and slows up the number of aircraft we can move through the workshop at any given time. “My job is much harder now as most of the aircraft we see are getting up to 35 to 40 years old, with total times as high as 8000 to 10,000 hours. They are light structures unlike those found in the automotive industry, so we are finding more corrosion and more fatigue cracking issues. Other systems are just wearing out. This leads to more time spent on the aeroplane with higher charges to the customer.” n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Mountain Flying – Getting very high, legally!

TRAVEL FEATURE

Photos: Norma O’Hare

Mountain Flying –

Getting Very High, Legally!

Michelle O’Hare with the Hawk XP

Climbing up into the mountains of Grand Teton National Park.

Michelle O’Hare learns that mountain flying in the US involves real mountains. When people plan their holidays they typically look for opportunities to experience something different. As my passion is aviation, my idea of a good holiday is one where I learn new skills like flying a new type of aircraft over unfamiliar terrain. This time my holiday took me to Wyoming in the US where I had the chance to experience flying in a high altitude mountain environment. My lesson was scheduled with Fly Jackson Hole who run scenic tours and flight training out of Jackson Hole Airport, located on the southern side of Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. Fly Jackson Hole runs mountain flying courses and I was able to organise a shortened version consisting of a theory session and navigation flight to fit in with my holiday plans.

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Flight Preparation and Aircraft Performance The aircraft for my flight was a Cessna R172K Hawk XPII. The handling of this aircraft was very similar to the C172 I usually fly except it had a more powerful 210HP engine, constant speed propeller and Sportsman STOL kit. It was reassuring to have that bit of extra power given that our departure airport, Jackson Hole, was at 6400ft AMSL and we were planning to make our way up to 12,500ft. In one sense I was excited to make my way up to this high altitude given that it is not permitted in Australia without carrying oxygen. But on the other hand I also flashed back to my PPL theory of reduced aircraft performance with reduced air density and knew that this high altitude flight would need to be undertaken with thorough pre-flight planning.

Even if you could land your aircraft on a runway yesterday does not necessarily mean that in today’s conditions you still can and so before take-off the instructor and I checked the weather and confirmed that the take-offs and landings at the departure airport and stopover at the grass strip at Henrys Lake would be achievable. We also discussed the importance of leaning the mixture for best engine performance during takeoff which I found very different to what I had become used to flying at the lower altitudes in Australia. As we worked through the mountain flying theory it was interesting to connect how these lessons could be relevant to my flying in Australia. Any situation that disturbs airflow could result in mountain flying effects and even at lower altitude locations on very hot days the air can

become less dense similar to that at high altitudes. After our pre-flight preparations were complete it was time for take-off. Jackson Hole Airport is relatively busy with a control tower, numerous private jets and regular passenger flights. Even one of Harrison Ford’s private planes was parked at the airport. The take-off roll was long and as we became airborne I continued the climb before getting any closer to the mountains which paralleled the runway. Navigating through the Mountains and Valleys Our flight plan to Henrys Lake Airport, Idaho, was not your typical A to B straight line navigation flight. I really felt the increased level of focus required to accurately fly around the mountains and valleys keeping track of our position

Grand Prismatic Spring – Yellowstone National Park www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Mountain Flying – Getting very high, legally!

TRAVEL FEATURE

Passing 12,500 feet

The Hawk parked at Jackson Hole airport relative to the terrain and weather. The weather for my flight was very good, I wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t, but nevertheless mountain weather can change quickly and I needed to monitor how the wind would flow through the terrain to make sure we appropriately positioned the aircraft. As I flew the aircraft over the ridgelines it was done at a high altitude and angled approach so that if I began to get caught in a downdraft I could turn away quickly. Even though we were flying at a high altitude, the ground was not significantly far below and as we flew through the valley towards Henrys Lake I could easily have been tempted to fly directly down the middle providing the most ground clearance possible. However, thinking about how the wind flows through the

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

terrain, we flew along the updraft side for the safest flight and greatest potential to complete a turn if warranted. Spotting the runway was just the first challenge when we arrived at Henrys Lake Airport. This runway was a short grass strip which without the white markers would have blended in with the surrounding environment. It was useful to obtain local knowledge about this runway before arrival and to note that the standard procedure was to operate on one side only. The procedure was to land uphill towards the mountains and take off downhill allowing more space to climb out. The sensation of landing at this airport was interesting in that even though I was flying the same indicated airspeeds I would usually in a C172, the

density altitude meant that the true airspeed and groundspeed were in fact much higher. After landing I turned the aircraft around and took-off downhill back over the mountains towards Jackson Hole Airport. Situational Awareness A benefit of being so focussed on the surrounding environment during the flight was that I was able to see some amazing scenery. My highlights were flying up close to the snow-capped mountains of the Grand Tetons National Park and over the colourful Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. My instructor was exceptionally familiar with these mountains and could name each peak without even looking at the map. On the other hand I was completely

unfamiliar with this type of terrain and was surprised how easily I became caught out as I unintentionally climbed the aircraft in response to the illusion of a false horizon and inaccurate sense of distance that the mountains created. As a visual pilot in complex terrain it is essential to be able to identify the horizon even if it is hidden behind the mountains, a skill that requires hands on practice. The mountainous terrain we were flying over was very remote and so preparation was essential. In the event of a forced landing I was not going to have the numerous options that I’m used to when flying locally around Bathurst. Instead I kept a watch out for locations near roadways and tracks which would give us a better chance of being found quickly. Before we had taken off the aircraft

As a visual pilot in complex terrain it is essential to be able to identify the horizon even if it is hidden behind the mountains, a skill that requires hands on practice. had been packed with suitable survival equipment including a position locator. The requirement to carry these items was familiar to me as I have previously done so on flights to remote locations in outback Australia. However, in the event of landing in the mountains, the presence of wild bears would have been a new experience I didn’t really need to add to any emergency. During the flight it was also important to monitor my own personal situation

with hypoxia being a risk, particularly when flying at these high altitudes. I was a little worried how my body would react, however, I felt fine during the entire flight. Conclusion In addition to learning some new skills I was able to see some amazing scenery. The mountain flying session was extremely rewarding and the instructor and organisation at Fly Jackson Hole was most professional, which made the whole experience run very smoothly. n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

One Leg, Two Wings

FEATURE

Photos: Mark Smith

on the stick. So they said we’ll let you do a flight test on that. I did my worst circuit ever! However the examiner said I could fly the Quicksilver but his exact words were: ‘you’ll never ever be able to fly anything else in your life, and we don’t want to hear from you again’.” However the reliability of the two stroke ultralight engine soon became an issue to his flying pleasure, forcing a rethink of what he wanted to fly. “I flew that for about a year, with lots of engine failures. The old Cyuna single cylinder two strokes weren’t very reliable. Every time the engine stoped you’d have heart palpitations and you have a near death experience landing in the bushes. I always got away with it, but I decided I needed something more solid and reliable.” Peter came across his more solid and reliable aeroplane by chance as he was

daydreaming at the flying field. “I was at the ultralight airfield and an aeroplane flew over at about 50 feet. It had twin rudders like a Lancaster bomber. It was an Ercoupe. My friend said that it didn’t have rudder pedals and I decided I had to get one of those. “Back then there was no internet so getting information was hard. I finally bought an Ercoupe which was a wreck and it turned out to be a total disaster so I sold that and bought another, with a Lycoming 0-235 engine.” Finding the aeroplane was one thing, but getting the department to agree to letting him fly it was quite another. “It was so easy to fly but I didn’t have a licence for it. I went to the DCA and said ‘look I have this aeroplane, it doesn’t have any rudder pedals and I want to fly it. You can’t stop me’.” But the department stonewalled until

One Leg, Two Wings Peter Pretorius fought hard for his right to fly. Mark Smith reports. Polio is a scourge that, thanks to vaccines, has largely been consigned to the mists of history. But its victims are still around: Peter Pretorius was permanently disabled when he caught the virus in South Africa in 1960, when he was 19 months old. “It affected the nerves to the muscles so the muscles could never really recuperate. I had numerous operations until I was eight. One half of my body was affected more than the other half and they decided to shorten my left leg, which was actually my good leg. Unfortunately it went septic and I lost it,” he says casually as we sit in his hangar at Caboolture airfield. Despite this terrible start in life, Peter has risen above his disabilities to fly higher than many able-bodied people. As with so many pilots, his love of flying machines started young and was fed by

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

an interest in models. “I remember being a little boy, playing on my grandparent’s farm and taking apart wooden tomato boxes to build little wooden aeroplanes. Then in high school I’d spend all my pocket money on little engines for bigger models.” The next thing that pushed Peter further into aviation came about at the age of 15 when his older sister started a relationship with a man who had just got his PPL. “One of the turning points in my life was when my brother in law met my sister, when she was in year 12. I was in year 10 and at boarding school 200-300 miles from Johannesburg. School holidays started and I phoned home and said I’ll be on the train tonight. It was an all-day train trip. “He was at home with my sister and he said he’d come and pick me up in a Cessna 150 as he’d just got his licence. He flew to

Kimberly, which was a 2.5 hour flight, to pick me up. We flew back in the middle of the day when it was 40 degrees and very bumpy. I loved it. “I just couldn’t get over it because after all the model aeroplanes I was in a real one. He asked if I wanted to fly – we were cruising and he fell asleep! An hour and half later I thought I’d better wake him up. Thankfully we were still on course. That was the story that got told around the campfires. He said I was a natural, despite my disability.” After finishing school Peter saw little prospect in being able to learn to fly himself. He felt his disabilities alone would disqualify him, apart from the fact he didn’t have the money. So he established himself in a career in IT, and by the age of 27 was enjoying considerable success. At that point the flying bug bit again.

“I’d earned a bit of money and I thought there just had to be a way I could fly. Ultralights were just starting then and I thought if I start with those it might be easier. As long as I could get in the air. I used to daydream about flying. “Then I went and did the medical and they simply said my eyes weren’t good enough. I thought surely I could get glasses – there must be something I could do. “Then I learned that the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) hadn’t even bothered to look closely at me. It wasn’t my eyes: they looked at me and thought it was all too hard.” But Peter wasn’t about to let bureaucracy stop him flying. He was made of much sterner stuff. “I bought a Quicksilver ultralight which didn’t have a rudder, but rather a handle

Peter in his Quicksilver ultralight

The Piper Colt he eventually flew. www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

An Old Drover Soldiers On

FEATURE

The Tecnam P2008 – finally agreeing to assess Peter in the aircraft, though not his actual ability to fly it. A meeting was organised at an international airport, with the Director of Civil Aviation himself conducting the test. Also on hand were the airfield firefighting authorities. The Director outlined the test. “You’ll get in the plane, strap yourself in, close the cockpit we’ll set the stop watch and yell fire. You have to get out and move 10 metres away. We’ll time you. Then I’ll do the same thing and I’ll be timed. If I’m quicker than you then we have a problem. “So I strapped in and they blew the whistle. I whipped open the canopy , got the belt off with my left hand, sat up on the edge of the window sill, rolled backwards onto the wing rolled down the side and slid on my butt away from the aircraft. It was about 15 seconds or something. “The fireys couldn’t believe it. What they didn’t know was that I’d been practicing the weekend before.” That test completed, it was now the Directors turn. “He strapped in and the whistle went. The aeroplane started shaking. The canopy flew open. It shook some more. He couldn’t get the seat belt off because he had a large belly. He was stuck. The firey had to climb on the wing and help him. So I got my licence and flew that aeroplane for 200 hours with no problems. I loved it.” His next aeroplane was a Piper Tripacer though this time there was a new Director of Civil Aviation who was much more amenable. Using a couple of small straps to hold his heels on the rudder pedals, Peter demonstrated his ability to control the aeroplane and enjoyed another 200 hours of trouble free flying. After leaving his IT career Peter set up an ultralight flying school and instructed on trikes and ultralights for 10 years. Having put close to 400 students through in over 2000 hours of flying was enough, so he sold the business and moved to Australia with his wife. “When I came to Australia I was a bit burned out. I thought if I never do any flying again that’s fine,” he says. “I lasted about two years then I realised I needed to do some flying. Then the worry about the hassles getting a medical began again. I rang up CASA and they said its fine, go for a flight test and if

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Italian Style Built for Australian Conditions

Hand controls in the Tailwind

Peter’s first three axis aeroplane -The Ercoupe

the instructor says you are ok, you’ll be right. I went for my medical and they looked at my log books, saw my hours they said that’s fine. I did my check flight and the only restriction was I have to fly an aeroplane equipped with a hand brake because I can’t use toe brakes. That’s it.” He owned a Cherokee at first but found the operating costs higher than he liked. He decided on something a bit faster, but with a lower fuel burn. “I was sitting at the airfield and I saw a grey boxy little aeroplane taxying out and I thought, ‘gee the lengths people will go to in order to get in the air these days!’ It looked horrible,” he says. “Anyway it lined up, blasted off and was at circuit height in a second and then landed in about 200 metres. I still wasn’t impressed but I went and talked to the owner and he started telling me about the cruise speed, fuel consumption, slow speed handling and I was hooked. I

brought mine out from America in 2007. I now have 500 hours on it.” That aeroplane, the Wittman Tailwind, is one you wouldn’t normally associate with a pilot who has a physical disability involving polio-affected legs and an amputation of one leg. It’s a twitchy, shortcoupled taildragger. But like everything Peter does, it’s well thought out. “I have modified it with a hand control for rudder. The stick in the centre moves forwards for right, back for left and I have two brakes on the control stick. People tell me I use most of the width of the runway most of the time. I get very busy!” After so many years around aeroplanes Peter says the appeal is still there. “I have a problem. I think I need a psychologist,” he says with a smile. “I fly three times a week. I’m always at the airfield, fiddling with the aeroplane. I come out just to look at it. But flying keeps me going.” n

Tecnam have been around for decades. Now they have a strong foothold in Australia. Mark Smith flew the latest model.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

COVER FEATURE

The Tecnam P2008: Italian style but Built for Australian Conditions

It has the interior space of a 182, the speed of a Piper Arrow, the operating costs of an Archer and a purchase price comparable to a 172.

Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam is the name of the company that has become a leader in light sport aircraft design, with a series of two-seat training aircraft that have become the mainstay of the growing sport aviation industry worldwide. But their designs aren’t limited to the LSA sector, with a series of single and twin engined aircraft certified to FAR 23 standard. The P2008 is the latest model to be imported by Tecnam Australia and Gerard Kitt, the sales director for the company in Australia was more than happy to allow Australian Pilot to fly his latest baby. The P2008 is the first in the Tecnam LSA

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

range to use carbon fibre construction in the fuselage while the wings remain aluminium. The first impression is of the beautiful curves which demonstrate the Italian flair for design, creating an aeroplane that exudes that mysterious ‘come fly me’ aura. The interior on the demonstrator also belies the Italian heritage, with hand stitched plush leather seats giving the feel of a European sports car. It is a rare experience to get to fly an aeroplane with less than 10 hours on the tacho, so the new aeroplane smell was an experience in itself. The interior is roomy, with none of the shoulder rubbing between pilot

Photos: Mark Smith

and passenger found on many legacy trainers built in years gone by. But from the ground there isn’t the impression the cabin has been created by making a bubble in the forward part of the fuselage; rather it’s a seamless transition from front to back. Climbing in is reminiscent of a tailwheel Piper Cub. Bum on seat, swing the right leg past the stick and then bring in your left leg. The tall joystick comes easily to hand. Pride of place taking up the panel is the Garmin G3X, basically an uncertified version of the G1000 touchscreen. With Gerard in the right seat the real introduction to this Italian thoroughbred could begin.

Engine start is standard Rotax: a bit of choke, fuel pump on to check fuel pressure, then off, mags to both and turn the key. Then, with a flick of the avionics switch, the panel comes to life and you realise this is truly a 21st century package. While we taxied to Cessnock’s RWY 35, Gerard went through the basic points in using the G3X Touch, though I quickly realised that like all sophisticated glass installations the only way to master them is to use one of the many instructional videos and simulators available online. Before take-off Gerard programmed the G3X to take us to 3500 feet at 500fpm while heading south. He briefed

that as we turned onto downwind he’d let the auto pilot take over. I watched the process and it was a simple matter of using the various menus on the 10.6 inch touch screen to set everything up. Flaps were set to the take-off position of about 10 degrees With the wind a very slight northerly on the ground and our weight at max gross the P2008 showed modest acceleration as we went to full power. The castoring nose wheel means a quick dab of right brake is required to keep it straight until there is enough control authority from the rudder at about 20kts. The Tecnam technique is to lift the

nose wheel slightly off the ground and let the aeroplane fly off at about 45 kts, which it did after a take-off run of about 300 metres. Flap reduction at 200 feet saw the need to start using the electric trim on top of the stick, with the travel not feeling too fast to hit the required point accurately. Turning downwind Gerard activated the autopilot and, hands off, the aeroplane continued to climb. The winds aloft were a good deal stronger than on the ground so the resultant wind shear saw some big bumps shake up proceedings but the AP held everything in line very well. Approaching 3500 the nose began to drop as the system www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

COVER FEATURE

The Tecnam P2008: Italian style but Built for Australian Conditions

Gerard Kitt (L) and Allan Bligh (R)

captured the programmed altitude, only requiring a power reduction to set up the cruise. At 3500 feet, OAT 7c, QNH 1020 we were indicating 95kts at 5300rpm, making a TAS of 104kts, burning 16lph. The large windows made the view spectacular and it was a real pleasure to fly towards Lake Macquarie on such a nice day. It would be easy to cruise for a few hours in this aircraft, making it a great tourer. Despite the P2008 having aspirations as a micro airliner, pilots still like to play with the controls, especially when there is a stick rising off the floor. So it was time for AP off and let’s have some fun. The stick forces in roll are strong enough to give a touch of resistance, taking away any feeling of the aeroplane being light and touchy. That doesn’t mean they are heavy, but rather just about right to be able to push across from one side to the other and not feel that if you push too hard you’ll do an aileron roll. In cruise it can be flown by two fingers resting on the side of the stick, though I did find it was a touch

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

too high to be able to rest my hand on the top with my arm on my leg as I have done in other joystick-equipped aircraft. It does require a touch of rudder when rolling into steep turns, which is a good thing for any aeroplane that has a role in training. Pitch is also nicely set up, with enough control force to give feedback through the stick. It’s basically very pleasant to hand fly. Turning back to Cessnock the winds had picked up and a 35kt headwind made for a slow trip back, though the Tecnam rode any bumps much the same as is felt in a 150 under similar conditions. Light sport definitely doesn’t have to mean a rough ride! Approaching the circuit and it was plain sailing though my turn from downwind to base and onto final saw a bit too much height for a stabilised approach so wisely it was time for another try. This time slowing much earlier resulted in a better set up. First stage of flap is available at 80kts, unlike earlier high-winged Tecnams that needed 60kts on the dial before

the boards come out. Turning final and settling a touch below 60kts allows for full flap, aiming for 50kts over the fence and a hold off to touch down. All said a very predictable aeroplane that is a pleasure to fly. Once on the ground Gerard explained the new path Tecnam is taking in marketing their large range of aircraft in Australasia. “It’s changed a lot over the last three or four years because the company originally engaged a range of representatives and local companies to carry our line of aircraft and that worked up to a point, but now we are re-establishing our network in Australia from a factory direct angle, he says. “My involvement as sales director for Australia is to find the appropriate network to market and sell all of the range, not just the LSA aircraft.” That range includes two commercial twins, the P2012 Traveller and the P2006T, the P2010 single powered by a Lycoming 180hp, and a further selection of low and high wing LSA designs including the P2008 in this review.

Gerard sees the P2008 as fulfilling a greater role in GA training than simply teaching RAA pilots to fly. “I see there being a dual role for the P2008. The aircraft is very attractive for private pilots in the luxury end of the RAA market but we also see it as an alternative for flying schools to be able to offer a glass platform that costs far less to operate than current aircraft. The G3X has the same functionality as the G1000 meaning a student can learn on an advanced cockpit and transition to the next level for a lot less than on say a Glass 172 or Diamond.” Respected aviation sales professional Allan Bligh has dipped his toe out of retirement to help Tecnam in Australia. He says the capabilities of the new P2010 have impressed him. “I’ve actually been watching the development of the P2010 for a few years and I’d been by the Tecnam stand a few times at airshows because it grabbed me as a concept. The combination of the carbon fibre fuselage and the high wing, and some of the design features like positioning the fuel tank behind the spar and the use of a stabilator to relieve control pressures,” he says. “Selling new aeroplanes today is hard. It’s a tough marketplace but I think people underestimate the strength of

Garmin G3X touch glass cockpit

the P2010 and its features. It has the

I sold my first aeroplane in 1969 and I

interior space of a 182, the speed of a

have never seen an aircraft to be half

Piper Arrow, the operating costs of an

the price of its competitor. If that gets

Archer and a purchase price comparable

injected into the training market it will

to a 172. Everything in my old aircraft

change the dynamics of the industry.”

sales bones say a daily double is great

Gerard says the LSA market has

but four horses in a row, a quadrella, is

capacity to grow with more modern

always better.

aircraft continually swelling the ranks in

“It ticks a lot of boxes.” Allan is also excited about the twin Rotax powered P2006T. “I see the P2006 as a real gamechanger in the twin training market.

Australasia. “There are more than 288 Tecnams in Australia and New Zealand. That number is going to increase as people learn more about the new designs.” n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Experimental Aircraft - One Way to Cut the cost of Flying

FEATURE

Alan and Suzanne Carlisle

Experimental Aircraft –

FACT BOX

One Way to Cut the Cost of Flying

A newly built RV-14

Philip Arthur meets at a husband and wife team who constructed a modern amateur built aircraft. Experimental aircraft. It’s a term that’s talked about a lot these days but what exactly does it mean? Alan Carlisle is the proud owner of a new RV14A, an experimental that he and his wife Suzanne assembled over 2 ½ years and which is now based at Redcliffe near Brisbane. Why build your own aircraft? Alan says the first reason is that it’s a very satisfying challenge that anyone with time and a little bit of interest in machinery and working with their hands can master. The second reason is because experimental aircraft make flying much more affordable for the private pilot. Richard VanGrunsven founded Van’s

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Aircraft in 1972. He began selling plans for the first RVs (from Richard VanGrunsven) and a few parts he manufactured himself from a small shop behind his house in the US state of Oregon. Van’s Aircraft eventually began producing full aircraft kits and in 2000 the company moved to a small town not far from Portland. At its base at the Aurora State Airport, the employee-owned company employs more than 50 people and keeps them busy manufacturing several hundred complete RV aircraft kits a year. Having started with the single seat RV3 (it’s unclear why it wasn’t an RV1) they progressed through a variety of two-seat versions (tandem and side by side) called

RV4, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The RV 10 was the first four-seat version. The two-seat RV12 followed and more recently the twoseat aerobatic RV14 was borne, which has a more upright seating position than earlier versions. According to the Van’s website, as of August 31, 9806 RVs had been completed, with more than 200 being finished in the previous six months. Van’s claim that on average more than one brand new Van’s aircraft takes to the skies for the first time every day of the year. The Van’s concept is for owner/builders to take delivery of the kit in such a way that they can gradually increase the level of complexity as they progress through

Listed by Model MODEL

NUMBERS BUILT

RV-3

296

RV-4

1,406

RV-6/6A

2,615

RV-7/7A

1,604

RV-8/8A

1,404

RV-9/9A

1,063

RV-10

839

RV-12

535

RV-14/14A

the build. Typically the tail is the first part to be assembled and the builder works forward from there, with the engine and instrument panels being installed last. Alan and Suzanne’s RV14 was the tenth example to fly. They placed their order while the model was still in development. It was released in 2012 as a prospective kit, with the empennage only becoming available at that time. As this was the first part to assemble it worked fine. Initially they received training under a local professional aircraft builder. He worked with them for the first week, teaching them how to rivet, deburr and prepare the various components. Alan

says it was quite daunting on day one, but after three days of training he felt they could manage on their own. After the training they continued, assembling the plane in their garage at home. Suzanne became the expert at riveting while Alan focussed on the prepping and deburring. The proximity to home was critical as it allowed them to work at all times of the day, stopping only for meals and sleep. By March 2014 they’d finished the tail section and Alan felt he had a good feel of how to put the frame together. All up it took Alan and Suzanne two and a half years to build. It could have been completed in 18 months but their progress was delayed waiting for each successive part of the kit to arrive from the US. About three quarters of the work was completed in their garage. By June 2015 they moved into a hangar at Redcliffe Aerodrome where the remainder of the work was carried out. By September 2016 the RV was ready to fly. At that time they’d used more than 15,000 rivets. For every rivet, the skin had to be dimpled to enable the rivet to sit flush with the skin. This design feature reduces the wind resistance and makes the plane more slippery and 10 knots faster. However, each rivet hole (which are all predrilled in the factory) must be dimpled and deburred on each side. As with many such jobs 75% of time is spent on preparation and deburring is very labour intensive. With two sheets for each joint and each sheet having two sides that means four activities per rivet – or more than 60,000 dimpling and deburring activities!

According to Alan, once you’ve done a few days of riveting it becomes second nature and you can do it (almost) in your sleep. The average build time for an RV is about five to seven years. Alan believes it would have taken them 14 months to build full time, if they worked continuously six hours per day for six days per week. Alan is retired, so had the time to invest in the project. However for those of us who can’t retire yet or just take leave from our full time job for a year or two there is another option. RV QuickBuild Kits are assembled at a company called Famous Secret (FS) in the Philippines, from parts supplied by Van’s. Famous Secret have been assembling Van’s QB Kits for more than 20 years and claim to cut the number of hours required to build an RV in half, from about 2000 to 1000 hours. Famous Secret fully assemble the wings, fuel tanks and fuselage which are then shipped back to Oregon for QA checks. Tail assembly is not included in the QB kit as this is the least complicated part to build and is a good part to learn the assembly process on. Alan estimates the tail would take about three months to assemble, so the Quickbuild aircraft could be assembled in a further three months full time or six months part time. Alan’s RV14 has a Hartzell constant speed propeller and a 210 hp Lycoming IO-390 which allows it to cruise comfortably at 160 knots and climb at more than 1500fpm at its gross weight of 930kg. It has a take-off distance of 150 metres and a range of about 800 nautical miles on the 190 litre tank. It is certified as private IFR. www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

FEATURE

Good quality avionics including two Garmin G3X EFIS (Electronic Flight Information Systems) are installed in Alan and Suzanne’s RV14. These are 10” and each has an AHRS (Attitude and Heading Reference System). The G3X is designed specifically for experimental/ kitplane and light sport panels. It provides full PFD attitude/directional guidance along with electronic engine gauges and terrain/obstacles alerting. Alan installed the optional ADS-B “In” with traffic and weather, ADS-B “Out” transponder, and angle of attack sensor. A Garmin autopilot system is also installed with flight director, indicated air speed hold and straight and level button. A GTN650 GNSS navigation system completes the package. One of Alan’s tips for the newbie owner/builder is to seek expert advice with the installation of the avionics. It’s too complicated and important to be left to an amateur. An aviation electronics professional should be hired. The other job that should be left to a

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Experimental Aircraft - One Way to Cut the cost of Flying

professional is the painting. An aviation painter will ensure that the finish is smooth. An auto painter will not be experienced with the details of rivets and the job will be less than satisfactory as a result. Otherwise Alan believes that anyone with an interest in mechanics and reasonable dexterity could undertake the project themselves and finish with a quality aircraft that performs as well if not better than many commercially available options at a third to a half of the cost. Alan couldn’t wait to take me up for a flight so I was soon climbing into the cabin next to him. The interior is very comfortable with plenty of width for two large adults and plenty of headroom. The bubble canopy hinges at the front allow easy access as well as access to the front of the instrument panel for maintenance. As we taxied out to Redcliffe’s RWY07, Alan briefed me about the flight and warned me about the RV grin. Apparently it’s common for the aircraft’s power and

agility to so impress passengers that they break out into a somewhat manic grin while flying. Alan explained the short take off run and how, after rotation and once at a safe take off speed, he likes to climb out steeply. Sure enough, we accelerated down the runway, lifted off and after accelerating to about 70 knots Alan pulled back on the stick and the plane climbed like the proverbial rocket! The RV grin hit me. We were at 1000 ft in no time and levelled out to head out across the bay to the local training area of Bribie Island. At 170 knots we were soon over the Bribie Bridge and Alan started to put the plane through its paces. A couple of snappy steep turns showed off its agility. Then it was my turn. I had to agree it was extremely responsive and very, very different from a Cessna 172 or 182. The RV grin returned as we turned left and right over central Bribie. Then it was time for a few stalls. Pulling back, pulling back, pulling back until the nose dropped

slightly and the descent began. I pushed the nose forward and it recovered. On the final attempt with full flaps there was a slight left wing drop, but otherwise it stayed level through the stalls. A bit of low level flight at 500 ft above the waterways and the islands followed, demonstrating what a delight it is to fly. As we approached Beachmere at 500ft Alan pulled back on the stick and the RV shot back up to 1500ft for the approach into Redcliffe. We levelled out and I felt the negative g as I was momentarily lifted off my seat. Good that there are five point seat belts on the thing! Joining the circuit via mid field cross wind was normal apart from the fact that we had to slow down appreciably to stay behind the 172 ahead of us on downwind. Alan flew a wide base and we touched down smoothly and taxied back to the hangar. In the hangar Alan showed me some of the special equipment he’d bought for the build. All up he estimates the special tools including an air compressor for the rivet gun cost about $5000. Alan’s only regret about the experience is that he ordered the kit before it was really ready for distribution. The piecemeal approach to delivery as various components became available increased the cost. Now all the various components can be ordered in one delivery so the total freight costs would be significantly lower. For this reason Alan recommends that anyone thinking of building an RV should order the complete kit in one order. Alan told me the only legally required quality inspection of an owner built aircraft is at completion, to obtain a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A), although he recommends that they’re carried out more frequently. He had his inspected before closure of various components such as ailerons, elevators, rudder and vertical stabiliser, wings and fuselage. Final inspections must be carried out by an Authorised Person (AP), who is appointed by CASA for the issuing of Certificates of Airworthiness. The Sports Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA) provides APs who are members of SAAA

and operate under the SAAA Procedures Manual. The SAAA endorsed AP provides a service to members on a fixed fee for service basis. And the costs? Alan estimates the aircraft cost them about $200,000 to build. According to the Van’s website the current cost of the RV14A kit is: Empennage with tailcone

US$4245

Wing

US$7895

Fuselage

US$9875

Finishing

US$12,885

Kit Total

US$34,900

or QuickBuild

US$47,650

plus IO-390 210HP Engine

Approx US$40k

Propeller

Approx US$8000

Approximate additional costs were: Freight

A$7500

Complete panel with avionics (installed)

A$45,000

Painting

A$15,000

Special tools and compressor

A$5000

Upholstery (Aviation Leather)

A$3000

Inspections and certification

A$2000k

Alan is keen to spread the word on experimental aircraft as he believes they can really make flying much cheaper for private pilots. He claims you can fly IFR in your own RV14 at $100 per hour at 160kts with annual service costs as low as $150. The number of experimental aircraft hangered at Redcliffe is rising steadily and Alan says there are now almost as many as there are certified aircraft. Alan is keen to offer assistance to anyone interested in taking up the challenge of building and owning their own experimental aircraft. Both he and a fellow member of the Redcliffe Aero Club, Ashley Miller, who built an RV10 a few years ago, encourage others to build their own like they did and will happily provide advice on this sort of project. They recently held a “try and fly” day at the club to show others how. As the word about experimental gets around it is fair to assume it will result in more pilots realising that ownership of a new aircraft capable of cruising faster than many twin engine aircraft can be a very affordable reality. The end result should be more pilots taking to the sky more often in the future. Those interested in flight testing the RV14 are encouraged to contact Alan as he loves sharing that RV grin. He can be contacted by email at alancarlisle@optusnet.com.au n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

FEATURE

Flying In For Brunch

Flying In For Brunch Martin Hone looks at where you can take your aeroplane for a hearty breakfast. When you own your own aircraft, a range of options present themselves, things like trips to far off destinations, weekends away or simply bashing out a few circuits just for the fun of it. One of the most enjoyable is the local breakfast fly-in, where fellow aviators gather around a simple barbecue fare of eggs and bacon, maybe baked beans and fried onion and garnished with tomato sauce between a bun. The fact that it has cost you far more than the price of similar meal at Maccas is totally irrelevant. The $100 hamburger is alive and well and pretty much all year round in Queensland, with regular monthly gatherings at the quaintlynamed Angel Field in Murgon, Watts Bridge in the Brisbane Valley, Gympie a little further north, Chinchilla out west and North Stradbroke Island off the coast. Straddie fly-in breakfasts, for example, are held on the third Saturday of every month from 8.30am to 10am. Breakfast includes fruit platters, bacon and eggs, sausages and eggs, mushrooms, baked

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

beans, creamed corn, tea, coffee and fruit juice. It’s pretty hard to beat that! Weather in the southern states can make it a bit tricky during the colder months, but that doesn’t stop the hardy folks at Kyneton and Tumut, and the rest of the year is certainly available for clubs, associations or simply individuals to put on the occasional or regular breakfast. The Mangalore Frequent Flyers used to put on a regular monthly event for the locals, and all we did was gather up two or three barbecues and a couple of tables, whiz into the local township of Seymour and buy fresh ingredients that very morning knowing what the weather was likely to be, and have it all ready to go by 0900. Years later I had reason to use the variation of a pancake brekkie pinched from Shepparton Aero Club when it was held at the grass strip near the SPC cannery, and it proved very popular at the Gatton Airpark’s annual Mother’s Day fly-in. Originally the Airpark residents did all

the catering and cooking, but it made it difficult for them to spend any time with friends and visitors, so this was outsourced, initially to the local Lions Club, and currently to the local Men’s Shed group, who have all their own mobile equipment. Any profit goes back into the local community. With anywhere from 50 - 75 aircraft plus a growing contingent of classic car enthusiasts, it pays to have good backup. This year the weather forecast cast doubt on the event, but although only 12 aircraft flew in, many more took to their cars and the Men’s Shed still made a handy profit. A little further to the north at Watt’s Bridge, the instigators obtained all the necessary items such as knives and forks, cups and plates as well as cooking utensils from the local Vinnies Op Shop, used a collection of their own barbecues and catered for 50 breakfasts for their first event in January 2016. The number was based on the numbers experienced by the Straddie event.

The crowds arrive at Gatton Airpark.

Things don’t always go to plan, and over the next two and a half hours organised chaos reigned. Barbecues that worked well in the hangar were duds out in the open. The borrowed generator had to be supplemented by another. Fortunately the brace of hot water jugs for tea and coffee performed without protest along with the two slice toaster. With 40 aircraft of all types attending, not to mention local residents and those driving in from local communities, they served 96 freshly cooked breakfasts and numerous tea, coffee and juices - far in excess of expectations. Nearly two years later, the group has amassed two tents, some four slice toasters, a 40 litre urn and an extra donated BBQ. All profits having been put back into the event. So you see, all it takes is a bit of coercion and organising and your club too can have a great little event. Other than good hot food and coffee, the main thing is promotion. Word of mouth is ok but needs a bigger voice, and as most of us have found, all that is required is

letting the flying magazines know in advance of their deadlines so it can be added to the upcoming events page, plus listing it on the Aeroclub.com.au site, and that is about it. And it’s free. Alternatively, have a look at these same resources and see who is having an event within an hour’s flying time of your home base. You may be surprised that there is a whole lot of people having fun with their aircraft that is generally under

the radar. I just checked, and there are 19 events listed nationally for the month of September alone! There is really no excuse not to get as much enjoyment out of your pride and joy as possible. Flying your own aircraft with friends through the crisp morning air, arriving at an out of the way destination to catch up acquaintances or meet new friends is truly one of life’s great pleasures. www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Taming the Wild ‘Wilgabeast.’

FEATURE Photos: Mark Smith

Wide open doors for parachute ops

Taming the Wild ‘Wilgabeast’ It’s a big Pole with a bad attitude! Mark Smith meets a unique taildragger. The human eye is designed to appreciate beauty. Nearly everybody enjoys seeing the flowing form of good design, be it in the shape of a Cirrus or a sculpture by Michelangelo. Even Cessnas have an appeal, with their tear-drop spats and sloping windscreens. And then you have the Wilga. Stand back and it looks like an insect, with bent spindly legs, a huge front end and a rear like a large pipe. The wings are massive slabs with a variety of protrusions, most of which seem too big for where they are. The closer you get the bigger it seems, though the feeling that you are looking at something that is far from attractive never leaves. But not everything that flies needs to be beautiful. The Black Vulture is a bird

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

that only its mother could love, and the Eastern Wild Turkey is truly a frightening sight! What the Wilga does have is the capability to lift a load out of a short strip, endure the hardest of landings and drag up to three gliders into the sky at the one time. Good looks - who needs them? The design dates back to the early 1960s when Poland's Light Aircraft Science and Production Centre in Warsaw began development of the Wilga as a replacement for the general purpose Czechoslovak L60 Brigadyr utility, to be used for parachute operations and gliding towing. The PZL WN-6RB 220hp horizontally-opposed engine powered the prototype. Test flights revealed a

number of design faults, most notably the aircraft being overweight and a lack of visibility backwards which compromised its use as a glider tug. This resulted in an airframe review that thoroughly redesigned the aircraft, led by Bronisław Żurakowski and Andrzej Frydrychewicz. They retained major structural elements and successful sub-assemblies from the wings in the initial design and added a completely new slimmer and strengthened fuselage that also offered an excellent rear view for the crew during glider towing operations. The side doors were re-engineered to open upwards for better use as an observation aircraft or for parachute operations. The upgraded aircraft could be flown with

Utility style cockpit

the doors open if required, and had an air ambulance conversion capability. The Wilga MKII flew in August 1963, powered by the same 220hp engine, and a short production run followed though a lack of development with this engine saw it eventually replaced by the 260 hp Ivchenko AI-14R radial, becoming the MKIII. A version of the Wilga, called the model 32, was exported to Indonesia and had a North American -certified 225 hp (168 kW) horizontally-opposed Continental O-470 engine. It was also built there as the Gelatik. Various minor design changes ensued, with the Wilga 35 being introduced in 1967, followed later by the Wilga 80 in 1979. This was aimed at the US market. More than 1000 Wilgas have been

produced, with 935 of the most popular, the model 35 and model 80, rolling off the production line. To date it is the most produced Polish aircraft. The final versions in the 1990s and into the 2000s saw the reintroduction of Lycoming flat engines, the IO-540 rated at 300hp, for the US market. This was designated the Wilga 2000. Production ceased in 2006. Bunbury Flying School has a 1975 Wilga 35 in the hangar, though it’s not there as a part of the training fleet. Flying school owner Blair Howe saw the aircraft and decided its quirky looks appealed to him and so bought it. The school’s general manager Dennis Coxall is one of the pilots who flies the aircraft and was happy to perform the introductions for Australian Pilot. He started by explaining

some of the ‘interesting’ characteristics of the beast. “If you have a tail wheel endorsement and someone said ‘hey, I’ve got a tail wheel aircraft’, you’d think you could fly that. “Well let me tell you it’s pretty different. It’s a metre higher than something like a Maule, and the centre of gravity is much further back. You’ve got a big, powerful radial engine turning a huge prop in the opposite direction to a regular aeroplane. You have to really keep on top of it.” There being no time like the present to sample such an aeroplane it was time to saddle up and head out. This isn’t an aeroplane you climb into, more climb up on to get in. Once on board, the cockpit is a hodgepodge of Polish www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Taming the Wild ‘Wilgabeast.’

FEATURE

Ugly? No. Unique? Yes.

It’s a long way up to refuel

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

labels, with English subtitles for the important switches. The stick and throttle are huge compared to other tailwheel aircraft I’ve previously flown and the height above the ground is truly daunting. The view straight ahead is very limited though leaning to the side gives a good idea of what’s ahead. Starting the Ivchenko radial involves making sure the air is turned on because these former Soviet radials use an air start system. Then it’s a matter of pumping the prime for what seems like an eternity until there is pressure showing. Finally it’s throttle slightly open, ignition on and hit the button, which directs compressed air into the cylinders. The start is announced by a blast of smoke and a beautiful radial burble that rocks the airframe on its undercarriage legs. Taxiing is the next challenge as the wing is also big, so hugging the centreline of the taxiway is vital to prevent an embarrassing accident. With such a powerful engine and only two on board it didn’t take much power to keep us moving and the toe brakes kept it nicely in line, though with the warnings about the Wilga’s love of swapping ends ringing in the ears, a slow taxi is a good one. Lining up on the grass and we picked a point at the end of the runway to aim at. Thankfully there was almost no wind. Advancing the power and it was immediately obvious Dennis’s warnings were spot on and the Wilga decided it wanted everyone to admire the trees on the right of the runway. A hard dab of left and we could see the runway again and then suddenly as the tail came up she lifted off and commenced a lusty climb. It needed a boot of left to keep everything balanced and the VSI showed a healthy 1000fpm minute climb as the ASI showed 70kts. Dennis stowed the flaps and the climb rate increased a touch with the speed staying pretty much the same. Level at 2000ft and it was as he said; just a big, slightly heavy aeroplane with a great view and nice manners. With the power back to 2300rpm she was

showing 83kts. Bringing the power back and dropping a stage of flap allowed us to maintain 65kts with full control authority, proving its pedigree as an observation platform. Back to the circuit and the hard part. Dennis had mentioned that if the takeoff gets your attention, the landing dominates your thinking! “It’s got away from me about four times and when it gets away it’s severe. That’s on bitumen, whereas on the grass it’s not as bad. But if you have people in the back and you are landing on a hard surface it can be tricky. The seats are a long way back. If the tail comes around too far and the nose gets off centre you just can’t get it back. The critical time is between touch down and 30kts,” he says. So lined up, power is back to about 1400rpm, full flaps and a shade over 60kts. The trick is to remember the sight picture in the three point attitude. As we come over the runway we pull the power back and begin the flare at what looks like a good height. BANG! We hit hard and the Wilga bounced up again, though not high. A touch of power and hold the stick in the same attitude and it touched down again and stuck. A

bit of footwork and she slowed passed the magic number and stopped. Thankfully our next one was better so on that note it was time to call it quits and take stock. The Wilga was designed as a tool to do a number of jobs, at a time when fuel was the least of an operator’s worries, especially in the eastern bloc. It would still do those jobs today, especially towing three gliders at once. It’s roomy which would make long cross countries very comfortable, except for the fact at 80kts, burning 80lph it’d be an

expensive trip. Despite its unique looks it is certainly a fun aeroplane to fly that allows a pilot to use their hard earned skills to tame its eccentric ways. Dennis says the aeroplane was purchased simply because Blair saw it and decided he liked it. “Blair is an aviation enthusiast and loves anything that is out of the ordinary. The Wilga came up and there are only two or three in the country so he bought it. If there were more enthusiasts like Blair there would be more interesting aircraft on the register.” n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

FEATURE

Keeping Flying in the Family

Photos: Mark Smith

Steve with his sons Ben and Dan

Keeping Flying in the Family Mark Smith meets a flying dynasty that’s passed a love of aviation through three generations.

Steve’s Dad, Bob Curtis

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Steve Curtis loves to teach people about flying. His day job is as a senior simulator instructor at an iconic Australian airline, guiding airline pilots through their type ratings as well as helping new hires learn the ropes operating big jets. Then on weekends he can be found at Camden, at times teaching the same pilots he sees in the 747-400 simulator, to use their feet in a taildragger such as a J3 Cub or Aviat Husky. Instructing was almost written into his destiny given his father was also a flying

instructor and, as a youngster, Steve would spend his weekends at the airfield with his Dad Bob, washing aeroplanes and scrounging rides in the club 172. His father had a special connection with aviation that drove him to want to fly from an early age. “He was bitten by the aviation bug when he was a young guy. I think it was when he was only seven or eight years old and Smithy, as in Charles Kingsford Smith, was doing his flying around the countryside selling joyrides in the Southern Cross.

So dad’s first flight was with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, in the Southern Cross, out of the sportsground at Goulburn.” Later during WWII Bob Curtis tried to get into the RAAF as a pilot but his eyesight was deemed below the standard required so he trained as a wireless operator. Just as his training finished the war ended, so he left the military, trained as a teacher, and returned to Goulburn where he worked at the local high school. But flying wasn’t out of his system. “There was quite an active aero club at Goulburn so dad learned to fly at Goulburn Aero Club. Back then, I don’t know if they had much formal training for instructors, but he was a school teacher and a pilot so it was a natural progression to become a flying instructor.” Bob’s work life involved school teaching Monday to Friday and then instructing at Camden on weekends. At the time the family were living at Kemps Creek, then a remote outer suburb of Sydney. It was at this time Steve became involved in aviation. “The aeroclub had a 172, so I used to sit in the back while he was doing lessons. I used to hate stalling!” Steve says. “But eventually, I overcame that. I ran a little logbook and I had around 160 hours backseat time before I started learning.” In his early teens Steve started to take the controls with his father by his side. “We were doing a ferry down to Goulburn when I first flew a Cessna 172, Delta Juliet Golf. It was the first aeroplane I ever flew. On weekends I used to wash the aeroplanes for the aero club and in return I’d get to go and do a circuit, so that’s where I started. It wasn’t formal flying training but that’s where I got to do take-offs and landings. “I formally started my training probably about a month before my 16th birthday and back then the Department of Transport and Communication had to issue me a student licence. I was born on Christmas Day, so I couldn’t get it issued on my birthday. The best day they could do was New Year’s Eve. So I went solo on New Year’s Eve in a little Cessna 150 out of Camden.” Steve’s dad was his instructor through most of his training, though the relationship between father and son suffered no ill effects while they were

“But it is the only time I think that I felt any tinge of nervousness when I’ve sent someone solo. I think that was the dad in me, not the flying instructor.

Steve at the controls of an Aviat Husky

flying together. “I got on well with dad. He was a really great instructor and it was a good time in my life. I had a family friend who did some of my night training only because he was good at that sort of stuff and didn’t mind doing it,” Steve says. “As a consequence of learning to fly with dad I had to do all my flight tests with CASA. In hindsight, and I never asked

dad about this before he passed away, I think he probably arranged it that way. At the time I thought I was unlucky because CASA never did any of those tests. They did my PPL and CPL flight tests. But I don’t regret that at all.” Steve was ready to take the test for his restricted pilots licence by the middle of the year but had to wait until his 17th birthday to legally complete the check www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Keeping Flying in the Family

FEATURE

pressured so you can focus on what you need to learn.” Ben adds his take on flying with his dad. “It was really good. We did a flying camp at Temora in about April 2015 with a few other people. I almost got my RAA pilot certificate in the Champ but we ran out of time so later in the year we went to Doug’s property at Whorouly and finished it there. “It took a bit longer with more chopping and changing but we haven’t learned in the typical aircraft you would that flies out of Bankstown. These were old taildraggers which were a lot more fun.” Apart from nerves sending his sons solo, Steve says he was more worried

Steve with his J3 Cub

flight. Then he chipped away at the requirements for his commercial pilots licence, and when that milestone was passed he began working towing banners. “I was working for the Commonwealth Bank with an intention of getting into commercial aviation but I got married, had children, and then started looking more at a banking career and just doing part time flying on weekends like my dad did.” But the banking world was in line for second place when, in 1989, a Qantas captain convinced Steve and work at his new flying school. The lure of flying a diverse range of aeroplanes including a Beech 18, a Tiger Moth and three Chipmunks was too much to resist and so he entered the life as a full time instructor. “I worked with him for two or three years until we had a bit of a disagreement between what I should be earning and what he thought I should be paid. So I left, with an intention to going back into banking.”

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

But again that wasn’t to be when some friends suggested they go into partnership, setting up their own flying school. So despite not having enough experience to be CFI, Curtis Aviation was born at Camden. “Dad took over as CFI until I got enough experience. Then he became ill so I took over as CFI and ran that for eight or nine years.” He sold it to Rob Marshall and his son Craig in early 2000. “Running a school is ok but jeez it is hard work. It’s seven days a week, 24 hours a day really.” Since that time Steve has worked as a sim instructor, though he has still been involved in GA. When his sons were old enough they joined their dad in the cockpit and continued the family tradition. “It was so great to be able to teach both of them,” he says. “But it is the only time I think that I felt any tinge of nervousness when I’ve sent someone solo. I think that was the dad in

me, not the flying instructor. I borrowed Doug Hamilton’s Aeronca Champ and we’d go to Temora and do these one week camps. Ben was first, then Dan.” Dan Curtis has been listening to his father and chimes in about learning to fly. “I was about 18 when I formally started. I grew up around aviation and I spent most of my childhood out here at the airport so it was always going to happen,” he says. “He does change a bit when he’s teaching us. It’s a bit like taking his dad hat off and putting on his instructor’s hat. I think you have to do that if you want to teach properly.” But while the instructor’s hat was being worn during lessons, Dan says the dynamic between father and son never changed. “He is very calm and thoughtful in his personal life and it just transitions into the instructing side as well. He got a very calming instructing style which is good. You don’t feel overwhelmed and

teaching the boys to drive. “It was stressful teaching them to drive because you don’t have dual controls. And I think if you hadn’t done flight training where you have got a piece of machinery that’s got dual controls, you wouldn’t notice the difference. I certainly feel uncomfortable sitting there without controls.” Ben says while he’s studying engineering at university he has every intention of getting his commercial and instructor rating and following in the family business. “I am doing my commercial subjects at the moment, though I’m definitely not

up to scratch with the flying yet. I am just finishing my PPL now,” he says. “I’d love to at least get my commercial and then maybe do some instructing or joy flights. It would be great to not only fly for a hobby but have a genuine reason to be flying as well. It’s a long way down the track but if you can pass on what you’ve learned that’s always a good thing. “Dan is doing the same thing.” With the memory of their grandfather, and the ongoing teaching skills of their father, its little wonder the Curtis flying dynasty is continuing with two young pilots who love old aeroplanes. n

WIN A FIGHTER PILOT EXPERIENCE

Join or renew your membership for your chance to win TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. OFFER AVAILABLE 1 SEPT TO 30 OCT 2017. PRIZE DRAW 1 NOV 2017

www.aopa.com.au www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

EAA Airventure Oshkosh – A Trip for all Pilots. Scale Composite’s Whiteknight One.

EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH –

A Trip for all Pilots B29 ‘Doc’ cockpit

How do you fit more than 10,000 aeroplanes onto one airfield? Michelle O’Hare got to find out. I’ll admit I was concerned. After years of hearing stories about the EAA Airventure from other pilots I had set my expectations so high I was a little worried that I might be left disappointed. Thankfully that wasn’t the case as I joined about 600,000 aircraft owners, pilots and aviation enthusiasts in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for my first trip to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Airventure. My expectations were exceeded enormously by the combination of ground activities, flying displays and like-minded people which combined to make my experience at EAA Airventure truly memorable.

The Aeroshell Aerobatic display team.

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Flying Displays Each day the flying displays were different with a huge variety of aircraft in every shape and size. Some of the highlights were the precision aerobatic

attracted my attention.

Michelle learns how to rivet

displays by the Blue Angels and modern looking aircraft like NASA’s Proteus research aircraft and the B2 Stealth bomber. It was interesting to see upgraded standard aircraft like a Bonanza performing aerobatics and a biplane with a jet engine. For me the highlight of the flying displays was the Warbirds Spectacular. Watching as formations of more than 20

warbird aircraft flew above and across other large aircraft formations was amazing. Then there were numerous B25 bomber aircraft that circled above as explosions of fire and smoke were set off on the runway before rarely seen aircraft like two B17s joined the show. The flying displays were only scheduled for the afternoon, but I was always looking up as aircraft flying overhead

Workshops The EAA Airventure was not just about incredible air displays. The ground program was filled with a large variety of workshops and forums on just about every aviation topic. Attending the Homebuilders Workshops was my favourite ground activity as it provided me with the opportunity to hear experts share their knowledge before getting the chance to try out my new hands-on aircraft construction skills. During the week I challenged myself with activities I had never tried before including TIG welding, riveting, fabric covering, wood construction and composites. The instructors were really knowledgeable and catered to beginners like myself as well as the more advanced who had already started to build their own aircraft. One fascinating workshop was on hypoxia. The program began by discussing the signs and symptoms of hypoxia before we stepped into a box with an oxygen level set to an altitude of 28,000 ft. We were to complete puzzles www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

WARBIRDS

FEATURE

The Beech 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

A Warbird in Civilian Guise

Cub Alley is always a great sight

Lineup of B-25s

while observing the effects of the lack of oxygen. Within three minutes my head felt heavy, my vision went blurry and after not responding to my name being called twice I was instructed to put my oxygen mask on. This experience was a real eyeopener about what hypoxia feels like and how quickly you can become affected. The People The attitude of all the participants made the entire week extremely enjoyable. Everyone was passionate about aviation and keen to share their experiences and knowledge. Although I attended the airshow on my own there were very few moments that I actually spent time by myself. Even the short moments waiting in line to catch the bus were filled with aviation conversation. I highly recommend the EAA Airventure. The entire week was amazing and while I was able to see so much I still did not see everything. I am already planning to go back next year! n

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Beech produced more than 9000 of its model 18. Mark Smith meets the owner of an Australian Beech 18. Michelle with the C47 that led Operation Overlord. Paul Bennet and Chris Tibbets in the Beech 18 www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

WARBIRDS

WARBIRDS Photos: Mark Smith

Old military style cockpit

Chris Tibbets

Chris Tibbetts is a young bloke with a huge commitment to historical aviation. There can’t be any other reason why the Maitland-based commercial pilot would decide his second foray into aircraft ownership would be as custodian of a large, twin radial powered taildragger, years after selling his first aeroplane, a diminutive home-built Corby Starlet. Yet sitting in the office of Paul BennetAirshows, even he seems to struggle to explain exactly why he took it on. “It was sitting on the side of the strip at Murwillumbah and hadn’t flown for a few years. It’d never been on the Australian register. I heard about it and I was in the right place at the right time. Against Paul’s

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

advice I bought it,” he says. “I mean look, it’s a Beech 18. It’s a classic bit of gear. It’s got those two round thirsty engines that sound great and it’s got a small wheel at the right end of the fuselage.”The purchase occurred in October 2015, with the owner ferrying the aircraft to Maitland. What followed was a two year restoration. “We gutted the aeroplane. She was ripped down to bare bones including taking the wings off. There were bits of surface corrosion that meant some panels had to be replaced. The interior was completely refurbished including new cabin windows and a new windscreen. The control cables were replaced, plus all new engine hoses. The engines were fine but when the props went in for

overhaul there was pitting in the hubs so they were replaced with completely new units,” Chris says. “She ended being a bit of a money pit but it’s been worth it. Just a classic aeroplane, with classic lines. How could you not love it?” Once the restoration was complete, veteran airshow pilot Paul Bennetstepped in to do the test flying though he took Chris along to help with operating the many systems on board. “I felt it was a good idea to have another set of hands when we took it out for the first time. It’s not a handful but some things can be hard to reach,” Paul says. “For example you want to get the gear up quickly on take-off, and if we’d have had

a problem getting the wheels back down it’s safer to have someone else windingthe emergency gear extension wheel. “I haven’t had heaps of twin engine tail wheel experience, though I had flown the Hudson which is bigger, but very similar. It’s a nice thing to fly. It’s got a decent amount of control feel and the control balance is pretty good. Performance is not sensational but it’s ok. It won’t be a great performer on one engine but it’ll be fine.” The aeroplane was built in 1952 for the Royal Canadian Airforce as a 3TM Expeditor, which Chris has honoured by naming the Beech ‘Miss Maple’. It was primarily a transport aircraft, with seats, but was still wired and plumbed for rapid conversion as a navigation trainer. It was www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

WARBIRDS

Tiger Flying, 21st Century Style

sold out of service in 1967 to Hamilton Aviation who performed the necessary modifications to register the aircraft for civilian use, including fitting a spar strap to satisfy an FAA airworthiness directive. It then worked as a freighter until the early 1980s when it was sold into private hands. Allan Miles bought the aircraft and ferried her to Australia in 1999. Allan owned Australian Outback Safaris, a company that hired Cessnas to American pilots so they could fly the outback, and he used the Beech as a support aircraft for

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

these trips. He kept the aircraft on the US register, finding it was easier to operate the aircraft on his American licence. Eventually the economics of the big Beech became its downfall, which led to it being parked outside at Murwillumbah waiting for a new owner. Chris has plans for Miss Maple to become a regular performer at airshows across Australia. “The plan is to take it to airshows and put it in limited category and do adventure flights. Our aim is to be able to offer

families the experience of warbird aviation. When we found Miss Maple it fitted into so many of our requirements; it’s a warbird, it has a tailwheel and it’s big enough to take the family on a flight” he says. “I’ll do my conversion once we have ironed out all of the bugs. It certainly keeps you busy but it’s just a matter of getting back into the routine of flying a twin.” Paul chips in. “It’s not too bad in a crosswind, as long as you are current. It’d get a bit ugly in the wrong hands.” n

Garry Herne simply can’t not fly. He tells Mark Smith why he jumps out of the A-330 and into his Tigers.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

WARBIRDS

Photos: Mark Smith

“The Yak is just bullet proof. You can throw it around and you’ll hurt yourself before you’ll hurt the aeroplane. It’s stressed to plus 7 and minus 5 G”.

Garry over the Melbourne CBD

The ageing hangar door groans in protest as it’s pushed along the rusty rails. The morning sun pierces the darkness revealing a silver biplane, its nose held high. A leather-clad aviator grabs a strut and pulls the machine through the door into the daylight. The faintest zephyr of wind stirs the grass of the huge all over airfield. It’s time to fly. 1941? No. Not quite, though the happy passengers behind the fence are here to experience the thrill of early aviation. And Garry Herne is ready to provide it. Some airline pilots start wineries to fill in their non-flying time, others sail

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

yachts. Garry flies old bi-planes. He loves them so much he started a business to show people what aviation used to be like. Vintage Tiger Moth Joyflights might be a touch unimaginative but it tells the whole story of what he’s about. His day-to-day aircraft is much, much larger than the venerable old Tiger Moth. Three hundred passengers stream on board and he helps transport them across Australia and beyond in air-conditioned comfort. It’s very regimented, though he’s loath to say boring. “In the A-330 we have a bunch of computers keeping us out of trouble. It’s a more mentally demanding type of

flying. We have to study continually to make sure we are always prepared. The travelling public expects that and I’m happy to do it. It’s part of the challenge of airline flying,” Garry says. By now the first passenger of the day has been given a warm flying jacket to wear, received a thorough safety briefing and is being strapped in. Their family watches on from the fence line, sharing the excitement as their loved one gets to experience a 60 year old aeroplane first hand. Some are surprised when the engine is started by hand. “Flying the Tiger requires much more raw skill,” says Garry as he straps himself in.

“In the air it might be a slow old dear but landing and taking off reminds me that I have feet and I have to use them. With a 10 knot headwind I’m touching down at about 35 knots groundspeed. That doesn’t sound much unless you’re ground looping. People forget that 35 knots is near 50mph. Go and spin your car at that speed, then tell me a ground loop can’t hurt. “In the air that rudder is definitely a primary flight control. You can fly a Cessna all day without touching it but try flying the Tiger without it and you enter a spiral dive in about a minute, guaranteed. “In the Airbus I have to program a

number of things to accomplish a simple task like take off and climb to cruise. During my endorsement I had to learn Airbus logic, as opposed to the Boeing way of doing things. “Flying the Tiger is much more liberating, though I do find myself wondering why they put some things where they did.” The aircraft is maintained to charter category standards. That’s a neat trick with an aeroplane built before the term was merely a glint in a regulator’s eye. Another essential trick is finding an engineer who enjoys working with wood and fabric.

“I actually fly the aircraft all the way down to Nelson near Mt Gambier so rag and tube expert Harvey McBain can keep everything humming along,” he says. “Despite the age of the airframe there is wealth of knowledge about how to keep Tigers flying safely. Inspection processes using x-rays and dye penetrant technology mean critical areas get looked at in far greater detail than the manufacturers could have imagined 60 years ago. Glues used in rebuilding wooden structures as well as modern synthetic covering materials also contribute to the overall integrity of these aircraft. “The engine in VH-LJM was www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

WARBIRDS

Lima Juliet Mike over Point Cook.

rebuilt a few years ago, being updated with aluminium heads and modern Slick magnetos. I could have added an electric starter but that would be going too far.” As a grudging concession to the 21st century the aircraft has a radio, transponder, brakes and a tailwheel. These make operation in the busy airspace system around Melbourne easy. “Brakes and the tailwheel mean I can operate without a wingwalker on paved runways, though at Point Cook I always use the grass. It’s easier on the soft compound tyres for one thing and being an all over airfield means I’m always operating into the wind.” With the engine purring away the aircraft trundles off towards the active runway. Passengers have the choice of a nice straight and level scenic

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Garry’s latest aeroplane, a CT-4

flight around the city, with the more adventurous choosing to enjoy a few minutes of gentle Tiger Moth aerobatics at the end of the flight. Soon the silver Tiger is nothing more than a shimmering shape at the end of the airfield. It turns, and the Gipsy Major produces a distant rumble as full power leads to a gentlemanly run down the runway towards flight. The tail comes up and the aircraft seems to levitate, roaring overhead as the passenger’s family wave enthusiastically at the lucky soul headed for a flight into the past. “I generally cruise at around 72 knots with the engine running at about 1950rpm. That’s a nice gentle speed that keeps everything sedate,” he says. “For the aerobatics I cruise climb on the way back to the airfield to 4000 feet

and then just use the energy going back down the hill to do a spin, a few loops, and rolls with the odd wing over thrown in. It’s all very low-G stuff.” Being a former military pilot means Garry holds an aerobatic endorsement down to 500 feet though the passengers don’t get their aerobatic experience that low to the ground. So why base a business around a 60-year-old aeroplane that’s slow and maintenance intensive? “Simple really. It was the cheapest aerobatic aeroplane available when I was looking for something to buy after I’d been in the airlines for a while. The idea of operating it as a business only came about as a way of off-setting some of the operating costs. It came as a big surprise to me how popular joyflights in the old beast are.”

After a few years flying passengers at 70 knots across Melbourne, Garry saw a demand for something that could provide a few more Gs for eager thrill seekers. The solution? Buy a Yak 52! YYA joined the fleet a few years agoand has proven to be a popular addition to his business. “It’s just bullet proof. You can throw it around and you’ll hurt yourself before you’ll hurt the aeroplane. It’s stressed to plus 7 and minus 5 G. Passengers get a huge adrenaline rush as they experience high Gs in a military style aeroplane doing the sort of aerobatics you see at airshows,” he said. “The Yak is easy to maintain and getting spares is not a problem.” A few years ago another grand old lady of the skies joined LJM and YYA in providing joy flights to the people of

Melbourne. BEN is a 1942 Tiger that came on the market after its owner retired from flying. This means formation flights are available when two people want to experience old-style flight together. “I’m lucky in that I haven’t had much trouble finding qualified pilots among my friends, most of whom happen to fly for the airlines. This means the operation continues when I’m off on a trip. Everyone I’ve asked has been keen to have a go. “The insurance company likes pilots with lots of hours, and with at least 50 hours on tail wheel aircraft. That’s not hard to find among my peer group.” Flying from Point Cook is something of a homecoming for Garry. He was on the last course to graduate from the RAAF Academy before it was moved to Canberra. He joined Qantas in 1995, where he has

flown the 747-400, the 737 and now the A-330 for China Southern Airlines. Recently the demand by passengers for different ex-military aircraft to fly in saw Garry buy a CT-4B, allowing him to come full circle and again fly the aircraft type he originally learned to fly in. After twisting and turning overhead the old biplane lands long on the grass and quickly taxis back in. The engine stops and the family surges forwards to greet the now grinning passenger. Pictures are taken in front of the aircraft before everyone walks off to the aero club for a quick drink, their excited chatter audible miles away. In the age of sanitised air travel yet another passenger has been touched by aviation history. They’ll never think about flying the same way again. n www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Graphical Weather

FEATURE

Graphical Weather The Bureau of Meteorology currently produces Area Forecasts (ARFORs) for 28 areas across Australia.

Vertical extent of an area forecast Graphical Area Forecasts will cover the area between the surface and 10,000FT as per ICAO requirements.

These ARFORs are provided in a text format and consist of an overview detailing the general meteorological situation followed by sections giving more detailed forecasts of various meteorological parameters. The format of Australian ARFORs does not comply with ICAO Annex 3 specifications. In addition, the aviation industry has provided feedback that they would prefer Area Forecasts in a graphical format. In order to align the format with international best practice and to meet industry needs, the Bureau has progressed work in reviewing the requirements to support the implementation of Graphical Area Forecasts (GAF).

Grid Point Wind and Temperature (GPWT) chart Currently, ARFORs have a section for wind and temperature information. With the production of GAF low-level winds and temperatures will be provided in a Grid Point Wind and Temperature format, similar to Mid-level and High-level GPWT charts.

Graphical Area Forecast Graphical Area Forecasts are a combination of graphical and text information. The GAF is broken up into different sub-areas that share common characteristics of weather, visibility or cloud that change in a similar fashion during the period of the forecast. GAF is divided into separate sections to provide information on weather and visibility, cloud and freezing level for different subareas within a GAF during the period of the forecast.

Key changes Some details of the GAF are still not finalised and the format of GAF is subject to change. The GAF will be introduced on 9 November 2017. Changes to Area Forecast boundaries GAFs will be produced for 10 areas across Australia (green boundaries) compared to 28 areas currently (brown boundaries). GAF areas will be given names, for example, NSW-E, NSW-W, NT, QLD-N, QLD-S, SA, TAS, VIC, WA-S, WA-N, instead of area numbering format currently used.

Changes to Area Forecast content. The key changes to the elements of area forecasts are detailed in the table.

Proposed GPWT areas.

Changes to Area QNH boundaries The current number of Area QNH boundaries will remain the same; however, the Area QNH boundaries is proposed to be modified to align with GAF boundaries.

Current Area Forecast and the proposed Graphical Area Forecast boundaries.

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Amendments to GAFs and GAF Corrections It should be noted that GAFs will not be amended. Advice of an amendment for deteriorating conditions will be solely in the form of an AIRMET. A GAF Correction will be issued between standard issues times to notify of: •T ypographical error; •E rrors such as transmitting before completion; and • I mprovement in conditions (e.g. removal of fog, thunderstorms, etc.)

Proposed Area QNH and GAF Boundaries.

An example GAF for NSW West (NSW-W).

Grid Point Wind and Temperature chart Graphical Area Forecasts are not proposed to include low-level winds. Low-level winds and temperatures will be provided in a Grid Point Wind and Temperature (GPWT) format as produced for mid and high-level flights. The low-level GPWT chart will provide wind and temperature information for vertical levels of 1000FT, 2000FT, 5000FT, 7000FT, 10,000FT and 14,000FT.

An example of GPWT chart for NSW.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

DIRECTORY iation related To advertise your av 9791 9099 service here Call 02

QUEENSLAND

an ames Jan James

J J

Aviation Insurance Consultants

(02) 6294 1383 General AviationPhInsurance Products Fax Non-Ownership (02) 6294 9026 Hull and Liability, Aircraft Liability PhMobile: (02) 6294 04161383 022 490 Aerial Application Liability, Hangarkeepers Liability, Fax (02) janjames@pcug.org.au 6294 9026 Email: Freight Insurance Mobile: 0416 022 490

Email: janjames@pcug.org.au PO Box0416 134 Calwell Mobile: 022 490ACT 2905 C ANBERRA A GENT FOR QBE A VIATION Email: janjames@grapevine.com.au PO POBox Box3005, 134 Lemon CalwellTree ACTPassage 2905 NSW 2319

68181 JJ 01

SERVICES

ACT

ACGANBERRA E N T F O RA GENT Q B E FOR A V IQBE AT I O NA VIATION

68181 JJ 01

AVIATION

VICTORIA

NATIONAL

NEW SOUTH WALES

or email:

Looking for Cheaper Maintenance for your aircraft

.com.au advertising@aopa

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

I may be able to help you For example 100 hourly from $1100.00 inc GST (Plus parts as required)

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION

220 Chesterville Road, Moorabbin, 3189 MAIL TO: P.O. Box 615 Moorabbin, 3189 PHONE 61 3 9532 1411, FAX 61 3 9532 3001 ask for TONY TAGGART E-MAIL tony@smithtaggart.com.au

AVIATION ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICES

“There are three kinds of people those who can count and those who can’t” ~ Wincorn’s Law call SMITH TAGGART, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

AVGAS JET A1 NOW AVAILABLE PORT PIRIE SA SELF SERVE CERDIT CARD BOWSER 24/7 JET A1 NOW AVAILABLE FOOD AND DRINKS AVAILABLE NO LANDING FEES PORT PIRIE FLYING GROUP

ENQUIRIES PHONE 0407 602 077 or 0419 826 754

AVGAS Naracoorte

CENTRAL AVIATION Aircraft Maintenance Engineers

For details phone Doug 0418 624 297 HANGAR 272 BANKSTOWN AIRPORT SYDNEY NSW 2200 central.aviation@hotmail.com

Founded in 1950 by pioneering aviatrix the late Nancy-Bird Walton, the AWPA aims to: • Assist women to follow their piloting aspirations in ﬁxed wing, rotary wing, recreational, gliding or ballooning • Encourage networking among women pilots • Promote training, employment and careers in aviation Activities and services include: - Meetings and get togethers - Guest speakers - Fly-aways - Airnews magazine An extensive range of scholarships and awards – 2017 applications now open. Annual conferences that include educational seminars, social functions, air navigation trial, and presentation of trophies, scholarships and awards. Information and application forms – go to: www.awpa.org.au

Credit card bowser - 24/7 NO LANDING FEES Enquiries (08) 8762 1721

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

PLACES

» New South Wales

» Queensland

CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE Aircraft

AEROSTARS TWO of, Aerostar WGK 601P 1978 4000 hours Located Bankstown Missing one motor Machen conversion. Two new machen props AEROSTAR TLL 601P for parts. Motor and props 400 hours – t/r, calendar timed. A/frame unserviceable. Otherwise complete. Located Northam WA can dismantle and freight $50,000 for both Will split phone 0466 305 619

CESSNA 172C wrecking motor continental 1400 hrs t.R. $10,000 CESSNA 172B nil hr continental wings, tailplanes interior stripped $20,000 will sell nil hr. Motor firewall forward separate if required. Contact Bruce Symes: mobile 0466 305 619

» Victoria

» Northern Territory Barkly Homestead Wayside Inn

Northern Territory - Cnr Barkly & Tableland Highways 19 43’S 135 49’E

NEW AV-GAS TANK! A great place to stop 4 1200 metre airstrip 4 Av-gas tank 4 Fully licensed bar 4 Jet A1 4 ATM/Eftpos 4 R estaurant

AUSTER J5G AUTOCAR VH-JSG a J5G Autocar has finally become available for purchase and is ready for a new home and owner. This aircraft is immaculate and has won Best Auster/Aircraft at every flyin it has been to. JSG has been hangared since restoration, leaving it still looking new. • 180 Hp engine – carries good load off ground in a short distance. • New leading edges • New and improved brakes • New alternating system. For more details, please see www.bestauster.com or contact Grayden: graydenl@hotmail.com

VH XLE 1983 C172P TTAF 2700 EHTR 780 new cylinders 2015. S Tec AP Barrett HF, 234 liters fuel. 1 owner 30 years. Requires SIDS & cables next year NDH $100,000 plus GST Mobile: 0746541659 AH

2007 Glasair Sportsman 2+2 VH-PNN. 185 hrs TT. Lycoming IO 360. C.S. Hartzel. Dynon D100. VM 1000. Icom IC-A 210 com. GTX 327 Txpdr. Tru Track A/pilot with Alt hold coupled to Bendix King Skymap IIIC. Leather interior. Folding wings. Winner Avalon 2009-Champion Concours D’Elegance & Best Overall Sport Aircraft. $150,000 no GST. Ring Peter Nelson 0418 949 943 or email peternelson666@gmail .com

CESSNA 180. 1956 Low time eng/prop/ airframe. Immaculate 9.5 inside/out. Loaded extras, hangared. Aircraft will be available with fresh 100 hourly and SIDS compliant. Serious enquiries to: hangar. bum@hotmail.com CESSNA 150K 1969 Engine T.B.O 1,525 Prop 800 VHF- AFD Many spares Always hangered. Call 08 8676 5093 (evenings please) CESSNA 162 SKYCATCHER 2011 Always hangered during 344 hrs TT. Presents as new with 2nd MFD + EGT. Based Maitland Aerodrome $85,000 ono Ph 02 4932 8888

4A ir-conditioned motel and 4 Swimming Pool4 c abin

BEECHCRAFT SUNDOWNER B23. 1979. VH UML Total Time 5239. Engine To Run 552 Prop To Run 556 Night VMC $45,000 Ph Peter Wright 0428 381 155

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

Cessna Skycatcher 162 Aircraft Registration:- 24/8182. Aircraft Airframe Total Time TT:- 250. Manufactured:2012. Location:- Moree.Selling Price:$132000 (GST Inclusive)Horse Power:- 100. No Turbo. 1st Life Cycle. Serial No:- 1600198. Propeller Make: Macaulay. Construction:Metal. Propeller TBO: 1750. Primary Avionics:- Garmin G300 MFD. Garmin Radios SL40. Garmin Transponder. Factory Optional Extras include Intercom, EGT Sensor, Ext Receptacle, Sun Visors and Aluminium Prop. Contact: Andrew Crowe Mobile 0428 657 014

To Advertise in our classifies send an email to; advertising@aopa.com.au with a short description and picture.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

MEMBERS MARKETPLACE

MEMBERS MARKETPLACE aerobatic, cruiser, tail wheel, 985 powered economical to run and is excellent value and a fantastic historic/ex military a/c AUD $120,000 ono. Call Roger Richards. Melbourne 0419 229 859 or Matt Richards 0417 396 101. rjrholdings@bigpond.com

SYNDICATE SHARES

HELICOPTER Pilots interested in forming a Bell 47 Helicopter Syndicate Contact Jim 0419 600 071

forget the GST and freight costs to import tools +25% on to the purchase price. Replacement cost $8000+. Selling $5500. Contact for full inventory. Alan Carlisle 0403 323 973, alancarlisle@optusnet.com.au

TYRES: Retread Goodyear 4 off 6.50 – FALCO F8L VH-SBD. TT 430hrs. IO360 B1E. Bendix/King KX 155 Nav/Com. Bendix/King KT76A Trans. Garmin GNC 420. PS Eng PM1200 Intercom. EDM 930. Tru Trak autopilot slaved to GPS. Lift Reserve Indicator. Built to ANO 101.28. Previously IFR. Always hangared. Offers around $115,000. Ph.02 4844 3139 or 0427 482123

MAULE M9 First Maule M9 available in Australia, for details contact Rob, email rob@waratahair.com.au, 0425 252 550

MOONEY M20C TT4513.ETR520.PTR 1270. Fast and economic @ 38 LPH. Very good condition inside and out.Always hangered,nil corrosion. Constant speed retractable .$53k no gst Phone 0418 511 253

PARAFIELD SYDICATE SHARES AVAILABLE Archer 11. Fly $150 p hour wet and $75 pmonth fixed. See website www.parair.webs.com or phone 0413 987 346.

• Majority of mental parts and all fiberglass mouldings and fairings to complete the project ready to be fitted • Comprehensive plans, very detailed, test reports for build progress from SAAA TC’s and AP available. All tools and equipment included in the purchase.“A” grade Sitka Spruce and Birch Ply construction

CORBY STARLET Built by legendary SAAA builder Keith Jarvis. 280 hours on the airframe. VW 1600 rebuilt 12 hours ago by Stan Pobjoy. Secondary ignition system built by Sig Munniger. Will be sold with fresh annual. Flies like a dream. If I could use this aeroplane for my work, I'd never sell her. But I need something a bit bigger. But please, no dreamers who want a chat. I can't find a way to convince your wife this is a good thing, nor is that my job. If interested call me, 0419 509 548. Based in southern Victoria. $15,000

LAKE RENEGADE LA mod fresh 100 hourly, Eng. 470HTR Prop1990 HTR Garmin 430W King GPS/COM Transponder, switching panel, Gear adv. system, VG kit a/c hangared $150.000 no GST. Contact Ken 0408 254 872 or email kenhug@bigpond.com

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

SPITFIRE SUPERMARINE Mark 25 Mark 25 3/4 scale replica with Experimental CofA VH-XST. Jabiru 3300 with Rotec liquid cooled heads, TBI, & Ignition mods Airmaster elect CSU with 3 blade prop King Avionics. TTIS 70 hours Hangared at Jandakot. Asking $140k but realistic offers considered ( no GST ) Peter 0414 945 129 yatespj@iinet.net.au

WINJELL VH – WIJ KYNETON VIC One owner for 32 years since retired from RAAF. Always hangered. ETR 900 hours. PTR 900 hours. TT airframe 4950. 5000 hour centre section and wing attach fitting NDI inspection carried out. Fresh maintenance release. 4 seats,

• Epoxy test samples of construction and construction progress diarised • Purchaser to arrange collection or shipping Contact Ken Hodge Email: mustangp51pilot@gmail.com Mobile: 0404 000 442 $15,000.00 ONO

1/3 SHARE IN 1998 CESSNA 182S TTIS 1836 hrs as at 1 Feb 2016 Engine 480hrs SOH (Crankshaft AD) Propeller 1835hrs since new (2000hr TBO) Maintained IFR, aerial work Hangered at YPEF AUD 75,000 Contact: Sean 0417 661 003 Efim 0432 213 802

FOR HIRE GRUMMAN TIGER for pvt hire: TOWNSVILLE. Rate negotiable depending on wet or dry hire. Email andrew.kerans@gmail.com

OTHER

Capitol Aviation Finance Funding is available for the purchase of all types of aircraft. We can structure a package to suit your requirements. Facilities available include: Leasing Finance Commercial Hire Purchase

• • • • •• •• • ••• •• • ••• ••• • • •

Funds are also available for replacement engines and major avionics purchases. For funding information call or fax:

David McLean Ph: (02) 9555 8234 Fax: (02) 9555 8573 Mobile: 0412 218 011 Email: david@capitol.com.au

MUSTANG FLIGHTS. Fly in a real P51 Caboolture QLD. www.mustangflights.com PH 0410 325 644, 02 4963 4024

BUSINESS Aviation Resort

Parts suitable for Rockwell Commander. Turbo prop. Assorted spare.

3 HOURS FROM SYDNEY 2 hangars, three houses. Farming operation on 300 acres and accommodation income from houses $1.4 million. For brochure and details call 0413 963 438 or email adshedsyd@hotmail.com

Plus workshop tools

Aircraft manufacturing opportunity.

Assorted Spare Parts

• • • • •• •• • ••• •• • ••• ••• • • •

FLYING RECOLLECTIONS - By Bruce Baily This book is about various flying experiences dating back to when I commenced my career in the early 1950’s. There about 100 stories with lots of photos. Copies of the book are available for $40 plus postage. Postage to SA VIC NSW QLD $13 or WA $8.50 Payments can be made to ; Bruce Bailey, 86 Port Royal Drive, Safety Bay WA 6169 Mobile: 0412 421 032

DA40 DIAMOND STAR: Syndicate shares available 2007 model with

G1000 & GFC700 based at Camden. NO UPFRONT FEES, minimum 3 month commitment, $400 per month fixed and $125 per hour. No min hrs (subject to insurance). Photos & info on www.da40syndicate.com.au Call David on 0450 172 299 or email info@diamondaviation.com.au

SAL P-51D MUSTANG TWO SEATER (TANDEM) • Plans built 2/3 scale replica. Fuselage & empennage, horizontal / vertical stabiliser/elevators/rudder 90% complete. • Retractable tailwheel mechanisms and electrical motor fitted with dog house and Instrument housing, Polycarbonate canopy, windscreens frames complete

10 8 PR; 1 Goodyear off 8.50 x 10 8 Ply, Citation (2nd hand); 1 off 22x8.00 x 10, 10ply; 1 off Aviator 8.5 x10, 10PR Contact: Euan 0412 418 345 or email sue_dc@bigpond.com

(2nd hand); Full micrometer for engine shop, Honing top/complete 3” x 6”, Inclinometer, Oil filter cover cutter +more.

Tooling, drawing components for the Typhoon and Cyclone aircraft. With the latest styling could be easily upgraded to the 600kg LS aircraft. $60,000. Retiring. 07 3205 4452 or 0431 693 280. Leave message if not answered.

TOOLS: Just about to finish building our RV14A. Won’t be needing our tools, benches and equipment soon. One build only - given full TLC. If you are thinking about building an aircraft soon (particularly an RV) we have a complete set of tools and accessories you will need for your build. More comprehensive than those packaged tool sets we bought and then had to add on and onto. Don’t

To Advertise in our classifies send an email to; advertising@aopa.com.au with a short description and picture.

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

MEMBERS MARKETPLACE FOR SALE PROPERTY

FOR SALE HANGAR

ARCHER PARK PROPERTY Archer Park is a pilot’s paradise: 75 Acres of luxurious privacy located in Hervey Bay. 2x brick aircraft hangars, 3x runways, internal asphalt roads. Large brick colonial residence. $1.5 million. Ph. 0412 75 99 77. Email: trevorhansen@bigpond.com

AOPA is the only association in GA working directly to represent you. Whether you’re a student, a private pilot or a commercial pilot, we’re here to support you and your needs. In addition to tirelessly advocating on your behalf, we also provide a fantastic range of member benefits. These include an electronic members’ magazine, in addition to our newsstand bi-monthly mag, access to our members only area of our website and regular news updates on any new developments in the industry.

MOTIVATED VENDOR

GOULBURN AIRPORT Lot 19 Cummins Close, Unique opportunity to secure land at Goulburn Airport. 400 sq m vacant land at Goulburn Airport. Perfect for hangar / aircraft storage. Close to taxiway and runway Good access to site for vehicles Trish Graham 02 4822 1555

Prime site for sale next to the Whitsunday Airport with 1400m sealed runway. Fly in/ fly out to your tropical paradise. Gateway to the magnificent Whitsunday Islands and reef. 4.4 hectares (11 acres) of vacant land zoned rural residential with development approval for a four lot subdivision. Mostly level, partly cleared land featuring rain forest and a seasonal creek. Easy road access to Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour. Town water, electricity and telephone lines to the property boundary. $498,000 Mobile 0417-645268 email: harbourf@tpg.com.au

HANGAR TAREE Recent construction,12*12 metres, concrete floor, 3m sq internal office, additional carport. Front row position. Used to fit B55. Air con, hot water, bifold opening doors. MAKE AN OFFER. Peter 0412884484 or Mark 0418 652 213.

WATTS BRIDGE

HANGAR SPACE AVAILABLE – Bankstown Suits Baron or Similar Ph: 0407 249 573

PACIFIC HAVEN AIRPARK QLD 4659 Frazer coast Hervey Bay. 2 Acres large brick four bedroom lowset residence 4 Car garage large boat shed. Hanger with asphalt taxi ways to 3000ft bitummen runway with pal lig Above ground swimming pool. 20.000Gallon watertanks to house. Full share to your private airfield 5 min to Burrum river boat ramp $595,000. rocs1946@ozemail.com.au mob 0438 00 4471

CLASSIFIEDS With over 9000 magazines distributed bi-monthly, It pays to

As a member, you’ll be the first to know about our safety seminars, and you’ll receive ongoing information about our scholarships and publications, such as the National Airfield Directory. We offer discounts on car hire, Virgin Australia lounge membership and Virgin holidays and discounted spare parts and specials from Hawker Pacific. Join today, and you can start receiving these great benefits right away!

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION / RENEWAL FORM Surname:

AOPA Membership Number:

Given Name:

GOLD COAST (YBCG) International Airport individual ‘T’ hangar sheds for sale in large solid well maintained 4 hangar complex. Fully serviced (inc storeroom, toilet, kitchenette etc) in secure airside complex in GA area. Suit single, some twins, helicopters & pilot/ pax vehicles. Original 20 year lease with 20 year option. Buy to occupy or lease out at $800pcm + GST. Possibility to buy two side by side or back to back. Unique opportunity not available anywhere else in Australia. Asking $100,000 ono nil GST. Neil Shorrock 0428-752 055, email nshorrock47@gmail.com HANGAR AVAILABLE – Bankstown Suit medium size aircraft (King Air) Easy access & large hardstand in front Phone Brad 0419 54 1234

3 minutes from Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield. Lovely home on 5 acres. Land is high, flat, and easy to mow. 20,000 galls water. Home as new; timber with iron roof; built 2009 as holiday home. 3 bed, 2 bath; 1 toilet off laundry; open plan lounge, kitchen, dining. Floors polished spotted gum, tiles in wet areas. Wide front verandah, great views to mountains. Large shed for 2 cars, machinery and storage, plus long carport, and 2 garden sheds. 2 reverse cycle a/cs. $430K. Inspect by appointment only. Best contact is: 0732897310, or mobile 0412 889 930 email: thomasvall@dodo.com.au

JOIN AOPA Freedom to Fly

RADIOS OR AVIONICS BENDIX KING G.P.S. AV8OR – never used – with all books etc. Price $1100 Contact email: hangar.bum@ hotmail.com

Mr/Ms/Miss/Mrs/Dr/Capt

Address: City/Suburb:

State:

Postcode:

Phone (BH)

Phone (AH)

Fax:

Mobile: Email:

MEMBERSHIP FEES (please tick your membership selection in the checkboxes below) AOPA Individual Membership Discounted Membership Optional extras n $160 for 1 year n $127 for 1 year n AOPA Air Crew Card (1-4 years) $55* n $285 for 2 years n $220 for 2 years n AOPA complimentary Air Crew Card n $360 for 3 years n $317 for 3 years

(for 5 years membership)*

n $440 for 4 years n $391 for 4 years

*passport style photo must be provided

n $510 for 5 years n $456 for 5 years n OPA Airfield Directory $25 + $13 P&H

PAYMENT DETAILS Payment by Credit Card:

Amex

Diners card

Mastercard

Visa

Credit Card Number: Name on Card: Expiry:

Amount

Signature:

n I enclose cheque/money order for the amount of $ ..................................... made payable to Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association n Payment by Electronic Transfer please send to: Account Name: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia BSB: 062 147 Account No: 1016 4695

Send in your form today t

Mail to form to: AOPA. PO Box 26, Georges Hall NSW 2198 Or Fax to: (02) 97991 9355

advertise with us. To advertise, email advertising@aopa.com.au or telephone AOPA on 02 9791 9099

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

www.aopa.com.au I AUSTRALIAN PILOT

Correction. The June/July Short Final was incorrectly attributed. The author was Phil Latz.

SHORT FINAL

Birds of a Feather

Mark Newton tells us about the joy of flying with a friend.

I was preflighting the RV, and Anthony taxied past in a Piper. So I waved. A few minutes later, after the fuel guy had done what he needed to do, Anthony came taxiing back the other way. Mission aborted: radio problems. “I have an empty right seat, want to come with me instead?” I asked He made a phone call so he could get a leave pass, and yep, let’s go! He was originally going to fly to Wedderburn, 10 or 15 minutes to the south, to work on his RV project. Instead, we followed up an invitation of flying down to Tumut for lunch at the local aero club. We cruised in at 6500 in silky smooth air and bright sunshine. It was a perfect day for it. Over Goulburn, Yass off the right wing, Lake Burrinjuck disappearing under the nose before we descended over Tumut township for an upwind join on 35. There was a show-and-shine weekend that had brought brightly coloured noisy old cars from all corners. The aero club had a BBQ running. The place was alive with about 200 people in attendance. Marshals in highvis vests were ushering arriving airplanes into parking spaces, stacked three-deep along the entire length of the main apron,

AUSTRALIAN PILOT I www.aopa.com.au

with overflow on the grass around the corner. The circuit was busy with arrivals and departures every minute. Trikes and gyrocopters were also busy giving joy flights. The cars with extractors and super chargers were scaring the birds away with a throaty brawwwwwp as their drivers gunned them out of the car park. Fed and watered, we departed DCT YWBN, diverting a few degrees right to make sure we were well clear of the spotting planes that would inevitably have been near the fire that was directly on track. We arrived with two other mates, did a quick briefing and played with some three-ship formation work, with steep

turns and lots of formation changes. It was hard, satisfying work. Listening to 132.8 on the way back to Bankstown and holy crap it was busy. Flew an orbit over TWRN with a Cherokee in front of us, waiting to get a word in edgewise so I could make an inbound call to BK TWR for an approach clearance. All three runways busy, controller talking at a mile a minute. We finished the day at the Tavern with a group of fellow aviators. It was a deeply satisfying day with unexpected turns and serendipitous meetings. Flying: How can you not love it? n