Mike Gearon

No night flying in RAA. Day vfr only, 2 pob max. 600kg mtow for RAA rego aircraft. If you have ppl/rpl with controlled endorsement (it seems you have), you can fly RAA Factory built (24/23 rego) in controlled airspace.

 

Day is going to be fine. My CFI said we will do the first 3 night landings and it’ll be interesting then it’ll get boring for the 7 more required. When we did the first take off into black and started pattern I wanted to tell him I just couldn’t do it. Landed and was so amazed by the third that it was just like he said. It became normal. I did start to spot farm house lights and established something of a horizon. That made the difference.

I have a bit of learning to do. Just went and found the RAA information you mentioned. Good to be able to go into controlled airspace as an option in the right plane. PPL USA had to fly 3 landings into a towered airport. I used the magic words “student pilot" and the tower couldn’t have been more helpful. Had to do a sudden right turn on final  at one point when an unscheduled Citation started in. I could hear the CT telling the guy off for being unscheduled and he got back to helping me on next approach. 

Convert to Raaus  at tooradin flying school

 

That’s possible as well. ? 

Airstrip and AirBNB fly in possibilities. Note the house features on Grand Designs Australia. Episode 12 of season 7.

options to view

1. Free.... low quality YouTube version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6nVVT6mVn8

2. iTunes Store 4 dollars 

Grand Designs Australia, Series 7 by Grand Designs Australia

https://itunes.apple.com/au/tv-season/grand-designs-australia-series-7/id1304136406

3. Wait for it to spin around again on Foxtel. I’ve only seen it once. Can’t stand seeing myself on tv. It does however introduce French island fairly well.

Airstrip ruminations...........

Looks like 17-35 can be 500m long. This is uphill on say 3 degrees (guessing).

. I’m 90 hours into flying and can’t judge if this will work well based on USA experience. Started at towered airport Lincoln Nebraska with one of America’s longest widest runways built for nuclear bombers. 200ft wide x 11,000 ft. Moved to Wahoo which was paved and grass with nice CTAF radio replacing the 4 frequencies required at Lincoln. Clearance, ground, Lincoln tower then Omaha departure. 

Looking at the BNB accomodation I was thinking on plane during LAX to MEL we could combine fly in with Air BNB. 

I’ll ask some of the experienced Tyabb pilots/ instructors as I do PPL to Raaus conversion. Any comments here welcome. Questions I’m asking myself are flying in and flying out mostly downhill into the predominant winds. Would the 41 m width and say crowned grass runway of 15m width be okay? I could take the fence out to 50m for instance and center a gently crowned 20m airstrip. Location is based on dryness and generally flat although sloping nature of site.

Welcome home Mike, did you receive my last PM?

 

I hope to be down that way late Jan or Early Feb next year.

 

Yes. Sorry I’ve been travelling Nebraska back to the island. Just arrived and responded.

Hi Mike, you appear to be near a mate of mine ,Paul Madigan. We have flown in to one of his paddocks years ago. Also landed at a strip near the North coast & the prison airstrip when it was operational.

 

Yes. Paul is an interesting character ? 

I’m just back from Nebraska. 3 months fairly constant effort and finally have PPL. Includes night flying which doesn’t seem to be an option here on RaaAus conversion. Night flying in the remote mid west wasn’t much fun anyway with few lights after take off.

Looking at at possibilities of planes for the Island. See pic with north south runway possibility.