BurnieM

But normally factory built is consistent. ie problems on factory built aircraft tend to be minor and similar. Enjoy the Zenith.

It is mostly to scare your family off sueing RAAus if the worst happens. Whether these T&Cs are actually binding will depend on future legal action.

Course cost for MPC appears to be $550 plus 1 year membership of $289. My understanding is the current MPC for owner builders is a 2 day course. It appears the owner non-builder course has more practical components and is 3 days so maybe the cost will be a little higher. My understanding is MPC is not a qualification. After completing the course you submit your course pagework to CASA and CASA grant you a maintenance authority for your aircraft only. Unless revoked by CASA this maintenance authority continues indefinitely (or until the next change of regulations). As I have not been thru the process perhaps somebody who has can comment.

I am assuming this is with the ASAP now. Anybody got any idea when any changes to class 5 will become effective ?

These are only recommendations at this stage. As the CASA PMO was there hopefully most of this actually happens. But we are talking about CASA .......

CASA working group report; https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-04/class-5-pir-twg-report-19-november-2025.pdf

https://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/casa-working-group-recommends-changes-to-class-5 "CASA this week published the deliberations of a Technical Working Group (TWG) that has recommended several changes to the Class 5 medical standard limitations, but will leave the 2000-kg restriction in place. The TWG met in November last year under the supervision of Principal Medical Officer Kate Manderson, making several recommendations to CASA through the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), which, if accepted, could see modifications to most of the restrictions applied operations under the Class 5 self-declared medical. Among the key recommendations are: the 2000-kg MTOW limit remain in place POB limit of two be increased to four the 10,000-feet altitude limit remain in place, but be reviewed under the Class 4 framework controlled airspace access remain in place aerobatics be permitted provided the aircraft has no passengers and not be flown in competition or air shows day VFR only be retained, but IFR be reviewed under the Class 4 framework formation flying be permitted provided with one passenger only and not in air shows or flying displays the requirement for a Class 5 candidate to never have been refused a CASA medical be removed the ban on medical stimulants to treat ADHD be removed."

I am not uninformed. I understand this new course (similar to the existing course but with new CASA paperwork) will allow an owner who was not the original builder to maintain a VH registered amateur built experimental aircraft. I am expecting there to be restrictions that we are not currently aware of. As I will not be converting from RAAus to CASA registration I will leave the requirements for this to others to investigate.

Class 5 medical makes a RPL easy. After you have your certificate from CASA are you required to maintain your SAAA membership ?

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/569221

Bruce at Fly Illawarra (YSHL) charges $280 an hour dual for an Evektor Harmony with a Dynon EFIS, ADS-B in/out, autopilot and 912is. This is wet with YSHL landing fees included.

I believe your local school is a flying club so probably a little cheaper. Any idea what their hourly rate is ?

Best quote I have heard; "if you are not sure if it is safe then it is not safe"

The line maintenance tasks you can perform with an L1 are pretty much the same as a RPL/PPL can perform on their own plane. There may or may not be a number of maintenance/modification tasks performed on RAAus aircraft that generally people would not try on VH registered aircraft. I make no comment on whether this is legal or not.

While we have other b/s with CASA, what we do not have is > $300 a year fees and an annual 'screw you' renewal form. Certainly CASA cover themselves without this. RPL with class 5 and VH registered LSA are very close to RAAus. Has anybody done the numbers for costs over say a 10 year timespan. You wonder whether the RAAus agenda is actually to shutdown RAAus ?

We expect a story with photos or it did not happen.

Hell no. We are from RAAus !

Yeah, Brendon needs to keep up. We did that joke yesterday.

I would straight out object to any model aircraft operations above 400ft. Trying to be cooperative now will just create problems for years to come.

IFR ?

If we are talking about Mt Beauty then this was not greed, it was not following RAAus own rules. This was a multi-level screw up. The local instructor, under pressure from the student, did not comply with RAAus procedures. The RAAus operations director, in spite of having major concerns about what she was being told, did not comply with RAAus procedures. The CEO, for an unknown reasons, restricted information provided to other parties (careful wording). What actions are being taken internally to stop this from happening again ? Trying to restrict legal action after the fact is unethical.

This is interesting; "(q) Use of Image You acknowledge and consent to photographs and electronic images being taken of you during your undertaking the Aviation Activities. You acknowledge and agree that such photographs and electronic images are owned by RAAus and RAAus may use the photographs for promotional or other purposes without your further consent being necessary." Not really a safety or legal exposure issue. So at the next Parkes they will need to check that all people in all photographs they want to use in the mag are RAAus members. If they do not and even one (say a wife of a member) objects and sends a legal letter they could be up for significant costs. The problem with f*cking with people is that they f*ck you back.

If it is not legal or enforceable then just sign it. The courts will sort it out (at cost to you). If you do not renew your membership then your registration and RPC are not longer current. If you challenge it legally then this will also cost you and typically take 5 years plus. During this time you will not be flying unless you move your RPC and rego to CASA. Note your RPC needs to be current (ie you need to be a RAAus member) to convert to RPL. Not saying what RAAus is doing is good or in the best interests off the members but sometimes the best thing to do with a garbage legal document is to sign it and challenge it in court if anything hits the fan. The facts that you lose your license and registration will work against RAAus when this eventually goes to court. Judges are not stupid and can and have ripped bad legal documents to pieces before.

Making a paper copy of the course legs with distances and bearings is a good idea. and noting the times (on paper) you reached previous waypoints. You can also carry a second EFB. But I still log on paper.

Yes and no. I believe that the current course gives you an understanding of the priciples. I would like to see an add on for EFB usage perhaps even a brand specific endorsement. This could also include what you do when the EFB fails. Perhaps an informal course would do it but with the demise of many aero clubs informal training is disappearing.