old man emu

After a quick scan, the raw data could hurt some innocent people without solving any problems..

At this stage, I agree that naming name and apportioning blame would be counterproductive.

 

OME, if the information in the first audit sets the scene for what concerned CASA, I'll post the key things.

I was just enquiring about what CASA had flagged in its initial audit. Somethings they find can be of lesser importance than others. I would like to know what the highlighted that has resulted in RAAus not being able to renew registrations. Was it record keeping; inadequate documentation in registration applications; inadequate qualifications of Level 4s, or what?

 

Like the detective from Dragnet, I'm just after the facts, ma'am, just the facts.

 

OME

 

 

Onya, Phil.

 

OME

 

 

Beauty, mate

 

OME

 

 

Turbo,

 

Without having to scan and post all the documents, are you able to list the Non-Compliances listed on the 21/12/11 audit. This will give us the things that CASA found to be wrong, and we can get an idea of what CASA considered really serious problems, and which if considered minor problems.

 

When we know this, we can judge how well the Exec acted to resolve the problems to the benefit of the Membership.

 

OME

 

 

I always thought that a map should be orientated so that what is left of track on the map can be seen on your left hand side as you travel along , and same for RHS. That infers that your DESTINATION is at the top. As for position reports, what is wrong with " Puddlejumper 2455 abeam Kickatinalong at time 15, tracking 285, estimating Terrabaginarf on the hour."

 

OME

 

 

Care to explain OME?

Hey! The fishing's good at Jaspers Brush. I just caught me a big ol' motzartmerv. I knew he'd rise to the bait.

 

(Frank - You should include Jaspers Brush in your itinerary)

 

OME

 

 

Check your PMs

 

OME

 

 

Frank,

 

I'll be back home from England by the time you arrive. I can arrange for you to have a good look-see over Camden Airport, and drive you out to The Oaks. I can show you how to get to Albion Park (Wollongong). It's not much use going to Jaspers Brush. Nobody with any class goes there!.

 

When you come to Camden, we can drop your wife off at one of our shopping centres and you and your son can have a good look, touch and sit in several interesting airplanes we have at Camden.

 

I have found that it is essential to have an aviation map like a WAC chart to locate airfields as you travel around. I've had the Devil's own trouble trying to find them while I've been in England.

 

OME

 

 

Frank,

 

I'm over in England at the moment, enjoying the snow in the Cotswolds. I'll be back home by the time you get to Sydney. I'm based at Camden, so you are most welcome to come out and have a look around. I can offer your wife a cup of tea, and your son a sit in a Pitts, and maybe a jet fighter, helicopter and many more.

 

I can also run you out to The Oaks and maybe Albion Park (Wollongong). Nobody with any class goes to Jaspers Brush. I might even be able to get you over to Wedderburn which is a club field.

 

OME

 

 

don't forget when you go to put the cylinder back on to make sure that the gaps in the piston rings are not lined up. Off set each ring gap from the others.

 

OME

 

 

Step 2. Pull the head off No 1 and check that the valves are properly lapped into the seats.

 

OME

 

 

G-OMER,

 

Don't go in strike!

 

OME

 

 

Don't know about a trend. My fist guess would be operator error. Try doing the leak down tests starting at No 4 and working back to No 1. If you get similar results for No 1 as you already have, something might be happening. You should hope that the problem is a bit of soot lodged at the valve seat.

 

Always go for the simplest cause first. Don't get ulcers worrying about a major problem yet.

 

Have you put skis on your plane yet? I was down in Cornwall in the sun for the weekend. Didn't hit the snow until we got back in the Cotswolds!

 

OME

 

 

I don't like No 1 cylinder.

 

OME

 

 

These Brits cheat a bit. They often change the squadron markings and nose art of the one Lanc they have so that it flies as a memorial to some particular Squadron or operation.

 

OME

 

 

Maybe I should go back there and buy a heap of books & DVDs to on-sell in Austtralia.

 

OME

 

 

Hmmm. Might pick up half a dozen bottles while I'm here.

 

OME

 

 

On Monday afternoon, British time, one of the Spitfires belonging to the Battle of Britain Flight had to make a belly landing as it was returning from Duxford after a major inspection. Seems that the plane lost a main landing gear wheel on take off.

 

It could not land at its home aerodrome as that aerodrome is an operational RAF one, and a landing would put a runway out of service, which would be nasty for Britain's defence capability. The aerodrome is also the base for a squadron of those Euro-fighters.

 

Anyway, the Spit made a successful belly landing at a civilian airport. News footage later in the evening showed the plane being towed to a hangar after another main wheel had been fitted. An inspection is to be made to see how long it will take to repair the damage.

 

The Spitfire was one of those later Marks which was fitted with the more powerful Griffin engine. It was a photo-recce plane, painted a darkish blue. I have photos of its sister ship which was at RAF Coningsby .

 

OME

 

 

Deskplot,

 

You would do yourself a dis-service not to go to Petwood Sap Hotel. It is absolutely beautiful. I hope you can see my pictures of it before you leave. I did ask if there were Australians managing the hotel, but the receptionist couldn't help me. (I was looking to scrounge a beer).

 

If I was visiting the area, I would stay at the hotel and hang the expense.

 

OME

 

 

Mis-read Post No 29. I understand that you did some work on your engine a few hours before the 100 hourly, then did the 100 hourly and saw the results of your work. Right?

 

Now I know why you've done 4 hours in December.

 

OME

 

 

G-OMER,

 

How the hell did you do 100 hours in December? All I've seen since I've been in Lincolnshire is rain, overcast and wind. Are flying around IFR?

 

OME

 

 

Today (Monday) I went to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which is where the RAF Battle of Britain Flight is based. Luckily today was the first day after the Christmas/New Year break, so when I got there, there were hardly any visitors. I went on a hangar tour with two visitors and the Guide. Since it is winter, all the planes are undergoing maintenance (like Annuals) so most have them had panels opened up. Because there was only three of us in the tour group, I was allowed to get up close and personal with the planes. As we were finishing the tour, the Air craftsmen came back from lunch, so I was escorted around the hangar and allowed to get even closer to the Lanc.

 

I've mentioned before that I haven't loaded a program on my laptop that will allow me to resize the file size of the pictures so I can post them here. I'll do it when I get home and post the photos.

 

After I left Coningsby, I went up the road to East Kirkby where the privately owned Lanc is located. I didn't go into the hangar to see it as I had seen enough at Coningsby. However, I did find out that the Lanc they are reconditioning was once owned by an Australian organisation much like HAAS. That was back in 1965. In the same year, two other Lancs were sold to Perth. (The three Lancs had been sold by the French Air Force, which had bought them from the British after WWll for use in French Indo-China.)

 

After that I went to the hotel at Woodhall Spa which was where the officers of the Dam Buster squadron were billitted.

 

I went into the Dam Buster's bar and took another heap of photographs which you will have to wait for until I get back home.

 

OME

 

 

I'm so much happier writing to express my best wishes for a full recovery, rather than writing a eulogy.

 

You are sooooo correct in saying not to ignore the signs and get an expert opinion (the average person is no expert). A few years ago, I was feeling similarly while I was at work. I had them take me up to the hospital for a check out. Luckily for me it turned out to be a physiological response to stress, not clogged plumbing.

 

Even so, now I am starting to watch how I am responding to strenuous activity and actually stopping work before the job is done. If I was really smart, I'd make a big effort to drop my weight and start doing some aerobic exercise.

 

Keep us posted on your progress. If you can't get on the forum yourself, have a family member post info on your behalf.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

The local BBC TV news on 3/1/13 broadcast a story about two elderly brothers who purchased a Lancaster bomber from a museum with the intention of getting it back into the air.

 

Although the plane hadn't flown for 40 years, they got it up to taxiing standard and as a way to get reconditioned Merlins, used to give people rides in the plane as it taxied around the airfield. It appears that they now have the reconditioned engines.

 

The plane is about 30 minutes' drive from where I am at the moment. Hopefully I'll be able to get over there next week when the weather is supposed to be dry and sunny. I'll take heaps of photos, but I can't post them until I get back home to Aus as I didn't install a photo editing program on my laptop, and I haven't got much mobile broadband credit.

 

OME

 

 

From what Bones said, it just seems that a gyropilot needs a CASA Class 3 medical.

 

Having just done my Class 3, might I suggest that for fellows of retirement age, getting a Class 3 is a useful way to maintain a check on one's general health. If you didn't have to do an aviation medical every year or two, and you thought yourself to be in good health, would you bother to go have an annual check up? If you are good with the gab, you might be able to convince your doctor to bill Medicare for the long consultation, and have him throw in the signature on the CASA form for free.

 

OME