old man emu

I would think the RAA policies and procedures are probably 'up to scratch' for the most part, I suspect it is the execution that is lacking!

It is one thing to have policies and procedures that are "up to scratch". You just have to make sure that everything is mentioned when you document them.

 

HOWEVER, it requires an audit to find out if the documented policies and procedures are being implemented, reviewed and re-assessed.

 

I think I would agree that the policies and procedures are probably up to scratch, meaning that they are written down somewhere, stuck in a folder, and never referred to. The audit would result in the folder being pulled off the shelf, dusted off and implemented.

 

OME

 

 

I wonder if there has ever been an audit of RAAus' management policies and procedures.

 

I would say that it is well within the Rights of the Membership to demand such an audit, and to be given the results.

 

OME

 

 

Dodo is quite correct. When someone audits an organisation, they compare what the organisation said it was going to do with what it has actually done. If it did do what it said it would do, the auditor reports a compliance. If the organisation didn't do what it said it would do, that's reported as a non-compliance.

 

A non-compliance can be "major" or "minor". A major non-compliance could be, for example, a complete failure to follow a legal requirement. A minor non-compliance could be a failure to carry out a review of a procedure within a stated time period.

 

What you got to realise is that an auditor comes into an organisation and first of all looks at what the organisation says it is going to do, usually in its written policy or procedures manual. Then the auditor goes around asking questions and looking at records to see if things are being done as they should be. At the end of the audit, the auditor produces a report that basically says, "Hey! You said you were going to do things this way, but you haven't. You should take some corrective action and have a look again after a reasonable time to see if things have improved."

 

The role of the auditor is to encourage management to Plan; Implement; Review, and Refine. This process is aimed at continual improvement of operations.

 

In my opinion, if the RAAus is continually failing to reach a suitable standard of compliance with the CASA requirements, then there has been a failure of management to Review the activities of its administrative staff, and to take steps to ensure the application of correct procedures. If that is so, perhaps it is not the Members of the Board who have failed, but the CEO.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

Step 1. Measure the inside diameter of your O-ring

 

Step 2. Measure the thickness of your O-ring

 

Step 3. Consult this chart (http://www.everyoring.com/pages/oring_sizes.html) to determine the dash number of the required O-ring.

 

Step 4. Ask for an MS28775 (dash number) O-ring.

 

These O-rings are less than $1 each.

 

OME

 

 

Please advise the make, model and part number of the cylinder you want to replace and we can go looking for a new one.

 

OME

 

 

I read somewhere that if you take blood pressure controlling medication you can't opt for a Class 3, but have to pass the Class 2. Not so?rgmwa

Not so. I'm om 16mg of Atacand daily, but my blood pressure was about 135/75 when I did the medical.

 

OME

 

 

Got my "Go Fly" email from CASA today (Monday). That was quick!

 

OME

 

 

Rocket industries catalouge.

http://www.rocketindustries.com.au/catalogue

 

Have a good look through it, Cleco's and hose clamping systems, Narca vents can also be found, not to mention fuel cells. Bruce

I'd be wary of using the AN hose fittings from this catalogue to replace existing AN fittings in an aircraft. Although they are advertised as AN, than could simply refer to a sizing system, and not to the thread design.

 

However, there are some interesting tools in there. I particularly like the AN wrenches and vice jaws.

 

I see that they sell Dzus fasteners. Most new planes use Camloc fasteners, so Dzuz fasteners are hard to come by. I'd use Dzuz fasteners if I was building from a pre-WWll plan.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

My reasoning behind creating localised Chapters was that these would be the places where members engaged in face-to-face networking. Just sitting around yarning about building and flying planes. You know, the grassroots of Recreational Aviation. The success or failure of an individual Chapter would have little effect on the whole Movement. Chapters tend to take care of the problem of empire builders in a volunteer organisation. Then as you move up to Sections, the meetings could deal matters which were of a more regional importance, but not necessarily of a statewide importance. And so on, up the chain.

 

The only way to ensure the longevity of the RAAus as a national body is to make it strong at the local level. Remember, you can harvest lucerne several times over a season because once it has established a strong root system, the top will quickly grow back it it has been removed.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

Perhaps RAAus should take into consideration the tyranny of distance and establish a structure that has "Chapters" as the grass roots format.

 

Initially, a Chapter could be established at airfield locations where members fly, eg in NSW we could have a Chapter based on The Oaks, Warner Vale, Bathurst etc. Country members who fly off their own strips, could be part of the Chapter at the nearest public airfield. Then we could have Sections which consist of the Chapters from the same Region, eg, The Carbonne Section consisting of Bathurst, Cowra and Orange Chapters. After that, we have the State Group which would consist of all the Sections. Then the State Group comes together as the National Body.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

ATLANTIS DISCOVERED!

 

 

I assume you are talking about the drivers licence type medical used for new Recreational Pilots Licence? Only reason I ask is that a Class 3 medical is actually different and used for ATC purposes.

Yes, it is the new licence class that is actually an exemption from the Class 1 or 2 medicals. http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_100908

 

OME

 

 

After careful consideration taking into account several factors, not the least being that my workplace is on a GA airport, I decided that I would remain on the GA side of aviation when I got back into flying, rather than only go on the RAAus side.

 

Since it is most likely that I will only be flying myself around in a fixed pitch/fixed undercarriage airplane, and I'm not as young as I used to be, I figured that the Class 3 medical would be sufficient for me.

 

So I downloaded Forms 166A, 166B and 166C and headed off to my GP. The medical was not much more than what a bloke my age would have as a normal annual. I had to pee in a bottle; get my blood pressure and pulse rate taken; read an eye chart from dart-throwing distance; listen to the doctor whisper something (I think it was how much he was going to charge for the examination); have my reflexes and limb movements checked, and get my pulse tested in places only a lover should touch.

 

The extra bit was the psychological test. That consisted of 30 questions to test if I knew what day it was; could remember a couple of words after a few minutes, and spell antidisestablishmentarialism backwards.

 

The biggest problem was that I was discharged from my career because of stress, and have been on medication for it for a couple of years (should really reassess that now). I wonder if CASA will raise a red flag to that. If they do, it means lots of people are going to be prevented from taking advantage of the Class 3 medical provisions.

 

The stupid thing about the documentation was that although you can fill out the form on-line, it still has to be signed by the doctor. So you have to print off the forms, get them filled in, then scan them before you can return them to CASA.

 

Anyway, I'm waiting for the "Go fly" email from CASA, and when it comes, I'm up, up and awaaaaaay!

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

If you have found deposits of gunk on the crown of your piston, and the surface of your hear, guess what! You haven't had any detonation problems. Detonation will blow the crud away leaving you with nice clean parts - and a stuffed engine.

 

OME

 

 

l am in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. Mil spec hose is good also

You could go see the Hose Shop at Aviall, Moorabbin.

 

OME

 

 

Bruce,

 

If you live in the Eastern Suburbs, it would be worthwhile for you to pop across to Bankstown and buy the MIL Spec hose if you are going to use flexible hose. It might cost a few bucks more, but class the extra as an insurance premium.

 

If you need help making up your hoses, I can arrange for you to use the correct tools at our workshop.

 

OME

 

 

A couple of things:

 

All engine hoses containing rubber-like compounds have to be replaced about every 5 years (for VH aircraft). It's not a bad practice to follow in RAAus planes.

 

If you use rubber-like compound hoses forward of the firewall, you should cover them with a fire resistant cover called Fyresleeve.

 

OME

 

 

Step 1. Obtain an A3 sheet of paper.

 

Step 2. Write down all the performance features you want the plane to have (Cruise speed; landing speed; fuel burn; endurance; rate of climb)

 

Step 3. Write down your engine spec features (2 or 4 stroke; water cooled/aircooled; maximum HP; cruise HP, fuel type; fixed/variable pitch prop)

 

Step 4. Write down your preferred layout (high/low wing; tandem/side-by-side; open/closed cockpit; conventional or tricycle u/c)

 

Step 5. Write down your minimum equipment requirments (DG; Rate of Climb; slip indicator; fuel flow; EGT; CHT; Coms; GPS)

 

Once you have decided on these matter, go looking and see how many the plane that strikes your fancy has got.

 

Buying a plane is a very personal matter, like buying a car. You wouldn't by a Barina if your driving habits are best met by a Clubsport.

 

OME

 

 

Licensed in 1978. Married in 1981. Career till 2006. Scored an aviation related job in 2006. Back in the cockpit in 2007. Finding Life too darned busy to do some refreshing and a BFR, but I've got an appointment for a Class 3 medical later this month. You'll be back at some runway's threshold before too long!

 

OME

 

 

I have used a few grade 5 bolts in non critical areas but it seems I should stick to the AN stuff for everything else.

The plane that you build will be a display of your craftsmanship. You will be putting your heart and soul into the build, so why not use what a craftsman would use? Are adverse comments about your building efforts worth the saving of a few dollars made by using no-name hardware instead of certified stuff? I'm not concerned from where you source your hardware; I just want people to look at your finished project and say, "He went to a lot of effort to make things 'just so' in this build." Nothing detracts from the overall impression of a job than the smallest lack of detail.

 

(If the Grade 5 bolts are holding non critical stuff together, would it be too hard to replace them with the good stuff?)

 

OME

 

 

Am I correct in seeing the windsock was showing a tailwind?

 

OME

 

 

Despite the Australian dollar being over parity with the US dollar, costs have risen recently because postage rates have gone up. A 5lb flatbox has gone up from $US13.50 to $US16.60 and the 20 lb box had gone up from $35.50 to $66.50. You have to bear in mind these factors when buying hardware. The cost of postage has to be spread over the whole order and therefore the retail price for a particular item can vary throughout the year, depending on the share each item has of the total postage cost. At the same time, Austpost has put up its rates, too. However, I find that Austpost is most frequently cheaper than courier for small weight parcels.

 

If you look at an AN bolt and see the letters AFC, that means that it was made by AirFasCo, so you know the bolt is OK. We can buy from them, too, but with a minimum order of $US200, we can't often use them for restocking. I can restock from a wholesaler in Australia for similar prices to those charged by AFC + postage.

 

However you choose to reduce your hardware costs, don't go near automotive or general hardware retailers. You can't trust the quality for use in aircraft.

 

OME

 

 

I'm looking to source a small quantity of AN hardware in Australia. Any advice? Thanks Erik

Erik,

 

The hardware I sell is certified aircraft grade and is traceable back to the manufacturer. Since it's my business to support homebuilders, I put a price on my hardware that I'd be willing to pay if I was in my customers' shoes. I also try to keep postage costs to a minimum and only accept cheques or direct credit as a method of payment.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

Yes, it was Curtis'. There was no prop strike. Since we don't serice it, I didn't think nit would be polite to go to where it is serviced and make enquiries. The consensus is that it was due to a desgn fault as described above.

 

OME