Garfly

Juan shows just how complicated it's become:

No issue there ... 🔎

Yeah, a phone mounted over the vacant hole'd be a bigger, better, cheaper way. (And for dedicated old-schoolers, there's always a refurbed Ferranti - with built in magnifier ;- )

All that's old is new again! CLICK FOR FULL SIZE: https://uavionix.com/skyplay/?srsltid=AfmBOopRrx5GgNQKzFSt-kUdvmLiTRilqJK1BZZ4gqt-rzp0iYYUFXQ7

here's what Harrier pilots made do with in the early 70's. The system used inertial nav and the rear projection of 35mm film strip photos of aeronautical charts. L

There are often interesting answers to such questions buried in the details when - and if - they emerge. I can't find the Kalgoorlie incident but there was the 1971 case of the Ansett/MMA F28 landing out of gas on the small Fitzroy Crossing gravel strip at night. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacRobertson_Miller_Airlines Fokker F28 Flight MV 372 Perth to Port Hedland – 30 July 1971, VH-FKC: During the long, late-night hop, destination and onward airports became blanketed with fog. The F28 became dangerously low on fuel, and after circling for some time, Captain Harold Rowell considered ditching the aircraft in the ocean. However, he eventually landed the jet on a gravel runway in the isolated town of Fitzroy Crossing, landing with less than ten minutes of fuel remaining. No life was lost, and no injury occurred. The story is well told in this PPRUNE post: Forty years ago today ... - PPRuNe Forums WWW.PPRUNE.ORG The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions - Forty years ago today ... - ... the people of the tiny Fitzroy Crossing town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia were awoken to the frantic news that an MMA F28... It concludes: Sadly enough, he got nothing but criticism from the company for proceeding to Derby, even though the forecast was clear, and he was very hurt for many years afterwards by their attitude. The big wheels from Ansett in the East came swarming in to smarten up this “little hick airline”, but no matter what anyone could say, Harold had done a magnificent job in utterly impossible circumstances. Personally, I still think he should have been awarded a George Cross, or as it is now, The Star of Courage.

Yes, maybe he was thinking they'd avoid the paperwork and squeak-in just fine without 'fessin up. Still and all, it was a good call when that difficult choice was sprung on him. The system worked without a lot of fuss. He ends up with twice the paperwork, but nothing's bent.

An interesting example from Vegas the other day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG-WTepSHaA

You're always able to say unable.

Not to worry lads. Them what wants it'll work it out. Them what don't can carry on regardless. (And no one's mayday will go unheeded due any of it.)

I see that that the wee CubCrafters bush plane comes with colour TV these days - and a turbine motor too, if you like. I reckon you could land one of those here for not much more than a mill and a bit Pacific pesos.

I think you have to register for Van's Air Force these days.

If you went NORDO, Jack, they couldn't refuse ;- )

Yes, RA flying around Sydney has become hardly viable without the endo and damn difficult even with it.

Originally, grass roots meant single seat only, no flying above 300' and no crossing roads. So not a lot of freedom of the skies in the good old days. Regulations were loosened. Things moved on. It's not a zero sum game. No rag 'n tuber will be harmed by the restriction being lifted for those with a transponder. It will be great for many RAAus flyers to be able get clearances to transit Military and other CTA zones all over the country. And those who'd like to visit places like Ballina and Coffs. Beats being hemmed in by the paddock you levitated from.

The Flying Professor (Iain Anderson) flew his Tecnam Sierra over from Parakai, NZ to Boonah, QLD, as a base for his Aussie air-tours. The rest of the video series is here: https://www.youtube.com/@flyingprofessor9950/videos

Some clarification: F2026L00563ES.pdf This is part of the preamble to the Explanatory Statement (above)" "The purpose of the 3 instruments is to set out a standard procedure for authorising pilots of the types of sport and recreational aircraft that are mentioned in CAOs 95.10, 95.32 and 95.55 to operate at controlled aerodromes and in controlled airspace. This is an alternative to the current arrangements, which are inconsistent between pilots of different types of sport and recreational aircraft, and also require such pilots to obtain qualifications under Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR). Broadly speaking, the 3 instruments will allow Recreational Aviation Australia Limited (RAAus) to oversee the training, assessment and certification or authorisation of pilots of various sport and recreational aircraft to operate at controlled aerodromes and in controlled airspace, provided the pilots meet certain standards, endorsed by RAAus, that are equivalent to some of the standards set out in Part 61 of CASR, and standards that are the same as those in CASA EX01/24 — Flight Crew Medical Status (Class 5 Medical Self-declaration) Exemption 2024 (CASA EX01/24). CASA EX01/24 sets out a process for completing an online medical self-assessment as an alternative to the existing classes of medical certificates that pilots are required to hold under Part 61 of CASR, all of which have historically been issued only after a medical assessment by a medical practitioner under Part 67 of CASR. In order to maintain consistency, the 3 instruments insert substantially identical provisions into CAOs 95.10, 95.32 and 95.55, including provisions that mirror the provisions and definitions in CASA EX01/24. The amendments in the 3 instruments are intended as an interim measure until the Part 103 Manual of Standards (Part 103 MOS) is made."

Heck, it'll even have a landing gear lever on the console - despite the wheels being firmly fixed in place. This is so that the proto-pilots can get physical when running their proto-advanced checklists. (Hmmm ... I wonder if they'll sell those separately. ;- )

Only half as much as a real one! ;- )

Cirrus Introduces TRAC10 Training Aircraft AVWEB.COM The three-seat Cirrus TRAC10 trainer is slated for U.S. deliveries in 2027. Cirrus Introduces the TRAC10: A Purpose-Built Aircraft Engineered to Transform Professional Flight Training | Cirrus CIRRUSAIRCRAFT.COM Cirrus introduces the TRAC10, a purpose-built flight training aircraft with a fuel-efficient Rotax engine, Garmin flight deck, and CAPS. U.S. deliveries in 2027.

There is an interesting connection with all-of-the-above and the latest edition of CASA's (nicely done) "Crash Comic" video-series. The short "Playing the Wrong Card" recounts a pilot's tale about a mid-air-near-miss he'd had at an unnamed non-controlled airfield. In it, he confesses to having been at fault for tuning in the wrong CTAF numbers due to his relying on outdated info in his GPS unit. Anyway, CASA concludes the cautionary tale with this advice: STILL FRAME FROM VIDEO (Click for full rez): But getting back to our Tumut case, even till now aviators consulting their current ERSA would see an out-of-date CTAF frequency. And, as far as I can tell, there are no NOTAMs current warning of this error. (Although, as noted above, a NOTAM was issued around the time of the change.) The current ERSA, as in OzRunways (and elsewhere) is the soon to end 19th March edition. And I see that in the upcoming July 9th version the change has been made. (That is, from 126.7 to 126.85) However, this means that for the past 20 weeks ERSA has been wrong on this crucial piece of operational information. And, as Thruster suggests (above), over that time there must have been at least "a few NORDO aircraft at Tumut ". And blame could not be put upon some hapless pilot's out-of-date GPS. Nor, it seems, on his failure to 'read the NOTAMs'. Of course, there are going to be times when, for safety's sake, changes like this ought to be made in between official publication dates. But in any such cases CASA would do well to follow its own advice; do what's needed to get rid of any jokers in the pack.

No, not ALL the advice is so focused. If you're into the hour long "Webinar" format they have THIS for you: Meanwhile at Ballina: Ballina changes to take effect next week - Australian Flying WWW.AUSTRALIANFLYING.COM.AU One of NSW's busiest regional airports, Ballina-Byron Gateway, will become controlled airspace from next week, with an interim control tower starting operations.