Garfly

As an example, clean air for the heater is the sole purpose of the little round intake in the nose of the P92 Tecnam ES. But that's no guarantee, of course, that such systems won't also develop cracks and admit toxic fumes along with warmed up air. So the muff and its muffler are big deals on the annual. But, yeah, in winter months at altitude, I'd say a heater is very nice to have ... and CO detectors are pretty cheap insurance. The fatal Beaver seaplane (VH-NOO) crash into the Hawkesbury over 8 years ago was a high profile local case which, at the time, had the ATSB exercised over the lack of compulsory CO detection. (In this case, they determined that the causes were cracks in the exhaust system along with holes in the firewall.) https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/investigation-reports/ao-2017-118-final.pdf Some excerpts: "What the ATSB found // ... Toxicology results identified that the pilot and passengers had higher than normal levels of carboxyhaemoglobin in their blood. This was almost certainly due to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) in the aircraft cabin. The ATSB’s wreckage examination established that several pre-existing cracks in the exhaust collector ring, very likely released exhaust gas into the engine/accessory bay, which then very likely entered the cabin through holes in the main firewall where three bolts were missing from the magneto access panels. In addition, the examination also found that the in situ bolts used by the operator’s external maintenance provider to secure the panels were worn, and were a combination of modified AN3-3A bolts and non-specific bolts. A 27 minute taxi, with the pilot’s door ajar, before the passengers boarded likely exacerbated the pilot’s elevated carboxyhaemoglobin level. As a result, the pilot would have almost certainly experienced effects such as confusion, visual disturbance and disorientation. Consequently, it was likely that this significantly degraded the pilot's ability to safely operate the aircraft. // No regulatory requirement for carbon monoxide detectors // ... As a result of this investigation, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority now strongly recommends pilots wear personal CO detectors, which are now widely available and inexpensive (refer to airworthiness bulletin AWB 02-064 Issue 2). However, at the time of writing, there was no regulatory requirement for any type of detector to be carried. Consequently, it was up to the operator and/or pilot’s discretion to carry such a device. // ... Several overseas investigation agencies have made safety recommendations to their respective aviation regulators to mandate the carriage of active CO detectors. However, despite the ongoing threat CO exposure poses to aircraft occupants and the potential fatal consequences, these recommendations have not been accepted to-date. If there had been a requirement for VH-NOO to be fitted with a CO detector that actively engaged the pilot’s attention, it was likely the pilot would have been alerted to the presence of CO. This would have provided the pilot time to take mitigating action."

All the manufacturers say you should not use vehicle exhaust to check these electronic detectors because it can ruin the sensor. The pilot involved in this amazing CO poisoning survival story recommends having two detectors to check against each other.

Power loss and ditching involving Robinson R44, VH-XSO, 24 km north-east of Horn Island Airport, Queensland, on 8 October 2025 | ATSB WWW.ATSB.GOV.AU

There's a lovely (912) Dragonfly based at Taree.

Speaking of sticks and rudders, this vid is a reading from the gospel according to Langewiesche (snr): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8yiGhnysIU (Despite its trashy thumbnail the video turns out to be a thoughtfully made [20 min.] review of Stick & Rudder's main points.)

A newie has turned up:

AvData Pty. Ltd will be praying that this disease ain't for the spreadin'. Florida Bans ADS-B Fee Calculation at Airports WWW.FLYINGMAG.COM Florida is the latest to restrict ADS-B data use for certain nonsafety purposes amid a push to end the practice nationwide.

Yes, good point, SP ... and what the article (above) reckons is that it can sometimes help to know just how much mush is left before a wing walks off the job - and, conversely, the moment that it's ready to return to work: "We also like AoA indicators because they make it clear when the wing is flying again during stall recovery and can help minimize altitude loss in the recovery, which may mean the difference of climbing away with a system-load of adrenaline instead of diving into the ground when trying to make sure that there won’t be a secondary stall during recovery ... AoA indicators are also a big help when dealing with low aircraft energy situations such as a go-around, clearing obstructions after takeoff, and hazardous conditions such as wind shear or maneuvering to avoid terrain, and allow the pilot to take advantage of maximum wing performance near stall AoA." (But anyways, SP ... aggie and firey flyers like y'self, living out whole careers down low by way of rudder, stick and feel; you all have got to grow your own AoA sense just to pull it off ;--)

Yeah, good question. It also bears on the soon-to-come Controlled Airspace regime at (and near) Ballina, about which RAAus sent out an email notice this morning (without, however, explanation or comment regarding how it'll affect RAAus ops, in and through the area.) There's heaps of info about the new arrangements online from Airservices in various elaborate formats (they seem very keen to demonstrate community engagement) but I couldn't find much about what it's going to mean for RAAus flyers, local and otherwise. Maybe it is written somewhere. Maybe someone on here knows. In any case, maybe we'll find out as a result of the public meetings they've advertised for next week. Meanwhile, I've written to Airservices asking directly. I'll re-post any reply here if we've not been enlightened beforehand. I'm guessing that much of the anxiety that's led to these changes originated with the near miss involving a Jab and an Airbus back in 2020. Separation occurrence involving Airbus A320-232, VH-VGP and Jabiru J230D, 24-7456, near Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, New South Wales, on 28 November 2020 | ATSB WWW.ATSB.GOV.AU RAAus email-out, May 1 2026: Civil Aviation Safety Authority is holding information sessions to discuss the upcoming changes to Ballina airspace. These sessions will cover the changes airspace as well as the soon to be released Gold Coast VTC. A CASA Safety Advisor will be joined by representatives from the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR), as well as Airservices Staff including the tower supervisor and air traffic controllers who will be based at Ballina. CASA’s AvSafety advisors will be heading to your community to deliver our latest safety seminar for pilots of all licence categories: Time & Locations Below: Monday 4 May - Ballina – 6pm, White Star Aviation Ballina Airport. Tuesday 5 May - South Grafton – 10am, Clubhouse with Peter Clements Wednesday 6 May - Lismore – 2pm, Northern Rivers Aero Club Thursday 7 May - *Murwillumbah – 7pm, Murwillumbah Aero Club *This is also a pilot safety seminar on decision making. (Registrations are required for this event, details below. Tickets are free.)

“The truly terrible thing is that everybody has their reasons.” Jean Renoir

No GPS based navigator deals in Heading. They only do Track. They've no clue as to where your nose is pointing (and don't care ;-). Some EFIS systems have electronic compass (magnetometer) input as well as their GPS track data. In practice, though, the most useful thing a magnetometer does is to enable the display of real time wind-velocity.

Generative AI?

No jest. No contest.

Mogas is a useful term to distinguish it from Avgas in an aviation context.

And getting oil up to temp can take an eternity. ;- )

True ... and right up there among its talents is the ability to handle OUT as well as IN. Plus its tight integration with popular local EFBs for IN display.

The full movie is now out on YT's Cult Cinema Classics channel. It pays more respect to aeronautical realities (both physics and politics) than the average aviation movie does. And there's a nice part in it for our own 'Bud' Tingwell, mid career. "At the dawn of jet-powered commercial aviation, an unexplained crash is hastily blamed on pilot error, disgraced Captain Gort must infiltrate the airline's inner circle to expose a lethal design flaw. With corporate forces silencing whistleblowers and another flight scheduled on the same doomed aircraft, he races to ground the plane before history repeats mid-air."

Yeah, Col, I think it's six of one and half-dozen of the other in that case. But anyway, to Moneybox's original point, it is now a lot easier to compare VNC and SAT map views while you plan a flight. I had a look at your preferred path down to the coast - going straight over the escarpment south-east of Braidwood towards Bateman's Bay before tracking south. Well the sat-view gives a very different impression than the VNC. And we know there's a lot of rugged country around those Budawangs. On the other hand, only about 7NM after leaving the safety to the tablelands - as the satellite view shows (when you pinch in) - there's a fairly landable flat area called Currowang Creek. And beyond that it's not far to the Nelligen Valley, before you hit the beaches. [Pics#1-3]. These are insights we won't get from our aviation maps. Likewise, the alternate route down the Araluen and Deau valleys - a bit to the south. [Pics#4-7] When you zoom in on sat-view you get to see that there are actually quite a few places enroute to put down in a pinch. It's not as rugged or remote as it first appears. As always, a lot depends on the weather and the more height you can get the more options you have. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Fair enough, but as Thruster posted above, MOS 26.64 seems to be the only 'regulation' that applies to us (and most would see it as just common sense). That being said, with new tech 'remote' ain't what it used to be. (Though flights can and do disappear). Remote area survival equipment (MOS 26.64) An aircraft that is flying over a remote area is required to carry appropriate survival equipment for sustaining life for the area that is being overflown.

Oh, I understood but I'd say the added detail is not much more persuasive. But let it pass. It ain't important. We're all in furious agreement that having enough water and the means to yell for help is a bloody good idea (like motherhood and apple meat pie).

'There's always one' indeed, but your lurid anecdotes, alone, do not convincing arguments make; nor even seem to try. BTW, for the price of renting $10,000 worth of HF gear, you could treat yourself to a new telephone. It's portable, provides SOS sat-comms from anywhere and will even run an EFB app to keep you in a safe place to start with.

Yeah, in OzRunways/iOS (etc. ?) you can switch from regular aviation charts to Apple sat maps whenever you want an idea of the actual terrain below. Although you need an internet connection for that. CLICK PICS FOR FULL SIZE:

Lucky that the ERSA, charts and docs weigh-in at zero as electrons.

Security screening at Burnie Airport could drive airlines away, airport boss warns - ABC News WWW.ABC.NET.AU Burnie Airport has been told it will need to introduce security screening, but the airport's director says the cost of doing so will make some services commercially unviable and threaten the airport.