turboplanner

Going through the same trials again late today, good 15 knot cross wind gusting 20 on second lesson of circuits in my 182. Horrendous landings ( compared to the sport star on a calm day)

Maybe you're beating yourself up unnecessarily 15<20 kt crosswinds are where you'd usually opt for a different runway.

Did you ever have 15<20 kt crosswinds in the Sportstar?

 

 

I would further suggest, that Figure #4 in post 114, shows a previous detached exhaust valve head impacting the head, and bending the adjacent area, witnessed by the oil-blow-by adjacent to it.

I agree; I didn't scale the photo but the radius looks about the same as this exhaust valve.

 

It's not unusual for mechanics to leave the scar in place; cost saving.

 

 

When you reduce the piston/ring clearances and you lean the engine, you generate heat.

 

How do I know that? I bought a few dozen pistons to replace the ones I broke.

 

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, this heat is in the combustion chamber area, and is separated from the fin area where the wind blows, by about a thousand degrees, and that thousand degrees can pulsate faster that you can back off the throttle at times, and cannot be measured in the exhaust.

 

 

I did some googling on YouTube and people are drilling pistons to match weights.

That's a very broad statement; the same as people are blowing pistons; where are they drilling them.

 

 

I do have glasses that counteract the cataract fuzziness slightly, but seldom use them. No doubt I will need surgery at some time, but not yet.I still would not opt for surgery if it is not absolutely necessary.

The fuzziness is a blind spot in your pupil; while you can counteract this by constantly scanning, the cataract operation is very simple; a small cut is made under light anaesthetic, the natural lense removed, and a plastic lense inserted. The base procedure is a long distance lense, so you then have 20/20 vision for long distance without the need for glasses.

One side effect, is that more light gets in, so you will need to use sunglasses more often.

 

Where you are both short sighted, and are beginning to have problems reading small newsprint photo-chromatic glasses are prescribed and they solve the bright sun issue.

 

They also solve the problem where you have a cataract in one eye only, the lenses being set for each eye.

 

I haven't had any experiences with the more complex lenses mentioned above, but nothing surprises me about how the human body can be trained to do things it never was meant for.

 

 

I thought I could fly a plane, I had nearly 70hrs logged on RA and am a dab hand at floating in a Jab into a G Class airfield. Now I have a reason to move to PPL.I read / heard somewhere that a PPL CFI can just check your Nav and Radio endorsements, confirm you can do some circuits in that C172/Piper Archer or whichever and after "5 or 7 hours" (noted somewhere here on this forum) you are good to go for PPL.

If only it were that simple.

 

After numerous hours in a big and ungainly C172, completely different to that little Jab, I was still working on circuits and crosswind landings. The added minor complexity of a CS prop probably didn't help. This C172XP is a Ferrari/Sherman tank compared to the Vespa/Mazda2 I'd been flying. 10 hours down.

 

After some Nav demonstrations the CFI worked out I can 'mostly' find my way around to their satisfaction but not, with any regular competence, successfully navigate and communicate through Class D or Class C airspace. 15 hours down.

 

The PPL theory test requires solid knowledge of height and pressure density, weather, C of G and all sorts of details that as an RAAus ab-initio you kind of learn (enough to pass the test) and consider but tend to gloss over - the limited envelope of flying RA means that simple loads, always a full tank, light winds and other mild factors* allow you to fly, relatively safely, without giving much thought to the operational envelope extremities necessary for PPL. Another 10hrs of study and practice before the theory exam.

 

*Mild factors...like revisiting the wing loading and stall/spin considerations under, what I thought, were relatively benign conditions, little did I know how close I am to stalling, spinning and dying on that base to final turn.....read up on that folks !

 

Let's not forget the joy of the Class 2 medical, which in many respects is some anachronistic over zealous medical fraternity strangeness, that often achieves nothing useful, especially if your young and healthy it's a complete waste of time. If your a little older and are honest about medical history it can be a logic bending nightmare of strange medical investigations and decisions. My personal experience was frustrating and I can understand why people say 'just lie'.

 

So is RA Aus still a great entry point to flying? Sure. Is it advantageous to start with RA and then move to GA? Mostly.

 

But don't be fooled. If you have learnt to fly a simple RA aircraft and completed your Nav and Radio endorsements in some backwater airspace across mostly clear skies in mostly fine weather...then your PPL wont necessarily take you "5 to 7 hours" of some simple conversion.

 

Me? Topping out over 22hrs, PPL theory exam soon and then the full test, another 4 hours of all the same stuff you thought was easy in RA - except now you have to navigate into Bankstown / Moorabbin / Canberra / Gold Coast etc etc. Suddenly flying aint so simple! And to get the most out of your aircraft, to maximum extent, you need to know the numbers, work the calculations and understand those limits.

 

Enjoy and fly safe !

 

Ramjet

What a breath of fresh air!

I'm sorry for you that you've now had to go through this extra expense (and at a much higher hourly rate).

 

A lot of things you mention are CASA requirements for RA as well as what you are now being trained for, and this post highlights (a) to me that you have a very good instructor and (b) the parlous state of RA instruction and administration which could do with a good kick in the bum.

 

The medical for both classes could do with an overhaul, but that's another story.

 

 

I hope RAA investigate to ascertain if similar maintenance has been carried out on other engines by the engine builder?? and look into their condition. then take appropriate actions.

This was a VH aircraft, investigated by ATSB.

You should write or email ATSB with your thoughts.

 

 

Agree; that's an example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

There are areas on a piston you can take to with a hack saw, but this is crazy!

 

 

Part of Self Administration is that you assess your obligations against any existing rules/regulations/agreements.

 

If you are being asked to do something which is not within those boundaries you need to point that out.

 

If you don't, then you'll get a trickle on non-conforming requirements, and if you still don't it will become a flood to the point where technically you will no longer be self administering, but following these non-conforming orders and paying for it.

 

This particularly applies in the case of a Semi-Autonomous government instrument such as CASA.

 

An additional negative when you are dealing with these bodies is that they can make operating decisions without the protection of the Parliament (which most of you despise, so there's some rough justice there), and its access to representation through the members and ministers, and its transparency within the decision making process.

 

As a result of this, some of those decisions may be snap decisions which, if you don't fight them will bite you.

 

Sound familiar?

 

 

While there is a balance between to many calls and too few calls, the more important issue is whether you are using correct phrases, or dictating a novel.

 

With the correct phrases, there are often quite big gaps between transmissions with six aircraft in the circuit.

 

Twelve aircraft in the circuit takes some practice; you have to get ready for your turn, wait for a transmission to end then snap the button down, spit it out, and let the button go, and on most occasions you'll get the message through.

 

Radio is much more important in the 6 - 12 aircraft/circuit bracket because the aircraft will mostly be on different tracks and a surprising number will not be able to stick to their altitude within a couple of hundred feet.

 

 

I refuse to apply for an ASIC card. My grandfather fought for freedom from this kind of government and I'm going to try and live up to what he fought for.

Let's hope your great great grandfather didn't come out in a convict ship then.....

 

 

How's the EFATO availability?

 

 

You're throwing up the opportunity for another thousand posts there.

 

 

it most certainly is satirical - some greats storiescase in point (more crime - not aviation though):

You searched for parking fine — The Betoota Advocate

I think you're right, like the lawn mowing contractor in Innamincka, but there are some tantalising marks on the road across from the service station.

 

 

more crime ....................... being committed at birdsville:Local man slapped with jay-walking ticket in Birdsville — The Betoota Advocate

He was probably sober

 

 

Who won this year's wet T shirt competition and today's Scrubber riding heat/

 

 

Not sure; that roof has two "N"s on the roof, and I've seen a Hotel sign photo.

 

However there are a lot of wits moving through the outback as well.

 

 

TP - Any gazetted public road occupies a gazetted road reserve, and this road reserve is separate to any pastoral lease - and controlled and maintained, by either the local Shire Council, or the States Main Roads Dept (or equivalent dept).Despite the Birdsville Track being called a Track, it is actually a gazetted main road, originally a Stock Route, and it can be closed under adverse travelling circumstances by the local Shire Council, operating in conjunction with Traffic SA.

Station tracks have no public road designation or gazetting, they are maintained only by the station lessee. You are supposed to get station owners consent to travel on ungazetted station tracks.

Yes, you're right.

It's what goes on off the track that upsets the owners. The track's not fenced so technically the graded surface is the public area.

 

I suspect that the airstrip is separate from the track, and therefore a station strip.

 

When you look at the map I posted, there's very little reason for landing an aircraft there when you have Marree International to drop in on and breath in the silence, Innamincka with silence, the magic of Cooper Creek, a pub, and dingo watching around the tip, and Birdsville. You would need to have the bladder of a pygmy possum to need to stop at Mungeranie.

 

 

This might explain the situation a bit better; The Birdsville track runs through Mungeranie according to this google map, so it may be that the strip is on private property.

 

 

 

Our biggest problem these days is mainstream media, never let the truth get in the way of a good story that will sellI wouldn't leak on it if it was on fire

That should cure any interest the press might have in running an interest- piece on RA.

 

 

It comes from me and my own opinion on his love and bend over backwards attitude for the Muslim voteWhy are we having to change our ways to please and not offend a minority when we are living in a mostly Christian western world

Things like wanting to close a public swimming pool on a certain day to allow the Muslim women and children to bathe

 

Yeah right leave a country their religion and beliefs has destroyed to change ours only to be destroy it

Australia has 400,000 muslims, some fourth generation; a sizeable voting bloc, things like changing school procedures are coming from left wing teachers and closing pools by local councils, not prime ministers.

 

 

I'd suggest the answer so far has been yes, with the quiet exposure sending a message about what can be done in RA aviation, and specifically with a Jabiru.

 

However if someone decided to take the next step and poke around the forums they'd be aghast st the fruit loop crappery that's infested RF this morning.

 

 

Where does this Halal Mal stuff come from?

 

 

Whatever, paste the daily newspaper on the panel if that's what you believe will suit you.

 

 

I and my doctor(also a DAME) has significant issues with the fact that the doctor has next to no input into the assessment of your medicalThey are simply filling forms and ordering tests

Did anyone see the segment on yesterday's Today Show where the resident Doctor, after pointing out that Dean Mercer did not die of a Heart Attack, but used another term - rather like a journalist telling everyone that a Jab was a Cessna, and progressed through deaths in younger, fit people, to the causes which were that plaque is dislodged from arteries, and that there is a straightforward test to show whether you are in the high risk category, but no one orders it and GPs also don't seem to be suggesting it.

I haven't been able to find the segment on line.