NT5224

You blokes! C'mn, give poor Jenny a break. Which of us hasn't filled from a rusty drum on the edge of a cleared patch of scrub before? You've got me terrified of posting any more pics of my own in case you throw the rule book at me! ? I for one thought Jenny had a tidy little hangar set up, just the kind of innovation we should be supporting if we want to encourage fellow aviators operating at reasonable cost. So Shajen, thanks for posting your pics... Im just setting about putting up my own hangar and this has been really helpful...? Are you flying from your own strip? If so, could I see a pic of that? Alan

How does the Lyco-powered Brumby fly? Just curious, I like Brumbys but heard stories about the electronics on the Lycomings... Alan

Wow, that was pretty scary at the end -crashing into a structure... Thanks for adding nobody was hurt....I would have worried about the poor fella! Alan

Hi Folks! What do people think of those big arched container cover structures as hangars? They're some kind of UV proof fabric I believe. Just asking because I think I just bought one...? Are they any good? Pros and Cons? Alan

Hi RF. What you have suggested is the normal way of buying an aircraft regardless of COVID. Contact a LAME (or RAA equivalent) based close to where the aircraft you are interested to buy is kept. Ask them to visit and undertake a pre-purchase inspection report for you. This will cost you a few hundred bucks, but is a necessary investment. The LAME should not be the regular maintainer of the aircraft, but an independent party. This report will let you know whether it is worth spending time and money visiting the aircraft and maybe going for a fly. But as others have said best pick an aircraft type you are already familiar with and have flown. Individual aircraft are all slightly different so its important that you actually fly in the one you intend to purchase to feel its 'mannerisms', however you need to know you are buying an aircraft type that suits your needs. Buying an aircraft is always a bit of a gamble but a whole lot of fun! But remember the purchase price is only the start.....? Good luck Alan

One constraint with 601s. Size. If you're a big bloke or a tall lean bloke you might struggle to force an entry and wont be comfortable on a multi-hour flight, even without a passenger. Be sure to try before you buy. Alan

If your heart is sold on a Jabiru, then I advise you go the 230. They fly pretty straight....

That’s what the bloke said. ‘You should waggle your little red knob better’. He was in his eighties with 60 years of flying everything from fast jets to commercial multi engine in his logs. When he spoke I listened. The question was around achieving peak fuel efficiency in cruise, and by implication he was suggesting I might not be optimising my mixture settings. So I’m interested to know how much a well leaned mixture should save on fuel flow? So ladies and gents. Let’s assume a cruise at about 30 litres per hour, 5000 feet. If mixture is leaned correctly, what reduction in fuel flow might be achieved? Just rough approximation will suffice. 1 litre? 3 litres? Or even more? One more thing. I was always taught that leaning was only necessary over about 5000 ft where the air density becomes significantly lower. This made sense to me because when you lean you are maintaining the optimal fuel/ air ratio, and that ratio begins to change the higher you get. But my experienced friend said that you could adjust mixture at any altitude. Thoughts? Alan

You would have got my vote, Sue ?

I believe the RAA slogan these days is ‘A Pilot in every home’. That strikes me as rather aspirational if it now costs 18K to get a recreational certificate. How many households can afford that much on what is essentially a hobby? I suspect that the company advertising flight training at those prices is going to run into lean times ahead with the coming recession. Good article in this month’s ‘Australian Flying’ about the likely impacts of COVID on the GA industry. Alan

I gotta say I don’t miss spinning the ‘wheel of fortune’. I do however always carry it in my flight bag and whip it out occasionally for a look. I can’t get over how smart the bloke was who invented it, getting so many sets of tables and computations into one instrument! Genius. I also have had an app for a few years and even used it to cross check the EFB when planning my last interstate flight. More likely to use the app than the physical instrument these days. Alan

Back to OP I’m confessin’. Yesterday I made a profound aeronautical error, and learnt a lesson that l will now never forget. I believe this lesson so important it should be included in the BAK syllabus. This is it: When at a fly in, never hoist your little dome tent close to where a helicopter might take off. The rotor wash blasted our tent and broke the poles... last night my wife and I slept under a sagging mossie dome ? Alan

Yeah, this is absolutely right (the circling climb) and exactly what i do departing my strip. In another life we called it the 'Baghdad corkscrew'. Basically gain as much height as possible before striking out over tiger country.

Engaging topic! ? I guess im guilty of about five of the list, but have learnt from each stuff-up. Only yesterday I stupidly pushed back from bowser with fuel cap resting on wing after a distraction. I luckily remembered it before firing up, but the occaisional senior moment like that worries me! Funnily enough, the worst mistakes ive witnessed and worst airmanship (which make my own misdemeanours pale by comparison) have been made by very senior pilots and instructors. We're all human. Alan

Did the gallant aviator take off? ?

As somebody who's engine seized and destroyed itself in cruise over tiger country i share your concerns. However I now operate from my home strip which is deep in said tiger country, so heres my advice. As somebody wrote above, study google maps over you planned route and identify every possible site for a forced landing. Roads, property tracks, paddocks -anything you could side slip into. Then enter these as emergency 'go to' points in your EFB or GPS . Obviously altitude is your friend, but even if some legs of your flight are beyond gliding range to your emergency points, some of the flight will be -and having them will give you confidence. Alan

Personally, if i were looking for a reasonably priced 4 seater that actually lifts four adults plus fuel Id go Maule rather than Cessna. Just sayin'. And they come in all flavours now. Those that drag their tail feathers and shopping trolleys too.

OK Folks A dumb question from a technophobe luddite here. What do I need to link my telephone into my headset so that I can take/make phone calls while flying? Im not somebody who's joined at the hip with my phone, but on a long cruise It seems like a good time for a chat. Also, good for me to call ahead to the home base if incoming. Any link to the device I need would be much appreciated! Alan

I would recommend Grant Cerni at InsurePlanes. He bought out Gladys and Stuart Smith, I believe. Not the cheapest but straight talking and seems to genuinely want to find you the best deal. But if you're looking for a cheaper deal than you currently have, he may not be for you. Alan

Mi Loved that story! I spent 11 years on and off in Egypt and it made me chuckle. So true. I remember those Cairo Airport shenanigans like they were yesterday. I recall once hearing an airport announcement in English and Arabic at Cairo airport that went " Ladies and Gents we regret to inform you that flight 603 from Baghdad will not be arriving on time". PAUSE.... "We hope they are alright"

I recently renewed my VH rego-d tail dragger with QBE at $3500 with $1500 excess. I made a claim two years ago when my old engine seized in the cruise and we had to set down in a swamp. Gotta say QBE were excellent. Not the cheapest but there when you need them! Alan

Hey Folks! Something my wife and I have been dreaming of for years is an aerial tour across to the Torres Straits Islands. Our best mate has just moved across to Cairns and shes due a big birthday shortly, so we might have to go across for that. Seems a good opportunity for the Torres loop. So who's island hopped the Torres Strait before? Is it possible in a private aircraft? Im guessing there's biosecurity procedures coming back onto the mainland, but are individual islands set up to receive independent tourist visitors? Im guessing permits required. Im also aware we'll need a certain amount of safety gear for flying across water (jackets and dinghy) but are there any other procedures? More importantly, is it fun and worth doing? Or is it just too much hassle and horrendously expensive in your own aircraft? Id appreciate any thoughts or feedback, but particularly from anybody who has first hand experience of flying out there. We live in the Top End, and have flown into places around Arnhem land and Tiwi islands, so are not coming at this with rose tinted specs! Ivé been ripped off at the bowser a few times, and slept under my wing to discourage curious hands exploring my bird overnight ;) Cheers Alan

Huh?

As it says in the thread title, 'are Brumby's still offered with Lycoming engines? If not why?' I believe Brumbys were originally offered with a choice of Lycoming or Rotax. An all metal Brumby with a Lycoming sounds like a pretty serious combination to me . They have good interior space, and are rugged like a 152. Does any body on here have a Brumby with the Lycoming motor? If so, can you tell us how you find it? Cheers Alan

Sue. Thanks so much for sharing that great story. It speaks volumes about evolving social attitudes and our (male) minds . For myself, I was absolutely thrilled when my wife went through flight training, aged 50! To be honest it was not her gender that impressed me, but her achievement leaning to fly at that age, when our capacity to learn and physical coordination is reduced. Also, I have been an aviation enthusiast since I was a boy, reading Biggles and hearing my dads stories of flying Lancasters and Mosquitos over Germany. But my wife had absolutely no prior interest in aviation. We have an aircraft, so she decided she needed to be able to fly it herself. Flying was an entirely practical choice for her. I understand the cockpit competition that exists between you and your partner. In our case, I generally do the flying only because I have much more experience than my wife. Having said that, I will be deliberately be pushing her to get her hours up, and as she becomes more confident, regularly share the flying with her. She never flies alone, whereas I regularly do. But having our aircraft hangared at home, she will free to take off and do a few circuits and scenic flights whenever she wants, if she wishes to build her hours. I will of course come along if she wants a second pilot in the right seat. So, do you do your partners BFRs? Is that even allowed? :) Cheers Alan