walrus

Flightrite, it's called progress. It's inevitable. Aircraft performance increases with time as it should. If anything, RAA/LSA adopts technology faster than certified aircraft because it doesnt require the same level of certification. We are even occasionally seeing lsa technology get adapted to certified aircraft (Dynon and Rotax) "Cheap Flying" as a concept is/was never going to remain cheap because as performance improves, so does the operating envelope and rules have to cater for that. Dreaming of older and simpler times is just that - dreaming. The next generation of LSA are going to match the performance of certified aircraft (in crude terms) and the generation after that will exceed them. Personally, I am looking forward to the weight increase because my MTOW is constrained to 600 KG by regulation..

Que?

The fuel circuit in a 912 iS includes dual redundant pumps, an 8 micron filter after the 40 odd micron gascolator and its pressurised when running to about 45psi and a flow rate of about 70 l/h ( > 2X maximum flow). There is no air access to this system, the only air contact is on the free surface in. the fuel tanks. Murphy’s law therefore suggests some new failure mode will apply one day instead of “gum in carburettor passages”. 😞

Mr. Funnel is your friend.

Between starts? One - two weeks.

Rotax recommends unleaded 95 for my engine (912 iS). Starts every time.

Sorry, my apologies.

KG Wilson, BP Premium 95 does NOT contain Ethanol. https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/country-sites/en_au/australia/home/products-services/data-sheets/premium-unleaded-95.pdf ....And another thing, Avgas has an SG of about 0.72 BP 95 ha an SG of 0.75. You should factor that into your W & B. Furthermore Unleaded 95 has about 3% more energy than Avgas, so expect your fuel consumption to increase for the same power.

Let’s face it, Government hates private non RPT and non military or government run aviation in all its forms. Their only concern is to ensure that as an industry sector we die quietly. I cannot think of one positive action Government has taken for GA/RA that hasn’t had to be dragged out of them with much kicking and screaming.

Garfly, I've done some research and there is a subtle software error in my ADSB installation - will be corrected before next flight. ADSB should have shown the two other aircraft. Anyway having he Ozrunways is a useful backup fort guys with no transponder.

Flew to a destination for lunch with two other aircraft last week. Two had sky echo and I have ADSB in/out transponder. ADSB only showed close traffic BUT we all had ipads running Ozrunways. Ozrunways showed all of us and we kept in line astern at about equal four mile intervals 🙂 …A little chat occasionally on 123.45 and we kept ourselves neat and tidy there and back.

Pen, regarding Los Angeles, there are VFR corridors right through the middle of controlled airspace, none of this skulking around the edges at 500 feet. Regarding “mixing it with hundreds of passengers” - you do that when you use any CTAF with an RPT service already. You arrange separation with the RPT pilots, they won’t bite your head off. When there is potential conflict, I usually give them the courtesy of landing first on economic grounds by just extending downwind a bit. ‘’All PPL holders learn and are endorsed on controlled airspace procedures, it’s not rocket science. ‘’RAA students at Moorabbin have been using class D airspace for years. Sure we all get rusty, but it’s not that hard. ‘’As for medicals, in the USA and UK they self certify without it raining flame and aluminium from the sky. Besides, what do you think ADSB, transponders and radios are for? ATC is there to help, not hinder.

Now I know `why Michael Smiths Searey was N registered.

I found out the hard way that you can’t hire an aircraft from some organizations without a current ASIC.

Turbo, I have a ppl and did the training. but $800 for a bfr and then a medical on top of that, just so I can “go coastal” once a year is crazy. Have you ever flown into LAX as a passenger in daylight? You would have seen all sorts of aircraft from a C172 upwards, mixing happily in that airspace, but not here.

Turbo, I’m sure you are right. What you are saying, it seems, is that RAA pilots have no rights. That said, my point stands. With no rights, then the 60%+ of Australians living under CTA on the East Coast should not be flying RAA. You can fly suitably equipped RAA aircraft in CTA with a ppl, bfr and medical certificate). ‘’That begs the question of medical self certification for GA, if that happens then the floodgates are open for the RAA pilots with a PPL as well.

Why even fly the East Coast? It’s just a series of road blocks. Jervis Bay, sydney, Newcastle, Coffs, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast. Seven of them - and not one of them makes a provision for RAA pilots or a sensible fuel efficient corridor. How many Light Aircraft pilots and pax have been killed because they couldn’t plan or get clearance through these toxic zones?

No point commenting. They don’t listen and don’t care. All you are doing is providing window dressing.

Too close to CASA Head office?

While it doesn’t affect my flying, on my travels in outback Australia I have occasionally been given advice about camping places to go, or to avoid, from local Aboriginals which is based on the spirits inhabiting various locales. I have great respect for that advice. Some locations are beautiful but downright spooky for no apparent reason. Others are somehow welcoming, I know not why. I once ignored that advice and ended up leaving as fast as possible next morning, such was the feeling of dread that hung over this otherwise perfect spot.

Spenaroo,regarding boats, I see plenty of $150k wake boats bring pulled by 100K+ of trailer and Dodge Ram 4WD. Most of these appear to be owned by young tradies. The hourly running costs are stratospheric. The question remains - why aren't aeroplanes maintaining market share of the Australian toy market? Judging from american youtube flying videos there are plenty of young folk in the American GA scene, why not here? ..But we know they are unsafe! Why, they even permit children to touch the controls! ...And the takeoffs and low flying! Suicidal!

Thruster, Turbo, you both make relevant points. Like Thruster, I too am lucky to be able to fly and am left alone. I also note Turbo’s statistical evidence that not much has changed. I agree. However this doesn’t change the conclusions I have reached. There are two of them: - While statistically not much has changed, that begs the huge question of whether it should have changed by increasing in line with the rest of Australia’s economy as measured by GDP. Australia’s GDP has almost tripled from 2000 to 2019 (from roughly 0.5 to 1.4 trillion). Has the activity of the GA sector tripled even allowing for RAA? I don’t think so. Is there three times the investment, jobs and activity? No. For anecdotal evidence of what a thriving GA sector would look like, visit New Zealand. Clearly we have a problem. - While I am lucky to be left alone to be able to fly, I think it is selfish and dangerous not to be interested and a contributor even in a very small way to policy development. If you don’t do this, you risk being overtaken by events. Furthermore without active scrutiny and robust discussion of industry policy settings, there is a tendency for regulatory sub optimisation - regulators may avoid hard decisions in favor of the line of least resistance or worse, decide to regulate in favor of their own self interest. There is ample evidence in the form of the Forsyth review, the current RRAT work and numerous previous reports as well as the alleged treatment meted out to Glen Buckley and APTA to suggest that there is, euphemistically “room for improvement”. ‘’It is axiomatic that unless regulatory activities are scrutinised and challenged the standards of regulation will deteriorate. That ultimately leads to inefficiency, regulatory failure and ultimately corruption. In other words, third world standards. So yes, “I’m all right jack” and not much has changed in my neck of the woods but I can’t help wondering if we are in a fools paradise. If we don’t critically evaluate and instead do nothing we risk our survival.

My sense of the current state is that GA is on an irretrievable downward spiral. GA has no supporters and plenty of detractors. You can start with local government who see airports as prime development land. Then there is the RAAF and RPT crowd who look at anything smaller than a B737 as air pollution. Then there are the nimby/green/ left wing types who hate the idea that anyone should even be able to afford to fly an aircraft. GA has no friends. It is therefore ripe for sacrifice as well as a convenient whipping boy for the public service.’’You can’t win. it’s over. ‘’But what about recreational aircraft’? Give them time. They will #@%@ them too.

Agree with Jackc. Very few kids have the faintest idea about salesmanship. Having said that, those that do understand won’t be working for office works.

The other day I had to explain to a twenty something what a crank handle was, then how to use it to manually start a diesel engine, including use of decompression lever and the finer points of removing crank handle before it goes into orbit, breaking arms, etc. I felt very old having to do this. ‘’Fast forward - I need a new iphone, I asked twenty something about the new iphone 13…… “no need - you won’t use very much of what is in there” was the reply.