Neil_S

Hi Tomo, "Low wings are much more user friendly for ditching than high wing aircraft I would imagine." Hmmmm - I am not sure I would agree. I am assuming that in an RA plane with fixed undercarriage there is a big likelihood it will flip on touching the water. In the Gazelle I would have opened the door(s) just before touching, and if it did flip then I would like to think the air in the wings would provide some buoyancy and allow the upturned fuselage to remain at least partially above water. But even if it didn't it should still be reasonably easy to get out of the open door under water and find the surface. Also in a forced landing on land I would also get the doors open just before touchdown, and if the plane flipped it would be much easier to get out with the fuselage upmost and wings on the ground than if the same happened in a low-wing plane. Some low wing planes have a canopy that opens by moving it upwards - if the plane is inverted and resting on the canopy I imagine it may be very difficult to open the canopy, as you would effectively have to push the whole weight of the plane upwards - something that may be impossible if you are injured in any way. I hope I never have to find out if the above is true, but from an academic viewpoint sitting in front of my PC it makes some sense. Corrections & discussion welcome!! Neil

Hi Tomo, Good post! Reminds me not only to think about such scenarios regularly, but also to practice forced landings on a regular basis too..... I also recall a link on one of the threads on this site a while back that showed an FAA guy doing a talk on surviving forced landings, and he said that you could "land" in a VERY short distance under control - the aircraft would be bent, and you would likely be bruised, but the seat belts are designed to absorb very high G forces, so effectively you should fly the plane into the ground, avoiding low level turns if at all possible, and just above stall speed. He also gave some maths for calculating "real" stall speed, as the one quoted in the POH is always at MTOW, and if there's just one person, with less than full fuel, then it would be lower than the book figure.... Cheers Neil

Hi Tomo, Great pix! Wish I had been there..... Cheers Neil

Hey Winsor, Just where/how do you find these gems?? Love it! Neil

Hey Winsor, Great video - very interesting. Cheers Neil

Hi Winsor, Really interesting video! Thanks for posting. Cheers Neil

Hi Spin, And verily I say unto you they maketh a multitude of sense! Amen. Neil

Hi Ozzie, Brilliant photos! Thanks for sharing the link....:big_grin: Cheers Neil

Appalling news - all of them... Sympathies to the families & friends of all involved.....

Hi Frank - thanks for sharing, I found it fascinating. Wonder where to next with the technology? Cheers Neil

Hey Mike - top stuff, mate! Well done Let us know how the rest goes..... Cheers Neil

Hi Evan, I found the same, so now when I have 2 up I add a small touch of power just to arrest that final bit of descent and the landing is smoother (no flaps in the Gazelle). Close it right down when the mains have touched. Cheers Neil

Hi Sam, to this site and the forums - hopefully you will find some useful info here. Cheers Neil

Excellent stuff!!

Yep - extra useful info eg dew point & humidity, and gusts

Hi Solomon, Just wanted to add my along with everyone else's. Best of luck with both the plane and the lessons. Keep us all posted with how you get on. And good onya to Motz, Liz and Howard - you are very generous and exemplify one of the reasons we all joined RA-Aus - for the mateship as well as the flying! Cheers Neil

Hi Grant, Couldn't agree more! Great plan!! And to you. Cheers Neil

If we are going to get pedantic then if we refer to Roget's Thesaurus and look up "sport" and "recreation" they both point to "Amusement", and all the definitions associated with that. IMO the words are frequently used interchangeably, so debating the "correct" name of the magazine based on the meaning of the words does not really serve a useful purpose. I think the design of the new cover is more eye-catching than the old one, which is the first contact with the mag that would make me look at it in a newsagent. Once the mag is picked up and browsed it is the content that will keep attention, or not. Within the first few pages, opposite the Contents page, there is a load of info about RA-Aus. This and the Contents will allow most people to decide if they are interested or not. Let's give the new guys a chance on the content of the next few editions - it has been pretty good so far IMO...... My 2 cents Neil

Virago! Keep us posted on your progress with building your Sierra, anddon't be shy about telling us all a bit more about yourself! Cheers Neil

Well done, Tomo! Keep us posted how you go from here.... Cheers Neil

Hi Scott, Welcome, and good luck with the training. I also fly a Gazelle, and have flown over to Ballarat a few times from Penfield (Sunbury). I saw the Gazelle in the hangar there. Hope you will come over to Penfield in the Karatoo when you have finished building it and got your Nav endorsement :big_grin: Cheers Neil

Hi Ballpoint, Really sorry to hear about the break-in, and your job. There are some real scum around sadly, but if they are too stupid to realize the ELB is useless to anyone but the registered owner then, like has been said, I hope they are stupid enough to activate it! Hope the items get returned. Cheers Neil

Been in IT for decades, first as a programmer on mainframes, then database technical manager for a UK airline, but more recently as a specialist database support engineer.

Duly signed. Good luck, mate!! I wonder how many of the complainants bought a house in the area AFTER the airfield was already in operation. I would wager a good proportion! Cheers Neil

Hi Skypup, What an amazing little plane! Looks heaps of fun. I fly out of Penfield, so am looking forward to seeing you and the pup flying there one day. Keep us posted on your progress. Cheers Neil