Sydney Flyer - Musings of an Air Safari Pilot Transform You Flying Skills - Sydney Flying Club
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Sydney Flyer Page ! 1 Sydney Flyer Oct/Nov 2018 Volume 5 Issue 3 Musings of an Air Safari Pilot Transform You My Only Emergency Flying Skills in 25 Years of Flying How and Milestones Why We Fail Deep Stall 2 and Dead Ends
Sydney Flyer Page ! 2 From the President The Board has been very busy over the past few Club member Andrew Antal who recently rented a months and there have been some fantastic results. Cirrus in the USA says "Knowing that the club has You can be assured that your Board is working secured an ultra-modern SR22T Cirrus which has tirelessly to promote aviation, spread the freedom of more technology than the space shuttle provides me flying and present opportunities for anyone with an with an added incentive to obtain an Instrument interest in aviation to associate with like minded Rating and take this plane to remote parts of people. Australia”. Now Andrew does not need to fly to the USA to enjoy this marvel of technology! The work of the Board continues with strong support and a mandate from members and I am A quick word regarding the financials: according to pleased to announce a string of achievements since KPMG's rating our solvency ratios (at 2.05), cash the AGM in May: balances, gross margin, indirect costs control, club revenues, net profits and overall performance as to • A five year contract with TAFE for the the end of July are either "excellent" or provision of flight training for its Diploma of "extraordinary". Aviation program I mentioned in a previous edition of this magazine, • Strong profits from the TAFE involvement, that I would like to introduce you to the other board underpinning the financial viability of SFC into members. In the August–September edition you the future heard from Steve Kastanias and now for this edition • Part 142 Certification — an outstanding let me introduce you to Yaron Nahmias. achievement by Chris Koort and his team Yaron’s love affair with aviation started at an early • The purchase of a Cirrus aircraft as part of our age. Yaron always looked up to the air and dreamed fleet renewal — bringing cutting edge technology of the day he would take to the sky. of which members can be proud and more planes When Yaron was sixteen he joined the air scouts to come... and at the age of 18 he had his first chance to fly and Joseph Pilo, CEO, says about the Cirrus SR22T: had three flights in a piper cub as a scout activity. “It’s a quality, high tech, safe, modern club-owned I will let Yaron continue with his story… aircraft prioritised for private and Club use….an advanced, high performance modern light Amir Hyster aircraft ...with the capacity to Fly Into Known Icing President (FIKI) at 25,000 feet, and with the Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS), advanced to the minute Yaron Nahmias weather systems, air conditioning and satellite It took almost 10 years phone". before I decided to turn my I will add that the SR22 has been the most dream into a reality and advanced light aircraft available for nearly 20 years started flying lessons at with multi-function displays, upset and recovery Bankstown. I got my GFPT systems, SVT, EVS and many more advanced back in 2000 which was a technologies. dream come true. Unfortunately due to family
Sydney Flyer Page ! 3 and financial limitations I did not complete my I have a strong belief that what’s not tracked PPL and stopped flying for nearly eight years. cannot be managed. This is why in the past two years with my fellow directors we have insisted I was fortunate to go to a lunch in late 2008 on creating accurate budget tracking, plane where I found at the same table a fellow pilot. He maintenance reports, flying hours reports (planes told me about his flying which reignited my and instructors) and have helped to standardise passion to get into the sky again. I asked if I the operation reports. could join Chris (my friend) on his flight next time he flew and he agreed. This was when I was Not surprisingly, implementing these reports introduced to Schofields Flying Club. Chris flew exposed a number of issues that required urgent us to Wollongong in the Diamond DA40 that the attention. The club had to find ways to reduce club cross-hired at that time — it was incredible! operating costs, increase profitable revenue and I made my mind up to get back into flying and improve the assets the club owns. The financials signed up as a club member and got my PPL with were very clear and indicated that if the club the club in 2009. I am happy to say that I have continued to operate the same way it would not not stopped flying ever since. survive. The collection of quality data and implementation of improvement takes time, but I As a passionate aviator who loves flying, pilots am happy to say that after just over two years on and planes, I saw the opportunity to join the SFC the board I can see the recovery coming this year board as a way to contribute my professional with strong prospects for the near and medium experience to the promotion of aviation to like term future. The club operational costs have minded people. been reduced, the profitable revenue is That’s why I decided to put my self forward for increasing and there are further achievements as election to join the SFC board in 2016. I was very outlined in the President’s report above. lucky and honoured to be elected. There is still much work to be done to ensure At the time I joined the board, I had over 20 club revenue is secured, but the actions taken by years experience in IT and at various levels of the SFC directors and management team gives management. At the time I was elected I was and me great hope for a very bright future. still am a director in Optus. My professional life The board had to make some tough decisions requires intimate knowledge of financials, on club fleet. Club maintenance reports indicated technology, people and process: this is the that the club had extremely high maintenance experience that I thought I could contribute to costs for club-owned planes while the percentage SFC. of time planes were actually available to be used The first year on the board was very interesting, was extremely low. It became very clear that the the club faced many challenges — the future club was loosing money on the old fleet — direction of the Board was unclear, funds to run without much benefit, planes were in some cases the business were depleted, the aircraft fleet was 90% of the time in no state to fly which resulted ageing, the cost of maintenance was huge and in extremely low air time per annum. The board increasing, there were few club activities, there decided it was time to take action and sell the was growing concern of air space closure once planes that were creating a huge financial the second Sydney airport is built and many burden, cash drain and drag on our club’s other such challenges. growth. We can safely say that from a financial My professional experience tells me that if you point of view this decision is helping the club focus on too many items at once you may not progress toward a new fleet. To ensure club achieve your target. For me the key area of focus flying is not impacted, more cross-hired planes were the financials, social activities and business were found to replace the departing planes. growth.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 4 As for the club social side, one of my key our club will deliver aviation dreams to many aspirations for the club was to have a vibrant and others for many years to come. active social environment for club members. As I would like to thank all members for taking the chairman of the marketing and members part in the club activities and I hope to see you in relationship committee, I advocated in board future club events. meetings for the establishment of social Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)to increase the amount of club social activity. Yaron Nahmias The creation by the board of the marketing and members relationship committee that I chair, resulted in the establishment of a club social committee under the leadership of George Higgins. I would like to thank George for his contribution over the past 2 years. Also, thanks to David Jaffray, we have a wonderful newsletter that has become a quality aviation magazine. Since the first edition, June-July 2014, it has provided a forum for members to share their experiences and for the Board and management to keep members up-to-date. It is pleasing that the number of Club flying and social events has grown substantially supported by a rich schedule of events. The Board has made time to meet and understand club members — we are very pleased to see that we are hitting over 350 today, a substantial increase from 2 years ago. As we are always looking to improve, some club events will change in the future with the aim of appealing to a larger, broader population of members. With the assistance of the COO and CEO we will be looking at creating a vibrant and dynamic calendar of club events to suit more club members and increase the participation rate — you will hear more on this closer to the end of the year. When I walk into the club now, it is pleasing to see the increase in activity at the club and the professional attention given to members by the desk and flying instructors. It is a definitely an improved environment to what I remember from 2 years ago. I look back at the past two years of being on the Board with great satisfaction. I am proud of my part in promoting aviation and helping ensure
Sydney Flyer Page ! 5 Carolyn Fielding Musings of an Air Safari Pilot Just what was I thinking when I emailed Chris the first few days — talk about adding to my Muller to say I was interested in joining SFC’s anxiety! Sydney and Brisbane and those nice guys Cape York Air Safari? Mostly I was thinking he’d in Willy tower used to be the only zones on the forget to email me back or say there was no east coast. How was I going to fudge making accommodation left, but no joy there as I others think I was somewhat competent! subsequently discovered Chris doesn’t forget –––––––––––––––––––––– anything! By this time I happened to have mentioned it to my sister and her husband, so I The big day arrives and we don life jackets, give now had two keen passengers. I was glad my our passengers the safety briefings and tell them sister didn’t realise that all those flying hours I to commit them to memory. We depart had been racking up over the last thirty-five years Bankstown and head north. I manage was nearly exclusively 747 hours in cattle class Williamtown and Coffs Harbour control zones and definitely not on the flight deck. I had kept and land at Ballina to refuel and that was the last up with technology and could competently check of the known terrain. We have a picnic lunch in in and book online and operate the inflight the lee of a hanger then take off for Caloundra entertainment system, so of course I would be QLD. We struggle through the Gold Coast able to navigate on an iPad, if I actually bought dodging helicopters left and right. Scenery is one … I hoped! spectacular especially as we are mostly at 500 ft and sand islands, deltas and sea life that is not First things first — at least I was flying a seen from the ground appears all around us. The Cessna 172 which I had done most of my bummer is no autopilot, so I can’t make the most training on and had flown (under supervision) to of the view, I can only hear my excited Ballina in the last year, so was sort of confident I passengers exclaiming over this whale and that could get that far. I decided I still needed real, i.e. land form. paper, maps (don’t laugh), so I at least had an overall picture of where I was going. I updated Finally by the end of the second day we are my 1982 maps and added a few more. The down through six control zones to historic side I discovered with new maps was that I Rockhampton — stunning old buildings would be traversing about eight control zones in including customs house on the Fitzroy River.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 6 Thank goodness for the air force. They teach By the time we reach Cooktown I am their air traffic controllers to enunciate clearly so reasonably proficient with control zones — they are easily understood on the radio — makes which we have now run out of — as I’ve now life so much easier when you can hear what they been through Townsville and the final one are asking you to do! In Rocky, the evening’s Cairns. safety meeting is held in the Criterion Pub which At Cooktown, with an imminent rest day turns into dinner. Discussion is about arriving ahead, we relax and enjoy the local prawns and into Shute Harbour, so forewarned I make sure I coral trout from the hotel balcony (after the Google and digest the information Chris has safety meeting of course) while the sun sets. disseminated. I decide that my research has been well worth the time spent, when we land at From Cooktown on is familiar as my husband Shute Harbour somewhat respectably, with all Michael and I have done the four wheel drive up passengers intact — which is more than can be the old tracks, so we aren’t expecting anything said about the sightseeing plane which disgorges too exciting or new, but it is amazing how much a number of passengers to throw up on the grass of Australia’s coastline is inaccessible by road. as they alight just after us. Unfortunately there is a lot of mining infrastructure affecting our remote and not so remote coastal regions that all Australians need to be aware of. Heading inland we have a couple of options as for the first time we have some clouds on the horizon (literally) and some very big hills (read mountains) so have carefully chosen the lowest route to Coen to refuel. Lunch is at Bramwell Station — my first dirt strip for a long time. I avoid the drainage ditch along the parking area, find the least rocky spot to minimise dings in the prop on start up — there Arriving around the northern hill via is no option to find grass in drought affected recommended ‘dogleg’ into Shute Harbour Queensland. We arrive at Bamaga after negotiating bushfire smoke. Of course Chris has arranged yet more excellent accommodation including pool, Saibai Islander concert and meals. On our day off, Michael and I opt for a fourteen kilometre walk and refamil of nearby Seisia as we’d previously done the cape. We head coastal the next day to take in the most northerly tip of Australia from 500 ft then One day later depar;ng Shute Harbour around on to Horn Island. Our AQIS (quarantine the headland avoiding Hamilton Island CTA requirements for coming back to the mainland) under 1000 B details are also sorted out for our departure the Through Cairns, we opt for the inland route — next day. After wandering around for a while a over land rather than the longer sea route — few of us arrange to ferry across to Thursday which tracks us alongside very high escarpments Island (TI) early, as unfortunately the only thing (3337 ft) narrowing to a road at Buchan Point Chris didn’t cater for was souvenir shopping. A where we need to be under 1000 ft. few of our number have other priorities than flying and sightseeing and it isn’t only the ladies
Sydney Flyer Page ! 7 on the trip that need to purchase unique items as our aircraft had the certificate to use it. for family and friends. Unfortunately TI residents Unfortunately due to a rash of four wheel drivers are still in the 1970s and there are no shops it is not so easy to taxi into country towns these open. Adjourning to the pub, Kerrie and I chat to days. In Karumba, my Michael has a chat with the barman bemoaning the fact and lo and the local petrol station and borrows PQK’s behold a local lady next to us offers to rouse her collapsible jerrycans fills them up and then friend to open her pearl shop across from the borrows Glen and Michael Quigg (the other pub. Some time later after perusing the lovely Michael) to help pour the fuel into our high local island handicrafts and south sea pearls, I winged aircraft in a 20 knot crosswind. You need inform Michael he’s bought me a lovely pearl a shower afterwards if not very careful. Our JZJ necklace even though he hasn’t left the bar — then runs beautifully down to Burketown on the miracle of the modern credit card. Kerrie also $1.70/l unleaded 91 and it saves us having to finds some lovely jewellery. It’s the night ferry refuel at Normanton. Our trip continues with back across luminescent water to Horn Island. lots of experience dodging SFC aircraft arriving and departing at all different speeds at country Next day, arriving at Karumba, on the west airfields like Sweers Island and Adel’s Grove and coast of the cape, via Coen — again for fuel as this demonstrates very clearly the necessity of Avgas is in short supply in North Qld because keeping a good lookout and giving clear position everyone must be FIFO in executive jets these reports, as it is extremely difficult to spot an days — Glen (in VH-OHS) has commandeered aircraft ahead of you at the same height even the motel’s transport and transfers us all from knowing where to look. the airfield. It’s amazing how the local moteliers are happy to let one of us drive their vehicles. At one of our safety meetings we decide to join They obviously aren’t aware of just what he does Chris on a side trip from Birdsville to Cameron in his RV7! Corner (land in SA, taxi thru NSW & refuel at Before departing on our trip I had been trying QLD pub @ $2/l). I get a clear airfield briefing to locate where it was easy to fill up on car fuel (see serviette below) — the bush is really a 6 m tree If anyone goes out there (Cameron Corner) please lop that tree as it’s mesmerising on final
Sydney Flyer Page ! 8 tree! If anyone goes out there please lop that tree to Dubbo where we have a council of war as to as it’s mesmerising on final. One does need to which way to proceed. With Chris leading in the dodge the four wheel drives on the road and Grumman Tiger we find our way around clouds always watch that your tail is lined up straight to to Bathurst initially, then creep over the taxi through gates as we nearly collect the fence countryside finding gaps in between hard (hills) post with the horizontal stabiliser. and soft clouds to remain VFR. I am looking out for Katoomba and can’t see it till the Three Sisters appears suddenly on my left. We fly around them and scrape through to Warragamba and the rest is easy with PZF following our directions arriving fifteen minutes later. It is a two pilot operation — one to fly and one to watch where to go ahead and keep options open behind. As usual Chris is waiting to make sure we arrive safely as he did for all the SFC members I get a clear airfield briefing each day of the trip. ––––––––––––––––––––– Would I recommend other members joining an Air Safari — hell yes! Not only for the spectacular scenery you can’t see any other way and the great conversations with pilots and passengers who come from all interesting professions and experiences, but also the advantage of hours of flying (which reinforces skills) with a group of experienced pilots from whom one learns a variety of helpful hints that Filling up with unleaded at Cameron Corner — might otherwise take a lifetime to accumulate. the 4x4s have to wait un;l we move Some handy hints I acquired are: Unfortunately, after lunch it is such a slow trip • attend daily safety meetings — while not back to Cunnamulla as we have to stop to pick mandatory are necessary to acquire advice on up some fuel at Thargomindah, but it is great dealing with possible issues each day (but it experience. did mean my alcohol consumption One has to admire the way Chris has skyrocketed!) negotiated with a higher authority for fourteen • if you have a sticky solenoid, whack it with a days of the most amazing weather, but our magic wrench and your engine will start — I just need weather ends on the last day — two of our to find out exactly where to hit it. contingent in faster aircraft head straight to • it’s a great way to learn how to use all the Bankstown from Birdsville due to the forecast functions on an iPad* as someone else will thunder storm belt. The rest depart from know how to (but nothing beats a paper map Cunnamulla, though PQK and DXF (both single for real perspective) pilots) track to Narromine where they’re are regarded as Rain Gods due to the rain they bring • other pilots still use paper maps which keeps them grounded for two days. • no pilot is perfect — although I was the easy Luckily we have the advantage of weather one to identify on the radio reports from Glen in his RV7 and we get through
Sydney Flyer Page ! 9 • one must pack a good variety of Hawaiian shirts to compete with Chris’s wardrobe 2018 PRIVATE HIRE (incl GST) • I need to think about passengers next time (I TYPE VH HIRE IFR LND could carry more fuel and/or shopping...) Tomahawk CNV $180 $22 • a Cessna is still the best touring aircraft as our little 180 HP 172 motored along like a Warrior lI INB $260 $25 champion. Warrior II BVM $260 ✓ $25 Did I survive being the old inexperienced female pilot? Yep, but it would be nice to even up Warrior III SFK LXP $260 $25 the ratios and many thanks to Kerrie, Britta and Warrior III ZFX ZFY $260 $25 Dianne for being there. Also many thanks to Chris for the hours of work he must have put in Archer II SFA $285 $25 to ensure everything ran without a hiccup and who herded us all along safely without losing NRB NRI Archer II $285 ✓ $25 patience. We’re looking forward to the NRL Kimberleys next year. Archer III SFR $295 ✓ $25 Note: I survived 15 days of flying with my 25,000 hour husband with only one lot of tears Cherokee CDK $360 ✓ $35 — my passengers were most impressed with my 6 fortitude. And he survived 15 days of being on a Cessna 206 LZN $445 ✓ $35 VFR flight though with probably a lot more grey hair due to the proximity of water, hills and Cessna 206 AZN $465 ✓ $35 things he could see without multiple engines keeping him aloft. Also, to give him credit, he let Duchess WZA $470 ✓ $40 me fly it all by myself, although I did get lots of advice! Cirrus DDP $595 ✓ $35 SR22T *I have discovered NO one knows how to use all the functions in those iPad programs! Red Bird FMX $115 N/A FS By Carolyn Fielding For full details www.sfcaero.com.au/aircraft-rates
Sydney Flyer Page ! 10 What is Double an Epic? The 2018 SFC Flyaway to Cape York The Tip of Cape York Peninsular Well, here I am again, three months later Double the fuel stops — 23 writing about this year’s 2018 SFC flyaway to Double (almost) the fleet — a sweet nine Cape York… No, hang on, that was 12 months aircraft ago! I remember now, how excited I was recounting all the great stuff that happened on Double the people — 23 flying enthusiasts the 2017 “Virgin Epic” flyaway to Coober Pedy. Double the airspace — a week of Controlled Dare I say … time flys too? Airspace (CTA), and a week of outback Class G But it seems like just last week Chris Muller So what’s double an Epic.. I don’t know, maybe went to market to get a new crew to join him on there is no word for that one! a new idea for another SFC flyaway in 2018. That was in December 2017. “Hey guys let’s go to the The plan Cape”. My first reaction, “sounds good”. If Chris Sounds quite simple. Keep the water to the and SFC is organising it, I am going. right, fly North until there is no more land. Next, I didn’t think much past that really. After last go a bit further to Horn Island, turn around and year’s flyaway to Coober Pedy I’m a veteran… come down the other side of the Cape with water right? Let’s put the band back together… still on the right until the land turns right to Darwin. Then come south past Birdsville until Well, like last year, I don’t know it all, not by a we get home again. long shot. Let’s recall some facts about what a Cape York Epic is… compared to what we did in What could go wrong. 2017 to Coober Pedy . I am still trying to figure out how it still takes The word double keeps bouncing around in my an hour every night to sort out where to and mind. Let’s take an Epic and double it. from, how far, what height, what heading, what’s the taxi phone number, what’s the hotel, where Double the distance — over 6,800 km is the tour going, where is dinner, where is Double the days — 15 days, average 38 hours breakfast in the morning and who has my total flying time
Sydney Flyer Page ! 11 watch!? Damn, I left it at home. Quite a different speeds , endurance and skills. ATC whirlwind tour, but loving every minute. incursions? — none. A testament to the And with Chris Muller at the helm, say no Collective. more. No major flaws in the plan… buses are where they should be, meals mostly served on time, aircraft all up and down each day intact, then everyone sitting down to have a laugh and a drink to discuss the day, and what’s next. The aircraft Glen and Peter in Glen’s Vans R7 The airspace The simplicity of the plan dissipates pretty quickly with the realisation that CTA pretty well stretches along the East Coast of Australia from Bankstown to Cairns. No one told me this is a Nine aircraft — bigger than a Flight but not CTA endurance exercise! So here we go — leave quite a Squadron. A mobile Air Traffic Control Bankstown CTA, have a break, then Williamtown (ATC) nightmare. Military CTA. Then Coffs Harbour International CTA, Gold Coast CTA, Brisbane CTA, Sunshine Cessna is well represented this year — my Coast CTA, Rockhampton CTA (voted the C172F, a newer beautifully restored C172N the friendliest controller of the trip), yeah, haven’t Juliets (JZJ) and a way too shiny, too new, finished yet, Mackay CTA, Hamilton Island CTA, technologically brilliant with lots of leather Townsville Military CTA, and lastly Cairns C182. There’s no shortage of Pipers either — a International CTA. Phew! well looked after Cherokee that keeps up with the best of the fleet; the old workhorse ‘Limo’ From the controller’s point of view we are a Cherokee 6 (CDK), with speed and authority and nightmare. Each airspace we transit, is for them, fully kitted with the Chairman’s lounge; and two a 30 minute time period of 9 aircraft with well restored, fast, comfortable and good looking different speeds, intentions and experience Archers. There’s also a fast, slippery, cheeky skipping through their airspace. Chris makes Grumman Tiger (yeah- right Chris Muller’s sure they know we are coming and they give us ride!) Finally there is the plane that never respect and get us safely on our way amidst the seemed to fly — I would see it parked when I left 737s, 717s, King Airs and Dash 8s. When we in the morning, and damn it, after 5 hours in the finally burst into the silence of Class G Airspace air I would land and there it would be parked at Cooktown, I kinda miss my friends at Air again at our destination. A beautiful, sleek, nasty Services. Definitely a group of professionals that Vans R7 with attitude. I am sure it flew half of have my respect! our hours. The scenery So, with all these varying aircraft in the air Breathtaking. We really do live in a diverse together, what is the result? Somehow we all ever-changing country. At a lot of the places we take off within 30 minutes of each other, fly for a visit, there are 4WD people that have spent few hours then arrive within 30 minutes of each other. Quite bizarre really, when you consider the
Sydney Flyer Page ! 12 Enroute to the ;p of the Cape weeks getting there. We have spent few hours. We have some great stops with a total of three Special? You bet. rest days to relax and take in our beautiful country. It is difficult to describe the thousand things we see and feel, the spiritual serenity and The hotels are comfortable, friendly, have good timelessness of Australia, even with a Lycoming food, we go on some amazing tours, and engine growling in our ears. This is why we come. generally the population of Australia welcomes this unlikely bunch of ‘pilots going to TIP’ into What is special, is that we beat nature by their towns with open arms. Looking at it from taking control of how we see it — being able to their point of view — nine aircraft boldly lined flit to that island in the Whitsundays, land at up against the back fence of the local airfield like that outback station for lunch or just sit under a a fighter squadron. We arrive five minutes apart tree at a world-renowned fishing spot looking for 30 noisy minutes and take off five minutes out at the Gulf. apart for an even noisier 30 minutes. It is a Hard to comprehend it all, even now. statement. We are here, we eat, chat, laugh, feel, see, respect, listen and then we are gone. I sense The stops our not so small group of aviators causes a bit of Well, it seems I land in every town in Australia. a sensation as we move North to the Cape. With up to three landings a day. The old saying Sydney Flying Club is alive and well along the you are only as good as your last landing is true, East Coast of Australia all the way to Papua New true, true. But we all land safely, on time, in an Guinea (PNG)! orderly fashion, without any incidents for 15 Just for the record, here we go with overnight days straight. Pretty cool for a potential mobile stops not including fuel stops: ATC disaster. Do the math, 400 landings , nil incidents. Caloundra, Rockhampton, Airlie Beach, Cooktown, Bamaga, Horn Island, Karumba, Burketown, Adels Grove, Birdsville and Cunnamulla.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 13 My favourite is Horn Island, an ex WWII B-17 Cairns to Nowra. Two of the faster planes make a bomber air base with cross runways that go run for it from Birdsville a day early and get forever. You can almost see PNG from 6500 feet. through to Bankstown (YSBK) and Camden Another favourite is Bramwell Station in the respectively ahead of the storm. Another four go middle of the Peninsula, a working cattle station past Dubbo to Orange and Bathurst and the next with a bush strip that a King Air could day find a hole over Katoomba to scoot over the comfortably get down on. mountains through, into YSBK. Some very creative and skilful flying for those pilots that The breakdowns they won’t forget for a while. Well done guys and I think I have the most breakages with a broken girls. The last two planes (mine being one) get elevator — yes I do back it into a ditch, and no caught in a three-day downpour at Narromine. my plane doesn’t have a reverse gear — a sticky We are revered by the locals as the Rain gods of starter solenoid and a broken door handle. But Narromine as we have brought the first rain for hey, she is 53 years old, not bad for an old girl. seven months. I guess that is the silver lining to Other than that, the rest of the fleet suffer in that story. Still, Ron and I don’t mind watching total another sticky solenoid, a broken door the rain and TV for three days after 14 days of handle, a failed front wheel gas strut, some faulty hard solo flying. The locals all walk around in the back up radios and a dicky ADSB or Transponder rain laughing. We were smiling. IFR thingy. But nothing that causes us not to all get home safely — a pretty sound record for over The people 400 flying hours amongst the nine aircraft. Well, in one word: sensational. Some from last year, some new, some not so new. Experience The weather ranging from a fresh PPL to 45 years in the air. Cloudless days, favourable winds — except for but they have one thing in common — they want always-windy-Cooktown — until the last day to be here. That’s all you need to be to do when Armageddon arrives in the shape of a something like this — the want to do it. We all drought-breaking storm front stretching from love to talk about our planes, best height, best
Sydney Flyer Page ! 14 way to land at that airfield, what we see that day. I sense no one is excluded from any conversation. The comraderie is instant from See SFC videos first! Caloundra on that first night. All look over their shoulder every day to make sure all are safe and Subscribe to the well within the SFC Collective. We all learn so Sydney Flying Club much more from the Collective than what we give. We all enjoy being part of something so Channel on much bigger and more special than ourselves. And of course we all thank Chris Muller, who even on a cold morning before sunrise, appears out of the mist in the dark to give a nervous solo pilot some moral support to get his ride ready to fly with a bush repaired elevator while everyone else sleeps. What’s next? So, in a very casual conversation over a beer after a long day’s flying somewhere in the Gulf, Chris says: “Michael (that’s me), I’ve been thinking, how about the Kimberleys for 2019? Interested?”. Oh no here we go again… Maybe I will see you there next year. You have a pilot’s licence, you want to go, but don’t know anyone, maybe not confident enough. Well, that was me one year ago. All you need to change your life and become one of the few Aussies to see a blessed and beautiful country, doing what few people in the world can do, is to let Chris know you want to go. Everything else will happen on its own. Subscribe now: PS .Thanks to one friend at Longreach, and another at Narromine, thanks for getting me Click here. home. By Michael Quigg
Sydney Flyer Page ! 15 Air Safari 2018 in Photos By Dianne Fielding Day 1 – Bankstown to Caloundra Day 3 Shute Harbour to Rockhampton ! ! ! ! Day 2 – Caloundra to Shute Harbour Day 4 Rockhampton to Cooktown ! ! ! !
Sydney Flyer Page ! 16 Day 5 – Cooktown Day 7 – The Tip of Cape York ! ! ! ! Day 6 – Bramwell Station Day 8 – Horn Island ! ! ! !
Sydney Flyer Page ! 17 Day 9 - Karumba Day 11 – Sweers Island ! ! Day 10 – Burketown Day 12 – Adel’s Grove ! !
Sydney Flyer Page ! 18 Day 13 – Birdsville Day 15 – Cunnamulla to Bankstown ! ! ! ! Day 14 – Cameron Corner ! !
Sydney Flyer Page ! 19 The Flying Club Spirit Mike Allsop I have recently returned from the Club Flyaway Flyaways have been a Club feature since its event to Cape York in the company of 20 or so beginnings in the 1970's. There is no part of the other members, friends and family. It struck me country that has not been traversed by a Club that this was part of the true essence of a flying flyaway at some point, and all have undergone club — sharing common experiences through a the same level of ‘professional’ organisation by love of aviation and learning a lot on the way. volunteers. Such a trip could only have been done by air and Ditto for single day fly outs. These are a great GA air at that. way to extend the enjoyment of your PPL beyond The organisation of the trip was handled local flying with friends and are also a great expertly by an experienced flyer — Chris Muller. confidence builder. These are all organised by Chris has travelled extensively as a private pilot volunteers with the interests of the private pilot and learned to spot those ideal locations to travel in mind. to, along with accommodation and ground Competitions have also been a feature of Club activities to suit. Chris is a volunteer and his life since its beginnings. These are designed to be efforts have contributed immensely to the value fun events providing an opportunity to practise of Club membership for those who take part. various manoeuvres which you may have become Details such as suggested routing, stopovers, rusty in, but which nevertheless are very fuel, ground transfers, accommodation important to have in your kitbag for an occasion availability and even useful contacts for they might be required. Again, these provide a maintenance if ever required were all worked out great confidence builder for pilots, and a great in advance and shared with participants. Chris opportunity to share with others. Bill Dawes has understands the interests of members who enjoy been the organiser of our competitions over the extended cross country flying and helps past few years, and he has built up a strong cadre encourage those with less experience to build up of participants, Member Air Judges and their confidence in decision making for the instructors following well planned sequences for various legs ahead so that they may enjoy the scoring. This is all volunteer effort, and builds on attractions of the destination as well. years of experience.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 20 There is a distinct difference between organisations which focus solely on training and those which provide extended activities such as those above. A relationship with a flying school is simply transactional. A customer pays money to receive training and gain a qualification, either for private or commercial purposes, and moves on. This is perfectly OK if that is all the customer wants. A Club on the other hand extends that relationship to personal enjoyment in the company of others and the extension of experience in the company of others beyond ‘the transaction’. This may involve members with their own aircraft or those choosing to rent an affordable alternative. It particularly thrives on volunteer effort, since most Clubs do not have staff with the time or experience to undertake these activities. A strong relationship is however built with staff who go out of their way to offer support for these activities, and who make appropriate resources available. A club which fails to do this dies as a club and reverts to being a transactions provider, if it survives at all through such a hit to its reputation. Unfortunately GA is littered with examples where the mix of emphasis between training and private operations has been let to slide to the detriment of one side or the other. Both are essential for the future of GA to my mind. SFC has a proud history in the full spectrum of Club activity and should be encouraged to build on this in the interests of its members and as part of wider advocacy for GA as a whole. Club spirit demands nothing less. Many thanks to all of you who make it such a place and long may it continue. By Mike Allsop
Sydney Flyer Page ! 21 My Only Emergency in 25 Years of Flying Mack Gridley In 2005, after holding my PPL for about 11 This is the type flight that I am doing on this years with around 500 hours in my logbook, I particular occasion in a lovely Cessna 172 JGV often enjoyed my flying passion by treating with a good mate passenger and his nine year old myself and a few friends to scenic joy flights. son, when I experience what follows. Victor One was always popular, along with ––––––––––––––––– Bankstown (BK) to Mittagong, then, winds permitting, a flight down “into" Lake The weather is perfect and the flight north at Burragarang, Warragamba Dam and back to BK 1,500 – 2,500 feet is spectacular as usual, over via 2RN. the magnificent Hawkesbury system with all its bays and arms, Lion Island and Brisbane Waters. My favourite scenic flight of all however, is probably BK direct to Warnervale (YWVA) or Cessnock, then to Norah Head and 500 feet coastal all the way back, sometimes including a Harbour Bridge scenic, before returning to BK. Scotland Island The Warnervale landing is uneventful, and we each enjoy a cup of coffee and a few $100 packets of Smith's chips. Some;mes including a Harbour Bridge scenic Before take off for Norah Head, I visually check before returning to Bankstown the fuel and oil as required. About five minutes into the flight over Tuggerah Lakes, I notice a
Sydney Flyer Page ! 22 thin horizontal strip of oil about a centimetre me towards a maintenance hangar. I hop out a above the bottom of the glareshield. Within the little shaken. I become more shaken when I look next few seconds, Temps and Pressures OK and at the plane. Oil is everywhere down and under everything else normal except … the oil is slowly the fuselage. With too many helpers, I remove moving up the glareshield, forming a slight the cowling. I urgently want to know how much hump in the middle. I immediately ease the oil remains in the engine. I am amazed the throttle to nurse the engine, radio YWVA to engine hadn’t started to seize. The engine is advise I’m on my way back with a possible swamped with oil. I go for the dip stick. No dip imminent entire failure. I then brief my stick! passengers for a possible forced landing. It is immediately evident that the oil has sloshed out of the dip stick tube. I can feel what everyone is thinking: “The dunce forgot to replace the dip stick". I am sure I had replaced it. In order to avoid such an omission I was trained to leave the dip stick east west on top of the cowling in full view of the pilot in the cockpit, when checking the oil. I feel terrible, but am sure I had replaced it as I had done hundreds, perhaps thousands of times before. At least the engine has only suffered Temps and Pressures OK minimal damage, if any at all. WRONG! I am eight or nine miles from the field, and “What's this?” someone yells. I look and hope the engine will get me within gliding range immediately recognise the Cessna/Lycoming type before I may have to shut it down. The minutes oil dip stick cap. It has separated from the stick seem like hours as I dawdle back at 1,800 RPM, and somehow wedged itself down between the and about 80 knots. I have to maintain altitude cylinders and stayed there. of course, but want to put the least amount of This is great news for me, but bad news for the strain on the engine. The oil continues to cover engine. The stick itself had nowhere to go but the glareshield and I have no idea why. down into the engine. We are so lucky it didn't At last the strip is in sight but I am only at tangle up with the valves or cam shafts, and that 1,000 ft. While YWVA is an ‘un-towered’ CTAF, there was enough oil to get us safely back to the it does monitor all calls. The CFI has cleared all strip. Anyway, I am off the hook, but the engine other planes away for my arrival and after is taken away in a truck for a $25,000 complete another minute with the oil now starting to reconditioning. In subsequent flights to YWVA, cover the side windows (even though the temps it seems months before it has been put back and pressures remain normal), I feel I could together and returned to BK. safely glide in joining base for a very short and Well, that’s my story. I later learned that “curved" final. I slowly shut the engine down, globally, this fault had been recorded only twice and take the normal precautions for a forced before with C172 Lycoming engines. On both landing. occasions it was caused by a faulty stick/cap As one so often reads in the crash comics, my connection, not a design fault. My own CFI landing is one of my best. The word has got praised my actions which was nice, saying that I around and it seems that dozens of helpers may have saved a few lives, and a Skyhawk hull suddenly have appeared from all directions. I of course. assess that there is no fire risk, so after By Mack Gridley offloading my passengers, allow everyone to push
Sydney Flyer Page ! 23 Deep Stall 2 Duck's Disease Bill Cooper The majes;c XB-70 Valkyrie ‘Looking outside, at the planet, is the best bit of SA There is another way to eliminate the problem (Situational Awareness) that you can use’. altogether, via: US Astronaut • Computer-controlled, powered flying surfaces and thrust deflection, so that the aircraft can be So far, the deep stall has been described as routinely manoeuvred in and out of deep stall when the aircraft AoA (angle of attack) exceeds angles, e.g., jet fighters: Su27, F-35, etc.. 30°, it can enter a stable deep stall from which the pilot may be unable to pitch the aircraft down toward an unstalled condition. Aircraft design plays a part, with T-tailed designs and canards prone to be unrecoverable from a stable deep stall, due inability either of the stalled wing’s wake to attach itself to the tail surfaces, or the foreplane remaining unstalled. Conventional low-tailplane designs can also experience deep stall AoAs but should be recoverable, unless too late/low or the recovery is otherwise mishandled. Successful recovery techniques, height Lockheed Mar;n F-35 Lightning II permitting, can range from: And now, a look at canards and their deep stall • Manoeuvring the aircraft with controls still issues ... operational: Aileron; Rudder and Power, or: The canard • Not letting the aircraft get anywhere near a Canard, the French word for duck, has two stall in the first place, to; English meanings: • Ballistic solutions such as ejection seats or airframe parachutes.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 24 • A small wing-like projection attached to an Vari-Eze design was being test-flown. After aircraft forward of the main wing to provide several flights, the pilot stated his intention to extra stability or control, sometimes replacing demonstrate the aircraft’s foolproof performance the tail; by holding the stick back throughout the takeoff. Observers saw the aircraft lift off runway 29C • An unfounded rumour or story, a hoax or early and, just clear of the ground effect, snap- fabrication. Websters roll upside down and crash on the runway, killing the pilot, demonstrating that it wasn’t idiot- proof (better idiots keep evolving) also vindicating advocates of an alternative theory: ‘Keep the shiny side up’ (aerobatics excepted). Canard control There are two forms: • Fixed (Static) canard, with an AoA greater The history of canards contains a little of both than the main wing behind it. The canard and meanings. Canard foreplanes work much as the the wing, share the lift task. conventional (tailplane) pitch control, but by raising and lowering the nose rather than the tail. They have been in and out of fashion throughout aviation history. The Wright Flyer had a canard stabiliser, developed during the brothers’ glider experiments. They claimed to have been saved several times by using that form of pitch control, though it may just have been because the canard was in front of the pilot and got to the crash scene first, breaking the fall, as it were, from the Flyer’s 30 kt airspeed. Like many a second-class invention, the canard • Moving (control) canard, set at neutral, 0° seemed to be a good idea, as it was alleged to be AoA, providing pitch control only, leaving the stall-proof. Pitch stability relies in part on wing to provide lift. longitudinal dihedral, where the AoAs of the wing and the pitch control surface have a different incidence, the front one larger. If the front surface is the control, then the aircraft can’t suffer a wing stall because the canard will stall first and keep the wing from stalling? Can it? Foolproof? What could go wrong? .. The fixed canard, the classic ‘stallproof ’ design, has been a dismal failure, as the airflow Well, here at Bankstown Airport, many moons interaction between the canard and the wing just ago, a canard-equipped homebuilt of Dick Rutan behind it is complex, with poor stability, drag
Sydney Flyer Page ! 25 and stall characteristics. It just doesn’t work as Computerising powered primary controls has expected, as in the Bankstown crash example turned instability concerns into manoeuvre above. advantages. The Cobra manoeuvre made popular As WIKI puts it: ‘A danger associated with an by the Russian Su27 Flanker fighter (which insufficiently-loaded canard (i.e. when the centre doesn’t happen to have a canard, but the navy of gravity is too far aft) is that, when approaching Su33 version does) is an example of the the stall, the main wing may stall first. This incredible handling that AS (and vectored thrust) causes the rear of the craft to drop, deepening makes possible moving in and out of deep stall at the stall and sometimes preventing recovery’. will. The XB-70 project was cancelled, in part due to unresolved issues with the canard/wing airflow interaction, but mainly because the airframe was unsuitable for the change from high to low level (‘below the radar’) interdiction. Artificial stability Artificial stability (AS) is how an unstable aircraft can be stabilised on a desired flight path by primary control input, using a feedback controller. A stable aircraft corrects itself, sort of, AS is complex and expensive but is so but an unstable aircraft ‘stumbles’ quickly. The integrated in recent military aircraft in that they Wright Flyer was unstable can’t be flown without it. yet controllable, but things “Fortunately, we are good at When the equipment happened slowly and works, the aircraft can be flights were brief. designing devices that do these flown into spectacular Unstable, fast, agile aircraft tasks very well. “ parts of the manoeuvre require a computer to envelope, slow and low at a quickly identify, assess and huge AoA and out again. correct flight path errors and keep doing it Problem: at the slightest glitch or human error, throughout the flight. Humans are not good the ground is close and waiting... YouTube holds feedback controllers: we react too slowly or alarming videos of crew ejecting seconds before wrongly, get tired and aren’t good at spectacular air show crashes. As with other multitasking. Fortunately, we are good at advanced equipment, AS is likely to appear in GA designing devices that do these tasks very well. civil aircraft in time, sans ejection seat! So, the Wright Flyer’s moving canard has now To be continued … been reinvented and, when combined with Deep Stall 3: next time, we’ll check out how control surfaces that are computer-controlled, pilots can mishandle recoverable deep stalls… fly-by-wire, can provide unprecedented manoeuvre performance, compared to earlier aircraft. Modern military aircraft do not have to By Bill Cooper be stable to remain flyable as the computer continuously adjusts the controls to maintain the flight path as indicated by the pilot’s flight control inputs and/or the navigation and target- acquiring equipment.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 26 X-Files Milestones and Dead Ends Anthony Coleiro FILE X108 (the same that was used on the Bell X-1) was fitted to the aircraft, but it sat dormant in the NORTHROP HL-10 aircraft until the 12th flight while the aircraft’s In File X102 we had a look at the Northrop M2- flight characteristics were studied without the F2 and 3, but as previously mentioned, Northrop distraction of the rocket going. built another Lifting Body, the HL-10. HL for ‘Horizontal Landing’ as opposed to the vertical landings conducted by the then Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules and 10 for the 10th shape to be studied. The HL-10 was a high performance lifting body, picking up where the M2-F3 left off, to test the feasibility of wingless aircraft to operate in space and then glide back to earth. The HL-10 differed from the M2-F2 by having a different upper and lower fuselage shape and a delta plan form. The HL-10 had a flat under surface and a rounded top known as a flatiron shape, opposite to the M2-F2. The first unpowered flight by the HL-10 under the command of Bruce Peterson (the real 6 million dollar man) took place on 22 December 1966, dropped from a Boeing B-52 from 45,000 feet; the flight took about four minutes reaching Martin Marietta contributed to the lifting body a speed of Mach 0.75. An XLR-11 rocket motor program with their X-24A and X24B but the
Sydney Flyer Page ! 27 HL-10 was judged to have the best handling Two flights had been envisaged, the first, the qualities of the all the lifting bodies flown. HL-10 would be sent back to Earth unmanned, and if successful the second would be manned. The first powered flight took place on 28 May 1969. It was again carried aloft under the wing Wernher Von Braun was right behind the idea of a Boeing B-52 but the Flight Research mothership and dropped Director over-ruled this “The HL-10 flew 37 missions from an altitude of 45,000 and killed the idea saying it feet. The test pilot (John during the life of the program was beyond his expertise Manke) applied full and area of interest. and it logged the highest throttle to the 8,000 lb The HL-10 flew 37 thrust XLR-11 rocket altitude (90,030 ft) and fastest missions during the life of motor for 66 seconds speed (Mach 1.86)” the program and it logged propelling the aircraft to a the highest altitude speed of 1,327 km/h and (90,030 ft) and fastest speed (Mach 1.86) of all then reduced throttle to half power and he was the lifting bodies from various companies flown able to climb with the available momentum to an before the project was terminated. altitude of 64,500 feet. Rocket fuel was exhausted after 106 seconds and the aircraft glided back to the Edwards Air Force Base at a By Anthony Coleiro speed of 370 km/h. Acknowledgments The Illustrated Ency. of Aircraft, Orbis Publication Aircraft, August 1968, The Royal Aeronautical Society Air Progress September 1969, Condé Nast Publications Inc. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/ HL-10 carried aloB under the wing of a Boeing FactsSheets/FS-010-DFRC.html B-52 mothership http://www.answers.com/topic/northrop-m2-f2 The profile of the approach was designed to simulate a return-from-space corridor onto a pre- planned approach onto the dry lakebed. A circular approach was employed to assist in increasing the rate of descent and a flare commenced at 100 feet. Plans had been made to launch a modified HL-10 into orbit on top of a Saturn V rocket, mounted in the compartment where the luna module would have been. The plan was that once in Earth’s orbit, the HL-10 would be extracted from the third stage of the rocket by a robotic arm and placed next to the command module where an astronaut would space walk out to it.
Sydney Flyer Page ! 28 Instructor’s Patch Transform Your Flying Skills Mitchell Anderson Important update of general I alert you all to the fact that subpart (b) above requires knowledge of emergency procedures. competency requirements How many of you can attest to the fact that you There has been a lot of conjecture of late have recently read and comprehended ALL the amongst the senior instructor staff about the emergency procedures for the particular aircraft requirements of general competency under CASR you operate? Part 61.385. Basically speaking, this paragraph under the licensing regulations details the If there has been significant time between requirements for pilots to be recognised as readings, then we at SFC highly suggest that you “competent” in order to utilise the privileges of familiarise yourself with these procedures. their flight crew licence and any attached ratings Flying as a pilot is very much a privilege, not a such as IFR or NVFR. right. It should therefore be treated with the The requirements are as follows: respect that it deserves. Please do your due diligence and have a refresher on your overall (1) The holder of a pilot licence is authorised to knowledge of systems and also your knowledge exercise the privileges of the licence in an aircraft of emergency procedures. Recently, the flight only if the holder is competent in operating the college has introduced a Standard Operating aircraft … including in all of the following areas: Procedure (SOP) of verbalising the engine fire on (a) operating the aircraft's navigation and start, as a briefing to oneself, prior to cranking operating systems; the starter. The procedure is different for each (b) conducting all normal, abnormal and aircraft type that you fly so it is paramount that emergency flight procedures for the aircraft; you are familiar with each method. On your next flight with us, please see the front desk for full (c) applying operating limitations; details on the SOP prior to going flying, dual or (d) weight and balance requirements; private, it is different. (e) applying aircraft performance data, IFR – a challenge and an opportunity including take-off and landing performance data, Enough of the heavy stuff. If you are really for the aircraft. looking to expand your flying skills and
Sydney Flyer Page ! 29 knowledge as detailed above, then the wonderful arriving after last light. What are your chances of world of flying by Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) making a perfect arrival? Very slim in my might present a challenging opportunity for opinion. Did you even consider what the lowest those that have only ever known VFR. Don’t get safe altitude for your arrival might be? me wrong, there are a lot of things that you can Randell Hayman wrote a piece in the February- do VFR that you can’t do IFR, Victor One and March Sydney Flyer about his achievements Harbour Scenics just to name a few. However, under the IFR and the benefits of having the training and flying under the IFR has a rating. I can attest to the truth behind it and monumental advantage over VFR. It can get you encourage each and every one of you to upgrade out of trouble and back to safety very quickly. your skills and in the long run become a more Over the last five and a bit years of instructing, knowledgeable pilot. for the past three I have been pretty much Be smart, be safe and most of all enjoy the focused on multi-engine IFR training. Flying IFR flying. in a training environment has really transformed and developed my own flying skills. I have seen a good 50 pilots through their instrument rating Mitchell Anderson training. And so far so good, 100% of them have IFR and Multi-Engine Team Leader passed on their first attempt at a flight test. So how does IFR give you that extra leg up? Ever been flying along, trying to get up the light aircraft lane with cloud blocking your way, scud running out west to try to get across the ranges or coming back from a navigation flight from out west with a setting sun and not enough daylight? Most of us can identify with one or more of these circumstances. I personally have witnessed all of these as an instructor. An instrument rating solves all those problems. Is cloud getting low? Then climb through it. Is the sun close to setting? Then continue on in the night. Why risk pushing the boundaries not only of your own ability, but also of safety and of the law. The one circumstance where I have seen the most spacial disorientation out of any sequence is a descending turn at night in the circuit — primarily from downwind to base or base to final. For their first attempt, most people end up with an excessive rate of descent while blissfully unaware that they are banked at 45 or sometimes 60 degrees. Imagine you are pushing yourself to arrive ahead of last light coming home from holidays with your family on board, but have never done any formal night or IFR training and end up
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